Narrative theme: interior life / psychological fiction

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewLeduc's short book is magnificently disproportionate to its length. A moving, beautiful and authentic classic. We must be grateful to the Penguin European Writers series, a precious venture in these dark times, for bringing it back to us. -- John BanvilleA forceful affirmation of the human spirit * Guardian *Violette Leduc's novels are works of genius and also a bit peculiar -- Deborah Levy, from the introductionShe can capture the smells of a country childhood, dazzle with the lights of the Place de la Concorde or make you feel the silky slither of her eel-grey suit * Observer *This book is as richly humane as anything else you're likely to read * Independent *What is important about Violette Leduc is the extraordinary perfection she brings to experience and the exquisite skill she uses to describe it * Daily Mail *The great French feminist writer we need to remember * Guardian *A vastly under-read author -- Lauren Elkin, author of Flaneuse

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE''One of Europe''s great writers'' Karl Ove KnausgaardOne evening Marianne, a suburban housewife living in an identikit bungalow, is struck by the realization that her husband will leave her. Whether at that moment, or in years to come, she will be deserted. So she sends him away, knowing she must fend for herself and her young son. As she adjusts to her disorienting new life alone, what she thought was fear slowly starts to feel like freedom.''Knifelike clarity of evocation ... Handke is a kind of nature poet, a romantic whose exacerbated nerves cling like pained ivy to the landscape'' John UpdikeTranslated by Ralph ManheimTrade ReviewHandke became the enfant terrible of the European avant-garde, denouncing all social, psychological and historical categories of experience as species of linguistic fraud. But [he] has aged well and now...is regarded as one of the most important writers in German -- Richard Locke * The New York Times *

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Book Synopsis''Quite simply a masterpiece'' John Banville''I''ve just found a stranger in my house. In a bed on the second floor. He was dying when I got there. You''re going to have to deal with it''Hector Loursat has been a drunken recluse since his wife left him eighteen years ago. Shut away in his dilapidated mansion in the small town of Moulins, he barely speaks to his daughter. But when the sound of a gunshot penetrates the padded walls of his study one night, and he discovers a body, Loursat is forced to act. No longer able to ignore the world, he determines to get to the truth of what happened, and save an innocent life.Trade ReviewQuite simply a masterpiece -- John BanvilleMore philosophically profound than any of the fiction of Camus or Sartre, and far less self-conscious. This is existentialism with a backbone of tempered steel * New Republic *

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Book Synopsis'An engrossing and evocative read. Jenny Quintana captures layered atmosphere and complex emotions beautifully, alongside writing a compulsive tale. I loved it' – Kate Hamer, author of Crushed From the bestselling author of The Missing Girl and Our Dark Secret, comes The Hiding Place: a story about identity, love, long-buried secrets and lies.'A credible mystery, intriguingly unravelled over two timelines, that kept me guessing to the very end' – Anita Frank, author of The Lost Ones Some houses have their secrets. But so do some people . . .Abandoned as a baby in the hallway of a shared house in London, Marina has never known her parents, and the circumstances of her birth still remain a mystery.Now an adult, Marina has returned to the house where it all started, determined to find out who she really is. But the walls of this house hold more than memories, and Marina’s reappearance hasn’t gone unnoticed by the other tenants.Someone is watching Marina. Someone who knows the truth . . .Trade ReviewAn engrossing and evocative read. Jenny Quintana captures layered atmosphere and complex emotions beautifully, alongside writing a compulsive tale. I loved it -- Kate Hamer, author of The Girl in the Red Coat and CrushedTension comes from the skillful zeroing in and out of Connie’s sad story and Marina’s desperation for a happy ending . . . Clever * Daily Mail *An emotionally taut, spellbinding, vivid mystery . . . This is definitely a book readers won’t be able to put down -- Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend and The Last WifeI loved The Hiding Place. Wonderful writing, mystery and intrigue, and a great story . . . I shed a tear at the end -- Emma Curtis, author of The Night You Left and Keep Her Quiet The Hiding Place is a real gem of a book. Jenny Quintana's evocation of the 1960s bursts from the page and the human stories that unfold for the residents of 24 Harrington Gardens are breath-taking and compelling. A gripping plot with characters who will keep you guessing (and break your heart a little, too) -- Eleni Kyriacou, author of She Came to StayAnother beguiling Quintana mystery . . . The Hiding Place is about the hopes, fears and impossible choices of ordinary people. It is about the things that connect and separate us. It is a testament to the fragile nature of truth and a masterpiece of storytelling -- Claire Dyer, author of The Last DayA gripping suspense story that expertly interweaves the past and present . . . Beautifully written and extremely moving -- Nikki Smith, author of All In Her HeadAn absorbing and moving mystery which Quintana unpacks with her inimitable flair -- Rachel Edwards, author of Darling and LuckyEffortlessly engaging & full of secrets, I thoroughly enjoyed The Hiding Place, a credible mystery, intriguingly unravelled over two timelines, that kept me guessing to the very end -- Anita Frank, author of The Lost OnesAn intriguing plot line which delivers on sensitivity and suspense * Daily Mail *From the first page of The Hiding Place I felt the delicious sense of security that comes from being in the hands of an expert storyteller . . . The Hiding Place is both a flawlessly-written mystery and a moving meditation on what it means to belong -- Carolyn Kirby, author of When We Fall and The Conviction of Cora BurnsThe Hiding Place is domestic suspense at its finest - tense, emotional and chock-full of secrets. Jenny Quintana's novels are always rich with atmosphere and social observation, but this is undoubtedly her best yet. Moving effortlessly between 1960s and 1990s London, Quintana keeps you guessing from the first page to the last -- Caz Frear, author of Sweet Little Lies and Shed No TearsThe Hiding Place is an emotionally-resonant and intriguing mystery, in which past and present, secrets and memories converge to unlock a vital truth, all woven together through Quintana's assured and sensitive prose -- Philippa East, author of Little White Lies and Safe And SoundMarina, a foundling, tries to discover who she really is. But the house she was found in is full of secrets and the truth becomes more and more dangerous. Gripping and full of goose bumps - I couldn’t put it down -- Frances Maynard, author of The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr and Maggsie McNaughton's Second ChanceAt a time when I was finding it very difficult to read or concentrate, The Hiding Place came to my rescue. What a gently captivating and beautifully told mystery – I loved it -- Nicola Rayner, author of You and Me and The Girl Before YouWith a cast of fascinating characters, a gripping, emotion-packed mystery rolling out across two timelines, and written with an insightful and languorous elegance, this absorbing, heartbreaking drama sees Quintana at her storytelling best * Lancashire Post *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the PEN/Faulkner Award, Mao II is the work of an ingenious writer at the height of his powers.Bill Gray, a famous, reclusive novelist, emerges from his isolation when he becomes the key figure in an event staged to force the release of a poet hostage in Beirut.As Bill enters the world of political violence, a nightscape of Semtex explosives and hostages locked in basement rooms, Bill's dangerous passage leaves two people stranded: his brilliant, fixated assistant, Scott, and the strange young woman who is Scott's lover – and Bill's.An extraordinary novel from Don DeLillo about words and images, novelists and terrorists, the mass mind and the arch-individualist, Mao II explores a world in which the novelist's power to influence the inner life of a culture now belongs to bomb-makers and gunmen.Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.Trade ReviewA beauty. . . Delillo takes us on a breathtaking journey, beyond the official versions of our daily history, behind all easy assumptions about who we're supposed to be, with a vision as bold and a voice as eloquent and morally focused as any in American writing -- Thomas PynchonA work of fiction not merely astonishingly fitting for our times, but rich and rewarding for anyone wishing to understand them * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisBucky Wunderlick is a rock and roll star. Dissatisfied with a life that has brought fame and fortune, he suddenly decides he no longer wants to be a commodity.He leaves his band mid-tour and holes up in a dingy, unfurnished apartment in Great Jones Street. Unfortunately, his disappearing act only succeeds in inflaming interest . . .Great Jones Street, Don DeLillo's third novel, is more than a musical satire: it probes the rights of the individual, foreshadows the struggle of the artist within a capitalist world and delivers a scathing portrait of our culture's obsession with the lives of the few.Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.Trade ReviewAmerica's greatest living writer. * Observer *Brilliant, deeply shocking. * New York Review of Books *DeLillo has the force and imagination of Thomas Pynchon or John Barth, with a sense of proportion and style which these would-be giants often lack. * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisFor three years Song Yan has filled her Beijing apartment with the tentative notes of her young piano students.She finds herself adrift, but her husband seems reluctant for a child of their own. It takes the arrival of her mother-in-law, together with sudden strange parcels and stranger dreams, to shake Song Yan from her malaise. Summoned to an ancient house in the heart of the city, can she find the notes she needs to make sense of the pain and beauty in her life?'There's something here of early Murakami's graceful, open-ended approach to the uncanny... Ghost Music is an evocative exploration of what it means to live fully' New York Times Book Review'Knits together music and life to touch on something profound' GuardianTrade ReviewAn intriguing book that knits together music and life to touch on something profound * Guardian *Vivid descriptions of contemporary Beijing ... Yu writes in clear, unadorned prose and deftly threads the magic-realist elements through the main narrative * Financial Times *Transporting, searching and poetic * List *This playful, often surreal novel packs in plenty ... an elusive tale, steeped in atmosphere * Mail on Sunday *Ghost Music has beautiful prose and claustrophobic imagery that intensely evokes its protagonist's alienation * New Statesman *

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Book Synopsis"A fun, rapid fire thriller crammed full of domestic drama. Unputdownable.” —John Marrs Luxury villas on hot white sand, views for miles over turquoise water. Flawless hostess Penny gathers guests to an island for her husband’s birthday celebrations. But she soon regrets inviting self-obsessed Eloise…When a child vanishes on the night of the party, their perfect island weekend is ripped apart. Even paradise harbours murky secrets… Has he been taken? Has he drowned? In the panic to find any trace, Penny casts about for someone to blame—even if that person is her own daughter, Rosie. Even clear waters descend to pitch black… But it’s not the first time Rosie’s been attacked by her mother. And it’s not the first time she’s turned to Eloise for support. As the sun beats down and dark secrets rise to the surface, can they find the missing child before it’s too late—or will this sudden disappearance endanger them all? …and someone among them knows the whole shocking truth.Trade Review“A fun, rapid fire thriller crammed full of domestic drama. Unputdownable.” —John Marrs “The Rip is a page turner in the truest sense. A nail-biting thriller, with a dramatic edge, Craig takes you in the minds and lives of its protagonists, before ramping up the suspense amid secrets, lies and shocking revelations. Brilliant.” —Nicole Madigan, author of Obsession “An electrifying page turner with a setting to die for. I loved it!” —Tess Woods, author of Love at First Flight “Another five star book from Holly Craig.” —Paula Johnston, author of The Lies She Told “Holly grabs the reader by throat in her new thriller, The Rip, and doesn’t let go. A page turner that will make you think twice about a holiday in paradise.” —Kerryn Maine, author of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder “The Rip dragged me in from the first page and caught me in its current of non-stop tension and suspense.” —Sarah Ochs, author of The Dive “The Rip is a taut thriller charged with nail-biting suspense…This is a must-read.” —Josh Kemp, author of Banjawarn

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Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**Would you rather love the more, and suffer the more; or love the less, and suffer the less? That is, I think, finally, the only real question.First love has lifelong consequences, but Paul doesn’t know anything about that at nineteen. At nineteen, he’s proud of the fact his relationship flies in the face of social convention.As he grows older, the demands placed on Paul by love become far greater than he could possibly have foreseen.Tender and wise, The Only Story is a deeply moving novel by one of Britain's greatest mappers of the human heart.Trade ReviewA novelist at the height of his powers ... Quietly devastating. -- Robert Douglas-Fairhurst * The Times *Exquisite. -- Kate Clanchy * Guardian *Emotionally acute, profoundly beautiful, as droll as it is deep... this has to be one of the smartest novels that 2018 has to offer. -- Hephzibah Anderson * Mail on Sunday *A gentle, bleak, and brilliant novel. -- Jon Day * Financial Times *Immensely powerful. -- Alex Clark * New Statesman *This intense, taut, sad and often beautiful tale may well be Barnes’ best novel for years. -- Lara Feigel * Spectator *A tender and heartbreaking novel. -- Alex Preston * Observer *As quiet and aching and intimate as a James Blake ballad. -- Rupert GooldA sensitive look at what makes lovers tick. -- Robbie Millen * The Times *A vivid dramatization of the narcissism of obsessive love. * Economist *

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Book SynopsisGermany's king of the thriller takes to the skies with a terrifying and twisted new novel. You know your fear is irrational, you've checked the statistics. Flying is safer than driving – nineteen times safer. Irrational, perhaps. But you're not wrong. Mats Krüger is terrified of flying. But his daughter, Nele, is about to give birth to his first grandchild, so, for once, he's taking the risk and making the thirteen-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Berlin. Of course, he's taken precautions. He's bought the five statistically safest seats on the plane, as well as seat 7A – the spot where you are most likely to die in a plane accident – so no one can sit there. Just in case. But Mats has to give up seat 7A to another passenger. Moments later, he receives a phone call. Nele has been kidnapped. The caller has a single demand. Convince the pilot to crash the plane. Or Nele dies.Trade ReviewOne of his best... The thrill of the ride' * Irish Independent *With its outlandish premise, its surfeit of shrinks (there are two more) and its improbable coincidences, Fitzek's brainy thriller is always at risk of becoming impossible to take seriously. And while it never quite topples over into farce, you keep reading more to find out what bonkers twist he'll come up with next rather than because you're anxious about the characters' fates * Sunday Times *There are so many tense moments and unexpected turns of events, my head was in a whirl by the last page. A highly recommended exceptional psychological chiller. Especially if the reader is not afraid of flying! * Promoting Crime Fiction *If the reader can accept the outrageous high-concept plot device here, a compulsive experience is guaranteed * Financial Times *With stories that confuse the mind and keep the heart pumping, Fitzek has the reader guessing by layering ideas and dramatic twists into a strong narrative * Mystery & Suspense *

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Book SynopsisDurante veinte años ha protegido los secretos de sus hermanas. Ahora estos amenazan con salir a la luz y teñirlo todo de sangre.Hace veinte años, Emily Mills encontró el cadáver de su padre ahorcado en el jardín de casa. Su hermana menor, Madison, sostuvo que ella dormía en su habitación. Su hermana mayor, Tara, afirmó que había salido con una amiga. Aunque la policía detuvo al asesino y cerró el caso, la tragedia arrastró a su madre al suicidio y llevó a Tara a abandonar la familia.Desde entonces, Emily y Madison han seguido adelante con sus vidas e intentado olvidar lo que ocurrió esa noche, hasta que un doble asesinato resucita sus recuerdos. El encargado de la investigación es el agente especial del FBI Zander Wells, cuyos esfuerzos por resolver el horrible crimen se cruzan con el misterioso asesinato del padre de Emily y su pasado.Al cabo de poco aparecen nuevas víctimas y Zander sospecha que el pueblo de Bartonville alberga un secreto que nadie quiere desenterrar. ¿Se trata de algo que las hermanas ignoran o que no quieren revelar? ¿Y Tara? Tal vez Emily no quiera encontrarla porque, cuando su hermana desapareció, se llevó un secreto con ella.

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Book SynopsisAmerican author Willa Cather wrote a book titled The Professor's House. The story begins with Professor Godfrey St. Peter and his wife when move to a new house. He becomes uneasy about the route of his life is taking. His two daughters' marriages resulted in their departure from the house and the addition of two new sons-in-law, causing a midlife crisis that leaves the Professor feeling as though he has nothing to look forward to and has lost the will to live. The novel focuses on the relationships between the Professor and his new sons-in-law and family, while also making allusions to their grief over Tom Outland's, who was his student, friend and also the fiancé of his elder daughter, loss during the Great War. What will the Professor do to manage his family? How will he overcome his and his family's pain? Read The Professor's House to know the complete story.

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Book SynopsisA powerful domestic drama, Shelter reveals the secrets and troubles of two generations of a Korean-American family.You never know what goes on behind closed doors. Kyung Cho owns a house that he can't afford. Despite his promising career as a tenure-track professor, he and his wife, Gillian, have always lived beyond their means. Now their bad decisions are catching up with them, and Kyung is anxious for his family's future.A few miles away, his parents, Jin and Mae, live in the town's most exclusive neighbourhood. Growing up, they gave Kyung every possible advantage – expensive hobbies, private tutors – but they never showed him kindness. Kyung can hardly bear to see them now, much less ask for their help. Yet when an act of violence leaves Jin and Mae unable to live on their own, the dynamic suddenly changes, and he decides to take them in. For the first time in years, the Chos find themselves under the same roof where tensions quickly mount and old resentments rise to the surface.As Shelter veers swiftly towards its startling conclusion, Jung Yun leads us through dark and violent territory, where, unexpectedly, the Chos discover hope. In the tradition of House of Sand and Fog and The Ice Storm, Shelter is a masterfully crafted first novel that asks what it means to provide for one's family and, in answer, delivers a story as riveting as it is profound.Trade ReviewGripping . . . Yun shows how, although shelter doesn't guarantee safety and blood doesn't guarantee love, there's something inextricable about the relationship between a child and a parent . . . We may each respond in our own way, but I'll go ahead and assume that a good amount of folks, regardless of the pain they may have experienced from bad mothers and fathers, and regardless of cultural traditions, will feel the pull to help save their parents. "Shelter" is captivating in chronicling this story. * New York Times *Yun's debut may be a family drama, but it has all the tension of a thriller. It's a sharp knife of a novel - powerful and damaging, and so structurally elegant that it slides right in . . . Yun has written the rare novel that starts with a strong premise and gets better and richer with every page, each scene perfectly selected, building on the last. The language, at first blush plain and functional, reveals itself as the right medium for a story of unusual urgency - not simple but bony, spare and precise . . . Shelter is a marvel of skill and execution, tautly constructed and played without mercy. * Los Angeles Times *A fluidly written debut novel that explores violence and its effects on one immigrant family . . . [A] layered, sometimes surprising debut . . . A diverse and nuanced cast of characters seeks shelter from pain and loneliness in this valiant portrayal of contemporary American life. * Kirkus Reviews *The combination of grisly James Patterson thriller and melancholic suburban drama shouldn't work at all. Yet Ms. Yun pulls it off. Kyung is petulant and unlikeable, but he's also psychologically unstable. The proximity of his parents and the atmosphere of grief and panic launch him on a spiral of self-destruction that's impossible to turn away from. The novel grows darker and darker, until all its internal contradictions are eclipsed by an ending as disturbing and bereft as anything you'll read this year. * Wall Street Journal *This work should find itself on best-of lists, among major award nominations, and in eager readers' hands everywhere. * Library Journal, Starred Review *In her intense debut, Yun explores the powerful legacy of familial violence and the difficulty of finding the strength and grace to forgive . . . This family drama [is] rife with tension and unexpected ironies. * Publishers Weekly *Jung Yun keeps it together through pitch-perfect but flawed narrator Kyung and a high-tension storyline. Such a thoughtful, emotional literary work is an unexpected page-turner. * Globe and Mail *A powerful debut, full of thrills, secrets waiting to be discovered, and lies unwrapped * Los Angeles Review of Books *It seems as though every year a novel - and its author - appears out of nowhere and gets readers everywhere talking. This year that book is Shelter, by Korean American writer Jung Yun. * South China Morning Post *A history of violence lurks behind the walls of the Korean-American family in Jung Yun's Shelter. Kyung Cho is a biology professor who lives in the suburbs with his wife Gillian and young child. Haunted by spiralling debt, the family risks losing their house. Meanwhile his ageing parents are rich beyond anything their son could hope for, but they cared more about money than love, and Kyung grew up desperately unhappy. When Kyung's mother turns up naked and battered in the backyard, and his parents are no longer able to live on their own, he reluctantly takes them in. The reversal of fortune leads to dramatic and surprising revelations, dissecting questions of familial duty, betrayal and forgiveness. Jung Yun's Shelter weaves an intricately plotted intergenerational drama, delivered in cool spare prose. * Sydney Morning Herald *This stunning literary novel is a page turner about family, belonging and making commitments you can live by * Reader's Digest *

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Book SynopsisSteve Tesich wrote many plays and screenplays, including the Academy Award-winning Breaking Away and The World According to Garp. His first novel, Summer Crossing, was published in 1982. He died in 1996 at the age of fifty-three.Trade ReviewKaroo has all the ingredients of a truly great novel. Its plot has the pathos of a Greek tragedy and enough twists and turns to satisfy the most avid Raymond Chandler fan. The characters come alive as soon as they appear on the page. Fantastic * Literary Review *Utterly wonderful... This novel does supremely what novels were invented to do - it confronts the most unbearable sadness with a comic exhilaration that makes you almost pleased that life is tragic -- Howard JacobsonMordantly funny, unexpectedly moving and brutally honest about the business of making movies -- Richard E GrantFascinating. A real satiric invention, loaded with wise outrage -- Arthur MillerTerrific. Nakedly honest, a tour de force of self-destruction. As Saul spirals into free-fall we're with him all the way, because he's so furiously funny -- Deborah Moggach

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Book SynopsisWITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR'If you buy one literary novel this year, make sure it's this' THE TIMES'The Romantics looks to Flaubert's Sentimental Education, to E.M. Forster, to Turgenev. But it is the product of a distinctive and sharp intelligence' HILARY MANTEL 'Grips the reader as artfully and as compellingly as the first page of A Passage to India' THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKSWINNER OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES ART SEIDENBAUM AWARD FOR FIRST FICTION1989. In the holy city of Varanasi, 19-year-old Samar rents a room to avoid a small-town job and lose himself in reading about worlds outside of India. But when he is thrust into local a circle of privileged European and American expats, led by the charismatic Miss West, Samar will soon face his own silent desires and crumbling beliefs.'A work of art' Financial Times'A supernova' The Washington Post'A charming debut' The Independent Trade ReviewThe Romantics looks to Flaubert's Sentimental Education, to E.M. Forster, to Turgenev. But it is the product of a distinctive and sharp intelligence -- Hilary MantelA sensitive and introspective novel . . . a meditation on hope and failure. Mishra's evocations of Indian landscape and customs are vivid and thoughtful; his prose clean and unhampered and his descriptive passages to be savoured * Guardian *Contemporary India is brought to vigorous, thrumming life in the pages of The Romantics * Sunday Times *If you buy one literary novel this year, make sure it's this -- Amanda Craig * The Times *This bright new star is the real thing -- David Robson * Sunday Telegraph *[A]n intriguing combination of casual grace and emotional intensity, peppered with discreet social comment on caste, class, sectarian strife, the state of the nation . . . a charming debut * The Independent *A work of art, a first novel of the highest achievement...a writer whose work will last. Read it and find yourself at the source of something great -- Candia McWilliam * Financial Times *A first novel of astonishing maturity * Daily Telegraph *[An] extraordinary debut novel . . . a supernova * The Washington Post *Mishra's lyrical descriptions . . . and the depth of culture the region offers, is a haunting reminder of India's power to bewitch * Time Out *Grip[s] the reader as artfully and as compellingly as the first page of A Passage to India * The New York Review of Books *If much of cosmopolitan Indian writing has valorized the immigrant and the foreign land, then The Romantics is a celebration of the home and its forgotten world -- Amitava Kumar * The Nation *A voice that fuses the lapidary precision of Flaubert with the meditative lyricism of Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, a voice that's alternately wry and ruminative, meticulous and expansive -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *Many treasures in this brilliant novel -- Elizabeth HardwickPankaj Mishra writes the most perfect prose of any Indian novelist of his generation -- William DalrympleMishra's eye is sharp, his prose flawless * Time *[A] surprisingly assured, provocatively balanced meditation on the familiar culture flash * Boston Globe *A truly ambitious attempt to compare the way people in the East and the West dream . . . Delicate and subtly tantalising in the way only a book can really be * Vogue *It is almost as if when everyone is flashing De Beers diamonds, Mishra traps the quiet luminescence of the moonstone in his theme and style * The Hindu *Mishra's writing has a lovely potency . . . subtly layered and compelling * Times Literary Supplement *Impressive . . . The Romantics turns its back on the exotic richness and the "teeming" panoramic quality which we readily assume to be expressive of Indianness itself * Sydney Morning Herald *A first novel whose achievement is something that most writers could be proud of at any stage in their careers * Vancouver Sun *

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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.

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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

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Book SynopsisSo essential is Crime and Punishment (1866) to global literature and to our understanding of Russia that it was one of the three books Edward Snowden, while confined to the Moscow airport, was given to help him absorb the culture. In a work that best embodies the existential dilemmas of man’s will to power, an impoverished student, sees himself as extraordinary and therefore free to commit crimes. English translators have struggled with excessive literalism and no translation is felicitous to the literary nuances of the original prose. Now, Michael Katz addresses these challenges with new insights into the linguistic richness, the subtle tones and the cunning humour in this sparkling rendition of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterpiece.Trade Review"... make Dostoevsky as readable and contemporary as Patricia Highsmith... superb…" -- Times Literary Supplement"...lucid and pleasurable... new translation..." -- New Statesman

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 BOOKER PRIZEDazzling' GUARDIANBlistering' THE TIMES''A delight'' DIANA EVANSFiction written at the highest level' ANN PATCHETT''Hilarious, revelatory'' MARLON JAMESAn electrifying, hilarious and deeply moving tragicomic debut novel following a Jamaican family grappling with a new life in the US.What are you?'This is the puzzled question that greets a young Trelawny growing up in a Miami where his racial ambiguity is regarded with confusion and suspicion. It's not just his neighbours, his Jamaican parents Topper and Sanya don't seem to understand him either. Then there's his stubborn older brother Delano, who is determined to secure a better future for his own children, no matter what it takes.As both brothers navigate the challenges littered in their path a woefully unreliable father, racism, recession and even a hurricane they find themselves increasingly at odds. Will they make it through together or must one brother's future come at the cost of the other?STrade Review‘Blistering … Escoffery writes stinging sentences’ The Times ‘All of life is here in unflinching detail: the fragility of existence, the American dream and the road not taken’ The Booker Prize Judges ‘Thrilling … With much tenderness in the gulf between father and son’ Observer ‘So brilliant it stopped me in my tracks … Astonishing’ iNews ‘Brilliantly energetic… his talent feels fully formed and raring to go’ Financial Times ‘Unmissable… rare in that it has the heft and heart of a novel, with the refined finesse of the short story’ Irish Times ‘Surges with the symphonic, imaginative, propulsive energy of Gabriel García Márquez’ Guardian ‘A compelling hurricane of a book’ Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House Profound, tender, and laugh-out-loud hilarious, If I Survive You will knock you off your feet and keep you spellbound to the very last page … A must-read. Maaza Mengiste, author of The Shadow King, shortlisted for The Booker Prize ‘Superb… a much-needed new voice’ Percival Everett, author of Erasure 'This I adore… Sumptuous and astute' Diana Evans, author of Ordinary People ‘An elegant meditation on belonging from a powerful new writer’ Nikesh Shukla, author of Brown Baby ‘A dazzling mirror held up to our identity-obsessed time’ Joyce Carol Oates, author of Blonde ‘A gifted, sure-footed storyteller’ New York Times ‘Like nothing you've read before’ Marlon James, author of A Brief History of Seven Killings ‘So damn funny’ Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind

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Book Synopsis''Electrifying, deeply unsettling and so, so satisfying'' Meg Mason, author ofSorrow and BlissI raced through this compelling tale about shame, single motherhood, and the lies we tell ourselves and other people' Daily MailHow can you write other people''s stories, when you won''t admit the truth of your own?Journalist and single mother Suzy Hamilton gets a shocking phone call one morning: the subject of one of her investigative exposés, 25-year-old wellness blogger Tracey Doran, has killed herself overnight.Horrified by this news, she copes in the only way she knows how throwing herself into work, looking after her young daughter and carrying on with two ill-advised affairs.But no one can make their own story disappear, and soon Suzy's life is spiralling into chaos: will it end in violence or redemption?Trade Review'Read the first sentence of Jacqueline Maley's debut novel, and you will be in it until the end. Electrifying, deeply unsettling and so, so satisfying. And, if you've ever tried to manage the sharp end of a career with the blunt demands of parenthood, fiercely recognisable’ Meg Mason, author of Sorrow and Bliss ‘I raced through this compelling tale about shame, single motherhood, and the lies we tell ourselves and other people’ Daily Mail 'I loved The Truth About Her. It's an intelligent, compelling, nuanced tale of guilt, culpability, pride, shame and atonement. But most of all, it's a love letter to daughters, from the mothers who raise them. An astoundingly good debut’ Annabel Crabb 'Heartfelt, funny and will resonate with many readers. This tender, witty and beautifully written novel is for fans of Georgia Blain, Charlotte Wood and Ann Patchett' Books+Publishing 'An intimate world filled with characters I could have lived with a great deal longer… rewarding, enjoyable and utterly addictive addictive' Readings 'A stunning novel, sharply observed, beautifully written, enthralling' Julia Baird, author of Phosphorescence 'I loved The Truth About Her. I could not put it down – whip-smart, sexy and with so much heart – and god, that ending packed a punch. The sort of book that all mothers need to read' Eliza Henry-Jones, author of In the Quiet and Ache

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Book Synopsis''Kurkov is hugely talented. Truly very funny'' Time OutMarital troubles? Sick of life? Suicide the answer? Why not get yourself a contract killer? Nothing easier, provided you communicate only by phone and box number. You give him your photograph, specify when and where to find you, then sit back and prepare to die. Murdered, you will be of greater interest than ever you were in life. More to him than met the eye will be the judgement. A mysterious killing lives long in the popular memory. Our hero meticulously plans his own demise, except for one detail: what if he suddenly decides he wants to live?Trade ReviewKurkov's eye for the absurdities of Ukrainian life is as sharp as ever * Sunday Telegraph *A perfectly balanced read * Scotland on Sunday *A brilliant black comedy * Evening Standard *Excellent... Blackly comic. Remarkable * New York Times *Kurkov conjures up both Gogol and Dostoevsky... Genuinely original * Scotsman *

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Book Synopsis**FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017**''Scrupulous, pitch-perfect. With heart-pounding force, Dunmore builds up a double narrative of suspense'' Sunday TimesLeningrad, 1952. Andrei, a young hospital doctor and Anna, a nursery school teacher, are forging a life together in the post-war, post-siege wreckage. But their happiness is precarious, like that of millions of Russians who must avoid the claws of Stalin''s merciless Ministry for State security. So when Andrei is asked to treat the seriously ill child of a senior secret police officer, he and Anna are fearful. Trapped in an impossible, maybe unwinnable game, can they avoid the whispers and watchful eyes of those who will say or do anything to save themselves?The Betrayal is a powerful and touching novel of ordinary people in the grip of a terrible and sinister regime, and a moving portrait of a love that will not be extinguished. ''Beautifully Trade ReviewEnthralling. Emotionally gripping ... ordinary people struggling against a city's beautiful indifference, and clinging on for dear life Daily Telegraph Beautifully crafted, gripping, moving, enlightening. Sure to be one of the best historical novels of the year Time Out Scrupulous, pitch-perfect. With heart-pounding force, Dunmore builds up a double narrative of suspense Sunday Times Magnificent, brave, tender ... with a unique gift for immersing the reader in the taste, smell and fear of a story Independent on Sunday A masterpiece. An extraordinarily powerful evocation of a time of unimaginable fear. We defy you to read it without a pounding heart and a lump in your throat Grazia A beautifully written and deeply moving story about fear, loss, love and honesty amid the demented lies of Stalin's last days. I literally could not put it down -- Antony Beevor Dunmore chillingly evokes the atmosphere of Soviet suspicion, where whispered rumours and petty grievances metastasise into lies and denunciation. A gripping read Daily Mail Meticulous, clever, eloquent. An absorbing and thoughtful tale of good people in hard times Guardian A remarkably feeling, nuanced novel that satisfies the head as well as the heart. This does not read like a retelling of history, but like a draught of real life. With her seemingly small canvas, Dunmore has created a universe Sunday Herald Dunmore's genius lies in her ability to convey the strange Soviet atmosphere of these very Soviet stories using the most subtle of clues Spectator Storytelling on a grand scale The Times

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Book SynopsisA must-have new edition of Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece, featuring a cover illustrated by Alison Bechdel, the New York Times bestselling author of Fun Home, and a new foreword by Patricia LockwoodA Penguin Classics Graphic Deluxe EditionEvery summer, Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey and their eight children vacation on Scotland’s idyllic Isle of Skye, surrounded by artist friends. They expect these summers will go on forever, but with the arrival of World War I, they are forced to reckon with change, loss, and time’s unstoppable march, before making, years later, the long-awaited return to Skye and to its towering lighthouse. An intimate, impressionistic meditation on memory, grief, the brutalities of war, and the tensions of domestic life, revolutionary for its use of stream of consciousness and shifting points of view, and infused with a singular poetic essence, To the Lighthouse is both a landmark in modernist writing and one of the gTrade Review“I put off To the Lighthouse for a long time, in order to live in delicious anticipation of it. . . . Yet this pleasure can be drawn out for only so long; if you are a reader, the morning comes when you must greet it along with the sun. . . . There is never the sense, opening To the Lighthouse, that it could have been anything else. It opens with the weather, just like the real day. It rises to some occasion, wakes with the lark to meet the weekend―moves ‘with an indescribable air of expectation,’ because it is going to meet someone around the corner, and with the shock of encounter you sometimes feel in reading, you find that it is you.” ―Patricia Lockwood, from the Foreword “I reread this book every once in a while, and every time I do I find it more capacious and startling. It’s so revolutionary and so exquisitely wrought that it keeps evolving on its own somehow, as if it’s alive.” —Alison Bechdel “I know of no more gut-wrenching, soaring prose about shared consciousness, mortality and water. Truly a book for the cradle to the grave.” —Maggie Nelson “This novel is just astonishing in its depth and reach and beauty. There is really nothing else like it, and no matter how many times I read it I find myself shocked at what Woolf was able to do.” —Meg Wolitzer “A classic for a reason. My mind was warped into a new shape by her prose and it will never be the same again.” —Greta Gerwig “My admiration for this book is complete. It is as beautiful, poignant, and ruthless as anything I have ever read.” —Siri Hustvedt “Woolf’s groundbreaking novel is still one of the best available accounts of self-mythologizing middle-class family life and its oppressive construction of male and female identity.” —Rachel Cusk “One of the greatest elegies in the English language, a book which transcends time.” —Margaret Drabble “Without question one of the two or three finest novels of the twentieth century. Woolf comments on the most pressing dramas of our human predicament: war, mortality, family, love. If you’re like me you’ll come back to this book often, always astounded, always moved, always refreshed.” —Rick Moody “She was doing with language something like what Jimi Hendrix does with a guitar.” —Michael Cunningham “Radiant . . . I think that beyond being about the very nature of reality, it is itself a vision of reality.” —Eudora Welty “Thrillingly introspective.” —The Independent “At the head of all Virginia Woolf’s work.” —The New York Times

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Book SynopsisThe short story collection that launched Tabucchi to fame, reflecting on the uncertainties, memories, mistakes and mysteries of life Eleven short stories pivoting on life''s ambiguities and the central question they pose in Tabucchi''s fiction: is it choice, fate, accident, or even, occasionally, a kind of magic that plays a decisive role in the protagonists'' lives? Set in Paris, Lisbon, Madras and New York and blended with the author''s wonderfully intelligent imagination, Tabucchi reflects on the elemental aspects of the human experience, exploring grief, uncertainty, adventure, memory and love.''One of the most admired Italian writers of his generation'' The TimesTrade ReviewTabucchi writes with what Italo Calvino, who shared the same translator, called "quickness" - an agility of mind and economy of narrative that pulls the reader along * Guardian *Elegant ... amusing ... the magic of language, artfully used ... Tabucchi manages to play simultaneously in the treble and in the bass * Los Angeles Times *Meticulously crafted stories marked by wit, emotion, memory and lost grandeur * Publishers Weekly *

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Book Synopsis''One of Japan''s most venerated writers'' David MitchellIn this unnerving fable from one of Japan''s greatest novelists, a recluse known as ''Mole'' retreats to a vast underground bunker, only to find that strange guests, booby traps and a giant toilet may prove even greater obstacles than nuclear disaster.''As is true of Poe and Kafka, Abe creates an unexpected impulsion. One continues reading, on and on'' New Yorker''Abe''s depiction of the deadly game of survival is hilarious but at the same time leaves us with a chilling sense of apprehension about the brave new world that awaits us'' Los Angeles TimesTranslated by Juliet Winters CarpenterTrade ReviewA large, ambitious work about the lives of outcasts in modern Japan and such troubling themes as ecological destruction, old age, violence and nuclear war * The New York Times Book Review *Abe's depiction of the deadly game of survival is hilarious but at the same time leaves us with a chilling sense of apprehension about the brave new world that awaits us * Los Angeles Times *As is true of Poe and Kafka - two writers whose influence does seem apparent - Abe creates on the page an unexpected impulsion. One continues reading, on and on * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisVladimir Nabokov''s Lolita is one of the best-known novels of the 20th century: the controversial story of Humbert Humbert who falls in love with twelve year old Lolita, beautifully repackaged as part of the Penguin Essentials range.''Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of my tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.''Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged, frustrated college professor. In love with his landlady''s twelve-year-old daughter Lolita, he''ll do anything to possess her. Unable and unwilling to stop himself, he is prepared to commit any crime to get what he wants.Is he in love or insane? A silver-tongued poet or a pervert? A tortured soul or a monster? Or is he all of these?Trade ReviewA masterpiece. One of the great works of art of our age * Independent *There's no funnier monster in modern literature than poor, doomed Humbert Humbert. Going to hell in his company would always be worth the ride * Independent *A great novel . . . It widens our own humanity * Guardian *You read Lolita sprawling limply in your chair, ravished, overcome, nodding scandalized assent -- Martin Amis * Observer *Nabokov's command of words, his joy in them, his comic and ecstatic use of them, makes reading his work such an intense joy * Daily Telegraph *Lolita is more the shocking because it is both intensely lyrical and wildly funny ... a Medusa's head with trick paper snakes * Time *

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Book SynopsisA stunning epic novel of secrets, betrayal and passion, from 1933 to the 1960s1933. Tessa and Frederica Nicolson enjoy one last idyllic summer at the beautiful Villa Millefiore, overlooking Florence. Four years later, Italy is a distant memory and Tessa is revelling in the glamour and excitement of modelling in London, until a passionate affair with married author Milo Rycroft leads to tragic consequences. Tessa returns to Florence, and, missing her sister desperately, Freddie, too, travels to Italy, where she is swept up in adventure, danger and romance, and makes a chance encounter that will change her life.With the outbreak of World War Two, Tessa and Freddie must fight for their own survival and happiness, while they wonder whether they will ever see each other again...Trade ReviewPraise for Judith Lennox's novels: 'A fast-moving, complex story * The Times *A beautifully turned, compassionate novel. Judith Lennox's writing is so keenly honest it could sever heartstrings * Daily Mail *Great, old-fashioned storytelling in the best sense * Daily Express *A definite contender for Rosamunde Pilcher's crown * Bookseller *

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Book Synopsis‘Exciting, contemporary, heartfelt and clever’ Greg Mosse‘Riveting, real and raw . . . a powerful journey’ Balvinder Sopal‘Wisely and wittily leaps into the heart of friendships’ Sabrina Mahfouz ‘Dares to subject modern feminism to a tough and timely cross-examination’ T.J. EmersonThe hen party from hell descends into darkness, perfect for fans of Nikki May, Dawn O’Porter and Zakiya Dalila HarrisSome friends have your back. Some friends stab you in the back. Ayesha is just about finding her feet on the London stand-up scene, but when her response to a sexist heckler goes viral, she finds herself drawn into an exclusive group of activists: a sacred circle of change makers, each woman with a specific gift to contribute to the cause. The circle draws in her friend Yaz too aTrade Review'Had me laughing out loud in some places and unable to tear my gaze from the drama in others. Highly recommended' Cass Green, author of The Killer Inside 'Bold, gripping and divinely comic. A thrilling pageturner with a fresh, original heroine at its heart. A story that dares to subject modern feminism to a tough and timely cross-examination' T.J. Emerson, author of The Ideal Man 'Exciting, contemporary, heartfelt and clever' Greg Mosse, author of Murder at Church Lodge 'Nina plays with many themes and masterfully weaves them into a narrative that is riveting, real and raw . . . a powerful journey . . . We are faced with colonial ownership, power, abuse, money, fame, cultural appropriation, the fetishisation of a culture and its people, feminism, and what happens when the right to tell one's own story is taken away, hijacked by another so far removed from our own lived experience. The narrative moves seamlessly from chapter to chapter, bringing us ever closer to the truth of what it feels like to be silenced into submission . . . It is the book of the year for me' Balvinder Sopal 'Goddesses wisely and wittily leaps into the heart of friendships made within rage, both how healing and harmful they can be. Taut with tension, the worlds of activism, comedy and literature are deftly and hilariously described. Combined with the resonant, contemporary tone, this is an excellent, indulgent read' Sabrina Mahfouz, poet and playwright, author of How You Might Know Me

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Book SynopsisIf you struggle to get out of bed in the morning, here’s a poetry collection that’s just right for you. Sunrise is an energizing and rousing collection of classic poetry all about purpose, hope and perseverance. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics with ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is edited and introduced by Susie Gibbs.Wise, reassuring words and magical verses conjure up the promise and possibilities of each new day. With contributions from poets such as William Wordsworth, G. K. Chesterton, Ian McMillan, Christina Rossetti, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and Edward Lear, the wonderful poetry in Sunrise will inspire its readers to greet each day with optimism and confidence.

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller from Graham Norton'A magnificent novelist.' STUART HERITAGE for THE GUARDIAN'Blend[s] dark humour and emotional weight with ease.' RADIO TIMES'His best yet.' THE SUNDAY POST 'Full of Graham's trademark warmth and wit. It's also a complex mystery that ties its characters together in ways they'd least expect.' SUNDAY EXPRESS'Dark, funny, full of emotional intelligence and gripping from the start. ..beautifully written... Wonderful.' DAILY MAIL'Beautifully constructed with a twisty plot ... the perfect mix of levity and melancholy. A cracking read.' JO BRAND'A winning mix of family drama and comedy crime caper ... you may well find yourself reading it in one sitting.' HEAT'Oh my GOD Forever Home is FABULOUS... His skill at gimlet-eyed observation and nuanced characterisation is *chef's kiss* but this book is SO FUNNY... It's a DELIGHT.' MARIAN KEYESCarol is a divorced teacher living in a small town in Ireland, her only son now grown. A second chance at love brings her unexpected connection and belonging. The new relationship sparks local speculation: what does a woman like her see in a man like that? What happened to his wife who abandoned them all those years ago? But the gossip only serves to bring the couple closer.When Declan becomes ill, things start to fall apart. His children are untrusting and cruel, and Carol is forced to leave their beloved home with its worn oak floors and elegant features and move back in with her parents.Carol's mother is determined to get to the bottom of things, she won't see her daughter suffer in this way. It seems there are secrets in Declan's past, strange rumours that were never confronted and suddenly the house they shared takes on a more sinister significance. In his tense and darkly comic new novel Norton casts a light on the relationship between mothers and daughters, and truth and self-preservation with unnerving effect.'Effortlessly readable, possessed of a super twist and full of rounded characters to keep close to your heart.' THE OBSERVER'What a fabulous read... Forever Home is his best so far. It's a complex and compelling story - truly unputdownable - but most importantly for me, it has real heart.' MARY LAWSON'The latest comedy noir by Graham Norton features fractured families at their worst. I loved it!' LIZ NUGENT 'A tale of new beginnings and old secrets. Norton is the king of the Irish small town mystery.' ANNE GRIFFIN

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Book Synopsis"A novel of exceptional emotional force" John Self, Guardian***A Financial Times Fiction in Translation Book of the Year 2023***It's not only grief and loneliness that have tormented Tara since her husband's death. In her, something rises and crests like a wave. As she sits in squalor in a house that once knew love, she hears the deafening cry of a past she thought was stifled and the resurgence of the person she had been before. A girl with another name, who loved to laugh and dance, who believed in the innocence of childhood until she was overtaken by her country's demons. With her characteristic lyricism and precision, Nathacha Appanah offers us total immersion into a world of lost futures and hidden pasts, in which the implacable hand of fate can only be resisted at a price.Translated from the French by Jeffrey ZuckermanTrade ReviewNothing Belongs to You is a physical novel - its sentences grab you by the throat, devour you, haunt you. The prose is magnificent because from its shadows and its ghosts, a light emerges, despite everything. A tour de force -- Mohammed Aïssaoui * Le Figaro *Nathacha Appanah has penned an unsettling novel, full of imaginative, dizzying and hypnotic prose -- Linda Pommereul * Page des Libraires *A wonderful return to Nathacha Appanah's sensual and committed writing on the condition of women and the state of the world * Le Point *Refusing to take the easy way out, the writer avoids the traps of pathos or of pity. Nathacha Appanah is one of our most singular novelists -- Hubert Artus * Le Parisien *A deeply moving book of rare literary power -- Clémence Roux * Marie France *A novel of exceptional emotional force -- John Self * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA man arrives at a house on the coast to write a book. Separated from his lover and family and friends, he finds the solitude he craves in the pyrotechnic beauty of nature, just as the world he has shut out is experiencing a cataclysmic shift. The preoccupations that have galvanised him and his work fall away and he becomes lost in memory and beauty. He begins to tell us a story ... A retired porn star who is made an offer he can't refuse for the sake of his family and future. So he returns to the world he fled years before, all too aware of the danger of opening the door to past temptations and long-buried desires. Can he resist the oblivion and bliss they promise? A breathtakingly audacious novel by the acclaimed author of The Slap and Damascus about finding joy and beauty in a raging and punitive world, about the refractions of memory and time and, most subversive of all, the mystery of art and its creation.Trade ReviewA genuinely brave counter-cultural novel... It's terrific, like everything he writes. * Johann Hari, author of STOLEN FOCUS *Rejecting the rage of contemporary politics for a tender celebration of sensuality, nature, memory and love, 7½ makesa defiant claim: that even now, as the world burns, beauty is worth our attention. In this thrilling mashup of autobiography, homage, film and fiction, Tsiolkas presents a rebellious paean to joy and artistic freedom. I've admired the risk and power of all his novels, but this might be riskiest of all-so personal, so delicate and true-and I love it. * Charlotte Wood, Stella Prize-winning author of The Weekend *

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Book SynopsisRobinson Crusoe, published in 1719, is considered by many to be the first novel in English, and its success was so enormous that by the end of the nineteenth century it had spawned more translations and versions than any other previous English book. An everyman character who has become part of our cultural heritage, Defoe's castaway - shipwrecked, imperilled and facing a host of elemental challenges - lives an archetypal life of survival, adventure and personal development. On one level a simple adventure story, while at the same time an allegory, a quest novel and a spiritual autoEdition Biography, Robinson Crusoe has captured the imagination of readers for nearly three centuries.

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Book SynopsisEl Monte Everest, con toda su relevancia para la realeza, los exploradores, los imperialistas. Y dos sherpas, posados en un acantilado, esperando que el hombre de la cornisa de abajo se mueva.Un inglés cae de un acantilado en Nepal, y yace inerte en la cornisa. Dos sherpas se arrodillan en el borde del abismo, permanecen allí, intercambian algunas palabras a la espera de que el hombre tome la decisión de moverse, de descender. En esos minutos, el mundo se abre para Kathmandu: un pueblo soleado en otro continente, las páginas de Julio César. Montañismo, colonialismo, compromisos y obligaciones; en la fluida prosa de Sebastián Martínez Daniell, cada respiro es cristalino, y brinda una perspectiva desde la que se puede ver la inmensidad del mundo. An Englishman has fallen from a cliffside in Nepal, and lies inert on a ledge below. Two sherpas kneel at the edge, stand, exchange the odd word, waiting for him to move, to make a decision, to descend. In those minutes, the world opens up to Kathmandu, a sun-bleached beach town on another continent, and the pages of Julius Caesar. Mountaineering, colonialism, obligation—in Sebastián Martinez Daniell's effortless prose each breath is crystalline, and the whole world is visible from here.Mount Everest, and all it means to royalty, explorers, imperialists, and two sherpas, perched on a cliffside, waiting for a man on the ledge below to move.A British climber has fallen from a cliffside in Nepal, and lies inert on a ledge below. Two sherpas kneel at the edge, stand, exchange the odd word, waiting for him to move, to make a decision, to descend. In those minutes, the world opens up to Kathmandu, a sun-bleached beach town on another continent, and the pages of Julius Caesar. Mountaineering, colonialism, obligation—in Sebastián Martínez Daniell's effortless prose each breath is crystalline, and the whole world is visible from here.Trade Review"Daniell reveals a fascinating universe in scintillating prose, precisely translated by Croft….It’s a stunner." —Publishers Weekly, starred review"An ambitiously inventive, profoundly intelligent trek through highly personal experiences of lingering imperialism." —Kirkus, starred review"Brilliantly tangential...this book becomes a viewpoint from which we can see the whole world." —The Observer

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Book SynopsisFrom one of Brazil’s rising literary stars, an acclaimed novella about the violation of a woman and a city, based on true events. It is 2014. There is euphoria in Brazil, especially in Rio de Janeiro. The World Cup is about to take place and the Olympics are in sight. It is a time of hope and frenzied construction. Júlia is a partner with an architectural firm working on the future Olympic village. During a break from a meeting at the town hall, she goes for a run in the hillside neighbourhood of Alto da Boa Vista. There, a man puts a revolver to her head, takes her to a secluded spot, and rapes her. Left abandoned in the woods, she drags herself home, where her boyfriend and family members are waiting for her. Vista Chinesa brings light and shadow to a city whose stunning beauty cannot conceal the most serious human and political problems, and gives voice to a story that is tragically not uncommon.Trade Review‘Visceral, haunting … her fiction is original, startling and sits somewhere between the experimental novels of Eimear McBride and Leila Slimani’s more shocking output … This is not an easy subject to write about, but Levy has pulled it off. The result is an immediate, powerful novel that should gain her talent wider recognition.’ -- Francesca Angelini * The Sunday Times *‘The novel is a searing study of the lasting effects of sexual violence, of the inadequacies of memory, and of the failures of Brazil’s political and judicial systems.’ -- Ángel Gurría-Quintana * Financial Times *‘Beautifully paced … It is a reckoning and a rebirth; an unsparing look at the consequences of gendered violence, and of the complex history of a city, a land, and a people.’ -- Catherine Taylor * The Irish Times *‘An impressive power, which takes us by storm in the first pages … as if the book were the forest itself, to accompany with extreme distress, with half-closed eyes, the maximum harshness.’ -- Julián Fuks, Brazilian writer and literary critic‘And that is what Vista Chinesa does: surviving a rape is not a shame, but a victory.’ -- Antonia Pellegrino, award-winning writer and screenwriter‘The author’s focus on a corrupted body is interesting ... A body that in the eyes of the world is just another body, but which the person who inhabits it feels as the standard of the greatest shame. The victim is once again held responsible for the actions of the abuser, a harrowing experience that Salem Levy portrays to perfection.’ -- Paula Bonet * El País *‘That is the great thing and it is what literature can do — to put into words what is unbearable … Vista Chinesa is a slim book, a stunning piece of literature, and also an image of society. Intimacy becomes public and the personal becomes political.’ * Deutschlandfunk *‘A book full of beauty, depth, and space for reflection. The author does not exploit her story, but in a sense unfolds it to analyse it, and the way she does this, with prudence, economy, and veracity, makes this slim book unusual.’ * FAZ *‘Of impressive literary brilliance.’ * Expresso *‘A must-read.’ * Elle Brazil *‘A powerful story in which the voice of the victim is magnified, and where the focus is on recovery and moving on. Between the descriptions of unspeakable aggression, there are also moments of light, warmth and love.’ * Tony's Reading List *‘Full of bravery and insight.’ -- Eric Karl Anderson * Lonesome Reader *‘Vista Chinesa is based on the experiences of Levy’s friend, Joana Jabace. Levy built up the narrative through a series of interviews. Jabace would then read what she had written and comment and, if necessary, Levy would revise. This approach gives a sense of immediacy and the account of the rape and its aftermath is shocking in its intensity. Levy’s retelling, deftly translated by Alison Entrekin, is also a powerful act of female solidarity.’ -- Lucy Popescu * Financial Times *‘[A] work of genius. This is a bold daring book that will change your life.’ * The Bobosphere *‘[T]his powerful epistolary novel is narrated by Júlia, an architect reflecting on being “torn apart” by an intimate violation amid the tumult of the city, which is rife with violent fissures of its own.’ * The New York Times *‘[Levy] makes vital fiction out of a woman’s attempt to process trauma.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Capturing confusion, desperation, anger, and introspection, Vista Chinesa is a detailed, visceral novel in which a woman struggles to heal after surviving a sexual assault.’ * Foreword Reviews *‘A powerful and important book.’ -- Eric Karl Anderson * Lonesome Reader *Praise for The House in Smyrna: ‘Wonderful … deceptively simple prose carrying a great power of sorrow and, interestingly, hope.’ -- Ian McEwanPraise for The House in Smyrna: ‘Levy’s writing is a joy … Her prose is rich, filled with a sense of the vividness and generosity of an author’s available inspirations: the clamour of the senses, the restless truths of the body, the turns and consolations and perils of thought, the wonders of both beauty and ugliness and the meaning and architecture of words themselves.’ -- A.L. Kennedy * Granta *Praise for The House in Smyrna: ‘Teasing … Levy has crafted a puzzling, disturbing story that at times leaves the reader feeling blindfolded in a maze.’ -- Suzi Feay * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisIt is 1962. The first avocado pears are appearing at the greengrocers, people are thinking about carpeting their lavatories and boxing in their banisters, and Ronnie Glover, housepainter, husband and father, is feeling the first vague stirrings of discontent with his life. Then, out of the blue, the fabulous, sophisticated (and married) Jacqueline bursts into his life and teaches him to tango. She seems to offer everything he ever dreamt of. But is it all too good to be true? What can a woman who has traveled the world want with a man who carries a stub of pencil behind his ear? And are the Ten O'Clock horses of Ronnie's painful childhood awake and sniffing the wind?Trade Review'Turbo-charged by the palpable rage and desperation of its hero ... the narrative rips along on a tide of beautifully observed dialogue' TLS. * TLS *

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Book SynopsisThe Beating of his Wings by Paul Hoffman is the final instalment in his epic Cale and the Sanctuary of Redeemers series. The Beating of his Wings is the third and final instalment in the epic Paul Hoffman trilogy following Cale and the Sanctuary of the Redeemers. Following The Left Hand of God and The Last Four Things, this climatic ending will bring this sensational narrative to a close, and finally the fate of the angel of death will be revealed.Imagine if Phillip Pullman''s His Dark Materials met Umberto Eco''s Name of the Rose. Fans of epic heroic fiction will love this series.Praise for Paul Hoffman:''This book gripped me from the first chapter and then dropped me days later, dazed and grinning to myself'' Conn Iggulden''Tremendous momentum'' Daily Telegraph''A cult classic . . .'' Daily Express

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Book Synopsis From the author of the Man Booker prize-winners Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies comes a story of suburban mayhem and merciless, hilarious revenge. Barricaded inside their house filled with festering rubbish, unhealthy smells and their secrets, the Axon family baffle Isabel Field, the latest in a long line of social workers. Isabel has other problems too: a randy, untrustworthy father and a slackly romantic lover, Colin Sidney, history teacher to unresponsive yobs and father of a parcel of horrible children. With all this to worry about, how can Isabel begin to understand what is going on in the Axon household?Trade Review‘Strange…rather mad…extremely funny…she reminded me of the early Muriel Spark’ Auberon Waugh ‘Abrasive and amusing…crisp and intelligent’ Barbara Trapido ‘What a terrific book’ Fay Weldon

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Perfect Child comes a shocking thriller about the disturbing complexities of a mother’s love and the deadly consequences of unravelling family secrets. On a humid summer day in Alabama, a mayor’s wife turns up brutally murdered under a railroad bridge. Standing next to her body is fourteen-year-old Mason Hill, the autistic son of former Miss USA Genevieve Hill. The locals are quick to level their verdict on young Mason: he did it. The town detective calls in local autism expert Casey Walker to consult on the case. At first, Casey tries to keep an open mind. But the more time she spends with Genevieve, the more her unease grows, and she suspects that Genevieve is doing more than just protecting her son. Casey’s misgivings surrounding Genevieve’s story only intensify when she meets Savannah, Genevieve’s nineteen-year-old daughter. Savannah, as it turns out, has some disturbing secrets of her own. But as Casey dives ever deeper into the Hill family dynamic, her search for the truth leads to another shocking murder—one that shatters her understanding of the human condition in ways she never imagined.Trade Review“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

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Book SynopsisDon DeLillo is the acclaimed author of bestselling novels and plays. His work includes White Noise, Libra, Point Omega and Underworld. He has won the National Book Award, the Jerusalem Prize and the Irish Times International Fiction Prize.Trade ReviewPoint Omega is a treat: the most satisfying and least cryptic of DeLillo's late novels. * Sunday Telegraph *Another formidable construction by a very distinctive writer. * Evening Standard *A pared, intense anti-parable . . . so rigorous and so precise. * Observer *Impossible to forget. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisFOLLOW ME is a fabulously warm, witty and romantic novella from the No. 1 bestselling author Sheila O''Flanagan.Pippa Jones seems to have it all. The only thing that the high-flying career girl is missing is love. When she spots a gorgeous man who seems to be following her everywhere she goes, she wonders if fate is trying to throw them together. But with her job on the line can she afford to make time for this handsome, mysterious stranger?Trade Review'The Sheila O'Flanagan guarantee is a pretty powerful one' * Irish Independent *

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Book SynopsisA Richard and Judy Book Club pick. Sharon Guskin's The Forgetting Time is a gripping yet heartfelt mystery and a beautiful tale of the bond between mother and child.Noah is a little boy who knows things he shouldn't and remembers things he should have forgotten. Because as well as being a four-year-old called Noah, he remembers being a nine-year-old called Tommy.He remembers his house.His family.His mother.And now he wants to go home.Two boys. Two mothers.One unforgettable story . . .'When I wasn't reading Sharon Guskin's The Forgetting Time, I was itching to return to it' – Jodi Picoult, author of Small Great Things. Trade ReviewIf you took to The Lovely Bones, you'll be completely engrossed by The Forgetting Time * InStyle *When I wasn't reading The Forgetting Time, I was itching to return to it. Provocative, evocative, and fresh, Guskin's book is an explosive debut -- Jodi PicoultIrresistible . . . Part mystery and part meditation on a mother's love for her child, this clever, heartfelt book kept me turning pages long into the night * Kate Morton *For fans of The Lovely Bones, this psychological mystery will have you hooked until the case is closed * Cosmopolitan *A beautiful tale of the bond between a mother and her young son as well as a gripping mystery . . . Reading The Forgetting Time becomes a personal journey as you try to remember all that you've forgotten -- Diane ChamberlainOriginal, gripping and moving -- you'll be hooked from the start * Essentials Magazine *A truly remarkable, dizzying and exquisite page-turner -- Téa ObrehtAmazing . . . An epic story about relationships * Elle *Gripping, deft and moving * New York Times *The Forgetting Time is about memory and forgetting, grieving and letting go, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child -- Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan TrainA magical, wise, page-turner of a novel that brings to mind the early work of Alice Hoffman. -- Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of DevotionThe kind of book that will make you do a big ugly cry * Red Online *A bold, captivating debut . . . Guskin amps up the suspense while raising provovative questions about the maternal bond and its limits . . . You'll be mesmerized * People Magazine *Provocative and suspenseful * BBC.com *A spellbinding ride. Guskin's beautifully rendered and wonderfully told novel explores the mysteries of how we connect to one another in the deepest of ways. An amazing book -- Mary Morris, author of The Jazz PalaceA cracking read * Prima *Readers will be galvanized by Guskin's sharply realized and sympathetic characters with all their complications, contradictions, failures, sorrows, and hope. * Booklist *Captivating * Book of the Month, Candis *A near perfect book club read. It has the essential ingredient: a controversial theme guaranteed to provoke discussion among readers (a trait it shares with Jodi Picoult's bestsellers) * The Bookseller *A compelling, dynamic, and intriguing debut novel * American Booksellers Association *Like Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, at its core it really is just superb fiction * The Herald *

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