Narrative theme: sense of place

Book Synopsis____________________________________________________________Ragley, 1952.Lily has just arrived, ready to begin her first year as a teacher at the village school. There to welcome her is John Pruett, who, after his years in the war, has settled into the role of headmaster. Tom, the local bobby, is also on hand to make her feel at home up north. But Lily has a secret lurking in her past that threatens the new life she's trying to build.Can she move forward and begin to love again?In his new novel, Jack Sheffield invites you to travel back in time. Back to the days when owninga television made you the envy of the neighbours, Woolworth's still had pride of place on thehigh street and the village panto was the height of entertainment.Trade ReviewWry observation and heartwarming humour in equal measure * Alan Titchmarsh *Overflowing with amusing anecdotes * Daily Express *Amusing adventures at the North Yorkshire village school * Choice *Jack Sheffield's in a class of his own * York Press *

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Book SynopsisA.A. Dhand was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired his Harry Virdee novels.Trade ReviewA. A. Dhand has made a reputation for fast paced police procedurals that keep the pages turning. In his latest standalone offering, he stays true to form with a plot that fairly zips along. The book opens with a bang and continues with a thrill-a-minute adventure that moves from Britain to the dark underbelly of India. As Jack and Aisha search for the truth, secrets emerge from the shadows of India's past. This man knows how to keep me up into the early hours. Relentlessly thrilling! * Vaseem Khan, author of MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSE *Another thrilling page turner from A. A. Dhand. The Blood Divide deals with one of the most heartbreaking periods of history in a sensitive way, without letting the pace or action suffer. This might be his best yet! * Alex Caan, author of CUT TO THE BONE *Intense, gripping and impactful - The Blood Divide will be one of my favourite books of the year. I loved it. * James Delargy, author of 55 and VANISHED *The Blood Divide was an adrenaline-filled ride which took me from Bradford to Delhi to the Pakistan border, with unexpected twists and turns building to a touching climax. * Ajay Chowdhury, author of THE WAITER *A fast-paced, powerful, eye-opening novel. * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisChristos Tsiolkas is the author of four novels: Loaded (filmed as Head-On) The Jesus Man, The Slap and Dead Europe. He is also a playwright, essayist and screen writer. He lives in Melbourne.Trade ReviewDead Europe sets sharp realism against folk tale and fable, a world of hauntings and curses against a fiercely political portrait of a society. The energy in the writing, the pure fire in the narrative voice and the fearlessness of the tone make the novel immensely readable, as well as fascinating and original, and establish Christos Tsiolkas in the first rank of contemporary novelists. * Colm Toibin *A novel of the most astonishing and disturbing eloquence ... shocking but beautiful. -- David Marr * Sydney Morning Herald *Breathtakingly good... One of Tsiolkas'sstrengths is the ability to reveal gentleness lying where none might be expected. his prose is... achingly tender and beautiful. -- Ian Syson * The Age *Brilliant ... unsettling ... It can shake you out of complacency, it can make you search your own soul to discover what's lurking there and what you really believe. And it can radically alter your view of the world... This blasphemous, disturbing, in-your-face book does all three. -- Sara Dowse * Canberra Times *

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Book SynopsisAnn Cleeves Classic Crime - engaging mysteries to savour, beloved characters to meet againA Bird in the Hand is the first novel featuring George and Molly Palmer-Jones by Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope crime series.In England’s birdwatching paradise, a new breed has been sighted – a murderer . . .Young Tom French is found dead, lying in a marsh on the Norfolk coast, with his head bashed in and his binoculars still around his neck. One of the best birders in England, Tom had put the village of Rushy on the birdwatching map. Everyone liked him. Or did they?George Palmer-Jones, an elderly birdwatcher who decides quietly to look into the brutal crime, discovers mixed feelings aplenty. Still, he remains baffled by a deed that could have been motivated by thwarted love, pure envy, or something else altogether.But as he and his fellow ‘twitchers’ flock from Norfolk to Scotland to theTrade ReviewA fine debut . . . watertight and exciting -- Susan HillIt's splendid . . . a classic whodunnit -- Bill OddieCleeves is carving out a reputation as the new Queen of Crime * Sunday Mirror *Nobody does unsettling undercurrents better than Ann Cleeves -- Val McDermidAnn Cleeves is a skilful technician, keeping our interest alive and building slowly up to the denouement. Her easy use of language and clever story construction make her one of the best natural writers of detective fiction * Daily Express *Ann Cleeves has enviable talent . . . I love these books * CrimeSqaud *A fine writer * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis‘So pacy and addictive. Just brilliant!’ – Claire Douglas, author of The Couple at No.9The House Hunt is a heart-pounding, claustrophobic thriller from C. M. Ewan, acclaimed author of The Interview, A Window Breaks and the half-a-million-copy bestseller Safe House.Your estate agent calls.She’s running late and needs you to show a man around your home.You let him in and begin the tour.But something about him feels wrong. . .You ask him to leave and he refuses.Then he tells you something about you. Something inconceivable.And then you realize. . .He doesn't want your house. He wants YOU.What authors are saying about The House Hunt:‘The tension mounts with every chapter in this edge-of-the-seat, tense and twisty thriller. Don't miss it!’ – B. A. Paris, authTrade ReviewThe tension mounts with every chapter in this edge-of-the-seat, tense and twisty thriller. Don't miss it! -- B. A. Paris, author of The TherapistWhat a cleverly plotted and unputdownable thriller. The House Hunt is tense from the very first page with a gasp-out-loud moment that I never guessed. So pacy and addictive. Just brilliant! -- Claire Douglas, author of The Couple at No 9Nobody does heart-thumping, dry-mouth, claustrophobic thrillers like C. M. Ewan. The House Hunt is exceptional, with a glorious WTF moment -- Sharon Bolton, author of The PactUnbearably tense, effortlessly plotted and packed with twists, Chris Ewan is the master of the cat-and-mouse thriller. . . -- Tim Weaver, author of No One HomeTense, taut, and terrifying. The House Hunt takes an everyday, knife-edge dilemma and turns it into the stuff of nightmares. Truly impossible to put down -- Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the EndRead this in one unplanned whirlwind binge. The perfect one sitting read. A propulsive, tightly plotted, minimalist treat -- Catherine Steadman, author of The Family GameYou can almost feel the walls closing in on you as you race through The House Hunt! It’s intense and claustrophobic, a darkly creepy thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder long after finishing it -- Gilly Macmillan, author of The Long WeekendWith relentless pace, Chris Ewan turns an ordinary, everyday situation into a terrifying nightmare, as the story becomes a desperate one of survival against the odds. Prepare yourself for a sleepless night! -- Jane Shemilt, author of The PatientBe prepared to put everything else on hold until you've finished The House Hunt, because once it grips you it doesn't let go. C. M. Ewan is one of the very best thriller writers I know -- Jane Casey, author of The CloseSpinetingling * Belfast Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisTHE POWERFUL AND MOVING NOVEL OF NEW BEGINNINGS AND OLD FAMILY SECRETS FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ASK AGAIN, YES''A fearless writer'' LISA TADDEO''An epic story about immigration, identity and family'' Guardian''Atmospheric, moving and brilliantly well-written'' Daily Mail''Engrossing . . . the kind of novel you simply don''t want to end'' Daily Express''A beautifully crafted novel about love, loyalty, culture, family and identity'' Irish Sunday Independent______1960s Rural Ireland. Greta Cahill must abandon her quiet village to follow her fearless sister Johanna onto a ship bound for New York . . .It''s here that she steps out of her sister''s shadow and into a life of her own, rich with love, work and family.As the years pass Greta longs to revisit the past - to see her mother, to show her what she has made of hTrade ReviewA compelling drama of transatlantic Irish lifeMarries a deliciously old-fashioned style of storytelling with a fresh take on the immigrant experience . . . A warm, involving family drama * Booklist *An epic story about immigration, identity and family . . . Keane portrays the complex and, at times, challenging lives of these working-class women with tenderness and compassion * Guardian *Atmospheric, moving and brilliantly well-written * Daily Mail *This atmospheric read that spans from 1950s Ireland to modern-day America and follows the fortunes of a woman on the run from a family secret * Good Housekeeping *Engrossing . . . Captures the windswept grittiness of Irish poverty as vividly as the technicolour hustle and bustle of 1960s New York. The Walking People is the kind of novel you simply don't want to end * Daily Express *Keane's previous novel Ask Again, Yes, was on my best Books of 2019, and this is just as good. Its slow, melodic pace proves we don't always need fast action and twists. Set between Ireland and new York, it's about two sisters; one craves adventure, the other, family; both have secrets * Prima, 'Best Books of March' *An American dream story, told over decades, taking its reader from rural 1915 Ireland to the streets of New York and back again -- Mariella Frostrup * Times Radio *A beautifully crafted novel about love, loyalty, culture, family and identity * Irish Sunday Independent *A moving and sweeping story that takes readers from the west coast of Ireland to America, following a family of immigrants across the different decades * Culturefly *I was a big fan of Ask Again, Yes and this is every bit as good * Good Housekeeping *An epic yarn . . . an evocative portrait of the immigrant, but also adds greater subtlety to this theme of belonging * RTE Guide *The story becomes so engrossing it grows on you with its real and engaging characters ... the divide between urban USA and rural Ireland is brilliantly grasped ... a very moving and original love story * Irish Examiner *Praise for Ask Again, Yes * - *The new Little Fires Everywhere * Stylist *One of the most exceptional novels of the summer . . . Has the makings of a future classic. * Sunday Express *A beautiful novel, bursting at the seams with empathy * Elle *Absolutely brilliant, a must read for our timeI'll read everything she writesPowerful and moving . . . Mary Beth Keane is a writer of extraordinary depth, feeling and wit. Readers will love this book, as I did -- Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female PersuasionImmersive and deeply moving -- Anna Hope, author of ExpectationA pleasantly accessible novel that will be popular with book clubs . . . Keane is a nuanced observer * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA propulsive and dazzling debut novel set against the backdrop of the Chinese Exclusion Act, and one Chinese girl fighting to claim her place''An engulfing, bighearted and heartbreaking novel'' ANN PATCHETT, author of Women''s Prize longlisted The Dutch House''A sweeping adventure of identity, love and belonging'' C PAM ZHANG, Man Booker longlisted author of How Much of These Hills are Gold''An impressive and original debut'' THE SUNDAY TIMES__________Daiyu was named after a ghost . . .Little Daiyu is twelve when her parents disappear. So she runs, disguising herself as a boy, to sweep the steps of Master Wang''s calligraphy school in Zhifu.But this is just the beginning of a journey that sends her across an ocean to San Francisco and the lawless American west.Kidnapped. Trafficked. Betrayed.Prize virgin in a brothel.Passion. Revenge. FreedTrade ReviewAn engulfing, bighearted and heartbreaking novel. Illuminates shocking injustices, making us stop and consider how many survive to this day -- Ann Patchett, author of Women's Prize longlisted The Dutch HouseAn impressive and original debut * THE SUNDAY TIMES *A sweeping adventure of identity, love and belonging -- C Pam Zhang, Man Booker longlisted author of How Much of These Hills are GoldBrilliant and devastating. Four Treasures of the Sky tells the story of Daiyu, who is brought to America against her will and forced to hide who she is even as she grows into her true self. Weaving together myth and history, Zhang's work is both timeless and utterly necessary right now. -- Anna North, author of the New York Times bestseller OutlawedAn instant and necessary classic, easily among the best novels of this past decade. The story lingers long after its final pages -- T Kira Madden, author of Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless GirlsAn astonishing novel propelled by private and public histories, rich with reflections on self-making, moral calling, great love, and profound injustice -- Megha Majumdar, author of A BurningThis unforgettable novel dazzles. An exhilarating rush of character, history and storytelling -- Kali Fajardo-Anstine, US National Book Award finalist author of Sabrina & CorinaBrings alive a heroine for the ages, an indomitable teenage girl whose relentless spirit and self-reinvention carries this story. Daiyu is sure to take her place in the canon of great Western heroines next to True Grit's Mattie Ross -- Juliet Grames, author of The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella FortunaThis book is haunting, luscious and precise - it's historical fiction as we most want and need it to be. Four Treasures of the Sky paints a neglected chapter in history with sharp and devastating brushstrokes -- Julia Fine, author of The Upstairs HouseA lyrical and sweeping Bildungsroman, fierce and moving * Publishers Weekly, starred review *A book to sit alongside Yaa Gyasi's Homecoming and Anna North's Outlawed, this is a powerful tale of reclamation, spun with soul by a remarkable new talent * Lauren Puckett, Shelf Awareness *

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Book Synopsis⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A fantastic whodunnit'' HEAT MAGAZINE⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''Sensational'' CRIME MONTHLY''This is not the usual story of vulnerable women in jeopardy ... but one in which the victims fight back.'' SUNDAY TIMES____________________Some women just can''t take a joke.At least, that''s what locals tell the police when a man is found gruesomely murdered at the pub in a tiny outback town. All fingers point to the backpackers working behind the bar that night - sorority sisters Beth and Lauren, who skipped town before the body was discovered.Despite all the evidence against them, rookie cop Tara Harrison knows there must be more to this case. But even as she tries to prove their innocence, Tara discovers that Beth and Lauren have dark secrets of their own - secrets they''ve sworn to take to the grave...SunTrade ReviewBeth and Lauren are backpackers from California who have run out of money in Western Australia. When they take jobs in a seedy outback bar whose owner hires girls to attract custom from a mining company, they become targets of a group of thuggish men. This is not the usual story of vulnerable women in jeopardy, however, but one in which the victims fight back. * SUNDAY TIMES *This superb slice of Aussie noir isn't just a fantastic whodunnit, it also shines a light on some important themes. We couldn't get enough of the atmospheric setting and pitch-perfect writing. * HEAT MAGAZINE *Outback noir is having a real moment... This new offering is one to add to the list - in fact, bump it right to the top of the pile ... Just sensational. * CRIME MONTHLY *Layer upon layer of plot twists ... My only sadness was that I couldn't read it in one go. * BELFAST TELEGRAPH *A well-researched, page-turning story with characters to root for and some seriously good misdirection. This is excellent outback noir. * EMMA STYLES *Nowadays it seems that hardly a week goes by without the publication of an Australian novel detailing outrageous antics in the outback. This is one of the good ones. * The Times *A blisteringly good book. Compulsive, brilliant, atmospheric, and with serious emotional clout. These characters didn't just jump off the page: they pulled me into it. An absolute five star read. * GYTHA LODGE *Atmospheric and brooding, this gripping police procedural opened my eyes to modern-day exploitation in outback Australia. Tara is a smart heroine I'd love to read much more of. * ED JAMES *A bloody good (and indeed bloody) story of suspense and mystery. * MORNING STAR *

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Book SynopsisA brilliantly written and gripping historical Nordic Noir thriller with all the intrigue and atmosphere of Burial Rites, the pent-up passion of The Piano and the suspense of The Tenderness of Wolves.Trade ReviewExquisitely suspenseful, beautifully written, and highly recommended -- Lee Child, No1 bestselling author of the Jack Reacher thrillersCecilia Ekback provides something fresh. . . haunting . . . ugly secrets are soon brought to light at the cost of great danger to Maija and her family. Highly individual fare. * Financial Times *This story of the struggle for survival of a family of Finnish settlers in Swedish Lapland in the early 18th Century is not for the faint hearted. The writer creates a convincing atmosphere of a very strange time in a very strange land... The details of how these people survive in an extraordinary landscape stays with you long after you have finished reading. * Daily Mail *This debut by Swedish-born writer creeps up on its reader - steadily immersing them in its distant dangerous world. Eighty pages in, it is a surprise to look up and discover you are not snowbound. * Metro *Strong sense of place, robust characters and gothiky atmosphere. * Woman & Home *There are shivers aplenty in Cecilia Ekback's cracking atmospheric debut. * Saturday Express Magazine *Memorable and interesting characters, this story will stay with me for a long time. * Cook Create Read blog *Ekbäck is wonderful at evoking place, and the coming ling of real and spirit worlds works a treat. There is so much to enjoy. * Guardian *A compelling suspenseful story. * Sunday Times *It's a dark but colourfully told tale, richly laced with elements of gothic mystery. * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisA celebration in Oxford for university tutor and bestselling author Jason Verdoot, attended by DCI St. Just and his fiancée Portia, is a night to remember . . . for all the wrong reasons.University of Oxford tutor and bestselling author Jason Verdoodt has it all: acclaim, women, money . . . and an enemy or two. When he''s found dead at the bottom of the stairs during a celebratory reception at St Rumwold''s College, many wonder if seething jealousy of his literary success has turned someone''s mind to murder.Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just becomes inescapably drawn into an investigation that takes him down the historic streets of Oxford and into the hallowed halls of its university. Alongside his fiancée, crime fiction writer Portia De''Ath, he uncovers several motives for murdering the celebrated but insufferable Jason - whose next novel may be a threat to many in his orbit - and no shortage of suspects who are nur

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Book SynopsisTony Vicar is setting his sights on new (mis)adventures in this laugh-out-loud follow-up to The Liquor Vicar.Tony Vicar, now an internationally known celebrity due to greatly exaggerated news reports of his nearly miraculous powers has turned his attention to renovating his recently inherited crumbling old hotel in the wacky town of Tyee Lagoon. It's a good thing his level-headed girlfriend, Jacquie O, is on board to temper his more outlandish ideas, because the pair plan to turn the hotel's dumpy old beer parlour into the Vicar's Knickers a lavish and beautiful pub.Of course, building a tiny empire is not without challenges, shocks, oppositions, and calamities. Vicar's celebrity is threatened as he is assailed by Hollywood gossip journalist Richard X. Dick a cynic determined to undermine Vicar at every turn. On top of that, a surprise that changes everything is unexpectedly left on Vicar and Jacquie O's doorstep late one night in a heavy blizzard.Trade ReviewFunny, silly, lighthearted, sentimental, snarky, and often hyperactive with comic energy, The Liquor Vicar tells a tall, quirky tale of redemption in snack-sized chapters. * The Vancouver Sun, for The Liquor Vicar *Ditrich’s quick, clever, punchy prose will hold your attention, make you laugh, make you ponder, and make you forget about the chaos of the world. * Jann Arden, singer, and author of Feeding My Mother *The greatest sequel since The Wrath of Khan, if Tony Vicar was William Shatner. * Grant Lawrence, author and CBC Radio host *Ghosts, glam rock, and a golf-ball-stealing moose, who couldn’t have fun reading The Vicar’s Knickers, the latest by consummate musician and author, Vince R. Ditrich? Tony Vicar and his richly drawn band of wild and wacky characters will steal your heart as well as the show. * C.S. O'Cinneide, Edgar nominated author of the Candace Starr series *The Vicar's Knickers is a delightful humour noir novel. Vince Ditrich generously lends his trademark wit and cleverness to the characters of fictional Tyee Lagoon, with laugh-out-loud turns of phrase on every page * Sarah Chauncey, author of P.S. I Love You More Than Tuna *The residents of Tyee Lagoon are back! And under Ditrich's vivid storytelling, the results for the reader continue to be uproarious, hilarious, and unexpectedly touching. * Aaron Chapman, author of Vancouver Vice and BC Book Prize winner *They’re back! All the beloved characters from The Liquor Vicar plus a baby, two deliciously evil villains, a moose with a passion for golf balls and a mysterious entity. * Alison Kelly, performer and author of Granville Island ABC a Family Adventure *Tony Vicar is back at full throttle and this time round, using the same brilliant language and acerbic wit we came to adore in The Liquor Vicar, our star brings his own share of wild baggage. The question is: will the Vicar survive? Buckle up, it’s a helluva ride * Pete McCormack, Oscar-nominated filmmaker and author of Understanding Ken *To all the fans who bought the first book…Look at what you’ve done. You’ve only encouraged him. * Terry David Mulligan, host of CKUA radio’s Mulligan Stew *Round 2 with Vince Ditrich’s cast of prog-rock rejects and mill-town mavericks provided the knockout. Tyee Lagoon is as real as any Vancouver Island small town; scratch the surface and the psychedelics kick in. Heart, loyalty, and honour run deep * Craig Northey, songwriter and founding member of the band Odds *The Battle of Tyee Lagoon should be taught in classrooms, and be a Heritage moment. * Rob Baker, guitarist in The Tragically Hip *Filled with biting satire and social commentary, The Vicar’s Knickers is a wordsmith’s delight, weaving a convoluted tale of mystery, the supernatural, love… and fried chicken. * Winnipeg Free Press *

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Book Synopsis''A tense, twisty, addictive read'' JO SPAIN''Nail-bitingly tense...leaves you gasping for breath'' SARAH PEARSEThe waves are to die for. It''s a paradise they''d kill to keep.There''s a darkness inside all of us and The Bay has a way of bringing it out. Everyone here has their secrets but we don''t go looking for them. Because sometimes it''s better not to know.Kenna arrives in Sydney to surprise her best friend, shocked to hear she''s going to marry a guy she''s only just met. But Mikki and her fiancé Jack are about to head away on a trip, so Kenna finds herself tagging along for the ride.Sorrow Bay is beautiful, wild and dangerous. A remote surfing spot with waves to die for, cut off from the rest of the world. Here Kenna meets the mysterious group of people who will do anything to keep their paradise a secret. Sky, Ryan, Clemente and Victor have come to ride the waves and disappear from life. How will they feTrade ReviewAs with her mind-blowing debut, Allie has delivered yet another tense, twisty, addictive read. The vivid world and fascinating characters of The Bay will stay with me for some time! -- Jo SpainI loved it. Gave me the same sinister-yet-you-wish-you-were-there vibes of The Beach, combined with Allie's trademark ability to cast suspicion on everyone. I had to keep turning the pages to the end! -- Amy McCullochA compulsive page-turner. The hidden motives of this surf-worshipping cultish group of friends, who would do anything necessary to protect their hidden beach from the outside world, maintained a taut suspense that truly had me until the very last page -- Sally ThorneSun, sand, surf and suspense, The Bay is drenched in atmosphere, tension and intrigue -- Emma HaughtonA tense and gripping thriller about friendship and obsession. Kept me guessing until the very end -- Jo JakemanA thrill-ride of a novel, The Bay brings together a cast of sinister characters on a remote, surf-pounded beach, where no one is what they seem. A high-octane, addictive summer read, perfect for your beach bag -- Lucy ClarkeA pulse-pounding, treacherous adventure that will pull you in like a powerful undertow and not let go. With a lush, sun-soaked setting, a relentless plot, and jaw-dropping twists, you'll race through the pages and into the nightmarish dark side of this beach paradise -- Laurie Elizabeth FlynnWith bone-chilling dread and irresistible cliffhangers,The Bay showcases Reynolds's immense talent at turning her own passion into a twisty, creepy suspense that will keep you glued to every seductive page -- Samantha M. BaileyFast paced, nail-bitingly tense and packed full of twists and turns . . . leaves you gasping for breath. I found it unputdownable -- Sarah PearseA unique, addictive thriller set in the fascinating and often dangerous world of surfing . . . The tension builds with the heat and the waves. I was totally swept away! -- Helen CooperA high-octane thriller, full of twists, secrets ,and dark characters that will keep you guessing until the final page -- Lauren NorthWith classic Reynolds twists, this fast-paced novel will have you second-guessing just who you can trust. Captivating * Women's Weekly *An absolute masterclass in tension . . . the setting and characters are magnificent - serious The Beach vibes, but more murder! -- Sarah Bonner

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Book SynopsisA captivating, slyly brilliant debut by the award-winning author of East of the WestTrade ReviewAn intelligently mapped plot complements the skilful blend of familial relationships with religious commentary . . . This is a historically rich study of borders: those imposed by cartography and those that are self-constructed. -- Zoë Apostolides * Financial Times *Penkov uses classic narrative forms as a springboard for a dark, dreamlike debut novel steeped in Balkan history and legend . . . The characters' lives are beautifully interwoven with ancient tales and family histories, all deeply rooted in the landscape of the Strandja Mountains, home of black storks, fire dancers, and worshippers of pagan saints . . . a beautiful and haunting novel -- Hilary Rice * Chicago Review of Books *To the honor roll of the Bulgarian literary diaspora, add Miroslav Penkov, who writes sumptuous English . . . what the Great Bulgarian Novel could be if it could be rendered in English. -- Stephen G Kellman * Dallas Morning News *Wildly ambitious . . . thoughtful and thought-provoking, with a passionate faith in the redemptive powers of art. -- Wendy Smith * Boston Globe *[A] searing, heartfelt novel . . . rich, enmeshing the personal with the political and historical, told in strange and vertiginous language that seems fitting for a tale of such passion. * Publishers Weekly *A Bulgarian Don Quixote fighting windmills, his Sancho Panza a lost American grandson, and Dulcinea a Turk overfond of smoking dope. Add a smattering of Christian firewalkers, a touch of Muslim clerics, thousands of hysterical storks who deliver more secrets than babies. What you get is a marvel of a novel. Penkov has written a rollicking, poignant delight. * Rabih Alameddine, National Book Award Finalist and author of An Unnecessary Woman. *I can't speak to Miroslav Penkov's standing among Bulgarian novelists, but now that I've read STORK MOUNTAIN, it is easy to say that Penkov is my favorite novelist publishing in America. * Kyle Minor, author of Praying Drunk *Miroslav Penkov writes with warmth, wit and emotional precision, and STORK MOUNTAIN is a gorgeous and big-hearted novel that manages to be both a page-turning adventure story and a nuanced meditation on the meaning of home . . . a fantastic book. * Molly Antopol, author of The UnAmericans *STORK MOUNTAIN is a timely novel when Europe - its entangled past and its uncertain future - occupies the headlines; it is a timeless tale too about the undying and undead, about dreams not paled by reality, and above all, about a young man's search for an answer by searching for the right question. What a tremendous achievement from one of the best young international writers. * Yiyun Li, author of Kinder Than Solitude *

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Book Synopsis'Brilliantly atmospheric . . . I loved it' Sabina Durrant, author of Lie With MeAnna's friends and family think she is living the perfect life under the Spanish sun. But the reality is anything but . . . Deserted by her boyrfiend and barely able to hold on to her dream house in the hills, the future she imagined has crashed around her ears. Instead, she's running a dingy bar surrounded by British expats as homesick and as stuck as she is. So when a local businessman offers to rent Anna's house, she hopes it will pave the way for her escape. But there is more to Simon than meets the eye, and when a body washes up on the beach in mysterious circumstances, Anna quickly realizes she may be the only one willing to unravel the truth - after all, she has nothing left to lose. Sizzling and atmospheric, Lottie Moggach's Under the Sun is an exhilarating novel about heartbreak, identity and finding a place to call home.

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Book SynopsisThe Girl Who Reads on the Métro is the French phenomenon by Christine Féret-Fleury ready to charm book-lovers everywhere, for fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Elegance of the Hedgehog.When Juliette takes the métro to her loathed office job each morning, her only escape is in books – she avidly reads on her journey and imagines what her fellow commuters’ choices might say about them. But when, one day, she decides to alight the train a few stops early and meets Soliman – the mysterious owner of the most enchanting bookshop Juliette has ever seen – she is sure her life will never be the same again . . . For Soliman also believes in the power of books to change the course of a life – entrusting his passeurs with the task of giving each book to the person who needs it most – and he thinks Juliette is perfect for the job. And so, leaving her old life behind, Juliette will discover the true power a book can have . . .Trade ReviewAn enchanting story made of literary references that would convince anyone to become a reader, even the most reluctant ones. * Avantages *A delightful novel! * Madame Figaro *A beautiful tale, wonderfully crazy, for everyone who likes to end a book with a smile on their face. * Lire *A charming, cheery read crammed with literary references that will delight book lovers and Paris passionnes alike. * France Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author of The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga, comes the story of an undocumented immigrant who becomes the only witness to a crime and must face an impossible moral dilemma.'Alive with empathy, indignation and the sharp satiric reportage at which Aravind Adiga excels, this novel grippingly extends his concern for deprivation and injustice.' - Sunday Times 'Books of the Year'Shortlisted for the Miles Franklin AwardDanny – formerly Dhananjaya Rajaratnam – is an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant. Denied refugee status, working as a cleaner and living out of a grocery storeroom in Sydney, for four years he has been trying to create a new identity for himself, finally coming as close as he ever has to living a normal life.One morning, Danny learns that his client Radha Thomas has been murdered. A jacket was left at the scene, which he believes belongs to another client, a doctor with whom Radha was having an affair. Suddenly Danny is confronted with a choice: Come forward as a witness and risk being deported? Or say nothing, and let justice go undone? Over the course of a single ordinary, yet extraordinary day, he must wrestle with his conscience and decide if a person without rights nevertheless has responsibilities . . .Suspenseful, propulsive, and full of Aravind Adiga’s signature wit and magic, Amnesty is both a timeless moral struggle and a universal story with particular urgency today.'[Adiga] is a startlingly fine observer . . . You come to this novel for its author's authority, wit and feeling on the subject of immigrants' lives.' - New York TimesTrade ReviewThe kind of sharp social anthropology at which Adiga excels . . . Brimming with empathy as well as indignation, this novel . . . extends Adiga’s fictional concern with deprivation and injustice. * Sunday Times *What makes Amnesty an urgent and significant book is the generosity and the humanity of its vision . . . Amnesty is an ample book, pertinent and necessary. It speaks to our times. -- Juan Gabriel Vásquez * New York Times *A mesmerising, breakneck quest of a novel; a search for the true sense of self, for the answer to a moral dilemma which damns either way. -- Andrew McMillan[Adiga] has more to say than most novelists, and about 50 more ways to say it . . . Adiga is a startlingly fine observer, and a complicator, in the manner of V.S. Naipaul . . . This novel has a simmering plot . . . You come to this novel for . . . its author’s authority, wit and feeling on the subject of immigrants’ lives. -- Dwight Garner * New York Times *Adiga is one of the great observers of power and its deformities, showing in novels like his Booker Prize winning White Tiger and Last Man in Tower how within societies, the powerful lean on the less powerful, and the weak exploit the weaker all the way down. Telling the tale of Danny’s immigration along the story of one tense day, he has built a forceful, urgent thriller for our times. -- John Freeman * Lit Hub *A forceful, urgent thriller for our times * Lit Hub *Danny's voice, in its sheer everyday ordinariness, will stay with you a long time. * Daily Mail *Scrutinizes the human condition through a haves-vs.-have-not filter with sly wit and narrative ingenuity . . . Adiga's smart, funny, and timely tale with a crime spin of an undocumented immigrant will catalyze readers. * Booklist *Engrossing . . . vivid . . . Adiga’s enthralling depiction of one immigrant’s tough situation humanizes a complex and controversial global dilemma. * Publishers Weekly *A taut, thrillerlike novel . . . A well-crafted tale of entrapment, alert to the risk of exploitation that follows immigrants in a new country. * Kirkus, starred review *

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Book SynopsisThe Hiding Game is an intoxicating story of love and betrayal, set in the Bauhaus art school. Heady, gripping and unforgettable, Naomi Wood's third novel explores the perils of secrecy in a changing and increasingly dangerous world.In Roaring Twenties Germany, Paul, Charlotte and Walter meet at the Bauhaus art school. The trio form a close-knit group, in which passions and rivalries collide. But when Walter is betrayed, he makes a terrible mistake – a secret he will keep from Paul and Charlotte for as long as he can.As political tensions escalate and the Nazis gain power, Walter’s secret – hidden in notebooks, paintings and blueprints – ultimately threatens the very lives of his friends, with devastating consequences.Shortlisted for The Historical Writers' Association Gold Crown Award.Longlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.Trade ReviewThe Hiding Game is a brilliant, fascinating novel - a gripping story, skilfully told -- Sara Baume, author of Spill Simmer Falter WitherA suspenseful story of obsession against the tense political backdrop of Germany’s Bauhaus art school -- Francesca Angelini * Sunday Times Style *Atmospheric and compelling . . . A haunting read -- Caroline Lea, author of The Glass WomanI was seduced and fascinated by the hedonism, the creative and romantic rivalries and conflicted loyalties in this tangle of flawed and beautiful people -- Isabel Costello, The Literary SofaWith great conviction, Wood summons up the intensity of the students’ camaraderie and the forces that destroy it -- Nick Rennison * The Sunday Times *Wood can recreate a time and place with all its glamour and grit . . . art and ideas have never felt more thrilling -- Alexandra Heminsley * Grazia *A fantastic novel, so beautiful and sad . . . Immersive, elegant and affecting, Wood’s prose, as always, delights the senses -- Megan Bradbury, author of Everyone is Watching A love story set in the Bauhaus art school during Germany's turbulent 1920s? Be still, my pounding heart! -- Sarra Manning * Red, 'The only summer reads you need' *Set against the political upheaval of 1930s Germany, The Hiding Game is a dazzling tale of artistic ambition and romantic desire, of the choices we make in youth and the price we pay for them as we grow older. Beautifully written, vividly realized, it will remain seared in my imagination for years to come -- Ellen Feldman, author of Next to LoveTense and absorbing, this is a book that you’ll want to dive into and hungrily read to the last word * Stylist *An engaging tale filled with jealousies and rivalries turns into a dark, compelling drama about betrayal, revenge and the cost of loving too much . . . Like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, Wood’s novel starts out as a chronicle of a death foretold . . . emotionally charged and morally complex * Literary Review *Wood effortlessly evokes the atmosphere at the Bauhaus . . . The Hiding Game is a carefully and intricately woven novel of love, deceit and creativity * Icon Magazine *A devastating secret haunts Naomi Wood’s third novel . . . Fans of Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life will be carried away by the similarly fraught friendships and loving betrayals in Wood’s book * New Statesman *In The Hiding Game, the reader is lured expertly into the atmosphere and eccentricities of a group of Bauhaus students whose loves and loyalties are tested within their odd, exciting environment. This is a novel of curious, arresting detail and sharp emotions, a coming of age story like no other. Layered and intricate, it's another triumph from the lively mind of Naomi Wood -- Nuala O'Connor, author of Becoming BelleA novel of delicate menace, in which the gathering weight of personal struggle becomes insidiously roped to the political upheaval of 1930s Germany and its rising fascist forces -- Ross Raisin, author of God's Own Country

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller from the bestselling author of The Doll Factory, Elizabeth Macneal.Set in a spectacular circus in the pleasure gardens of Victorian London, Circus of Wonders is an addictive novel about power, fame, and a love that is threatened by a terrible secret.'Glitters and gleams . . . utterly beguiling' – Daily Mail1866. In a coastal village in southern England, Nell lives set apart by her community because of the birthmarks that speckle her skin.But when Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders arrives in the village, Nell is kidnapped. Her father has sold her, promising Jasper Jupiter his very own leopard girl. It is the greatest betrayal of Nell's life, but as her fame grows, and she finds friendship with the other performers and Jasper’s gentle brother Toby, she begins to wonder if joining the show is the best thing that has ever happened to her.In London, newspapers describe Nell as the eighth wonder of the world. Figurines are cast in her image, and crowds rush to watch her soar through the air. But what happens when her fame eclipses Jasper's own? And as she falls in love with Toby, can he detach himself from his past and the terrible secret that binds him to his brother?Trade ReviewA glittering follow-up to The Doll Factory . . . a mark of Macneal's subtlety and originality * Guardian *Elizabeth Macneal’s marvellous debut, The Doll Factory, was a bestselling success. This second book, beautifully written and filled with character and life, cements her reputation as a new talent * The Times *Elizabeth Macneal has done it again . . . Entrancing, tender, captivating. A marvel. I couldn’t put it down. -- Sara Collins, author of Costa First Novel Award winner The Confessions of Frannie LangtonWonderful . . . Glitters and gleams with the grimy stories of a travelling circus . . . Utterly beguiling * Daily Mail *An absolute triumph. Exquisitely written, intensely satisfying -- Stacey Halls, author of The FamiliarsSpectacular . . . A brilliantly involving story, vivid with the sights and sounds of Victorian England. A fantastic read * Daily Express *Dark but tender, evocative and compelling. I loved it -- Laura Shepherd-Robinson, author of Blood & SugarAn equally satisfying exploration of some of the odder corners of Victorian life . . . a novel that again highlights Macneal’s rich imagination and vivid prose * Sunday Times Ireland, Historical Fiction Book of the Month *A fantastical, absolutely immersive gem of a read * Red *Macneal’s complex characters allow her to question how society treats difference, the price of power and vanity, and the pursuit of self-determination. At turns dark, joyous, frightening and heartbreaking, Circus Of Wonders makes for an absorbing read * Independent *A tremendous read. Richly imagined, vividly rendered, each scene is like an old painting in which light gleams off the detail . . . The story is full-bodied and addictive from the outset, told with pace and verve but never compromising style . . . Circus of Wonders displays in abundance everything readers loved about The Doll Factory . . . an ambitious, enlightening novel -- Emma Stonex, author of The LamplightersDeliciously vivid . . . every bit as atmospheric as you’d expect . . . A hopeful story of a girl taking charge of her destiny * Woman & Home *Set in the same Victorian London as her stunning debut, The Doll Factory, Macneal's second novel is both thrilling and humane, bringing to life the brutal world of the freak show * Mail on Sunday *You can’t help but be drawn into the exciting and sometimes macabre world of the circus, with its colourful cast of characters * Good Housekeeping *Another seductive slice of Victorian noir * Sunday Times Scotland *Circus of Wonders is confident and beautifully written -- Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a ScandalA glittering, begrimed tale of love and self-determination flush with richly detailed prose. Sumptuous, macabre, enthralling; a perfect slice of Victoriana. -- Jane Healey, author of The Animals at Lockwood ManorElizabeth Macneal's novel is spectacular - a book of wonders! -- Alix Nathan, author of The Warlow ExperimentA beautifully told and immersive look at a complex dance between exploitation and empowerment, and the question of what it really means to have control over your own life. I adored its characters, I was utterly gripped throughout, and I loved having my eyes opened to the troubling yet fascinating world of Victorian circuses -- Naomi Ishiguro, author of Escape RoutesCircus of Wonders is a soaring, tumbling, whip-cracking book. Elizabeth Macneal has brought an extraordinary group of characters together in these pages; the result is a glittering world, a story as moving as it is deeply entertaining -- Daniel Mason, author of The Piano TunerExpansive and tender . . . it really pulls you into this fascinating world. -- Beth Underdown, author of The Witchfinder's SisterI loved The Doll Factory and I loved Circus Of Wonders just as much . . .An intriguing and beautifully written love story as well as an exploration of the journey from rejection to adoration . . . Elizabeth Macneal explores the nature of exploitation, pride and vanity through her vibrant and believable characters -- Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing GirlAt turns dark, joyous, frightening and heartbreaking, Circus of Wonders is an absorbing read * Sunday Life *A glittering, soaring, magical exploration of showmanship, voyeurism and storytelling, Circus of Wonders is also a wonderful, sumptuously-written love story. Visceral & cerebral. I loved it. -- Caroline Lea, author of The Glass WomanEngaging and enjoyable * Scotsman *I loved it. Circus of Wonders is a terrific successor to The Doll Factory. I adored the vibrant cast of characters - they are tenderly drawn yet dazzle off the page -- Rachel Hore, author of Last Letter HomeI was dazzled by it from beginning to end. What a fabulous, riveting, engrossing story! There's such a creepy undercurrent of dread and violence running just beneath the surface of everything she writes, yet there's humanity and kindness, a palpable love for Nell and the other circus performers that makes all the characters come to life -- Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of LightAn enjoyable and engrossing novel, which captivates from beginning to end * Historical Novel Society *The gritty glamour of the circus and the horrors of war. Macneal’s characters are finely drawn, their entwined stories playing out against the backdrop of the big top * Daily Mirror *Wonderful * Woman's Weekly *The author of The Doll Factory returns with more high Gothic Victoriana * i newspaper *Deliciously vivid . . . every bit as atmospheric as you'd expect * Woman's Own *The kaleidoscopic world of the Victorian circus, at once enchanting and grotesque, is vividly brought to life . . . a gripping tale * Northern Echo *Fantastic * Psychologies *Packed with atmosphere * Prima *Wonderful * My Weekly *I loved this story for its plot, its characters and its beautiful writing. The author engages all our senses to explore illusion versus reality, keeps us on a tightrope of emotions and presents us with a truly dazzling show * NFOP Magazine *A gripping exploration of fame, love, hope, friendship and whether we can ever own our own stories * New European *[Macneal's] great strength is in imagining vivid inner lives and narratives for people usually sidelined, who in the historical great-man theory merely provide delicacies and amusements for the rich * Catholic Herald *

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Book Synopsis‘This book’s power lies in its depiction of civilians trying to lead ordinary lives during the horror of war . . . It is shattering stuff, but Rothmann is tender towards his characters and this book is as memorable as his last.’ - The Times, ‘Historical Fiction Book of the Month’As the Second World War enters its final stages, millions in Germany are forced from their homes by bombing, compelled to seek shelter in the countryside where there are barely the resources to feed them.Twelve-year-old Luisa, her mother, and her older sister Billie have escaped the devastation of the city for the relative safety of a dairy farm. But even here the power struggles of the war play out: the family depend on the goodwill of Luisa’s brother-in-law, an SS officer, who in expectation of payment turns his attention away from his wife and towards Billie. Luisa immerses herself in books, but even she notices the Allied bombers flying east above them, the gauntness of the prisoners at the camp nearby, the disappearance of fresh-faced boys from the milk shed – hastily shipped off to a war that’s already lost.Living on the farm teaches Luisa about life and death, but it’s man’s capacity for violence that provides the ultimate lesson, that robs her of her innocent ignorance. When, at a birthday celebration, her worst fears are realized, Luisa collapses under the weight of the inexplicable.Ralf Rothmann’s previous novel, To Die in Spring, described the horror of war and the damage done on the battlefield. The God of that Summer tells the devastating story of civilians caught up in the chaos of defeat, of events that might lead a twelve-year-old child to justifiably say: ‘I have experienced everything.’Trade Review‘This book's power lies in its depiction of civilians trying to lead ordinary lives during the horror of war... It is shattering stuff, but Rothmann is tender towards his characters and this book is as memorable as his last.’ * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Earthquake Bird is Susanna Jones's stunning, prize-winning first mystery - now a major motion picture starring Alicia Vikander.Winner of the CWA New Blood Dagger for Best Debut Crime Novel of the YearWinner of the John Llewellyn Rhys PrizeEarly this morning, several hours before my arrest, I was woken by an earth tremor. I mention the incident not to suggest that there was a connection. . . for in Tokyo we have a quake like this every month. I am simply relating the sequence of events as it happened. It has been an unusual day and I would hate to forget anything . . . So begins The Earthquake Bird, a haunting novel set in Japan which reveals a murder on its first page and takes its readers into the mind of the chief suspect, Lucy Fly – a young, vulnerable English girl living and working in Tokyo as a translator. As Lucy is interrogated by the police she reveals her past to the reader, and it is a past which is dangerously ambiguous and compromising . . . Why did Lucy leave England for the foreign anonymity of Japan ten years before, and what exactly prompted her to sever all links with her family back home? She was the last person to see the murdered girl alive, so why is she not more forthcoming about the circumstances of their last meeting? As Lucy’s story unfolds, it emerges that secrets, both past and present, obsess her waking life . . .Trade ReviewIn spare yet devastating prose, Susanna Jones maintains a chilling ambiguity throughout, scoring 10 on the suspense Richter scale. Compelling and haunting, this delicately crafted debut novel's tremors are felt long after the final page is turned * Observer *Jones is a mistress of the unexplained menace * Mail on Sunday *An astonishingly accomplished debut... it's hard to believe that this skilfully constructed and beautifully written work is a first novel * Daily Telegraph *Exquisitely written yet utterly chilling, this will keep you gripped from start to finish: a potential book-group classic * Elle *Anyone familiar with Jones's previous books will know that, in her deliciously disorientating fictional worlds, nothing is ever quite as it seems... Jones is a mistress of disguise, not just in her characterization and plotting, but in her blurring of the divisions between right and wrong... the revelation, when it comes, is breathtaking' * Literary Review *Remarkable... you'll find this story still lurking in the dark corners of your mind long after you've put the book down * The Face *Jones evokes a sense of mystery and strangeness with the lightest of touches, and casts doubt on the reliability of her narrator in a manner reminiscent of Paul Aster. Experimental, teasing but always utterly readable, this novel will keep you guessing all the way through its 278 pages * Independent on Sunday *An engrossing read, and one that's quite mysterious at times, this is a book that you won't be able to put down * Easy Living *Comparisons with Lesley Glaister, Barbara Vine and Helen Dunmore spring to mind, although Jones is too original, too unusual in her sensibilities to be easily or usefully pigeon-holed * Literary Review *An impressive psychological thriller... written with bleak beauty * New Statesman *This spare, urgent debut is not only a polished crime novel, but a hymn to Tokyo and an awkwardly tender love story * Daily Telegraph *Mesmerising * Mail on Sunday *Prepare for all-over goosebumps * Elle *

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Book Synopsis** Featured on BBC Two's Between The Covers **'Irresistible' - Val McDermid, author of 1979'Breathtaking . . . This is crime writing of a striking calibre' - Daily MailNear the dying English seaside town of Ilmarsh, local police detective Alec Nichols discovers sixteen horses’ heads on a farm, each buried with a single eye facing the low winter sun. After forensic veterinarian Cooper Allen travels to the scene, the investigators soon uncover evidence of a chain of crimes in the community – disappearances, arson and mutilations – all culminating in the reveal of something deadly lurking in the ground itself.In the dark days that follow, the town slips into panic and paranoia. Everything is not as it seems. Anyone could be a suspect. And as Cooper finds herself unable to leave town, Alec is stalked by an unseen threat. The two investigators race to uncover the truth behind these frightening and insidious mysteries – no matter the cost.Sixteen Horses is the debut literary thriller from an extraordinary talent, Greg Buchanan. For fans of Jane Harper’s The Dry.'Totally gripping' - Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent Patient'Read it, read it, read it' - B. P. Walter, author of The Dinner Guest'Original' - Sophie Hannah, author of Haven't They GrownTrade ReviewUnlike anything else you’ll read this year, Sixteen Horses is a deeply disconcerting ride. Irresistible -- Val McDermidDark, visceral and disturbing, this highly suspenseful and beautifully written thriller is totally gripping from start to finish. A hugely impressive debut -- Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent PatientOriginal, beautifully written, terrifying and haunting. I won't forget this novel -- Sophie Hannah, author of Haven't They GrownA breath-taking debut . . . written with immense panache. This is crime writing of a striking calibre, which constantly surprises as it takes unexpected twist after twist — leaving you desperate for more * Daily Mail *Utterly gripping, exquisitely written [. . .] Haunting and very dark, this is certainly worth the read * Guardian *Sometimes you come across a work of fiction so staggeringly good, it’s almost impossible to find words that can do justice to its brilliance and adequately describe how it made you feel. In the end, all that needs to be said is this: read it, read it, read it -- B. P. Walter, author of The Dinner GuestUtterly brilliant. Poetry and cinema at once. If this isn’t one of the biggest titles of 2021 I’ll eat my hat -- CJ Cooke, author of The NestingPoignant, chilling, eerie, and gruesome, Sixteen Horses is a thriller with a literary soul, perfect for fans of Netflix's Dark or BBC's Top of the Lake. Buchanan impressively balances horror and empathy, showing real evil while also exploring the human cost of economic collapse. A unique, ambitious debut that left me shocked and enthralled -- Sara Sligar, author of Take Me ApartA dark, ambitious, and highly intelligent thriller . . . This complex, often gothic tale is definitely an eye-opener * Publishers Weekly *A darkly atmospheric crime thriller * Northampton Chronicle & Echo *

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Book Synopsis‘One of the books of the year. Cunnell’s style is matchless: intimate, dark, sincere, wry and exquisitely beautiful’ – Irish Times‘A cracking, urgent page-turner of a novel’ – ObserverThe painter Terry Godden was on the brink of his first success. After a violent crisis, he finds himself outcast.In his fifties, and with little money, he retreats to a small island. Arriving in the winter, the island at first seems a desolate and forgotten place. As the seasons turn, Terry begins to see the island’s beauty, and discovers that he is only one of many people who have sought refuge here. These independent outsiders, all with their own considerable struggles, have made a precarious home.The island is owned by the business man and art collector Alex Kaplan. His decision to enforce a rent increase as he seeks to improve his property looks set to destroy this community that cannot afford to lose the little they have left. As an artist, Terry believes making the invisible struggles of the island visible to the world will help – but will his interference save anybody other than himself?The Painter’s Friend shows the human cost of gentrification for those dispossessed. The novel also explores the role of art in protest, and asks who gets to be an artist and what they owe in return. Written with visual lyricism and driven clarity, Howard Cunnell’s incendiary story about class and resistance builds to an unforgettable climax. It is an urgent novel for our unjust times.‘I loved it. Cunnell’s writing has an unforgettable visual and moral clarity’ – Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the BarleyTrade ReviewI loved it. Cunnell’s writing has an unforgettable visual and moral clarity -- Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the BarleyHis finest and most important work to date -- Cathi Unsworth, author of WeirdoCunnell’s prose is elegantly punchy . . . The valour of his fight is revealed in a story of what can happen when truth is considered idealism and collides with the predatory designs of a property developer. A fine book -- John Healy, author of The Grass ArenaLoving in its exploration of creative survival and loss of human habitat. Every fleck and dab of verbal pigment rewards the eye and enriches the design -- Adam Mars-Jones, author of Box HillBrilliantly plotted and the final act knocked me sideways. Huge themes told through the personal stories of very real people. It was a delight and revelation to read -- David Morrissey, actorA novel of muscular, dark prose with more than a little compassion for damaged lives. I loved it -- Ned Boulting, author of On the Road BikeIt’s a timely novel, but it also seems to wear its big issues lightly. The particularity and peculiarity of the setting and cast really brought it to life and gripped me -- Sara Baume, author of spill simmer falter wither

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Book SynopsisFor all those who imagine escaping to a château and living the dream . . . to find that even dreams can have their complications.Steph, Jo and Meredith have been friends since school. Their lives have all taken very different paths across the years, but when Meredith buys a romantic château in an idyllic village in the Dordogne she finds she can’t do it alone – so who better to enlist for help than her two old friends? Together they hope to bring the château back to life and create the most romantic wedding venue in France.And it seems that the nearby village of Bratenac has much more to offer than sun, wine and delicious French food when a handsome chef and his equally charming son, a local ladies’ luncheon club, a winemaker from New Zealand, and a British bulldog all join the party.Friends and lovers, old and new, come together and fall apart in deepest France, culminating in a very special château wedding. A Very French Wedding is funny, uplifting and poignant – this is Maeve Haran, bestselling author of The Greek Holiday, at her very best.Trade ReviewMake sure of a happier holiday by packing a Maeve Haran novel in your suitcase. -- Jilly CooperAn engaging romance mixing heartwarming friendship with gentle humour in a gorgeous setting -- Daily Mail on The Greek HolidayWarm, witty and wise, this is the perfect read for anyone missing their holiday this year. Wonderful. -- Daily Express on The Greek HolidaySimultaneously hilarious and heartwarming -- Woman & Home on The Greek HolidayA slice of pure escapism * Sunday Express Magazine *Haran is certainly on her best form in this sunshine-filled odyssey. . . it would be summer madness to miss it! * Lancashire Evening Post *Fab escapist romp * Best *Escape to the Dordogne in this joyous read * Woman *A slice of pure escapism to get you through * OK! Magazine *Relationships and emotions ebb and flow, with secrets and misunderstandings threatening to delay happy endings * Woman's Weekly *

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James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man is a powerful, trailblazing novel that exposes the intricate relationship between race and class in late nineteenth-century America.Complete & Unabridged. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is introduced by Dr Sam Halliday.After losing his mother at a very young age, the narrator is thrust from his comfortable, middle-class environment, afforded by his distant but aristocratic father, into the wider world. His passion for music begins in Georgia’s all-black church community and takes him from New York, where he plays ragtime for a rich white gentleman, to the South, where he witnesses lynchings and out of fear gives up his passion, as well as his race, to pass for white. Relevant to this day, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man is an unflinching account of black experience in America.

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Book SynopsisDetective Matthew Venn returns in The Raging Storm, the next captivating novel in the Two Rivers series from Ann Cleeves, the number one bestselling author and creator of Vera and Shetland.When Jem Rosco – sailor, adventurer and local legend – blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. The residents think nothing of it when Rosco disappears again; that’s the sort of man he is.Until the lifeboat is launched to a hoax call-out during a raging storm and his body is found in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.This is an uncomfortable case for DI Matthew Venn. He came to the remote village as a child, its community populated by the Barum Brethren that he parted ways with, so when superstition and rumour mix and another body is found in the cove, Matthew soon finds his judgement clouded.As the stormy winds howl and the village is cut off, Venn and his team start their investigation, little realizing their own lives might be in danger. . .Praise for the Matthew Venn series:'Matthew Venn is a keeper' - David Baldacci'Had me hooked . . . a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story' - The Times'A triumph that cements Cleeves’ status as one of Britain’s best crime writers' - Daily Express'Clever, compassionate and atmospheric' - Elly Griffiths'Cleeves combines a flair for evoking sense of place with a thoughtful, complex plot' - Mail on Sunday'A traditional mystery of the best sort' - GuardianWhat readers are saying about The Raging Storm:‘Absolutely brilliant, Ann Cleeves at her best’‘The twists and turns, challenging relationships within the community, mixed with a huge dose of superstitions surrounding routines around the sea, makes for a brilliant novel’‘In my opinion, Ann Cleeves ranks among the top crime writers. She consistently delivers classic murder mysteries by balancing diverse characters and rich settings to create unique stories every time’‘The setting in this is so integral to the plot that it could almost be a character in its own right’‘Cleeves creates a strong sense of tension which pushes you on. The plot is a true mystery, littered with clues and red herrings, and the end is a brilliant revelation’Trade ReviewA modern version of a classic English detective novel * The Sunday Times *As a huge fan of both the Shetland and Vera series of books, I had high expectations for Cleeves’ latest. Matthew Venn is a keeper. A stunning debut for Cleeves’ latest crimefighter -- David Baldacci on The Long CallHad me hooked — a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story -- The Times on The Long CallClever, compassionate and atmospheric, with a great cast of new characters to love. I am already a Matthew Venn fan -- Elly Griffiths on The Long CallA triumph that cements Cleeves' status as one of Britain's best crime writers -- Daily Express on The Long CallBrilliant, thoughtful and deeply engaging -- Sara Paretsky, New York Times bestselling author of the V.I. Warshawski series on The Long CallAnn Cleeves’ new series gets off to a terrific start with The Long Call – her native Devon is wonderfully evoked, and Matthew Venn is a very appealing new detective. Another sure-fire hit -- Martin Edwards, author of Gallows Court, on The Long CallCleeves combines a flair for evoking sense of place with a thoughtful, complex plot -- Mail on Sunday on The Long CallThe troubled Venn is a great protagonist, and Cleeves may well have created her next top TV cop -- Heat Magazine on The Long CallA traditional mystery of the best sort -- The Guardian on The Long CallEvocative and gripping – an absolute triumph -- Daily Mirror on The Long Call

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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 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***** 'I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Amazon reviewer***** 'Outrageously funny!' Amazon reviewer***** 'Extremely touching' Amazon reviewer***** 'An absolute delight' Netgalley reviewerThe PERFECT Christmas gift!A ninety-year-old woman with Alzheimer's and a heartbroken young man share a ride to Brussels that ends up changing their lives forever.When Alex pulls up to meet "Max", he expects everything but a ninety-year-old lady who has her heart set on getting to Brussels by carpool.As for 'Max', who is actually called Maxine, she could not be more ill at ease when settling into the seat next to this young man with bloodshot eyes. God help her if he turned out to be a drug addict who hasn't slept in days!When it becomes clear that Maxine is suffering from Alzheimer's and wants to take matters into her own hands while she still can, and that Alex battles severe depression, a wonderful friendship starts to form between the unlikely pair. Before long, their travel plans take an unexpected turn...Translated from the French by Kelly Lardin.

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Book SynopsisA letter writing workshop. Five strangers. Countless secrets bursting in between the pages.When French bookseller Esther loses her father, she decides to place an ad in a newspaper, inviting struggling readers to join her secret letter writing workshop.To Esther's surprise, applications pile in by the dozens - and before long, an elderly lady, a disillusioned businessman, a disheartened couple and an awkward teenager find themselves sharing stories, seeking advice, and forging new friendships.As Esther's students uncover the hopes, dreams and fears that were hiding behind the pen, Esther, too, finds herself thrown into a new world full of unexpected adventures.

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Book SynopsisA 2022 LA Times Book Prize FinalistA darkly funny, soul-rending novel of love in an epoch of collapse-one woman's furious revisiting of family, marriage, work, sex, and motherhood.Since my baby was born, I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things. a) As much as I ever did. b) Not quite as much now. c) Not so much now. d) Not at all. Leaving behind her husband and their baby daughter, a writer gets on a flight for a speaking engagement in Reno, not carrying much besides a breast pump and a spiraling case of postpartum depression. Her temporary escape from domestic duties and an opportunity to reconnect with old friends mutates into an extended romp away from the confines of marriage and motherhood, and a seemingly bottomless descent into the past. Deep in the Mojave Desert where she grew up, she meets her ghosts at every turn: the first love whose self-destruction still haunts her; her father, a member of the most famous cult in American history; her mother, whose native spark gutters with every passing year. She can't go back in time to make any of it right, but what exactly is her way forward? Alone in the wilderness, at last she begins to make herself at home in the world.Bold, tender, and often hilarious, I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness reaffirms Watkins as one of the single writers of our time.Trade Review'There's some kind of genius sorcery in this novel. It's startlingly original, hilarious and harrowing by turns, finally transcendent. Watkins writes like an avenging angel. It's thrilling and terrifying to stand in her wake' -Jenny Offill, author of Dept. of Speculation and WeatherThis book is stupendously good. It practically vibrates in its ferocious frankness, and is so funny too that one can't help but fall for this voice, even in the pain, because of the pain, with the pain. A marvel. * Aimee Bender, author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and The Butterfly Lampshade *I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness is a white knuckle ride through everything the word love can mean. The shattered lives of the author's mother and father, tenderly retrieved into the story in their own words, are revelatory of the ways in which we and those who form us strive over whole lifetimes to reconcile love with freedom. A novel that celebrates acceptance, curiosity, and the vitality of the individual mind. I loved it. -- Polly Clark, author of TigerClaire Vaye Watkins has written a novel about the most frightening creature in America: a bad mother...an audaciously candid story about the crush of conflicted feelings that a baby inspires...Watkins's book sparks the same electric jolt that The Awakening must have sent juicing through Kate Chopin's readers in 1899... It's no coincidence that much of this story takes place in the American desert, a territory that burns away ornament and affectation. Here, on the terrain where she began, Claire sloughs off the skin of a life that doesn't fit her and begins to discover one that might. It's a painful transformation, but utterly captivating to witness. -- Ron Charles * Washington Post *I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness sears with a relentless electricity that vibrates its way into you and permanently changes something in your cells. In Watkins's psychospiritual desert, to choose darkness means you could weep with ecstasy as easily as from anguish. A visionary work that imagines motherhood into audacious and complex possibility. -- Rachel Yoder, author of Night BitchAn exploration of grief, freedom and madness * Harper's Bazaar *She's an incredibly cool and fascinating person. This book is autofiction - and she is one of the only people whose autofiction I'd be interested in actually reading. -- Maggie Shipstead, author of Great CircleShe writes with vicious urgency and savage wit that makes the pages fly by * The Times *[A] novel not of rage but of incandescent sadness, radiating grief for the lost, the damaged, the left behind. It is remarkably clear-sighted * Guardian *There's a palpable suffering and darkness often, a brittleness; there's also a tenderness, and a lot of laughs to be pulled from its page. A book of bite. * The Skinny *shapeshifting, sharp and transgressive * Irish Times *An incredibly courageous piece of writing * Big Issue *A mother lode of hard truths laced with humour and rage . . . It defies categorisation, much in the same way as Jenny Offill's Dept of Speculation . . . a hybrid of fact and fiction * Sunday Independent *

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Book SynopsisShe's ready to start a new chapter in her life...For Tess Lane, owning Lakeside Books is a dream come true, but it's the weekly book club she hosts for the women in town that Tess enjoys the most. The gatherings have been her lifeline over the past three years since her husband's mysterious death. Tess has tried to move on, but when River Harrison shows up on her doorstep, all her lingering questions come rushing back....River, a former marine turned private investigator, was her husband's best friend, and seeing him again is a reminder of everything Tess lost. At first, she tries to ignore him, but Tess comes to realize that this is her chance, once and for all, to find the answers that have troubled her for years.With the support of her friends, Tess joins River on a journey of discovery that leads them to the edges of Somerset Lake and on a road trip down the Carolina coast. Although their adventure isn't always easy, Tess starts to find the joy in life again. But when secrets surrounding her husband's death are finally revealed, can Tess find it in her heart to forgive the mistakes of the past ... and maybe even open herself up to love again?

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Book SynopsisShe's ready to start a new chapter in her life...For Tess Lane, owning Lakeside Books is a dream come true, and it's been her lifeline over the past three years since her husband's mysterious death. She's tried to move on, but when River Harrison shows up on her doorstep, all her lingering questions come rushing back . . .River, a former marine turned private investigator, is just as eager as Tess to find out what secrets his best friend was keeping. But spending time with Tess makes River's affection for her grow into something more, something he's not sure either of them is ready for. And when the truth Jared was hiding comes to light, will Tess and River be able to move beyond the mistakes of the past to embrace a future brighter than either of them ever imagined possible?

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Book SynopsisIt's 2003, and artist Dawn Levit is stuck. A bookbinder who works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she spends all day repairing old books but hasn't created anything of her own in years-and with nothing ready to show at her major gallery debut in six weeks, time is of the essence. What's more, although she doesn't have a word for it yet, Dawn is genderqueer and she's struggling to feel safe expressing herself.One day at work, Dawn discovers something hidden under the endpapers of an old book: the torn-off corner of a 1950s lesbian pulp novel, with an illustration of a woman looking into a mirror and seeing a man's face. Even more intriguing is the queer love letter written on the back. Dawn becomes obsessed with tracking down the author of the letter, convinced the mysterious writer can help her find a place in the world and also solve the trickiest puzzle of all: how she truly wants to live her life.A sharply written, evocative debut, Endpapers is both a page-turning bookish mystery and an unforgettable story about the journey toward authenticity and the hard conversations we owe ourselves in pursuit of a world where no one has to hide.

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Book SynopsisA wedding brings together three sisters?and an undercurrent of secrets threatens to tear them apart in this seaside romance from author Olivia Miles.With youngest sister Hallie getting married, the three Walsh sisters reunite at their family?s beach house for the big event. It?s a celebratory affair, rife with cherished traditions.But families are complicated, and these sisters are no exception. Claire, the eldest, no longer believes in love after years working as a divorce attorney, and she resorts to taking her ?work husband? as her date to convince her family otherwise. Middle sister, Amy, fears a confrontation with the man who broke her heart by announcing he was marrying someone else. And although Hallie has always lived a charmed life, she?s getting cold feet about marrying her childhood sweetheart.As the Walsh sisters grapple with the secrets they?ve kept from one another, they must decide if Hallie?s wedding is a chance to mend mistakes of the past?even if it means confronting their feelings about love, life, and one another.

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Book SynopsisThe rescue of two missing boys in the Sierra Nevada mountains relies on unraveling the mysteries of the past in an addictive novel of heartrending suspense. After inheriting his uncle’s lodge, Silas Matheson hopes the grandeur of the California Sierra Nevada will be a fresh start for his two young sons, and a chance to finally face his demons. It was here, fifteen years ago, that Silas and his friends Jessica, Danny, and Meg ventured into the mountain wilderness and Jessica vanished without a trace. When his boys go missing in the same dark woods, the fear and guilt that Silas has been running from ever since come crashing back. Silas’s panicked call brings in the local search-and-rescue unit, and two familiar faces: Danny and Meg. As the frantic search gets underway, the three friends are plunged into a painfully recurring nightmare, each of them thinking, This can’t be happening again. With a storm brewing and the boys’ fates threatened with every desperate hour, the secrets of the past begin to surface, and this time, for Silas, Danny, and Meg, there’s no escaping the truth.Trade Review“The Wild Between Us shows how a suspense novel should be written. The tension ramps up with every scene, starting with the call out through to the shocking resolution. With the authentic description of the search and rescue mission, and the beautifully realized characters and scenery, Amy Hagstrom has created a story that all readers of suspense will relish, an achievement all the more remarkable given it’s by a debut author.” —Authorlink “The Wild Between Us is an unputdownable novel full of heart-stopping suspense and emotions. I couldn’t read fast enough and was blown away by this stellar debut.” —Lyn Liao Butler, Amazon bestselling author of Someone Else’s Life “If the tragedy that defined your life threatens to repeat, is it a moment of reckoning or redemption? That question drives this gripping dual-timeline story set in the Sierra Nevada. As rescuers race to find two missing boys, the mission reunites key players in an unsolved disappearance from fifteen years earlier. Packed with secrets, guilt, and regret, I loved every heart-pounding moment with Silas, Meg, and Danny. The Wild Between Us is a phenomenal debut!” —Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son and The Promise Between Us “The Wild Between Us is a taut, engrossing story about searching for lost people and lost love…Part thriller and part tender love story, this novel will find resonance with a wide array of readers.” —Nicole Baart, bestselling author of Everything We Didn’t Say and The Long Way Back “Revolving between two search and rescue missions fifteen years apart in the Marble Lake wilderness, like two points of gravitational pull, The Wild Between Us explores the depths of guilt, secrets, and the unbearable weight of time in the face of tragedy. This immersive thriller had me riveted from the first page. Do not miss Amy Hagstrom’s exceptional debut!” —Mindy Mejia, bestselling author of Everything You Want Me to Be and To Catch a Storm

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Book SynopsisFrom Steve Weddle, the author who the New York Times calls “downright dazzling,” comes the story of a prodigal son returning home to hard times and harder choices during the Great Depression. Life has never been easy for Cottonmouth Tomlin. Raised by an uncle in a hardscrabble Arkansas town, Cottonmouth couldn’t leave fast enough. As a young man, he set out to seek his fortune but was soon caught up in a life of low-level misdeeds, taking him from New Orleans all the way to Honduras. Now he’s back in Columbia County, mourning his uncle and worrying on what to do with the broken-down outlaw camp that represents the sum of his family legacy. And legacy is no small matter in a county like his. The townsfolk remember Cottonmouth and his kin, just like they remember everyone who ever put down roots in the area. Folks do like the way the outlaw camp helps out the local economy: so long as criminals undertake their troublemaking across county lines, they’re more than welcome to stay and spend some of that money in county establishments. But when Cottonmouth gets embroiled in some ill-conceived ransom plans with a few of those visiting scofflaws, he pushes the boundaries of the community’s forgiving nature. Set against the unyielding backdrop of the Great Depression and with an unforgettable cast of ornery characters, The County Line is a lyrical and loving celebration of community and opportunity in 1933 America.Trade Review“At once wry, thrilling, and full of heart, The County Line evokes the Coen brothers at their period best, while staking out a voice and milieu all its own.” —Chris Holm, author of Child Zero “A book both wistful for the past but also brutally honest about it. Steve Weddle has crafted a bluegrass hymn with the notes written in blood.” —S.A. Cosby, author of All the Sinners Bleed “It’s like Faulkner had a love child with a couple of Elmore Leonard’s 1930s-set novels.” —Nick Kolakowski, author of Boise Longpig Hunting Club “A slide into the American Abyss from one of our best fiction writers. Steve Weddle’s spectacular novel dramatizes how, in this country, all that glitters is only a gleam away from all that guilt.” — Aaron Gwyn, author of All God’s Children and Wynne’s War “The County Line is downright biblical. In his latest novel, Steve Weddle follows his truly unforgettable protagonist, Cottonmouth Tomlin, on a lyrical journey through Great-Depression-era Arkansas. As an Arkansawyer who’s often struggled to reconcile my place in this world—this book hit home.” —Eli Cranor, author of Ozark Dogs “This is the book I have been waiting for and it does not disappoint. Every word in every sentence on every page is jam-packed with pure TNT. Steve Weddle delivers cracking dialogue, tense action, and most of all: heart, to transport us to another time and place that you won’t want to leave. A perfect addition to the canon of Southern literature.” —Eryk Pruitt, author of Something Bad Wrong “With wit sharp as viper fangs and characters whose pulses vibrate on each page, The County Line is hilarious, tragic, thought-provoking, and relentlessly entertaining. Even the dust rising off dirt roads to drift between cypress limbs is vivid enough to pierce the veil between 1933 and now. This is a storytelling feat.” —Chris Harding Thornton, author of Pickard County Atlas and Little Underworld “I was lucky enough to get an early look at what is certain to be one of my favorite books of 2024. Cottonmouth Tomlin returns from running guns in Honduras to run the Arkansas outlaw camp left to him by his uncle. The camp is a safe place for criminals to lay low as long as their misdeeds take place over the county line. Cottonmouth has bigger plans, though author Steve Weddle keeps you guessing as to whether he has the brainpower to pull them off. There are echoes of Cormac McCarthy and Elmore Leonard in this drily witty tale, but Weddle’s colorful characters and savory dialogue are all his own. A hugely enjoyable read that builds to a tremendously satisfying conclusion.” —Scott Von Doviak, author of Lowdown Road

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Book Synopsis“When I’m dead and buried . . . you get the hell out of here . . . Make a life somewhere else . . . a life that I can’t even imagine.” Jo Salter, a woman from the North Carolina mountains, sets about constructing a new life for herself in Asheville in the wake of her mother’s death. A life that no one—including her mother—could have imagined. Jo has a gift. She is a mathematical prodigy—a woman who sees and thinks in numbers. She secures a job as a teller at Central Bank & Trust, where she recreates herself as a modern woman and rises through the professional ranks. While working at the bank, Jo becomes fascinated by Levi Arrowood, the dark and mysterious manager of the Sky Club, an infamous speakeasy and jazz club on the mountainside above town. When the Great Depression brings Central Bank & Trust down in a seismic crash, Jo is forced to find a new home and job. She finds both at the Sky Club, where she strikes a partnership with the alluring Arrowood as she is drawn deeper into a glamorous and precarious life of bootlegging, jazz, and love.The Sky Club is the story of money, greed, and life after the crash from the eyes of one remarkable woman as she creates her own imagined life.Trade Review“Fans of historical and American Southern fiction will breeze through this action-packed, fast-paced novel.” —Library Journal“Roberts has captured a moment in Asheville’s history that to this day affects our way of life. It is a well-told tale, reminiscent of John Ehle’s great novel, Last One Home. I think Ehle would have been proud of The Sky Club.” —Wayne Caldwell, author of Cataloochee“Ever since Terry Roberts took up writing about his ancestors in Western North Carolina, he has produced a remarkably varied and valuable shelf of novels . . . but The Sky Club is the best one yet! Wildly original, this is a truly Appalachian novel all about money, sex, drinking, and the Great Depression . . . along with the more familiar themes of place and family. I especially admire the apparent ease with which Roberts has created the tough, true, funny, and unforgettable Jo Salter, an independent pistol of a woman who tells this lively tale set in a speakeasy on top of a mountain.” —Lee Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Girls“The Sky Club is a wagonload of perilous fun. Terry Roberts has engaged, with customary vigor, many of his favorite themes: local Appalachian history, mountain cultures rural and urban, personal and communal courage, individuality. The resulting story is sprightly and steady in the manner of its heroine, the gifted Jo Salter. Every page here shines with truthful surprise. Bravo!” —Fred Chappell, author of I Am One of You Forever“The Sky Club portrays diverse, unexpected facets of the Appalachian region in the years of the Great Depression. It is a novel of climbing—social, financial, emotional, romantic—to a mountaintop, to The Sky Club, to risk and wealth, to danger, and, ultimately, to enduring love.” —Robert Morgan, author of Gap Creek and Chasing the North Star“With an uncanny ability to make you feel as if you were there—when the Great Depression hit Asheville—Terry Roberts gives voice to Jo Salter, a fiercely independent woman determined to honor her Mama’s dying request that she create a life hard to imagine. Not since Memoirs of a Geisha has a male author portrayed a woman’s life so convincingly.” —Mark Kaufman, Story and Song Bookstore

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Book SynopsisA murder of an Icelandic man during a Full Cold Moon reminds Lauren Riley of a previous case she failed to solve. She is determined not to let it happen again.Since her partner on the Cold Case team has been out of action after being shot in the line of duty, Lauren Riley has been working Homicide. Her latest case involves an Icelandic man murdered on the streets of Buffalo mere feet from his hotel. The brutality of the case hits Lauren hard. When she realizes the murder was committed on the night of a Full Cold Moon, it triggers memories of the first cold case she investigated that she''s been unable to solve.Lauren is determined not to fail again but when she is involved in a shooting with a suspect, she finds the case may be taken out of her hands . . . especially when it gains attention from the Icelandic government.

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Book Synopsis________‘Gritty as hell. I loved it. A great urban cop thriller’ Ian Rankin As heard on BBC Radio 5 Live Phil Williams ShowFrom the bestselling author of Sirens, Detective Aidan Waits is on the hunt to find the identity of The Smiling Man.________A body has been found on the fourth floor of Manchester’s vast and empty Palace Hotel. The man is dead. And he is smiling. The tags have been removed from his clothes. His teeth have been replaced. Even his fingertips are not his own. Only a patch sewn into his trousers offers any information about him. Detective Aidan Waits and his unwilling partner, DI Sutcliffe, must piece together the scant clues to identify the stranger. But as they do, Aidan realises that a ghost from his past haunts the investigation. He soon recognises that to discover who the smiling man really is, he must first confront the scattered debris of his own life . . . ________'Talents such as Knox rarely emerge more than once in a generation. A crime fiction masterpiece' ***** Metro'Packing a punch from the very first page. You will love The Smiling Man' Jane Harper, author of The DryTrade ReviewIf you liked Sirens, you will love The Smiling Man. Gritty, noir, and packing a punch from the very first page. * Jane Harper, author of The Dry *Gritty as hell. I loved it! A great urban cop thriller -- Ian RankinSirens was one of the best books published last year and this intense, blackly comic follow-up is just as good. Joseph Knox has conjured up a sense of evil and corruption you can almost smell it. -- Jake Kerridge * Sunday Express *Imperfect as Aidan Waits is, the Manchester DC is the shining light in a world peopled by the worst kinds of bad people. This is Knox's second Waits book in what holds the promise of a classic series. * Sunday Times Crime Club *Talents such as Knox rarely emerge more than once in a generation. A crime fiction masterpiece * Metro *

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Book Synopsis'Shot through with compassion . . . this dreamlike, winding tale is a joy.' A. L. KENNEDY 'Moving and unconventionally wise.' Guardian________________________This was how I heard the most important story of my life, the thing that decided me, the story that determined who I was in the end.As snow begins to fall outside, two strangers meet by chance in a bar. She is trying to make sense of a life shaken by heartbreak and ruined dreams. He is on a desperate quest to find something he lost in his youth.From the blustery cliffs of Dover to the confines of a nuclear bunker; from the courtroom witness box to the West End stage, he flits from one life to another, never able to stand still.Extraordinary though his story is, the secret she is keeping is even more surprising, and will take them to a place neither of them - or you - expected.From the bestselling author of FIVE RIVERS MET ON A WOODED PLAIN comes this captivating novel about love, abandonment, and the power of stories to help us find our way in the world.________________________What readers are saying:***** 'I absolutely loved this book - it's beautifully written, very emotional and full of wonderful flights of imagination.'***** 'Unlike anything I've read before.'***** 'A deeply moving account of fragile memory and lost love.'***** 'A completely beautiful book . . . I adored it.'Trade ReviewThe Vanishing Hours is a rare thing: a book shot through with compassion. Norris is more than a fine writer, he conveys a deep belief in humanity and its place in nature. This dreamlike, winding tale is a joy. * A. L. Kennedy *Gripping, humane and funny. The Vanishing Hours is both a stunning work of art, and an extraordinarily important novel for our time. * Sophie Ratcliffe, author of The Lost Properties of Love *A delicate tale of unexpected connection lights up another quiet masterpiece from Barney Norris * Waterstones Weekly *A moving and unconventionally wise account of loss and memory and of how redemption works, even for those who resist it most. * Guardian *Steeped in the powerful idea of personal rebirth through the imaginative engagement in the suffering of others. * Metro *

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Book SynopsisTwo lives. One night sky. Róisín and François first meet in the snowy white expanse of Antarctica, searching for a comet overhead. While Róisín grew up in a tiny village in Ireland, ablaze with a passion for science and the skies, François was raised by his restless young mother, who dreamt of new worlds but was unable to turn her back on her past. As we loop back through their lives we see their paths cross as they come closer and closer to this moment, brought together by the infinite possibilities of the night sky.Trade ReviewA magical debut…a gorgeous novel that should resonate with fans of Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveller’s Wife… A breathtaking tale full of love, hope and heartbreak. You’ll be utterly captivated from the first page * Elle *Beautiful, sad, moving, fascinating and original. I loved it. -- Marian KeyesA stellar love story * Glamour, Book of the Year *Exquisitely layered, thrilling novel, which leaps across centuries and continents to delve into the role of destiny and the elusiveness of perception and memory. * New York Times *A spellbinding tale of love and loss, aglimmer with passion and melancholy. * Sunday Express, S Magazine *

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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 Synopsis**SHORTLISTED FOR THE T. S. ELIOT PRIZE****SHORTLISTED FOR THE SEAMUS HEANEY FIRST COLLECTION PRIZE**'Fresh, urgent, alive... genius' PATIENCE AGBABIThis assured and arresting first collection moves deftly and with purpose into private, hidden places - a locked shed, the dark of a battery farm, a murky riverbed, a late-night bar - to show, unflinchingly and in cinematic detail, what we might otherwise choose not to see. Sight is both a gift and curse, of course: given or taken away in poems of windows and curtains, torches and blindfolds, and yet here - following in the tradition of Oswald and Heaney - each image is freshly minted through a cool, objective eye.Every poem seeks to inhabit those seemingly small but pivotal moments which have monumental, sometimes mortal, consequences. For Pajak, time is fluid: a blink can be 'slow as an eclipse', our lifetimes are fleeting, our deaths often lingering and seldom peaceful or painless.Vivid and visceral, steadily examining violence, sexual encounters, childhood and ageing (a dying grandmother's 'slow pink eyelids, those quick teaspoon breaths'), cars and cities, and Nature - full of wonder and threat - Slide is always asking pertinent questions: illuminating brutality, frailty and tenderness, the responsibility of those who witness - whether voyeur, bystander or reader. This is a charged, beautifully observed and thrilling debut.Trade ReviewEvery spare word has been stripped ... Slide is the most polished debut here. * Daily Telegraph, *2022 TS Eliot Prize Shortlist* *Mark Pajak's debut does not read like a debut: there is no fumbling beginner's luck, no rough moments or threadbare patches - it's polished craftsmanship throughout is striking... Slide deserves to be a blazing success. * Observer, *Poetry Book of the Month* *[A] poised and visceral debut... Pajak's writing pulses with a rhythmic intensity which compels the reader not to look away. * Guardian *A tremendously empathetic book, it is full of compassion for people and animals, whose pain is felt vividly... Unlike so many hyped debut collections, Slide more than lives up to readers' expectations. * Times Literary Supplement *Mark Pajak's skillful poems keep themselves open, especially to childhood and adolescent experience. Even so, they are far from frail - their insight and imaginative verve make them robust as well as eloquent. -- Carol Ann Duffy

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