Narrative theme: interior life / psychological fiction

Book SynopsisNumber one New York Times bestselling author W. Bruce Cameron once again captures the bravery and determination of a very good dog in the gripping sequel to A Dog’s Way Home, the acclaimed novel that inspired the hit movie.Bella was once a lost dog, but now she lives happily with her people, Lucas and Olivia, only occasionally recalling the hardships in her past. Then a weekend camping trip turns into a harrowing struggle for survival when the Rocky Mountains are engulfed by the biggest wildfire in American history. The raging inferno separates Bella from her people and she is lost once more.Alone in the wilderness, Bella unexpectedly finds herself responsible for the safety of two defenceless mountain lion cubs. Now she’s torn between two equally urgent goals. More than anything, she wants to find her way home to Lucas and Olivia – but not if it means abandoning her new family to danger. And danger abounds, from predators hunting them to the flames threatening at every turn.Can Bella ever get back to where she truly belongs?A Dog's Courage is a moving tale of loyalty and the constant heart of one devoted dog – brought vividly to life with a keen understanding of what makes all dogs so special.Trade ReviewAnother winning tale of an extraordinary human-canine companionship full of tug-at-the-heartstrings adventure -- Booklist on A Dog's Way Home

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Book SynopsisA major film from the makers of Normal People and Room, starring Florence Pugh and streaming on Netflix.'An old-school page turner with crackling intensity' Stephen King'Powerful, compulsively readable' Irish TimesEleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell stops eating, but remains miraculously alive and well. A nurse, sent to investigate whether she is a fraud, meets a journalist hungry for a story . . .Set in the Irish Midlands in the 1850s, Emma Donoghue's The Wonder – inspired by numerous European and North American cases of 'fasting girls' between the sixteenth century and the twentieth – is a psychological thriller about a child's murder threatening to happen in slow motion before our eyes.Trade ReviewEmma Donoghue's writing is superb alchemy, changing innocence into horror and horror into tenderness -- Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's WifeFascinating . . . Like The Turn of the Screw, the novel opens irresistibly, when a young woman with a troubled past gets an enigmatic posting in a remote place . . . Heartbreaking and transcendent and almost religious in itself -- Sarah Lyall * New York Times *A fine, fact-based historical novel, an old-school page turner . . . Donoghue has written, with crackling intensity, about [spirituality's] power to destroy -- Stephen King * New York Times Book Review *A riveting allegory about the trickle-down effect of trauma * Vogue *Donoghue mines material that on the face of it appears intractably bleak and surfaces with a powerful, compulsively readable work of fiction * Irish Times *Deliciously gothic * USA Today *Heartbreaking and transcendent * New York Times *Fans of Emma Donoghue's first novel Room will not be disappointed with The Wonder . . . a tale of claustrophobic suspense and the intense relationship between a woman and a child * Red Magazine *Like [Room], The Wonder explores a dark, insular, and rigidly controlled environment . . . there is more to this mystery than superstitions and local dialect. * The Oprah Magazine *Donoghue proves herself endlessly inventive . . . This is the kind of book that will keep you up at night and make you smarter -- Julie Buntin * Cosmopolitan *Ingenious * Wall Street Journal *Lib is a heroine the modern woman can admire * Time Magazine *

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Book Synopsis**WINNER OF THE ENCORE AWARD 2020** 'This is literary fiction as it should be: in stylish, surprising, lyrical sentences we are forced to confront the hidden power structures, public and private, that control our everyday lives' The TimesA young woman has been murdered, and a neighbour, a retired teacher from Chapleton College, is arrested. An eccentric loner - intellectual, shy, a fastidious dresser with expensive tastes - he is the perfect candidate for a media monstering.In custody he is interviewed by two detectives: the smart-talking, quick-witted Gary, and his watchful colleague, Ander. Ander is always watchful, but particularly now, because the man across the table is his former teacher - Michael Wolphram - whom he hasn't seen in nearly 30 years.As the novel proceeds, we watch Wolphram's media lynching as ex-pupils and colleagues line up to lie about him. In parallel, we read Ander's memories of his life as a young Dutch boy in 80s England. Another outsider, another loner in a school system rife with abuse and bullying, Ander has another case to solve: the cold case of his own childhood.Though it deals with historical abuse and violence in schools, and the corrupt power of the popular media, Throw Me to the Wolves is about childhood and memory. A perceptive and pertinent novel of our times, beautifully written and psychologically acute, it manages to be both very funny and - at the same time - shatteringly sad.*LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA GOLD DAGGER 2020**A TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020*Trade ReviewThrow Me to the Wolves is, on the face of it, a made-for-TV procedural police drama… Scratch the surface, however, and all of Britain’s restless undercurrents are churning away… this is literary fiction as it should be: in stylish, surprising, lyrical sentences we are forced to confront the hidden power structures, public and private, that control our everyday lives. It’s reminiscent of Edward St Aubyn, not only in its pillorying of the elite, but the pleasure McGuinness takes in having his characters say clever things. It’s also a proper page-turner. -- Melissa Katsoulis * The Times *This is a writer worth knowing… [McGuinness] combines elegant prose with caustic commentary on romance, education and crime… most people can write for a lifetime and not produce so perfect a sentence. -- Patrick Anderson * Washington Post *Blisteringly effective, written with an almost hallucinogenic clarity… Throw Me to the Wolves is intensely powerful. -- Justine Jordon * Guardian *An extraordinary writer of great compassion, McGuinness combines a mesmerising crime novel with a forensic look at the brutalising mechanisms of the British Public School system. Stunning. -- Denise MinaAn absorbing novel… on virtually every page, there are perfectly judged descriptions that reveal something about the world. * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisThe dreamlike story of a young woman in contemporary Beijing forging a different life for herself, from one of our brightest new literary stars.One morning in autumn, just after breakfast, Jia Jia finds her husband dead in the bathtub of their Beijing apartment. Next to him is a piece of folded paper, a sketch of a strange creature from his dream. He has left her no other sign. Young, alone, and with many unanswered questions, Jia Jia sets out on a journey. It takes her deep into her past where, for the very first time, she begins to have a sense of her future.'Startlingly original... A portrait of alienated young womanhood as it is set free' Guardian'Rich and wild...it gets under your skin' Observer'An Yu writes with style and in a way that is hard to resist' Sunday Times'A seductive, sharply observed tale of love, loss and hope' Daily MailTrade ReviewAn elegant, dreamlike tale of a woman’s self-realisation in contemporary Beijing. Yu’s writing has an arresting, unadorned lyricism * Daily Telegraph *A seductive, sharply observed tale of love, loss and hope that moves from high-rise Beijing to rural Tibet and the mysterious, magical ‘world of water’ -- Fanny Blake * Daily Mail *A startlingly original imagination... Braised Pork is a sensitive portrait of alienated young womanhood as it is set free * Guardian *Rich and strange … Braised Pork is a debut that gets under your skin -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *Braised Pork is mesmerising, incisive and utterly disarming. An Yu writes beautifully about loneliness, the experience of isolation — from others, from one’s own past — and the possibility of human connection, however fragile. * Rosie Price *So elegant and poised, so tuned to the great mysteries of love and loss. Like a breeze on a still day, An Yu’s is a voice I didn't know I needed until I felt it. Braised Pork is a major debut * John Freeman *Bold yet understated, Braised Pork is the debut of a supremely confident and gifted writer. * Katie Kitamura *What a singular, slippery, transfixing novel this is. An Yu achieves a hypnotizing emotional clarity as she takes her narrator ever further from a stifling life in Beijing into a watery realm unlike any I've read before. * Idra Novey *Yu’s novel has a cool, poised elegance that only adds to its enigmatic allure * Economist *A dizzying read… An Yu writes with style and in a way that is hard to resist -- Lucy Knight * Sunday Times *Richly associative, the book’s imagery insinuates itself into the reader’s consciousness long after it’s finished -- Jude Cook * Spectator *This exquisite novel is many things: a detective story in which the real object of pursuit is how one makes meaning of a sometimes ineffable existence; a meditation on the talismanic power of art and the indefatigability of the human spirit; and a many-faceted, perfectly cut gem of psychological portraiture set in well-wrought sentences burnished to a gorgeous luster. The emotions in this book keep pace with you, shadowing you with a quiet intensity, until in the last stretch they overtake you completely. * Matthew Thomas *What a singular, slippery, transfixing novel this is. An Yu achieves a hypnotizing emotional clarity as she takes her narrator ever further from a stifling life in Beijing into a watery realm unlike any I've read before. * Idra Novey *Bold yet understated, Braised Pork is the debut of a supremely confident and gifted writer.' * Katie Kitamura *

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Book Synopsis'Utterly Gripping' Sunday TelegraphMeet Chloe. First-year student. Ordinary girl next door. Psychopath.Chloe Sevre can be whoever you want her to be. A cool girl, a best friend, someone to tell secrets to over midnight snacks. She has an impressive IQ, loves working out and frat parties.She's also a psychopath.In between her university classes and taking part in a secret clinical study of young psychopaths, Chloe is plotting to kill childhood friend Will Bachman.They say you should never trust a psychopath. But when you hear what Will Bachman did to Chloe Sevre, you might just change your mind...**Perfect for fans of How To Kill Your Family, You and Killing Eve*'I fell in love with self-confessed psychopath Chloe on page one' Erin Kelly, bestselling author of Watch Her Fall'Deliciously wicked and utterly addictive' Alice Hunter, author of The Serial Killer's WifeReaders love NEVER SAW ME COMING:'A fantastic read that absolutely kept me guessing.' *****'I was hooked... There's plenty of dark humour...but there's also suspense, a lot of twists' *****'A darkly comic, complicated tale.' *****'A profoundly disturbing and well written book with an ending I didn't see coming.' *****'This book was perfectly pitched and pure fun. Highly recommended.' ******Trade ReviewI devoured this riveting book through a day of travel - in a taxi, on the plane, in the next taxi - and into the night. My desire to rush to the end clashed with my desire to savor every word. Who would be the last psychopath standing? * New York Times *Kurian dazzles with a unique protagonist and tight plotting. This one will keep you awake at night and force you to question how well you know the people in your life. Not to be missed! * Christina Dalcher, author of Vox *Utterly gripping * Sunday Telegraph *An up-and-coming voice in fiction...a game of cat and mouse * Tatler *An audacious, break-the-mould thriller from a new voice -- Sarra Manning * Red *

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Book SynopsisCan you ever escape from the shadows of your past?'I couldn't put it down!' Sam Blake'The narrative is multi-layered and bound by emotional integrity.' Candis'A compelling story of love, relationships, and the grief of two families suffering traumatic losses.' Peterborough Evening Telegraph_________________Eighteen-year-old Emma has loving parents and a promising future ahead of her.So why, one morning, does she leave home without a trace?Her parents, Cath and Jim, are devastated. They have no idea why Emma left, where she is - or even whether she is still alive.A year later, Cath and Jim are still tormented by the unanswered questions Emma left behind, and clinging desperately to the hope of finding her.Meanwhile, tantalisingly close to home, Emma is also struggling with her new existence - and with the trauma that shattered her life.For all of them, reconciliation seems an impossible dream. Does the way forward lie in facing up to the secrets of the past - secrets that have been hidden for years?Secrets that have the power to heal them, or to destroy their family forever ..._________________Readers can't get enough of The Shadow Child ...'Make sure you have plenty of tissues nearby, you are going to need them.' Bunnys Pause'A touching and engaging read.' Sharon Beyond the Books'A compelling, complex book about the twisting paths of life, loss and hope.' Bookmarks and Stages'Beautifully written and I can't recommend it enough, it's just so brilliant!' Two Ladies and a Book'I loved this book.' Varietats'Overall I thought this was an excellent read, and one I couldn't put down!' Books Cats Etc 'It kept me turning the pages as I was drawn into all their lives.' LibcReads 'A book full of emotion, and a really great read.' Curling up with a coffee 'A truly lovely story that I would absolutely recommend.' Kim's Reading Adventure

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Book SynopsisGabrielle Levy's The Insomniac Society is the international phenomenon for those having sleepless night's everywhere . . . Five people. One thing in common: none of them can sleep.Claire, who sits awake beside a snoring husband and a little boy who is not hers. Jacques, a psychiatrist at the end of his career whose lonely nights are punctuated only by anonymous phone calls. Michèle, a retiree whose dark secret compels her out of bed and to church. Lena, a young goth who cannot brave the dawn, volunteering at a local café. Hervé, a shy accountant who sits in bed, panicking about his job while scrolling through emails into the early hours. As meetings led by sleep specialist Marie-Hélène draw them together, friendships will be formed and confessions made... but will they discover what's keeping them awake? And more importantly: will they be able to get to sleep?Trade ReviewGabrielle Levy does an admirable job characterising her hodgepodge collection of insomniacs and draws from a varied palette of types, demonstrating how anyone, from any strata of society, can lose their sleep * Buzz Magazine *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WRITERS' GUILD BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE HOLYER AN GOF LITERARY FICTION AWARD LONGLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD'This unsparing debut novel portrays the unromantic side of Cornwall few visitors see and which so many novelists choose to overlook. Charlie Carroll inhabits his damaged heroine completely' Patrick Gale'A moving and affecting novel about life on the edge, with a very special flavour of wild and rugged Cornwall.' Emma Stonex, author of THE LAMPLIGHTERSAway from the hotels and holiday lets, there is an unseen side of Cornwall, where the shifting uncertainties of the future breed resentment and mistrust.Melody Janie is hidden. She lives alone in a caravan in Bones Break: a small cliff-top on Cornwall's north coast. She spends her time roaming her territory, spying on passing tourists and ramblers, and remembering. She sees everything and yet remains unseen.However, when a stranger enters her life, she is forced to confront not only him but the terrible tragedies of her past.The Lip is a novel about childhood, isolation and mental health, told in the unique and unforgettable voice of Melody Janie.'All of this is Bones Break. All of this is mine. I know every inch of it; I know it as intimately as the seagulls. I stand at dead-centre, my feet teetering on the edge of the lip. Below, the thundering tattoo of waves on rock. Wind catches the tips of my hair, lifting them above my ribs: less force than it takes to knock me down; enough to make me right myself with a step to the left, and then another back again. Here on the lip, it is vital to know where my feet are.'Trade ReviewThis unsparing debut novel portrays the unromantic side of Cornwall few visitors see and which so many novelists choose to overlook. Charlie Carroll inhabits his damaged heroine so completely, and with so little trace of first-novel-ego that I can't wait to see what he writes next; I suspect his publishers have backed a winner. * Patrick Gale *Atmospheric, haunting writing, a heroine you instantly love. * Ilona Bannister, author of When I Ran Away *Viscerally described... I'm still thinking about it. * The Daily Mail *[Melody Janie's] life weaves intimately close to this place, vesting a lyrical magic over these weather-beaten landscapes. * The Telegraph *A novel as much about isolation as it is grief, mental health and enforced change, it builds to a moving conclusion with a mighty twist. With The Lip now added to his repertoire, Carroll is proving to be very much like a modern-day Orwell, with social awareness and humanity at the core of what he writes. * Buzz Magazine *A moving and affecting novel about life on the edge, with a very special flavour of wild and rugged Cornwall. * Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters *Beautiful. . . the last time I read a book that affected me as much as this one it was The Loney. * The Bookbag *Beautifully complex, heartbreaking and atmospheric. I was completely immersed in Melody Janie's world and really 'got' the possessive charge of her land and the past that she was trying so desperately to save. Fabulous read. * LV Matthews, author of The Prank *Redeeming and beautiful and full of brave characters and heart. . . I bloody loved it. The story grew roots that went far deeper than I expected. I found myself racing to the climax and it was executed perfectly. A triumph.' * Ericka Waller, author of Dog Days *Really enjoyed the story of Melody Janie, a young Cornish woman struggling to come to terms with a recent bereavement in an environment which, although wild and beautiful, only echoes her grief and isolation. . . I loved The Lip and particularly the mental health story line which is such an important one. Brilliantly written, too.' * Mary Karras, author of The Making of Mrs Petrakis * A moving meditation on making judgements, on place, home and independence. * Zoe Somerville, author of The Night of the Flood *I loved this story of Melody Janie, and her life lived on the very edge. The sense of connection after disconnection is so movingly and subtly evoked, as we see distrust and fear turning, eventually, to understanding and tenderness. The Lip is a stirring reminder that each of us has the capacity to make a big difference in small ways. Throughout, the Cornish coast is powerfully conjured, as beautiful as it is brutal, and perfectly in keeping with a story that manages to be both uplifting and uncompromising. * Emylia Hall, author of The Book of Summers *A powerful story, poignant, and beautifully told. Melody Janie's past and present come alive in a voice that moved me and will stay with me for a long time. * Matson Taylor, author of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth *

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Book Synopsis Set in the final days before a shocking tragedy forces an elite boarding school to shut its doors for good, Ellie Eaton's The Divines is a razor-sharp debut that asks the question: were you really as good as you remember?I am Divine. My mother was Divine and her mother before that, which isn't uncommon. Although that was at a time when being Divine meant something . . .The girls of elite English boarding school, St. John the Divine, were notorious for flipping their hair, harassing teachers, chasing boys and chain-smoking cigarettes. They were fiercely loyal, sharp-tongued, and cutting in the way that only teenage girls can be. But for Josephine, now in her thirties, her time at St. John feels like a lifetime ago. She hasn't spoken to another Divine in fifteen years, not since the day the school shut its doors in disgrace . . .But an impromptu visit reawakens blurry recollections of those doomed final weeks that rocked the community. With each memory that resurfaces, she circles closer to the ugly secret at the heart of the school's scandal. But the more Josephine recalls, the further her life unravels, derailing not just her marriage and career, but her entire sense of self.With the emotional power of My Dark Vanessa and the reflective haze of The Girls, The Divines is a compulsive debut exploring the intoxicating, destructive relationships between teenage girls. 'A cool, chilling and elegant novel' Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent'Perfectly twisted . . . Impossible to put down' Refinery29'Captivating' Vulture'An explosive debut' StylistTrade ReviewA dark delight . . . The Divines is perfectly twisted in its reflection of an utterly toxic environment, making it impossible to put down till you get to its end. * Refinery29 *Chilling and twisty, this story will have you at once compelled, and cringing at the awfulness of teenage girls * Cosmopolitan *Exploring the destructive relationships of teenage girls and the echoes they have on our grown lives, this is an explosive debut * Stylist *This elegant tale of class privilege and bullying at an exclusive girl's boarding school in the 90s makes you feel as though you are trapped alongside conflicted protagonist Josephine * iNews, Best Books of 2021 *Remembering the girls of St. John the Divine, Josephine, in her 30s, ruminates on her bullying days at boarding school. In this captivating debut novel, Ellie Eaton traces adolescent female sexuality, class divides, and the weight of formative memories on adults * New York Magazine *Compelling and very atmospheric. Really interesting on how we remember the past and carry it with us * Kate Sawyer, author of THE STRANDING *THE DIVINES is a cool, chilling and elegant novel that intrigues and compels the reader, while filleting the absurdities of British class hierarchy with a very, very sharp knife. In Eaton's stylish and controlled prose, the oppressive atmosphere of a girls' boarding school becomes the site of a violent and mysterious act, but also a lens through which to examine the intoxicating and unnerving power of adolescent sexuality, the dangers and consolations of friendship, and the toxic nature of the class divide. It's a terrific, entertaining and astute work and one of considerable relevance to the way we live now. * Sarah Perry, author of THE ESSEX SERPENT *A potent novel about what it means to remember and how responsible we are for the actions of our youth. Seething with teenage sexuality, friendship and that peculiarly British obsession, class, this is an absorbing read * Araminta Hall *'Girls are vicious,' a character in The Divines says towards the end, and Ellie Eaton has given us every ounce of that viciousness, meticulously portioned and weighed, the pain of it held up to the light. Seductive and uncomfortable in equal measure, the real raw strange runs through this book, that indigestible part of the human experience we all choke on from time to time * Rufi Thorpe, author of The Knockout Queen and The Girls from Corona Del Mar *The Divines is an absorbing, sharp exploration of the ways our adolescent secrets, relationships, and cruelties shape and haunt us into adulthood. Ellie Eaton's writing is thrilling and intoxicating, whether about the inexplicable power teenage girls have over one another or the challenges of defining a self outside of long-held traditions. A compulsively readable book; I couldn't put it down * Alexandra Chang, author of Days of Distraction *From the very first page, The Divines throws the reader headfirst into the crucible of adolescent girlhood, in all its insecurity and entitlement, brittle vulnerability and callous cruelty. Eaton turns a keen eye toward class, privilege, and trauma, but this novel is above all a ruthlessly compassionate exploration of the stories we tell ourselves about the past-our drive to assuage our regrets, even as we are reluctant to reckon with their repercussions. A confident, nuanced, impeccably paced debut * Micah Nemerever, author of These Violent Delights *The Divines is a scintillating coming-of-age story about the brutal bonds of female boarding school friendships, class prejudices, and the ways in which false memories can take the place of truth. Sephine is an unflinching and utterly convincing narrator. I lapped up every delicious detail * Susie Yang, author of White Ivy *A nostalgia filled story, full of the intensity of adolescent friendships * Best Magazine *

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Book Synopsis'A beautifully crafted book from a wonderful storyteller. It sings with humanity.' Sarah WinmanAUSTRALIAN INDIE BOOK AWARD WINNER 2020 BOOK OF THE YEAR & FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE STELLA PRIZE 2020PRAGUE, 1938: Eva flies down the street. A man steps out suddenly.Eva runs into him, hits the pavement hard. His hat is in the gutter.His anger slaps Eva, but his hate will change everything,as war forces so many lives into small brown suitcases.PRAGUE, 1980: No one sees Ludek. A young boy can slip right underthe heavy blanket that covers this city - the fear cannot touch him.Ludek is free. And he sees everything. The world can do what it likes.The world can go to hell for all he cares because Babi is waitingfor him in the warm flat. She is his whole world.MELBOURNE, 1980: Mala Liska's grandma holds her hand as they climbthe stairs to their third floor flat. Inside, the smell of warm pipetobacco and homemade cakes. Here, Mana and Bill have made alife for themselves and their granddaughter. A life imbued withthe spirit of Prague and the loved ones left behind.Because there is still love. No matter what.Trade ReviewMeticulously observed and masterfully crafted * Books and Publishing *A beautifully crafted book from a wonderful storyteller. It sings with humanity. * Sarah Winman, author of Tin Man *Beautifully layered and complex * Canberra Times *Breathtaking, poignant, hauntingly beautiful * Rachel Joyce on When the Night Comes *If you only read one book this year, make sure it's this. * The Sunday Times on Past the Shallows *

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Book SynopsisSet in 1940s Paris, this bittersweet international bestseller this is the perfect novel for fans of A Man Called Ove, My Name is Lucy Barton and The Guest CatA psychiatrist is counting down towards his upcoming retirement. He lives alone in his childhood home and has neither friends nor family.Often, he resorts to drawing bird caricatures of his patients instead of taking notes. His social life consists of brief conversations with his meticulous secretary Madame Surrugue, who has reigned over the clinic for more than thirty years. The two of them have no relationship outside the office, where everything runs smoothly and uneventfully.Until one day, that is, when a young German woman called Agatha arrives and demands to see the doctor and he soon realizes that underneath her fragile exterior is a strong and fascinating woman. The doctor and Agatha embark upon a course of therapy together, a process that forces the doctor to confront his fear of true intimacy outside the clinic. But is it too late to reconsider your existence as a 71-year-old?'A shrewd, skilful tale of loneliness, the search for meaning and a place in the world, and the problems of truly relating to another human being.' IndependentTrade ReviewA shrewd, skilful tale of loneliness, the search for meaning and a place in the world, and the problems of truly relating to another human being. The end is sorrowful and joyful. * Independent Books of the Month *Short but satisfying . . . uplifting. * Herald *Charming, funny and packed with insight. * Irish Times *Astounding * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *A touching, subtle and gently funny story of rediscovering one's purpose later in life. * Bookish Beck *

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Book Synopsis'It was a strange time. He felt like he was happy. It was strange because it wasn't so long ago that he was convinced the only way out of the depression that had crippled him since he was a child, was death.' But now, he is on a high-speed train travelling from Rome to Modena, a failed novelist on the tail of a famous physicist whose memoir he is ghostwriting. The more of another man's life he writes, the more his debt to his publisher is paid off. But nothing would be possible, not the journey, not the writing, not his beautiful wife who is waiting for him at the hotel, had he not experienced the life-altering, life-saving treatment for the darkness which had been hovering since the chemical spill in West Virginia.As the narrator untangles the past in his bid to rewrite the future, he spirals across time, exploring memory, our sense of self and the ways we are connected. A devastating insight into depression, it's also a mind-expanding, exhilarating experience of the power of psychedelic therapy to transform a life.Trade ReviewThe Red Arrow feels like a book that's gently tapping on your brain from a different dimension. It's an astonishing portrait of a distressed mind searching for peace and hope and harmony, and finding it in the most sublime of places. Deeply insightful and often hilarious, it's a dazzling head-trip of a novel, and a profound delight -- Nathan Hill, author of THE NIXExceptional . . . deeply moving -- Fiona Mozley

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Book Synopsis'Kit Fielding's debut is a triumph. A story told with brutal honesty, underpinned by humour, love, hope and the inestimable power of friendship.' RUTH HOGAN, author of The Keeper of Lost Things In every pub in every town unspoken stories lie beneath the surface.Each week, six women meet at The Bluebell Inn. They form an unlikely and occasionally triumphant ladies darts team. They banter and jibe, they laugh. But their hidden stories of love and loss are what, in the end, will bind them. There is Mary, full of it but cradling her dark secret; Lena - young and bold, she has made her choice; the cat woman who must return to the place of her birth before it's too late. There's Maggie, still laying out the place for her husband; and Pegs, the dark-eyed girl from the travellers' site bringing her strangeness and first love. And Katy: unappreciated. Open to an offer. They know little of each other's lives. But here they gather and weave a delicate and sustaining connection that maybe they can rely on as the crossroads on their individual paths threaten to overwhelm.With humanity and insight, Kit Fielding reveals the great love that lies at the heart of female friendship.Raw, funny and devastating, all of life can be found at the Bluebell.Trade ReviewA story told with brutal honesty underpinned by humour, love, hope and the inestimable power of friendship. Kit Fielding's debut is a triumph. * Ruth Hogan, Author of bestselling The Keeper of Lost Things *

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Book Synopsis'FABULOUS' MARIAN KEYES'Top-notch... full of warmth, comedy and dark secrets.' DAILY MIRROR'Beautifully constructed with a twisty plot. A cracking read.' JO BRAND'Effortlessly readable, possessed of a super twist .' THE OBSERVER'A winning mix of family drama and comedy crime caper... you may well find yourself reading it in one sitting.' HEAT'Dark, funny, full of emotional intelligence and gripping from the start. ..beautifully written... Wonderful.' DAILY MAIL'Blends 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 EXPRESSThe new dark comedy from the Sunday Times bestselling author Graham NortonCarol is a divorced teacher living in a small town in Ireland, happy enough with the life she has. But a second chance at love brings her unexpected connection and joy. The new relationship with sparks local gossip: what does a woman like her see in a man like that? What happened to his wife who abandoned him all those years ago? When Declan becomes ill, things start to fall apart. His children are untrusting and greedy, and Carol is made 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 treated 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 gripping and darkly comic new novel Norton casts a light on the relationship between mothers and daughters, and truth and self-preservation with unnerving effect.'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 SynopsisA young woman's carefully constructed fantasy world implodes in this brilliantly conceived novel that blurs distinctions between right and wrong, comedy and tragedy, imagination and reality: "Surreal . . . filled with technicolor lies and terrible truths" (Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling and Hugo-award winning author).Most Anticipated by CrimeReads · Good Housekeeping · BookRiot · Goodreads · Bookish · OverDrive An Aardvark Book Club pickKatrina Kim may be broke, the black sheep of her family, and slightly unhinged, but she isn't a stalker. Her obsession with her co-worker, Kurt, is just one of many coping mechanisms-like her constant shape and number rituals, or the way scenes from her favorite children's book bleed into her vision whenever she feels anxious or stressed.But when Katrina finds a cryptic message from Kurt that implies he's aware of her surveillance, her tenuous hold on a normal life crumbles. Driven by compulsion, she enacts the most powerful ritual she has to reclaim control-a midnight visit to the Cayatoga Bridge-and arrives just in time to witness Kurt's suicide. Before he jumps, he slams her with a devastating accusation: his death is all her fault.Horrified, Katrina combs through the clues she's collected about Kurt over the last three years, but each revelation uncovers a menacing truth: for every moment she was watching him, he was watching her. And the past she thought she'd left behind? It's been following her more closely than she ever could have imagined.A gripping page-turner, as well as a sensitive exploration of mental health, Liar, Dreamer, Thief is an intimate portrayal of life in all its complexities-and the dangers inherent in unveiling people's most closely guarded secrets.Includes a Reading Group Guide.

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Book SynopsisA Wall Street Journal bestseller. A dead conspiracy theorist. A mass murderer. Two cases collide for Callahan and McLane in a pulse-pounding thriller by Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author Kendra Elliot. A man is savagely murdered outside Portland, and Detective Mason Callahan finds blood-spatter evidence that tells a troubling story. Files reveal the murder victim, Reuben Braswell, was a radical conspiracist. In his home, investigators find pages of diatribes against law enforcement as well as ties to Mason’s fiancée, FBI special agent Ava McLane. The victim was her informant—and had strong reasons to be paranoid. To Ava, Braswell’s rants were those of a wearying and harmless man…until they collide with her investigation into the murders of police officers and finding the connection becomes urgent. Meanwhile, Braswell’s brother and Ava’s twin sister both disappear, and disturbing acts of sabotage target Ava’s personal life. For Mason and Ava, the brutal crimes and escalating mysteries create a perfect storm for a terrorist conspiracy that becomes dangerously personal—one that has yet to claim its last victim.Trade Review“Thriller Award finalist Elliot’s well-paced sequel to The Last Sister opens at the home of 52-year-old Reuben Braswell, a devotee of conspiracy theories, who’s lying dead in his bathtub…The twist ending will catch most readers by surprise…[and] fans will look forward to seeing characters from the author’s other series take the lead in future installments.” —Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisDetective Carter knows all about torture—but he’s never known a case as dark as this one. The Six… An abandoned building goes up in flames. Six women are chained inside and left to die—the truth is left to burn with them. Only one piece of evidence remains, but will it be enough to find their killer? The Detective… Retired detective Warren Carter has been suffocated by grief for his wife and is looking for a new start. But when he gets a call that cuts to the heart of the force, investigating a corrupt police officer, he has to accept. This time, though, he’s going to have to face his demons and work out who to trust when the truth is guarded by his own colleagues. The Bad Cop… It was supposed to be the perfect crime: they knew the system well enough to beat it and get away with murder. But they didn’t know Detective Carter, and how far a man will go when he has nothing left to lose… Their Last Breath is the gripping new thriller perfect for fans of Line of Duty, from the bestselling author of Duplicity and Into The Darkness.

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Book SynopsisTruth and deceit blur as one woman’s desperation twists into another’s desire for revenge in this mind-bending psychological novel. Charlotte Coburn has a tragically dark past. But she’s safe now. She lives in a gated community, protected from danger. When teenager Elle knocks at her door looking for shelter during a particularly severe storm, the woman can’t help but think how lucky Elle’s been to have found someone as friendly as her. Except Elle chose her door on purpose… She knows all about Charlotte’s secrets because they ruined her family and her life. And it is time that everyone else knew. But Charlotte’s past has left a dark void in her life, so she is concocting her own vicious plan, convinced that Elle can help fill that void. As events unfold, the truth unravels and pulls both women into a dangerous game that will leave you wondering, Who’s the villain?Trade Review“In this gripping psychological thriller…The explosive finale will leave the reader devastated. Fans of Megan Abbott will want to check out this one.” —Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisIn this gripping thriller from the bestselling authors of Spare Room and Say Her Name, one woman’s mysterious death has led to a lifetime of pain. Can her daughter find out why? “A compelling psychological mystery that will keep you guessing.” —Woman’s Weekly Lawyer Gabby Lewis always knew she would die young. Since her mother’s death twenty-five years ago, she’s dreaded her upcoming fortieth birthday, the same age her mother died. When she discovers a connection between her mother and a suspicious mansion house, Ocean Haven, Gabby begins to suspect that her mother’s death wasn’t an accident, it was murder. Returning home Gabby sets out to uncover the truth despite her family, friends and the local police all telling her to stop. When she starts to develop the same mysterious symptoms that led to her mother’s death, she is certain she’s on the right track. But will she be able to catch the killer in time? Or will she become another victim of a murderer desperate to keep the past buried? Praise for Say Her Name “My book of the year so far.” —Lee ChildTrade Review“A compelling psychological mystery that will keep you guessing.” —Woman’s Weekly

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Book SynopsisA young mother has done everything possible to put the past behind her, but it might not be enough in a gripping novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of the Jane Doe novels. Abandoned by her fugitive ex-husband, Lily Brown is rebuilding her life on the edge of a Kansas town that still feels the sting of his crimes. Lily lies low, managing the isolated storage facility where she lives with her twelve-year-old son, Everett, and planning a better future for them both. That requires keeping secrets. Everett has them too. After breaking into a storage unit, Everett finds photographs and news clippings of five girls missing for decades. For Everett, it’s an adventure and a tempting mystery to solve. But digging further into a stranger’s obsession is putting Everett and his mother in the crosshairs of a killer. Then Lily’s ex resurfaces from the shadows. Just as suddenly, an attentive new man enters Lily’s life. And a suspicious detective, responding to reports of a prowler, watches every move Lily makes. It’s getting harder for Lily to know who to trust—or whose secrets pose the most frightening threat of all.Trade Review“The plot’s many twists and turns will stun and surprise readers. Suspense fans will get their money’s worth.” —Publishers Weekly “I raced through the pages of At the Quiet Edge. This propulsive story places you inside a world of secrets, and locks you inside. And like our heroine Lily and her son Everett, it’s hard to know who to trust. This is taut, heart-pounding suspense.” —Kaira Rouda, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Next Wife and Somebody’s Home “Sharp and sophisticated, At the Quiet Edge commanded my attention from the captivating first chapter to the electrifying ending.” —Minka Kent, Washington Post bestselling author “As a single mom, I couldn’t help but identify with the complex dynamics between mother and son as each protected the other in this gripping thriller. It is a thrilling game of cat and mouse that kept me guessing all the way up to the jaw-dropping conclusion.” —Lucinda Berry, bestselling author of The Best of Friends and The Perfect Child “An utterly compelling blend of family drama and suspense, At the Quiet Edge pulled me in and didn’t let go. I read this riveting, twisty book in one sitting. Not to be missed.” —A. J. Banner, #1 Amazon, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author

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Book Synopsis“Susi Holliday is one of our best and most original creators of tense and twisty tales . . . Nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted in this brilliant page-turner.” —Ian Rankin “Tense and twisty as all hell.” —Mark Billingham “Tense, creepy and utterly brilliant…” —Jenny Blackhurst, author of The Hiking Path “A brilliant concept, superbly executed. Susi Holliday is a master of her craft.” —Marion Todd, author of A Blind Eye “On this street, lock your doors, whisper your secrets, and don’t trust anyone. Compulsive, clever and I couldn’t put it down.” —Louise Swanson, author of End of Story Their neighbours welcomed them with open arms. Now they’ve vanished without a trace. Anna and Peter desperately need to escape London for a fresh start. And they’ve found just the place: a perfect house on a perfect street in a perfect new development on the Scottish coast. But before they’ve even unpacked, they discover that the community they’ve moved into might be keeping secrets of its own… Eager to fit in, Anna and Peter spend their first evening with their new neighbours, a couple who turn up on their doorstep to welcome them with open arms. But when Anna pops over the next morning to thank them for their hospitality, there’s no answer. The house is bare and unoccupied, and the neighbours have vanished without a trace. What’s more, everybody else on the street is convinced that no one ever lived there at all. As she battles a growing obsession with the mystery, Anna finds herself becoming increasingly paranoid. She thought she’d escaped her own troubled past, but as the truth catches up with her, life starts to unravel. Maybe she’s not the only resident of The Street with something to hide…Trade Review“Susi Holliday is one of our best and most original creators of tense and twisty tales…Nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted in this brilliant page-turner.” —Ian Rankin “Tense and twisty as all hell.” —Mark Billingham “Another cracker from Susi Holliday! A seemingly perfect street hides dark secrets in a twisty thriller with Don’t Worry Darling vibes where nothing is quite as it seems. Loved it!” —Lisa Gray, author of To Die For “A perfect locked room mystery—nail-bitingly tense, stomach-churningly suspenseful and utterly moreish!” —Steph Broadribb, author of Death on the Beach “Tense, creepy and utterly brilliant…Will have you twitching your curtains to check on your neighbours.” —Jenny Blackhurst, author of The Hiking Path “Another original and completely compelling read from a writer who never fails to deliver.” —C.S. Green, author of The Whisper House “Another addictive page-turner from Susi Holliday, filled with breath-holding intrigue and suspense, evocative writing and twists galore.” —Victoria Goldman, author of The Redeemer “Finished The Street last night. It's soooo goood. Like Stepford Wives meets Rosemary's Baby meets Don’t Worry Darling. The everyone-is-guilty vibe of The Hike turned up to eleven with dark secrets, guilt, double cross and danger on every page. Absolutely brilliant.” —Derek Farrell, author of the Danny Bird Mysteries “I raced through The Street. Twisty, tense with secrets and questions on every page. Satisfyingly gritty in places and such a brilliant finish! Loved it.” —Rachael Blok, author of The Fall “A brilliant concept, superbly executed. Susi Holliday is a master of her craft.” —Marion Todd, author of A Blind Eye “Doesn't relax the tension for a moment!” —Quentin Bates, author of the Gunnhildur Mysteries “In The Street, Holliday takes a startlingly original idea and runs with it. I got up early so that I could read the final chapters before starting work - it's compelling, twisty and unpredictable. Highly recommended.” —R.M. Ward, author of The Girl Who Vanished “On this street, lock your doors, whisper your secrets, and don’t trust anyone. Compulsive, clever and I couldn’t put it down.” —Louise Swanson, author of End of Story “Gripping.” —Crime Monthly

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Book SynopsisA page-turning novel of suspense about the perfect family, and the perfect lies, by the bestselling author of When I’m Gone and The Waiting Room. Adopted by her controlling foster mother at the age of eight, twenty-year-old Tara has seen little of the outside world. Lonely, punished for the slightest offense, her only distraction comes from watching the Feely family’s online videos. They’re an affectionate vlogging quintet and an internet sensation. Most important, they are Tara’s mental refuge. Then the opportunity arises for them to be something more. When Tara accepts an internship with the close-knit clan, they’re her escape. Daring to run away, and defying Mother’s rules, Tara is welcomed into the loving fold. But the more Tara gets to know them, the more she realizes that not everything is as it seems. As secrets slowly surface, the image of the perfect family begins to crack. For Tara, it’s another trap. To claim a life of her own, she’ll need a new escape plan. Because as the show’s popularity explodes, reaching even more fascinated viewers, Tara can’t shake the feeling that Mother is among their ranks. She’s watching. She’s waiting. She’ll never let her go.Trade Review“[A] nail-biting thriller…Suspense fans will be rewarded.” —Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisAn erotic tale of jealousy, obsession, and revenge.

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Book SynopsisIn this chilling story from the bestselling author of The Secret Mother, it’s the wedding day of Alice’s dreams. Until it becomes a nightmare… Alice and Seth are a perfect love story: the handsome doctor and his beautiful fiancée. They’re wealthy, well liked and made for each other—the envy of all their friends. Alice can’t wait for the day of their dream wedding. But when she arrives at the altar, she doesn’t recognise the man waiting to marry her. When this stranger insists he’s Seth, her husband-to-be, the entire congregation seems to agree. Even her parents try to persuade Alice to go through with the wedding. As panic sets in, Alice’s world comes apart. Where is the real Seth, and why have all traces of him disappeared from her life? Fearing she’s losing her mind, she sets out to uncover the truth and escape the nightmare she’s living in. But with everyone around her convinced by the fake Seth, how can she ever hope to find the man she loves?

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Book Synopsis“Amina Akhtar’s Almost Surely Dead is a witty, fresh psychological thriller that’s part stalker thriller, part ghost story. This book took turns I never saw coming. I was up all night, tearing through the pages as the mysterious pieces came together, leading to an explosive conclusion.” —Mindy Kaling A psychological thriller with a twist, Almost Surely Dead is a chilling account of how one woman’s life spins out of control after a terrifying—and seemingly random—attempt on her life. Dunia Ahmed lives an ordinary life—or she definitely used to. Now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. She’s been missing for over a year, and no one knows if she’s dead or alive. But her story has listeners obsessed, and people everywhere are sporting merch that demands “Find Dunia!” In the days before her disappearance, Dunia is a successful pharmacist living in New York. The daughter of Pakistani immigrants, she’s coping with a broken engagement and the death of her mother. But then something happens that really shakes up her world: someone tries to murder her. When her would-be killer winds up dead, Dunia figures the worst is over. But then there’s another attempt on her life…and another. And police suspect someone close to her may be the culprit. Dunia struggles to make sense of what’s happening. And as childhood superstitions seep into her reality, she becomes convinced that someone—or something—is truly after her.Trade ReviewPraise for Amina Akhtar Almost Surely Dead “Akhtar’s novel has one foot set firmly in folklore and the other in fast-paced action as Dunia questions whom she can trust and what she will have to do to survive. Though the suspense is real, Akhtar deftly weaves in levity with the campiness of the podcast, and the earnestness of Dunia’s voice keeps the reader rooting for her to outrun her demons. A nimble and eerie thriller.” —Kirkus Reviews “Amina Akhtar delivers a surprising and suspenseful ride. This is a winner.” —Publishers Weekly “Twisty, chilling, and original, Almost Surely Dead is an absolutely addictive page-turner. I couldn’t put it down.” —Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author “A shocking act of violence opens the door to a terrifying mystery in this eerie, addictive thriller from Amina Akhtar.” —Chuck Wendig, bestselling author of The Book of Accidents “I didn’t think Amina Akhtar could get better, but she has—crafting a wholly unique and mesmerizing novel that is impossible to categorize or forget. Part thriller, part family saga, part supernatural horror, Almost Surely Dead will surprise you in the best way possible and leave you thinking about this magnificent book for a long time after you’re done. A powerhouse.” —Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret Identity “Full of energy, suspense, and the frightening possibility of the supernatural, Almost Surely Dead is a spine-chilling thrill of a book that will grip you from the very first page and refuse to let go. A gripping gothic of the true crime podcasting era.” —S. C. Lalli, international bestselling author of Are You Sara? “What’s a girl to do when the universe seems to want you dead? The answer is nothing you’d expect—but everything you’d want from one of the most exciting thriller writers in the business. Almost Surely Dead is a sparkling, twisted gem of a book, a riotously funny and deeply unsettling examination of the ways in which we are—and in which we refuse to be—defined by our pasts. This is Akhtar’s best work yet, and I loved every word.” —Elizabeth Little, bestselling author of Dear Daughter “Amina Akhtar isn’t a writer; she’s a word magician, a wonderful comedian who juggles the darkest themes and the ugly things that make us human, the young, smart, fashion-savvy auntie who knows where the bodies are buried and reminds you to call your mom. And she keeps getting better with every book. Almost Surely Dead is a witty, wildly entertaining novel that dips its toes in the supernatural while delivering social commentary, highlighting the realities of the Pakistani diaspora, and dancing with the ghosts and superstitions we all carry in our blood. Don’t miss it.” —Gabino Iglesias, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of The Devil Takes You Home “Akhtar coils constant paranoia, flash-forward dread, and family tragedy into an electric threat of a novel. This book will have you glancing over your shoulder. A unique thriller.” —Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of No Gods for Drowning “Almost Surely Dead is such a masterful slow burn of a mystery it’ll singe your fingertips. Amina Akhtar creeps you out, keeps you guessing, and forces you to the edge of your seat, constructing a story that, in the end, is as surprising as it is deeply human.” —Rob Hart, author of Paradox Hotel Kismet “An amusing takedown of influencer culture.” —Kirkus Reviews “Akhtar turns her sharp wit on the wellness community and its dark secrets in a thriller [that is] equal parts vicious and funny.” —USA Today “Akhtar brings to her second novel…a gimlet-eyed view of Sedona, Arizona’s wellness pretensions and a wicked way with one-liners…the surprises Akhtar has in store upend assumptions about trauma, healing, and the motivations of those who helicopter into lands they claim to hold sacred.” —Los Angeles Times “Twisty, sardonic.” —Oprah Daily “The alluring world of wellness gets a fatal awakening in Amina Akhtar’s darkly humorous thriller Kismet.” —PopSugar “[Kismet] skewers the wellness industry of Sedona (Amina Akhtar is now based in Arizona) and also includes a light supernatural touch that’s perfectly integrated into the thriller arc as a whole.” —CrimeReads “Amina Akhtar weaves a wickedly smart tale.” —Desi News “With Kismet, Amina Akhtar invites us into the foxhole with Ronnie Khan, a New Yorker stationed in Sedona, just in time for Wellness World War. I loved this book—the claustrophobia of wide ‘open’ exclusive spaces. Amina teleports us to the passive-aggressive front lines in this dry landscape where caftans and corpses are equally foreboding. You want Ronnie to make a run for it, but she’s a real hero—she wants to make a go for it. Lucky for us, she stays. Kismet is wicked and smart, a fly-on-the-wall humdinger where a light social gathering spikes your blood pressure. Amina deftly intertwines the earthly with the otherworldly. Read it now so you can be the one telling your friends about Kismet.” —Caroline Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of You “Amina Akhtar had me at ravens! Then she kept me turning the pages with her colorful cast of characters, keen insights, and layered, engaging heroine. Kismet is darkly funny, sharply observant, and full of surprises. Don’t miss this utterly original and wildly entertaining thriller.” —Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Last Girl Ghosted “The twists just keep coming in Kismet, Amina Akhtar’s dark and delicious thriller. I can’t imagine a better companion around these nail-biting curves than the novel’s protagonist, Ronnie Khan, who is wide eyed yet smarter than she lets on, naive yet world weary. In a nutshell: she’s the perfect heroine. I’d follow her anywhere.” —Jess Lourey, Amazon Charts bestselling author of Unspeakable Things “Dead bodies are turning up in Sedona’s upscale wellness community? Sign me up! I loved everything about Kismet, Amina Akhtar’s sharply observant, funny thriller. Gleeful and gripping, Akhtar has knocked it out of the park with this wickedly entertaining, twisty novel.” —Jennifer Hillier, bestselling author of Little Secrets “A chilling tale that lures in the reader with a seductive blend of friendship and tranquility, then transforms it into something evil and deliciously twisted.” —A. R. Torre, New York Times bestselling author of Every Last Secret “Kismet is funny, sharp, twisty, and spot on. Whether she’s dealing with toxic relationships or everyday racism, Ronnie Khan is a character that you can’t help but root for. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun reading a novel. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is going to be talking about those ravens.” —Kellye Garrett, Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty Award–winning author of Like a Sister “Wickedly smart and outrageously entertaining, Kismet grabs hold and doesn’t let go until a final twist that will have even the savviest readers gasping. Just like the clever, scene-stealing ravens, Akhtar skewers those who deserve it with her trademark wit while also layering in emotional nuance as compelling as the captivating mystery. At once atmospheric, chilling, and thought provoking, Kismet will surely be this summer’s must-read thriller.” —Brianna Labuskes, bestselling author of A Familiar Sight “Gaspingly original. Kismet is brilliant and twisty—a knockout page-turner about guilt, revenge, and the toxicity of family and friendships. The oh-so-talented Amina Akhtar unleashes her keen eye and mordant wit—and exquisite understanding of human emotions—to reveal the dark side of the wellness industry and the terrifying reality behind the glam exteriors. Wow! This gripping, heartbreaking, and constantly surprising thriller is not to be missed!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Life “Amina Akhtar yet again brings her wickedly wicked style to this twisty thriller about a woman who’s finally taken charge of her life—only to find dead bodies piling up around her in the wellness community where she’s starting over. Kismet is a page-turner populated by eerie ravens and people who aren’t what they seem in a perfectly unsettling desert setting.” —Gigi Pandian, USA Today bestselling author of Under Lock and Skeleton Key “Kismet is the twistiest, most delicious take on wellness and self-care gone wrong. With a cast of unforgettable characters, a point of view you’ll never guess, and an ending that leaves you breathless, you’ll be busting down doors to join me as copresident of the Amina Akhtar fan club!” —Yasmin Angoe, author of Her Name Is Knight “Kismet is a gleeful (and at times literal) skewering of influencer culture and clout chasing, as well as a deeply relevant look at how easily and often the white wellness world intersects with racism and cultural appropriation—and how blind we can be to that and to the stain it leaves on the world around us. A bold and insightful whodunnit that ensures you’ll never look at ravens the same way again.” —Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We and The Heir Affair “Unsettling from the very first page, Kismet takes its readers on a wild ride set in Sedona’s wellness community, featuring a serial killer, crystals, and kick-ass ravens. It’s strange and smart and spellbinding, with sharp social commentary and huge surprises. Another eerie gem from Amina Akhtar.” —Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot “A mystery thriller just the way I like them—full of secrets and karma. Amina Akhtar creeps us out and keeps us guessing all the way!” —Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Road of Bones and Ararat “Kismet is as atmospheric as it is dark and twisted. An unsettling read with wholly original protagonists, this is one thrilling story I won’t be forgetting soon.” —Hannah Mary McKinnon, international bestselling author of Never Coming Home “A remarkably original, terrifying read that seized me from the first line. Kismet is an astonishing, expertly structured thriller. Akhtar’s signature creepy tone, suffused with dread and laced with wicked humor, is riveting. Her characters make you blur the lines of morality and justice. With brilliantly shifting points of view, a touch of magic, and a jaw-dropping ending, this is a stand-out suspense.” —Samantha M. Bailey, international bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her “A desert setting, crystals to ward off evil, cunning ravens, and murder. Amina Akhtar has whipped up a creepy mystery that will have you second-guessing what you know about the wellness industry, not to mention what to think the next time you see ravens!” —Wanda Morris, Lefty-nominated author of All Her Little Secrets “One of the most original, chilling, and startlingly honest thrillers I’ve ever read, Amina Akhtar plunges readers into an altogether fresh flavor of hell in Kismet. Balancing nail-biting terror with razor-sharp wit, Akhtar interrogates the feral side of the human heart with a rare fearlessness that is certain to make Kismet one of the year’s hottest titles and an absolute must-read. Period.” —P. J. Vernon, acclaimed author of Bath Haus

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Book SynopsisFor a brilliant forensic linguist, crimes of the past hold clues to new series of murders in a twisting novel of suspense by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of A Familiar Sight. The double murder of a married couple in a small Washington town draws FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto into an investigation that mirrors a decades-old crime. Twenty-five years ago—to the day—Alex Parker murdered his parents, then took his own life, leaving behind a note admitting everything. Raisa, paired with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, uses her skills to read between the lines. Especially now that paranoid postings on a conspiracy thread suggest that Alex was a victim himself—theories that have piqued the interest of a perceptive content moderator and a true-crime podcaster eager for a big break. As old and new crimes converge, messages from the living and the confessions of the dead take on new meaning for Raisa. Something more sinister than a copycat crime is at play, and plundering the darkest corners of a killer’s mind leaves her vulnerable to a deadly twist even she never saw coming.Trade Review“Labuskes' series starter lays solid groundwork for future episodes featuring agents Susanto and Kilkenny, both complex characters with intriguing backstories, motivations, and personal blind spots. Hand to fans of Iris Johansen's forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and other detectives who take an unconventional approach to solving crime.” —Booklist “Women pathologists (Patricia Cornwell) and forensic anthropologists (Elly Griffiths) have starred in recent mysteries that appeared on best-of-the-year lists. Through her terrific new heroine, Labuskes has the fire and smarts to join them on the award dais.” —Library Journal (starred review) Praise 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

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Book SynopsisA Wall Street Journal bestselling series.The mystery of three missing teens and a traumatizing murder unearths decades of buried secrets in a shocking novel of suspense by a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author.Twenty years ago, five teenage campers disappeared. Two eventually turned up, bound and left for dead on the Columbia River’s rocky shore. Only Devin Bonner miraculously survived, but with no memories of what happened in the Oregon forest.After decades, the cold case generates heat for FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband, Police Chief Truman Daly. They’re investigating the murder of a true-crime podcaster found at the river’s edge in the same location, and with the exact same manner of death. With the discovery, Devin’s nightmares return. His only real friend is Ollie Smith, Truman’s orphaned ward, whose own search for the truth sucks Ollie into a mystery far greater and more dangerous than anyone imagined.Following a trail of fresh blood and an escalating series of murders, Mercy and Truman must work fast to unlock whatever traumas are buried in Devin’s memories before the secrets of the past claim another victim.

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Book SynopsisIn this richly unnerving tale about family secrets and expectations, two sisters are at lifelong odds with each other, their mother, and themselves—and as every hour becomes more twisted than the last, they are all pushed to their breaking point. Lovely and Beauty know their place: at home, beneath the watchful eye of their mother. Life has never included friends, an education, or anything the sisters can call their own. Their comings and goings are supervised by Farida. Otherwise, they don’t come and go at all. That changes on Lovely’s fortieth birthday. In a stroke of inexplicable fortune, Farida permits her eldest daughter to go to the Gausia Market alone, with no instructions but to abide by her curfew. For once on her own, Lovely is goaded by the voice in her head to push her mother’s—and her own—boundaries. New experiences and old memories abound as her family awaits her return. But with the taste of freedom so fresh on her tongue, Lovely is spurred on by her disembodied companion to hang on to her newfound independence. When home isn’t a safe haven, Lovely must find somewhere else to turn.Trade ReviewPraise for Good Girls “Gazi aids her brisk plotting with flashbacks that emphasize the family’s abusive dynamics…” —Publishers Weekly “Written in lyrical prose, with nuanced characters, Gazi's first novel translated into English deftly unravels the complicated relationships between the sisters, their mother, and the secrets they’ve harbored.” —Booklist “Taut, unsettling, and at times wickedly funny, this sly novel will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.” —Ash Davidson, author of Damnation Spring

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Book SynopsisPaul at Home is Quebecois superstar Michel Rabagliati s most personal book yet, a riveting, emotional, and frequently amusing take on the losses and loneliness of being closer to retirement than to university. Paul is in his mid-50s, a successful cartoonist with an achy shoulder living in a house he once shared with his wife and daughter. The backyard is unkempt, full of weeds. A swing set sits idle, slowly rusting beside a half-dead tree Paul planted with his then-five-year old daughter. The room that belonged to his now-18-year-old daughter is mostly unused, especially once she decides to move overseas. Left unspoken but lingering in the background is Paul s divorce after a three decade relationship with his high school sweetheart. Amid all of this emotional turmoil, Paul visits his ailing mother in the final months of her life. Like Paul, she divorced in mid-life after a long marriage. She spent most of her remaining years alone or in unfulfilling relationships, which Paul implicitly fears might happen to him. Online dating only seems to make the world worse. Rabagliati doesn t shy away from these intimate issues, approaching them as much with self-deprecating humor as with sorrow or pain. Characterized by both a deep insight and a willingness to poke fun at life s shortcomings, Paul at Home is a playful and poetic rumination on loss and the sometimes unsettling changes that come with middle age.

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Book SynopsisThe most talked about psychological suspense novel of the 2016, loved by Marian Keyes and Tess Gerritsen. Once you start reading TRY NOT TO BREATHE you will be hooked on this gripping, fast-paced thriller.You won't be able to put it down.Just remember to breathe. Alex is sinking. Slowly but surely, she's cut herself off from everything but her one true love - drink. Until she's forced to write a piece about a coma ward, where she meets Amy.Amy is lost. When she was fifteen, she was attacked and left for dead in a park. Her attacker was never found. Since then, she has drifted in a lonely, timeless place. She's as good as dead, but not even her doctors are sure how much she understands. Alex and Amy grew up in the same suburbs, played the same music, flirted with the same boys. And as Alex begins to investigate the attack, she opens the door to the same danger that has left Amy in a coma...Look out for Holly's new novel, DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES, available to pre-order now!Trade ReviewA razor-sharp, fast-paced plot and wonderfully complex characters. Not since The Girl on the Train have I been so captivated by a work of suspense. -- Tess GerritsenSuch a grippy book. -- Marian KeyesTry not to breathe, try not to make plans, try not to commit to anything till you've finished Holly Seddon's debut novel, because we must warn you now - you'll be fully hooked from page one...a brilliant, gripping, must-read. * Glamour *Forget girls on trains and girls who are gone, you will not be able to put Try Not to Breathe down. It's that good. * Goodreads *A top-notch psycho-drama * Independent *A gripping psychological thriller * New *Seddon's storytelling skills are strong and the book engrossing... the world she's constructed is fascinating * Kirkus *A gripping debut novel...as addictive as the best box sets. * Independent *

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Book Synopsis'Brilliant and breathtaking...sexy and sad' A.M. HomesIn his struggle to understand what has happened to his family, how his wife could fall in love with another man after twenty happy years, Jon attempts to tell the story of the painful collapse of his marriage, but from her point of view. He tries to get inside her head, to see it all as she did, all the while knowing that he can never really achieve this, and that his efforts reveal more projection than insight. How can one truly know another person? How much of what we think is love, is just a construct? Is it possible to find – and maintain – the great love we long for? Gulliksen explores these questions, turning them over again and again till they crack, revealing hollowness – or possible new meanings.Intense, erotic, dramatic, raw – Story of a Marriage examines two people's inner lives with devastating and fearless honesty. It is a gripping but slippery narrative of obsession and deceit, of a couple striving for happiness and freedom and intimacy, but ultimately falling apart.Trade ReviewA brilliant and breathtaking novel that is for anyone who has ever loved… Story of a Marriage is the naked truth, sexy and sad, stunning for its clarity, the author’s ability to simultaneously render denial and knowing too much. It is a novel about all the things we know and don’t want to know about ourselves, our partners and our lives and the shocking reminder that the very same things that draw us together are the ones that pull us apart. -- A.M. HomesBristling with the urgency of lived experience, this is a short and beautifully written account of love’s autoimmunity. -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *Exquisitely lean prose -- Elisa Segrave * Literary Review *this philosophical domestic drama...is painfully persuasive in its view of relationships * The New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2019 A New York Times 2019 Notable Book2019 BOOK OF THE YEAR: Oprah Magazine, Time, Vulture, and Entertainment Weekly 'The Need is a profound meditation on the nature of reality, a fearless examination of parenthood, and also somehow a thriller. This is an extraordinary and dazzlingly original work from one of our most gifted and interesting writers' Emily St. John MandelShe crouched in front of the mirror in the dark, clinging to them. The baby in her right arm, the child in her left. There were footsteps in the other room...Molly is exhausted, anxious, losing her grip on reality. Her husband is away and she is running between her children and her job, where things are unravelling. She’s a paleobotanist, working at a fossil quarry, and has recently unearthed artefacts that defy understanding; the coke bottle with the lettering that leans the wrong way, an alternate version of the Bible. Where do these things come from?At home, as dusk falls, she gets jumpy. Are those footsteps out in the hall? What was that noise? She holds her two small children close to her, and tries to pull herself together. But her worlds of work and home are about to collide. She discovers that the stranger in her sitting room knows everything about her life and, as their identity becomes chillingly clear, this intruder makes a demand of Molly that upends everything, forcing her to reckon with her most unspeakable fears. The Need is a gripping, unsettling and stunningly original story that probes deep truths about motherhood, and explores grief, loss and how we treat others. It's a compulsive, reality-warping novel that makes us rethink our world, and question how far we would go to protect the ones we love.'The atmosphere is as close and taut as a thriller, but this is, in fact, both a highly original examination of grief and an extraordinarily vivid evocation of motherhood -- the moments of terror and hilarity, the visceral burden of it, and the fleeting, but almost transcendent, joy' Daily Mail'A chilling novel from a blazing talent' Observer Trade ReviewA chilling novel from a blazing talent...in addition to being a cerebral meditation on motherhood at its most elemental – fierce, beatific, sanity-thieving – it’s an adroitly executed thriller with a quasi-sci-fi twist. Mercilessly tense throughout, its opening chapter is a belter... A bracingly singular achievement, it’s surreal, blackly comic and ultimately generous. -- Hephzibah Anderson * Observer *[A] frenzied fever dream of a novel. Read it as a sci-fi thriller, or understand it instead as metaphorical; either way, it’s a page-turner… magnificent... This is a smart, sharp book that cuts to the heart of what it’s like to be a mother -- Lucy Scholes * Financial Times *Phillips can conjure pure nightmare in a single sentence… Thrillingly disturbing, frighteningly insightful about motherhood and love, and spilling over with offhand invention, The Need is one of this year’s most necessary novels. -- Sarah Ditum * Guardian *The atmosphere is as close and taut as a thriller, but this is, in fact, both a highly original examination of grief and an extraordinarily vivid evocation of motherhood -- the moments of terror and hilarity, the visceral burden of it, and the fleeting, but almost transcendent, joy -- Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail *Helen Phillips’s novel begins to reveal itself, veering away from what looks initially like conventional suspense into something more speculative and philosophical with nods to both sci-fi and horror...the what-ifs animate this novel, the narrative splitting and looping back on itself as it tries out parallel possibilities, various fantasies and nightmares... frightening and maddening and full of dark comedy.. Phillips, as careful with language as she is bold with structure, captures many small sharp truths * New York Times *The Need is a profound meditation on the nature of reality, a fearless examination of parenthood, and also somehow a thriller. This is an extraordinary and dazzlingly original work from one of our most gifted and interesting writers -- Emily St. John MandelPhillips writes exceptionally well of the insatiable demands two young children can make on a mother... yet this is also a horror story about the vulnerability of motherhood that doubles up as a love letter to the miracle existence of children. At the same time, Phillips consistently plays tricks with the reader's perspective...and with the possibility of parallel realities, rooted in a mother's worst possible fears, playing out at the level of science fiction... One of the most heart-stopping motherhood novels you'll read all year * Metro *So smart and brave about motherhood... Molly's struggle to remain her full self while giving so much away is electrifying... Mothers will recognize so much in this fresh novel -- but they aren't the only ones who should read it. Phillips has found a way to make these experiences universal -- Bethanne Patrick * Washington Post *An enthralling book. With its short chapters, unsettling prose and riveting suspense, it feels designed for binge-reading. But keep an eye on the clock. Immersion in this novel before bedtime is a recipefor sleeplessness. * Economist *It’s a classic opening: a woman hears an intruder in her home while her husband is away, grabs her two young kids and hides in terror. But the true power of Helen Phillips’ brilliantly paced thriller emerges when Molly, a paleobotanist, comes face to face with the only person in the world who can shake her identity as a mother—a person who brings her to question her very reality. Phillips taps into the overwhelming anxiety that comes with love in its deepest, truest form, a sense of fierce protectiveness one need not be a parent to understand -- Lucy Feldman * Time's Best Fiction Books 2019 *An exciting, enjoyably eccentric novel that more than delivers as both a reality-warping thriller and a searching meditation on motherhood * Mail on Sunday *The weirdness of everyday life is beautifully explored… The Need's true subject is motherhood, rendered here as a painful, visceral, almost impossibly tender undertaking. In contrast to this extreme normality, the supernatural elements tingle like bugs against the skin. In all, a grand achievement. The novel exists on that narrow borderlinewhere strangeness merges with the mundane, and Phillips is both an explorer, and a brilliant chronicler of this murky realm. * Spectator *Sinister, existential and written in blazing prose * i *I love Helen Phillips's wild, brilliant, eccentric brain -- Lauren GroffHelen Phillips is one of the most exciting young writers working today, and I envy those who get to discover her work here for the first time -- Jenny OffillThis book held me hostage, invaded my dreams and my waking thoughts, and readjusted my brain; Phillips is, as always, doing something at once wildly her own and utterly primal. Maybe it doesn't surprise me that the strangest book I've read about motherhood is also the best, but it does thrill me -- Rebecca Makkai, author of THE GREAT BELIEVERSHelen Phillips has created an existential page-turner that captures, with perfect sharpness, the fierce delirium of motherhood, the longing to understand the workings of our universe, and the wondrous and terrifying mystery that is time. The Need is a brain-bending heartbreaker of a novel, and definitive proof that Helen Phillips is one of the most spellbindingly original writers working today -- Laura Van Den Berg, author of THE THIRD HOTELThis is a book about the biggest things you can imagine--the dreadful potentiality of life, the fierceness of love, and the terrifying and exhilarating mystery of motherhood. Helen Phillips writes at the nexus of science fiction and psychological realism, conjuring a narrative so mind-bending and immersive that it'll change what you see as real. She is an author at the height of her power, and we are so lucky to be living in her moment -- Alexandra Kleeman, author of YOU TOO CAN HAVE A BODY LIKE MINEThe Need is a spellbinding novel, both unsettling and irresistible. The best fiction finds the uncanny within the familiar; it makes us feel the fantastical undercurrent of our embodied lives. With exquisite economy and evocative prose, Phillips manifests the surreal, terrifying, and visceral experience of motherhood -- Dana Spiotta, author of INNOCENTS AND OTHERSA superbly engaging read – quirky, perceptive, and gently provocative... Suspenseful and mysterious, insightful and tender, Phillips' new thriller cements her standing as a deservedly celebrated author with a singular sense of story and style * Kirkus, starred review *

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Book SynopsisA romantic and comic gem from a precocious Victorian nine-year-old that has charmed readers for a centuryThe Young Visiters is a comic masterpiece that has delighted generations of readers since it was first published in 1919. A classic story of life and love in later Victorian England as seen from the nursery window, it was written in 1890 by nine-year-old Daisy Ashford.It all starts when Alfred Salteena, who is 'not quite the right side of the blanket', takes young Ethel Montacue to stay with his friend Bernard Clarke... Daisy Ashford has an exquisite eye for matchmaking and manners in English society, and her tale, with its hilarious observation and idiosyncratic spelling, is as irresistible today as it ever was.This edition of The Young Visiters is illustrated with drawings by Posy Simmonds which are as enchanting and witty as the story. The text has been transcribed from the original manuscript and includes J.M. Barrie's famous preface to the first edition.Trade ReviewI adore The Young Visiters, with its delightful voice and exuberant spellings... A blissful book -- Nina StibbeFunny and touching... one of my favourite comfort reads -- Ruth WareIf you haven’t read The Young Visiters before you’re in for a treat. Mr Salteena will make you laugh on even the grimmest of days -- Tracy ChevalierA total one off, a magic book that has been in the shelves almost all my life and which I go back to with a thrill every decade to so to remind myself why I love it so much -- Juliet NicolsonWonderful… A forgotten gem of a book but so influential in so many ways -- Joanne Harris

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Book SynopsisA dark and thrilling tale of Victorian addiction, vengeance and self-discovery, perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist and Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent.______________________Love. Desire. Vengeance. A deadly alchemy.Edinburgh, 1869: Newly married, Rebecca longs for the life of a well-heeled gentlewoman. Her husband Alexander, a respected pharmacist, is eager to join pioneering fellow inventors in the history books. But beneath his ordered exterior, Rebecca is horrified to find a world of dark secrets. As she struggles with his infidelity and strange sexual desires, Alexander tries to pacify her so-called hysteria with his magical new wonder-drug, heroin...As Rebecca's forced dependence takes her further from herself, Alexander's desire to profit from his creation leads him along a path that blurs science, passion and death. Soon, they both learn that addiction, obsession and vengeance make for a deadly alchemy...'With shades of Sarah Waters, independence and vengeance make for a winning tale.' StylistTrade ReviewWith shades of Sarah Waters, independence and vengeance make for a winning tale. * Stylist *This chilling atmospheric novel will appeal to fans of The Miniaturist and The Essex Serpent. * RED Online *A fascinating, darkly powerful novel with biting attitude... Raw, elemental and disturbing, The Pharmacist's Wife is an entirely captivating, enthralling read - highly recommended. * LoveReading *A truly addictive, deeply atmospheric, sensual yarn... similar to the works of Sarah Waters and Michel Faber, it makes for a compelling, irresistible, utterly delicious read. * Goodreads *A captivating book.... It is a story that is both whimsical and disturbing. * Lady on The Looking Glass House *Tait's engaging novel... is sensuous and lyrical * Sunday Telegraph on The Looking Glass House *Moving and original. * Kate Saunders, The Times, on The Looking Glass House *

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Book SynopsisIn this dazzling story of art and illusion, secrets and schemes, who is to be trusted - and what is real?From the internationally acclaimed author of Optic Nerve *A TLS Book of the Year*'A writer who feels immediately important' ObserverAt a hotel in Buenos Aires, a woman checks in under a pseudonym. She wears a black fur shawl and has no luggage. She is alone.Over the coming days and nights, she tells a story, which begins with a secret shared in a local bath house, revealing art forgery and fraud on a dazzling scale. At its heart is an enigmatic genius who for years forged portraits of the city's elite, before disappearing without trace. It is a story of influence and intrigue, in which nothing is as it seems. We're not to expect 'names, numbers or dates', she cautions, but a more subtle kind of reckoning...Told in a mordant, irresistible voice and full of sharp surprises, Portrait of an Unknown Lady is a captivating enquiry into what we mean by 'authenticity', in life as in art. At once poised and capricious, elegant and bold, it is a thrilling exploration of the relationships between what is lived, what is told, what is remembered, and what is real.Translated from the Spanish by Thomas BunsteadTrade Review'Vividly detailed and saturated with intricate feeling, Gainza's novel is an engrossing exploration of authenticity, obsession, and the enveloping allure of art' -- Alexandra Kleeman, author of SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SUNThis is a truly exquisite novel... It is moving, clever and written wry precision... As much as the narrator is haunted, the reader will be haunted -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *Gainza weaves a fascinating, often confounding story about beauty, obsession and authenticity... Gainza is sharp, modern and playful, a writer who multiples the possibilities of fiction -- Johanna Thomas-Corr * Observer *A richly detailed detective novel of sorts that explores authenticity and the distance between the way things appear and they way they really are -- Chiara Rimella * Monocle *Dazzling... [a] clever novel that explores the gap between what's remembered and what's real -- Chloë Ashby * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThey can buy everything except the truth.Each week, they come to lie on her couch. Carrie, Henry and Grace. They don’t know one another, but Dr Alex knows them all too well. She listens as they reveal their dirtiest little secrets.Then a murderer strikes in their elite neighbourhood. Could her clients hold the answers? As a psychologist, she knows that anyone can be a killer if they’re pushed hard enough.But only some can get away with it.A twist-a-minute standalone thriller with a massive dose of guilty pleasure, from the million copy bestseller Rachel Lynch. Perfect for fans of Adele Parks, Catherine Cooper and Chris Brookmyre.Praise for The Rich ‘A fast-paced, twisty piece of escapism’ Heat‘This compelling thriller is one of the best I’ve read’ Sun‘Such a teriffic read... I could read a series’ Daily Mail‘A refreshingly intriguing thriller that will leave you guessing’ Woman's Weekly‘Smart, satisfying – a superb book. I loved this story of excess and narcissism’ Sam Holland, author of The Echo Man‘Punchy and powerful, Rachel Lynch’s writing gripped me from the very first page. Utterly compulsive reading’ Marion Todd, author of A Blind Eye‘Bold. Brutal. Brilliant.’ J. M. Hewitt, author of The Life She Wants‘Brilliantly observed, full of sharp insights about modern life. A gripping read that will have you racing through the pages to the final, shocking twist’ Sheila Bugler, author of Black Valley Farm‘Deliciously dark and utterly compelling. An absolute must-read for all psychological thriller lovers!’ A. A. Chaudhuri, author of The Final Party‘I tore through this! A slick and fresh voice in the psychological thriller genre’ Sophie Flynn, author of If They Knew‘A fabulous thriller. Lynch takes us on a wild ride, packed with twists and bursting with indulgence. The Rich will keep you guessing to the final pages’ Heather Critchlow, author of Unsolved‘A brilliantly plotted and breathlessly written thriller. It’s raw, sexy and chilling. A fantastic read’ Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants‘Cleverly written with an intriguing premise, I was hooked from the start Sarah Ward, author of The Birthday Girl‘An expertly plotted psychological thriller oozing with decadence. Pacy and poised, it’s hard to look away from the pages… a pleasure to read’ Morgan Greene, author of Black Heart‘This is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time. So many twists and turns and the characters were well written. I loved every minute of reading it!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘A thrilling rollercoaster of a novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Lynch takes you on a wild ride, weaving a complex web of intrigue, secrets, and unexpected twists that will leave you breathless. A must-read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘The plot is super fast, full of twists and turns. The ending came as a complete shock to me, I never saw it coming. I will be recommending this book.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

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Book SynopsisEvery year, on average 23 people disappear without a trace from cruise ships. No one has ever come back. Until now. Five years ago police psychologist Martin Schwartz lost his wife and son. They were holidaying on a cruise ship when they simply vanished, the case written off as a straightforward murder-suicide. They are not the only parent-and-child pair to have disappeared from the ship in recent years – and yet, the authorities seem unconcerned. But when a missing girl reappears – carrying Martin's son's beloved teddy bear – the police won't be able to avoid the truth that something sinister is lurking on board... 'Without question one of the crime world's most evocative storytellers' KARIN SLAUGHTER 'Fitzek's thrillers are breathtaking, full of wild twists' HARLAN COBENTrade ReviewThe whole thing is bloody, breathless, deliberately discomforting and outrageously gripping * Shots Magazine *The author constructs a closeted and claustrophobic atmosphere. The tension does not let up... The reader's expectation of a solution is continuously frustrated, the multiplicity of twists surprise, and those surprises keep coming' * Promoting Crime Fiction *It takes a certain type of writer to really get to the heart of a chilling tale and grip the reader throughout. Sebastian Fitzek has proven capable of that with his unique take on the crime thriller, using the open seas as the primary setting... Strong narrative movement and a unique plot let Passenger 23 stand out in the genre' * Mystery and Suspense *A very complicated, very clever story set in a simultaneously vast but claustrophobic super-liner * Crime Review *PRAISE FOR SEBASTIAN FITZEK: 'Fitzek's thrillers are breathtaking, full of wild twists' Harlan Coben. 'Sebastian Fitzek is without question one of the crime world's most evocative storytellers. He always serves up an intense, impossible to put down thriller and The Package is no exception. A gripping read with a surprising twist, this one is not to be missed' Karin Slaughter. 'Sebastian Fitzek is simply amazing. I truly hope that one day I will be able to create suspense and plot twists in the way only Sebastian can. A true Master of his craft' Chris Carter. 'Spine-chilling... Masterful... Brilliant' The Times. 'Dazzling' Sunday Times. 'Grimly atmospheric' Guardian. 'A breakneck ride' * Big Issue *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE PROMISEShortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best BookA gripping, claustrophobic novel of guilty secrets, obsession and self-reinvention on the African Savannah from the twice Man Booker-shortlisted author.When Adam moves into an abandoned house on the dusty edge of town, he is hoping to recover from the loss of his job and his home in the city. But when he meets Canning - a shadowy figure from his childhood - and Canning's enigmatic and beautiful wife, a sinister new chapter in his life begins. Canning has inherited a vast fortune and built for himself a giant folly in the veld, a magical place of fantasy and dreams that seduces Adam and transforms him absolutely, violently - and perhaps forever. Damon Galgut's magnificent novel evokes a hot and cruel and claustrophobic world, in which sex and death are never far from the surface.

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Book SynopsisEbenezer Scrooge is a lonely, miserly old man who hates Christmas, which he dismisses as "humbug". One Christmas Eve, however, he is visited by a series of ghosts who reveal to him the innocence he has lost, the wretchedness of his future and the poverty of the present, which he has so far ignored. This experience teaches Scrooge the true meaning of the holiday and leaves him a transformed man. With its memorable cast of characters such as Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol is the most heart-warming of seasonal tales, a timeless classic that continues to enchant readers around the world and a lesson in charity and hopefulness that is as powerful today as when it was first written in 1843.Trade ReviewThe power of [Dickens] is so amazing that the reader at once becomes his captive. -- William Makepeace Thackeray

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Book Synopsis?I sit on the stone that will mark the bed of my bones. You?ll find the used-to-be-me, soon, flat body, washed up, wrinkly skin. No silly grin. You?ll say, What a waste of a life. Tut-tut sounds jump out. Dangle like worms from your crow?s mouth ...?Meet Daft Matt, the Mayo man at the heart of this astonishing, form-bending story, as he wanders the streets of Castlebar in search of Devil?s feet ? the claw marks of the cága, or jackdaws, who have spoken to him since he was a boy.Yet Matt is anything but daft. In lyrical prose, Walsh Donnelly explores the complex workings of Matt?s inner life: how he deals with the loss of his twin brother as a child, navigates the carefree days of early manhood and copes with the aftermath of the horse-riding accident that would see him incarcerated in the care system for the next thirty years. Richly imagined and beautifully written, this is a story for anyone who chooses to look beyond the surface of things.?I used to think those claws were the only things that kept me above sea-level.?

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Book SynopsisThe modern Italian classic discovered and championed by James Joyce, ZENO'S CONSCIENCE is a marvel of psychological insight, published here in a fine new translation by William Weaver - the first in more than seventy years.Italo Svevo's masterpiece tells the story of a hapless, doubting, guilt-ridden man paralyzed by fits of ecstasy and despair and tickled by his own cleverness. His doctor advises him, as a form of therapy, to write his memoirs; in doing so, Zeno reconstructs and ultimately reshapes the events of his life into a palatable reality for himself - a reality, however, founded on compromise, delusion, and rationalization.With cigarette in hand, Zeno sets out in search of health and happiness, hoping along the way to free himself from countless vices, not least of which is his accursed "last cigarette!" (Zeno's famously ineffectual refrain is inevitably followed by a lapse in resolve.) His amorous wanderings win him the shrill affections of an aspiring coloratura, and his confidence in his financial savoir-faire involves him in a hopeless speculative enterprise. Meanwhile, his trusting wife reliably awaits his return at appointed mealtimes. Zeno's adventures rise to antic heights in this pioneering psychoanalytic novel, as his restlessly self-preserving commentary inevitably embroiders the truth. Absorbing and devilishly entertaining, ZENO'S CONSCIENCE is at once a comedy of errors, a sly testimonial to he joys of procrastination, and a surpassingly lucid vision of human nature by one of the most important Italian literary figures of the twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisIt is the first day of term at a secondary school on Merseyside, 2001. The Towers are soon to fall. A boy cowers in an alleyway, surrounded by a group clad in black. They whip his bare legs with nettles. This is only the start. As term unfolds, their bullying campaign intensifies. Soon the boy finds solace hiding in marshland under the nearby motorway. Voices there urge council with Grannies Rock, a strange stone that sits on derelict land known as The Breck. There, the whispers in the breeze promise a terrible revenge. Twenty years later, the boy has grown. He is back home from London to pack away his childhood. Armed with a Polaroid camera, he aims to exorcise those painful memories through a series of photographs. But is his memory of what happened reliable? Nettles is a powerful exploration of memory and violence, excavating the stories we tell ourselves to escape our past.

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Book SynopsisA sly and playful novel about the many faces we all have. Fifteen-year-old Berta says that beautiful things aren’t made for her, she isn’t destined to have them, the only things she deserves are ugly. It’s why her main activity, when she’s not at school, is playing the ‘prosopagnosia game’ — standing in front of the mirror and holding her breath until she can no longer recognise her own face. Berta’s mother is in her forties. By her own estimation, she is at least twenty kilos overweight, and her husband has just left her. Her whole life, she has felt a keen sense of being very near to the end of things. She used to be a cultural critic for a regional newspaper. Now she feels it is her responsibility to make her and her daughter’s lives as happy as possible. A man who claims to be the famous Mexican artist Vicente Rojo becomes entangled in their lives when he sees Berta faint at school and offers her the gift of a painting. This sets in motion an uncanny game of assumed and ignored identities, where the limits of what one wants and what one can achieve become blurred.Trade Review‘Fascinating.’ -- Siobhan Murphy * The Times *‘With [Prosopagnosia], Sònia Hernández cements her place as one of the most individual voices of her generation.’ * La Vanguardia *‘In this warm, lively, and intellectual novel, Hernández’s greatest achievement is allowing the protagonist to release her trauma in a way that is both simple and true.’ -- Santos Sanz Villanueva * El Cultural *‘One of the best writers of her generation.’ -- Inés Martín Rodrigo * ABC *‘A novel of our times that explores the difficulty of constructing oneself as a person and the chaos of how things seem to happen to us.’ -- Lluís Satorras * Babelia *‘A tale of the conflict between reality and deception, and how the many forms of exile and solitude come together. A beautiful, enigmatic novel.’ -- Enrique Vila-Matas * El País *‘A reflection on false appearances, assumed identities, the need to invent other lives for ourselves, and the need for art itself.’ -- Ángel Ortín Pascual * Heraldo de Aragón *‘As structured and well-articulated as the paintings that inspired it.’ -- Isabel Gómez Melenchón * La Vanguardia *‘[D]elivers a serious reflection on the purpose and meaning of literary fiction.’ -- Domingo Ródenas * El Periódico *‘For Hernández, plot is just an excuse to articulate her own original ideas about beauty, identity, and exile, and this makes each of her books a declaration of ethical and aesthetic principles. This novel is not a means but an end in itself: the materialisation of her most important themes from life and literature.’ -- Liliana Muñoz * Criticismo *‘Sònia Hernández’ writing is unsettling and unconventional, marked by a complete independence from the dominant trends of contemporary novels in Spanish.’ -- Santos Sanz Villanueva * El Mundo *‘Hernández offers many insights into the value of experience, of travel as personal discovery, and the difficulty of explaining ourselves in our own words. A novel of reflection.’ -- Suárez Lafuente * La Nueva España *‘A narratively ambitious reflection on art, beauty, motherhood, and identity … A conceptually fascinating book.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Bewitching and intelligent.’ * Happy Magazine *‘This quirky coming-of-age novel by a celebrated young Spanish writer centres on a tender mother-daughter relationship.’ * New York Times ‘New & Noteworthy’ *‘[B]eguiling … the various characters’ deceptions are unveiled skillfully by Hernández as she distorts the reader’s sense of reality. This novel is more than it seems.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Hernández leads us on a reflection about truth and reality, about perception and beauty. The book is best read slowly, with time to absorb and contemplate our own reality and how we might be deceiving ourselves.’ * Asymptote ‘New in Translation’ *‘[A]n intellectual and unflinching novel that is not afraid to ask the big questions. What is art? What is beauty? What is truth? Does any of it matter? … Hernández’s economy of language is masterful as she delves into questions that define a culture. Prosopagnosia is an uncanny portrait of what it means to be a human in the world today grappling with beauty, and confronting the way the internet has changed our relationship to art.’ * Write or Die Tribe *

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when two revolutionaries are left with nothing to believe in, not even each other?Never Did the Fire unfolds in the humdrum of everyday working class existence, making the afterlife of an agitator that of anyone living next door. For one old couple, brought together years ago in an underground cell, the revolution has ended in a small apartment, a grinding job caring for the bodies of the unwell well-to-do, and all the aches and pains that go with a long life and a long marriage. Untethered from the political action that defined them, and mourning the loss of their child, their bonds dissolve, but the consequences of their former life, and their dependence on each other, won't let them go.A literary icon in Chile and a major figure in the anti-Pinochet resistance, Diamela Eltit is at the height of her powers in this novel of breakdowns. Never Did the Fire evokes the charged air of Chile's violent past, and the burdens it carries into the present-day, when the structures we built, and the ones we succumbed to, no longer offer us any comfort or prospect of salvation.Trade Review"Never Did the Fire will be a first-rate literary experience for any reader." —El País"One of the greatest merits of Diamela Eltit’s work is the way she narrates failure from the interior of her language." —Letras Libres************Praise for Diamela Eltit Guggenheim Fellowship, 1985 Prize José Nuez Martín, 1995 for Los vigilantes Nominated to Altazor Award 2001 in the category of literary essay with Emergencias. Escritos sobre literatura, arte y política Prize Iberoamericano de Letras José Donoso 2010 Nominated to Altazor Award 2011 with the novel with Impuesto a la carne Finalist in the Prize Rómulo Gallegos 2011 with Impuesto a la carne Finalist for the Neustadt International Prize for Literature 2012 Altazor Award 2014 in the fiction category for Fuerzas especiales Simón Bolívar Professor at University of Cambridge (2014) National Prize for Literature (Chile), 2018 "Her novels are radical projects that dispute the public space, the national interpretation and the role of genres under authoritarian conditions. (...) Her writing has an avant-gardist’s freedom of forms, a political reaffirmation of margins, and an exploratory and rebellious edge." Julio Ortega, BOMB magazine‘One of the most brilliant literary voices in the region (…). Eltit writes furiously.’BBC Mundo

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Book SynopsisMount 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"Daniell uses a neat cast of characters, a sprinkling of sub-tales and a touch of comedy to create a story far broader than the reader might expect, an acerbic dissection of a tired world order and personal history of two very different individuals." —Lunate"Two Sherpas is sheer brilliance, a book that had me hooked in anticipation from its opening pages. It’s a wake up call." —Word by Word**********Praise for Sebastián Martínez Daniell"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 Synopsis"His stories shimmer like revelations – the clarity, mystery, beauty, depth, and sheer, thrilling peculiarity of ordinary life when the veil lifts. They’re exhilarating to read, just as exhilarating to re-read." —Deborah EisenbergChildhood does not last long in the Argentine mountains of Córdoba, and adult lives fall apart quickly. In disarming, darkly humorous stories, Federico Falco explores themes of obsessive love, romantic attachment and the strategies we must find to cope with death and painful longing.In the middle of a blizzard a widow watches the ruin of her late-husband’s garden, until suddenly she sees a woman running naked in the falling snow. After telling her parents she is abandoning her Christian faith, a girl becomes infatuated with a Mormon missionary who reminds her of a boy killed in her village years before. When his family’s home is lost, a father desperately offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone who will take them in. And a town’s mayor tries to fulfill his father’s dying wish – to design the perfect cemetery.Trade Review"The quiet assurance with which Falco addresses rural environments represents a departure recalling the perspectives of writers from the northern hemisphere such as Denis Johnson, Knut Hamsun or Tobias Wolff." —The Times Literary Supplement"Expansive and ingeniously crafted—an unforgettable collection." —Kirkus, starred review"Falco proves himself as a fine storyteller." —Publishers Weekly"These rich and authentic portraits of Argentinian lives are well worth seeking out...You could imagine Alastair McLeod or John McGahern paying homage. (5 stars)" —RTÉ"Moving, morbid, and humorous at the same time." —LA Review of Books"Falco is a master of the short story."" —Martin MacInnes , author of INFINITE GROUND and GATHERING EVIDENCE"His stories shimmer like revelations – the clarity, mystery, beauty, depth, and sheer, thrilling peculiarity of ordinary life when the veil lifts. They’re exhilarating to read, just as exhilarating to re-read."" —Deborah Eisenberg , author of YOUR DUCK IS MY DUCK"Each powerful story captivates and I cannot recommend this collection enough." —Morning Star"When people praise Chekhov, stories like this are what they're thinking of." —James Crossley, Madison Books"Croft’s translations of the stories in A Perfect Cemetery are loyal to the profound beauty, rootedness, and longing they portray." —World Literature Today"At long last, Argentine author Federico Falco finally has a full-length work in translation. A Perfect Cemetery is a 2016 collection of five stories, several of which are much longer than traditional short stories (thankfully so). With confident prose, storytelling verve, and remarkable consideration for both character and landscape, Falco writes impressively well. Though plights of fancy embroil each of Falco’s characters, they are conveyed with a compassion and authenticity that make them seem utterly lifelike." —Jeremy Garber, Powell's Bookshop"Every word and sentence, including those of Croft’s sincere and illuminating note that concludes the volume, should be savored, consumed in a rush only during those moments when you’re flying down the summer streets with Silvi on her bicycle as she searches for the boy she believes she loves." —On the Seawall"As so often in this compelling collection, the stories only open out once you finish them." —David's Book World"The succinctness of the plotlines in these stories is inversely proportional to their vast narrative expanse, to everything the writing is able to carve out between the sharply curtailed dialogues and all that simmers underneath." —La Nación"Perfectly honed... [Falco’s] skill is apparent in the originality of these plots, the economy and naturalness of the characters’ conversations, and in the meticulous observation of a gesture that may encapsulate whole central motifs" —Ñ Magazine

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Book Synopsis

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