Street fiction / urban fiction

Book Synopsis'An engrossing and inspiring story of loss, love and hope, set against a backdrop of art, activism and addiction.' – ObserverMoving from the Tompkins Square Riots and attempts by activists to galvanize a response to the AIDS epidemic, to the New York City of the future, Tim Murphy's Christodora recounts the heartbreak wrought by AIDS, illustrates the allure and destructive power of hard drugs, and brings to life the ever-changing city itself.The Christodora is home to Milly and Jared, a privileged young couple with artistic ambitions. Their neighbour, Hector, a Puerto Rican gay man who was once a celebrated AIDS activist but is now a lonely addict, becomes connected to Milly's and Jared's lives in ways none of them can anticipate. Meanwhile, the couple's adopted son, Mateo, grows to appreciate the opportunities for both self-realization and oblivion that New York offers.As the junkies and protestors of the 1980s give way to the hipsters of the 2000s and they, in turn, to the wealthy residents of the crowded, glass-towered city of the 2020s, enormous changes rock the personal lives of Milly and Jared and the constellation of people around them.'An impassioned, big-hearted, and ultimately hopeful chronicle of a changing New York that authoritatively evokes the despair and panic in the city at the height of the plague.' – Hanya Yanagihara, author of A Little LifeTrade ReviewBrilliantly kaleidoscopic . . . Murphy is exceptionally skilled at writing about addiction, the intertwining of bliss and abjection... What makes this novel remarkable, though, is the way it captures the full arc of Aids in New York . . . There have been several whopping New York novels in the last couple of years, but none of them possesses Christodora’s generosity, its weathered and unflinching faith in what people can achieve. -- Olivia Laing * Guardian *This novel is your next must-read . . . A captivating, multi-stranded New York epic about the AIDs crisis . . . An engrossing and inspiring story of loss, love and hope, set against a backdrop of art, activism and addiction. * Observer *This thrillingly accomplished novel... [Its] varied minds and voices are realized so convincingly that Christodora sometimes seems the product of spirit possession. And it is joyous despite its subject matter... Murphy's skills are most nakedly on display as he describes the addictions in which Mateo and others find solace, and their electrical-shocking, soul-warping, mind-annihilating trips. Desperately intense, it is the kind of scene that requires putting a book down for a moment to take a breather. * New York Times *Hugely ambitious . . . this rich, complicated story . . . compelling . . . The richness of Murphy's account . . . the most moving sections of the book deal not with the height of the [AIDS] crisis but with its aftermath . . . The book's overwhelmingly powerful final sections... the last hundred [pages] have a rare narrative sweep and force. For all the despair it documents, [it is] a book about hope -- Garth Greenwell * Washington Post *An impassioned, big-hearted, and ultimately hopeful chronicle of a changing New York that authoritatively evokes the despair and panic in the city at the height of the plague. -- Hanya Yanagihara[Murphy] writes about addiction with undeniable fluency and power. * Sunday Times *A moving portrait of New York in the time of AIDS, Tim Murphy's honest and insightful writing gives Christodora a particular vibrancy that causes the characters to leap, whole, into the reader's imagination. This spectacular novel is an important addition to literature that captures New York in all its glory and despair. -- Candace BushnellMurphy injects fresh vim into this tale . . . [He] jumps back and forth through the decades here, creating a fractured structure that neatly reflects the fractured lives of those caught up in the epidemic and its aftermath. And it’s the latter, in the end, that proves Murphy’s most poignant subject. * Daily Mail *An intimate portrait of a bohemian family, Christodora is also a capacious historical novel that vividly recreates the lost world of downtown Manhattan in the eighties - a nuanced portrait of an era in which artists were unwitting agents of gentrification and the bright dawn of gay liberation was brutally interrupted by the AIDS epidemic. -- Jay McInerneyAn ambitious, time-traveling novel textured with the detail and depth of a writer who spent years reporting from the front * New York magazine *A magnificent novel . . . I was struck by the unflinching generosity of Tim Murphy's vision. -- Olivia LaingAn impassioned and "devastating" story set in a real-life building . . . the breathtaking new novel from Brooklyn writer Tim Murphy . . . a powerful and rewarding reading experience. Stylistically challenging, emotionally devastating (both positive and negative), realistic (even when it shifts into an imagined future) and impassioned, it is one of the finest novels we are likely to encounter this year. * Toronto Star *Tim Murphy's rich saga of New York in the age of AIDS . . . To write a novel as full of truth as Christodora . . . Tim Murphy had to know Manhattan; he had to know AIDS; he had to be fluent in the languages of visual art, addiction, activism, bipolar disease and depression; he had to have American cultural history from 1981 at his fingertips . . . Then he had to make all that information disappear, more or less, by seamlessly embodying it in characters and plot . . . He pulls it off with very few lapses, developing a rich and complicated New York saga . . . An exciting read . . . While Christodora has the scope of other New York epics, such as Bonfire of the Vanities, The Goldfinch and City on Fire, it is slimmer than any of these by several hundred pages. Capacious yet streamlined, it is a very fine book. * New York Newsday *Brilliant . . . this year's most ambitious and devastating contribution to the New York City realist novel * Interview *Murphy has written The Bonfire of the Vanities for the age of AIDS, using the same reportorial skills as Tom Wolfe to re-create the changing decades, complete with a pitch-perfect deployment of period detail . . . A powerful evocation of the plague years. * Publishers' Weekly *An ambitious social novel informed by an extended perspective on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, from the early 1980s to the near future . . . A poignant . . . exploration of a health crisis that hasn't yet ended. * Kirkus Reviews *A textured, layered, tightly woven exploration of the AIDS epidemic and its impact on a community linked by proximity, love, drugs, and pain. -- Barnes and Noble blogOutstanding and judicious . . . This breathtakingly panoramic saga feels lithe and refreshingly current . . . Christodora is the most exciting New York novel since Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life. * Attitude *Christodora . . . has got it all: drugs, sex, music, race, class, art, activism, adoption, and tears. It’s a gut-wrenching, happy-ending story . . . Murphy’s troubled characters move deliberately toward but instinctively away from each other, too unsettled and sad to be comfortably together, too human and hopeful to stay apart for long. -- Salon.comSeveral times a year, a few books are published that are so compelling and immersive they simply demand the unadulterated free time of the reader. Tim Murphy's Christodora is one of those powerful, ambitious sagas . . . The folks who populate his pages are difficult to forget, and their legacy fully dramatizes the devastation and frenzied panic of the epidemic . . . Each scene is filled with atmospheric detail, period dialogue, and the intricate nuances of a character's movement, attitude, and emotion . . . A novel that reads like a contemporary motion picture beautifully acted by a durable cast with a been-there-done-that caliber of experience. Murphy has truly outdone himself with a perceptive and accomplished novel that is captivating and immensely entertaining. * Bay Area Reporter *Although it’s epic in scope, ultimately [Christodora] is about loneliness and the struggle to find love, accept love and to arrive at a state of self-love. A tremendous achievement. * Winq *Reminiscent of [Jay] McInerney at his peak, concerning itself with young Manhattanites and their relationships with sex, drugs, psychologists, art and real estate . . . There is no denying the quality of the writing and the deep integrity of this novel. -- John Boyne * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisThe enemy is close to home in The Manor, a gripping gangland thriller from the top five bestseller Jessie Keane.Charlie Stone and Terry Barton have been blood brothers since the cradle. They grew up in the East End skimming along the bottom of the underworld, until Charlie took over the manor from the local mob and a twist of fate put him and his best mate on the road to the high life.When Charlie and Terry both marry and have kids, everything is set. Both families have everything they ever wanted. But things begin to turn sour when Charlie’s adopted son Harlan starts to cause trouble.It soon becomes clear that Harlan doesn’t just want to be number one son; he wants to be number one, full stop, and he wants Terry’s daughter Belle Barton by his side.As the feud caused by Harlan spirals out of control it is left to Belle to pick up the pieces. Is she strong enough to take on Harlan Stone? And has she got what it takes to rule the manor . . .Trade ReviewSwift-moving intrigue * Woman & Home *Perfect for fans of Martina Cole and Lynda La Plante * Glamour *Another brilliant gangland thriller * Bella Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe race is on. The stakes are high.Frankie James thought his troubles were behind him. He’s busy running his Soho Club, and his brother’s finally out of prison. But when a postcard arrives from Mallorca, he’s stopped in his tracks . . . Is it from his mother – the woman who’s been missing for eight years?When the goddaughter of London’s fiercest gangster, Tommy Riley, goes missing in Ibiza, Tommy knows there’s one man for the job – Frankie James. Just when Frankie was on the straight and narrow, he’s now faced with an impossible choice. If he agrees to help find Tanya, he’ll be thrown into a world of danger. If he doesn’t, Tommy could destroy him.For Frankie James, old habits die hard. One thing’s for sure, playing with this gang is no game. But with everything at stake, how can Frankie say no?Double Kiss is the fast-paced, thrilling sequel to Framed, by snooker champion Ronnie O’SullivanTrade ReviewLike O’Sullivan playing at his best, the book is tight, pacey and keeps you guessing. * The Big Issue (Framed) *Ronnie's first crime novel draws on his early years . . . a world of gangsters and bent coppers which he writes about with uncomfortable authenticity. * Choice (Framed) *Packed with intrigue, action, brutal villains and a beguiling hero, this is a cracking first novel delivered with all the sidespin and clever swerves one would expect from the king of the trick shots! * Lancashire Evening Post (Framed) *Running is a chaotic race through O'Sullivan's life, but this does little to dethrone him as the people's champion - it simply adds further to his legend. * Press Association on Running *

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Book SynopsisDouble Kiss is the fast-paced, thrilling sequel to Framed, by snooker champion Ronnie O’SullivanThe race is on. The stakes are high.Frankie James thought his troubles were behind him. He’s busy running his Soho Club, and his brother’s finally out of prison. But when a postcard arrives from Mallorca, he’s stopped in his tracks . . . Is it from his mother – the woman who’s been missing for eight years?When the goddaughter of London’s fiercest gangster, Tommy Riley, goes missing in Ibiza, Tommy knows there’s one man for the job – Frankie James. Just when Frankie was on the straight and narrow, he’s now faced with an impossible choice. If he agrees to help find Tanya, he’ll be thrown into a world of danger. If he doesn’t, Tommy could destroy him.For Frankie James, old habits die hard. One thing’s for sure, playing with this gang is no game. But with everything at stake, how can Frankie say no?Trade ReviewLike O’Sullivan playing at his best, the book is tight, pacey and keeps you guessing. * The Big Issue (Framed) *Ronnie's first crime novel draws on his early years . . . a world of gangsters and bent coppers which he writes about with uncomfortable authenticity. * Choice (Framed) *Packed with intrigue, action, brutal villains and a beguiling hero, this is a cracking first novel delivered with all the sidespin and clever swerves one would expect from the king of the trick shots! * Lancashire Evening Post (Framed) *Running is a chaotic race through O'Sullivan's life, but this does little to dethrone him as the people's champion - it simply adds further to his legend. * Press Association on Running *

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Book SynopsisDark and gritty, Witness is a heart-pounding thriller set in Manchester by bestselling author Mandasue Heller.Teenager Holly Evans and her over-protective mother, Josie, are living a hand-to-mouth existence, moving constantly from one squalid dump to the next. When they move into an illegally sub-let council flat in Manchester, Holly feels settled for the first time in her life – even if she is forbidden to go out, or even open the front door when her mum’s at work. What exactly are they hiding from?Then Holly has a falling out with her best friend, and suddenly finds herself becoming increasingly isolated and alone in the world. But she is about to make a new friend in Suzie – the glamorous woman who lives directly across the road, who Holly witnesses being beaten up by her violent boyfriend.But whoever Holly and Josie have been running from is about to find them, and nothing will ever be the same again.You can only run for so long. And some will kill for your silence . . .'Heller doesn’t mince words, her gritty plots create a Manchester underworld to rival Martina Cole’s raw and rough East End' – Peterborough Evening TelegraphTrade ReviewCaptivating from first page to last -- Jeffery Deaver, author of the Lincoln Rhyme series, on Lost AngelMandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel -- Martina Cole, author of Loyalty, on Forget Me NotHeller doesn’t mince words, her gritty plots create a Manchester underworld to rival Martina Cole’s raw and rough East End * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisSet in urban Manchester, Running Scared is a nerve-shredding thriller by bestselling author Mandasue Heller.When teenager Alexis ‘Lexi’ James falls out with her best mate Nicole over ‘bad boy’ Ryan King, it’s just the beginning of a chain of events that go from bad to worse to deadly.Returning home one night to her high-rise flat, she is faced by a terrifying scene that changes her life forever, and matters are made worse when she is put into care in another town.Years later, Lexi has left school and is back in Manchester. A chance meeting with Nicole and her so-called ‘other half’ Ryan ends in disaster, and she vows never to see them again. Then one night she is saved from a vicious attack by a charming stranger. He takes her home and their acquaintance blossoms into something much deeper.When her new man receives a call in the middle of the night and leaves in a hurry, she is horrified when he returns with someone she never thought she would see again. It soon becomes obvious that Lexi doesn’t know her new lover as well as she thought, and she is forced to make a decision that will have devastating results . . .'Heller doesn’t mince words, her gritty plots create a Manchester underworld to rival Martina Cole’s raw and rough East End – Peterborough Evening TelegraphTrade ReviewHeller doesn’t mince words; her gritty plots create a Manchester underworld to rival Martina Cole’s raw and rough East End * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel -- Martina Cole on Forget Me NotCaptivating from first page to last -- Jeffery Deaver on Lost Angel

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Book SynopsisSet in urban Manchester, Running Scared is a nerve-shredding thriller by bestselling author Mandasue Heller.When teenager Alexis ‘Lexi’ James falls out with her best mate Nicole over ‘bad boy’ Ryan King, it’s just the beginning of a chain of events that go from bad to worse to deadly.Returning home one night to her high-rise flat, she is faced by a terrifying scene that changes her life forever – and matters are made worse when she is put into care in another town.Years later, Lexi has left school and is back in Manchester. A chance meeting with Nicole and her so-called ‘other half’ Ryan ends in disaster, and she vows never to see them again. Then one night she is saved from a vicious attack by a charming stranger. He takes her home and their acquaintance blossoms into something much deeper.When her new man receives a call in the middle of the night and leaves in a hurry, she is horrified when he returns with someone she never thought she would see again. It soon becomes obvious that Lexi doesn’t know her new lover as well as she thought, and she is forced to make a decision that will have devastating results . . .Trade ReviewHeller doesn’t mince words; her gritty plots create a Manchester underworld to rival Martina Cole’s raw and rough East End * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel -- Martina Cole on Forget Me NotCaptivating from first page to last -- Jeffery Deaver on Lost Angel

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Book SynopsisWelcome to HMP Ashcroft. An institution run by a corrupt governor whose determination to impose his will at any cost will have far-reaching consequences on all the inmates.Within these walls, friendships are forged that will last beyond a sentence, but some inmates can turn in the blink of an eye, because that’s all part of being locked up. In here you are kept from your loved ones and forced into a surrogate family with women you wouldn’t even look at on the outside, let alone call friends. But at Ashcroft, Alliances can mean everything.Each one of these women has their own story to tell and their own penance to deal with. But whilst they fight for their rights on the inside, who is looking after their family, their friends and children on the outside. Whilst they battle to survive in a closed off world what’s happening in the real world.At Ashcroft there’s always a price to be paid, and for some it’s high, but these women are prepared to pay anyway they can . . .Jacqui Rose is back with another hard-hitting gangland thriller. Now collaborating with Martina Cole on her new novel Loyalty.Trade ReviewPraise for Fatal: A captivating read from one of my favourite authors -- Mel Sherratt, author of Twisted LivesPraise for Dishonour: A thrilling and gripping novel -- Roberta Kray, author of HuntedPraise for Trapped: Gritty and gripping – by a star in the making -- Kimberley Chambers, author of Th Family ManPraise for Poison: A cracking good read -- Jessie Keane, author of Never Go Back

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Book SynopsisWelcome to HMP Ashcroft. A women's prison run by a corrupt governor who will impose his will at any cost – with brutal consequences. The Women is a gripping street crime thriller from bestselling author Jacqui Rose.Within these walls, friendships are forged that will last beyond a sentence. But some inmates can turn in the blink of an eye, because that’s all part of being locked up. In here you are kept from your loved ones and forced into a surrogate family with women you wouldn’t even look at on the outside, let alone call friends. But at Ashcroft, Alliances can mean everything.Each one of these women has their own story to tell and their own penance to deal with. But whilst they fight for their rights on the inside, who is looking after their family, their friends and children on the outside. Whilst they battle to survive in a closed off world what’s happening in the real world.At Ashcroft there’s always a price to be paid, and for some it’s high, but these women are prepared to pay anyway they can . . .Trade ReviewPraise for Fatal: A captivating read from one of my favourite authors -- Mel Sherratt, author of Twisted LivesPraise for Dishonour: A thrilling and gripping novel -- Roberta Kray, author of HuntedPraise for Trapped: Gritty and gripping – by a star in the making -- Kimberley Chambers, author of The Family ManPraise for Poison: A cracking good read -- Jessie Keane, author of Never Go Back

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Book Synopsis'I loved this book for its depth and perception, for its beauty and eerie rhythms, but most of all for its wonderfully dream-like spell. It's breathtaking' Brandon TaylorA student moves to the city to research Gothic nudes, renting an apartment from a painter, Agnes, who lives in another town with her husband. One day, Agnes arrives in the city and settles into the upstairs studio.Agnes tells stories of her youth, her family, her marriage, and ideas for her art. As the months pass, it becomes clear that Agnes might not have a place to return to. Her stories are frenetic; her art scattered and unfinished, white paint on a white canvas.White on White is a sharp exploration of what it means to be truly vulnerable and laid bare.'Deeply humane, quietly devastating, mesmerisingly beautiful' Olivia Sudjic'Marvellous' Lauren Groff'Gentle, mysterious and profound' Marina Abramovic'Enthralling' Observer'An exceptionally elegant, intelligent, and original writer' Sigrid NunezTrade ReviewA deeply humane, quietly devastating, mesmerisingly beautiful masterpiece. -- Olivia SudjicWhite on White is an ambitious palette. * New York Times *[An] oddly enthralling tale about a postgrad student bearing witness to an artist's marital breakdown -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *Marvelous, as elegant as an opaque sheet of ice that belies the swift and turbulent waters beneath. -- Lauren GroffA haunting, irresistible novel. I loved this book for its depth and perception, for its beauty and eerie rhythms, but most of all for its wonderfully dream-like spell. It's breathtaking. -- Brandon Taylor

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Book Synopsis*** THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER ***'A brilliant historical crime read' Bella'This thrilling and twisty crime novel is perfect for fans of Martina Cole' My Weekly'A rollercoaster of crime, revenge and murder' The SunBEHIND EVERY STRONG WOMAN IS AN EPIC STORY...In the early years of the last century, a desperate young girl changes her name and flees the confines of her brutal, dominating gangland family in London. Now calling herself 'Diamond Dupree', she goes to Paris to become an artist's model but the world there is different to what she had supposed it would be and she soon falls on hard times. When she manages to escape at the end of the First World War, she leaves behind her a mystery - and a dead man.Back home in London, she reluctantly re-joins the Soho family 'firm' she'd once been glad to leave behind. Having grown tougher during her time in Paris, she soon becomes a force to be reckoned with, a feared and respected gangland queen. But then she meets Richard Beaumont, the youngest son of a wealthy aristocratic family, and sparks fly. But can she escape the long arm of the law and the hangman's noose, when the crimes of her past finally catch up with her?For fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers, as well as viewers of Peaky Blinders, this is historical crime fiction at its most compelling.'No one delves into the underworld like Keane!' Woman's Weekly'A gritty and enlightening read' Yours'Authentically gritty' Crime MonthlyTrade ReviewA brilliant historical crime read * Bella *An epic drama starring an unforgettable heroine. Keane...has a wicked eye for the ruthless, fiercely factional criminal underworld and her books never fail to pack a powerful punch... Every story that Keane writes transports her readers into the heart of a terrifying but addictive underworld, and into the lives of people of every shade... And this cracking page-turner is certainly packed with Keane's trademark cast of larger-than-life characters - each superbly fleshed out and each inhabiting a world so palpably real that we can feel the menace... Brimming with drama, suspense, cruelty and the kind of gobsmacking violence that has made Keane one of the most powerful writers in contemporary crime fiction, this is full-on, eye-watering (of every kind!) entertainment from start to finish * Lancashire Evening Post *This thrilling and twisty crime novel is perfect for fans of Martina Cole * My Weekly *Mills & Boon meets Peaky Blinders in a mix of heaving bosoms and cut-throat razors * The Sun *A gritty and enlightening read * Yours *No one delves into the underworld like Keane! * Woman's Weekly *Authentically gritty * Crime Monthly *

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Book Synopsis*** THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER ***'A brilliant historical crime read' Bella'This thrilling and twisty crime novel is perfect for fans of Martina Cole' My Weekly'A rollercoaster of crime, revenge and murder' The SunBEHIND EVERY STRONG WOMAN IS AN EPIC STORY...In the early years of the last century, a desperate young girl changes her name and flees the confines of her brutal, dominating gangland family in London. Now calling herself 'Diamond Dupree', she goes to Paris to become an artist's model but the world there is different to what she had supposed it would be and she soon falls on hard times. When she manages to escape at the end of the First World War, she leaves behind her a mystery - and a dead man.Back home in London, she reluctantly re-joins the Soho family 'firm' she'd once been glad to leave behind. Having grown tougher during her time in Paris, she soon becomes a force to be reckoned with, a feared and respected gangland queen. But then she meets Richard Beaumont, the youngest son of a wealthy aristocratic family, and sparks fly. But can she escape the long arm of the law and the hangman's noose, when the crimes of her past finally catch up with her?For fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers, as well as viewers of Peaky Blinders, this is historical crime fiction at its most compelling.'No one delves into the underworld like Keane!' Woman's Weekly'A gritty and enlightening read' Yours'Authentically gritty' Crime MonthlyTrade ReviewA brilliant historical crime read * Bella *An epic drama starring an unforgettable heroine. Keane...has a wicked eye for the ruthless, fiercely factional criminal underworld and her books never fail to pack a powerful punch... Every story that Keane writes transports her readers into the heart of a terrifying but addictive underworld, and into the lives of people of every shade... And this cracking page-turner is certainly packed with Keane's trademark cast of larger-than-life characters - each superbly fleshed out and each inhabiting a world so palpably real that we can feel the menace... Brimming with drama, suspense, cruelty and the kind of gobsmacking violence that has made Keane one of the most powerful writers in contemporary crime fiction, this is full-on, eye-watering (of every kind!) entertainment from start to finish * Lancashire Evening Post *This thrilling and twisty crime novel is perfect for fans of Martina Cole * My Weekly *Mills & Boon meets Peaky Blinders in a mix of heaving bosoms and cut-throat razors * The Sun *A gritty and enlightening read * Yours *No one delves into the underworld like Keane! * Woman's Weekly *Authentically gritty * Crime Monthly *

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Book SynopsisTHE CARTER WOMEN DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES: THEY MAKE THEM. The brilliant new gangland thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of DIAMOND.Gangster Max Carter and his ex-wife Annie Carter are leading separate lives in separate countries: past hurts and broken promises cannot be resolved. But then a summons to Majorca and a tragic death makes Max question all that has happened to him over many years.He had two brothers - both are now dead. His closest friend has been found hanging from a London bridge. As the police wrestle with a seemingly unsolvable case, Max is forced to revisit his painful past to find answers to a mystery that seems to make no sense at all. Who is targeting his family and why?Annie Carter is at a crossroads in life. She has a luxurious lifestyle but no one to share it with, and Max clearly thinks she is in danger too. Her daughter, Layla, has left her mafia lover Alberto Barolli and is back in London, stumbling into the police investigation and making waves. You should never go back, so the old saying goes. But then, the Carter women don't follow the rules, they make them.And when the truth of what's been happening is finally revealed, will the Carter family stand together - or will it finish them for good?'We love a gangland thriller - and no one writes them better than Jessie Keane' CLOSER'If you enjoy gangster flicks such as Legend you'll love Never Go Back' YOURSTrade ReviewAnother charged gangland thriller from the bestselling author - Woman's Weekly

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Book SynopsisTHE CARTER WOMEN DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES: THEY MAKE THEM.The brilliant new gangland thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of DIAMOND.Gangster Max Carter and his ex-wife Annie Carter are leading separate lives in separate countries: past hurts and broken promises cannot be resolved. But then a summons to Majorca and a tragic death makes Max question all that has happened to him over many years.He had two brothers - both are now dead. His closest friend has been found hanging from a London bridge. As the police wrestle with a seemingly unsolvable case, Max is forced to revisit his painful past to find answers to a mystery that seems to make no sense at all. Who is targeting his family and why?Annie Carter is at a crossroads in life. She has a luxurious lifestyle but no one to share it with, and Max clearly thinks she is in danger too. Her daughter, Layla, has left her mafia lover Alberto Barolli and is back in London, stumbling into the police investigation and making waves. You should never go back, so the old saying goes. But then, the Carter women don't follow the rules, they make them.And when the truth of what's been happening is finally revealed, will the Carter family stand together - or will it finish them for good?'We love a gangland thriller - and no one writes them better than Jessie Keane' CLOSER'If you enjoy gangster flicks such as Legend you'll love Never Go Back' YOURS* PRE-ORDER JESSIE'S NEXT NOVEL, DEAD HEAT, NOW! *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of Dear Marcus comes a breathtaking novel about a fated love affair that crosses the divides of race and class. Rashid is a young Black man from Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, with a complicated life. Looking for an escape from a neighborhood few ever leave, he finds it in Rachel—married, twenty years his senior, and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. It begins with a flirtation and a tryst. It becomes an intense romance, exhilarating and enriching, that defies the expectations of Rashid’s friends and family. What draws Rachel to Rashid is his curiosity, his need for intimacy, and his adoration—everything lacking in her crumbling marriage. But as the fault lines of their relationship become more prevalent, so do the inevitable choices one makes when falling in love.Trade ReviewPraise for Bed Stuy An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Literature & Fiction “McGill’s prose can acquire a quick, musical rhythm before settling into more expansive sections that deftly take on questions of race and class. In many ways, the novel is a wonder to behold.” —Kirkus Reviews “Smart and touching…McGill succeeds in depicting love as a universal force, for better or for worse.” —Publishers Weekly “Love defies all odds in Jerry McGill’s lyrical and heartbreaking novel Bed Stuy.” —POPSUGAR “In Bed Stuy, Jerry McGill crafts a love story that is as gritty as a New York sidewalk and as tender as a first embrace. Two people from different worlds grapple with the challenge of how to bridge their divides—made chasms by race, age, and privilege—to connect, to understand, and to forgive. McGill’s knowing gaze is unflinching but compassionate, conveying in all its complexity the terror of love, the fear and doubt that plague it, and the bone-deep need for more.” —W. S. Winslow, author of The Northern Reach Praise for Dear Marcus: A Letter to the Man Who Shot Me “An unforgettable and intriguing journey…Violence, hope, despair, forgiveness, anger, and living with a disability are explored both lightly and deeply, humorously and profoundly, and always honestly.” —Library Journal (starred review) “An inspirational memoir by a writer who refuses to be defined by his paralysis as he comes to terms with the unknown man who shot him.” —Kirkus Reviews “I couldn’t put it down. This is a compelling marriage of remembrance and forgiveness, absolution and compassion, cynicism and understanding.” —Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore “Written with passion, honesty, humor, and a stubborn, rebellious optimism, Dear Marcus is like nothing I’ve ever read. When a bullet in the back told Jerry McGill not to go on, Jerry went on—smiling.” —Shalom Auslander, author of Hope: A Tragedy

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of Dear Marcus comes a breathtaking novel about a fated love affair that crosses the divides of race and class. Rashid is a young Black man from Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, with a complicated life. Looking for an escape from a neighborhood few ever leave, he finds it in Rachel—married, twenty years his senior, and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. It begins with a flirtation and a tryst. It becomes an intense romance, exhilarating and enriching, that defies the expectations of Rashid’s friends and family. What draws Rachel to Rashid is his curiosity, his need for intimacy, and his adoration—everything lacking in her crumbling marriage. But as the fault lines of their relationship become more prevalent, so do the inevitable choices one makes when falling in love.Trade ReviewPraise for Bed Stuy An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Literature & Fiction “McGill’s prose can acquire a quick, musical rhythm before settling into more expansive sections that deftly take on questions of race and class. In many ways, the novel is a wonder to behold.” —Kirkus Reviews “Smart and touching…McGill succeeds in depicting love as a universal force, for better or for worse.” —Publishers Weekly “Love defies all odds in Jerry McGill’s lyrical and heartbreaking novel Bed Stuy.” —POPSUGAR “In Bed Stuy, Jerry McGill crafts a love story that is as gritty as a New York sidewalk and as tender as a first embrace. Two people from different worlds grapple with the challenge of how to bridge their divides—made chasms by race, age, and privilege—to connect, to understand, and to forgive. McGill’s knowing gaze is unflinching but compassionate, conveying in all its complexity the terror of love, the fear and doubt that plague it, and the bone-deep need for more.” —W. S. Winslow, author of The Northern Reach Praise for Dear Marcus: A Letter to the Man Who Shot Me “An unforgettable and intriguing journey…Violence, hope, despair, forgiveness, anger, and living with a disability are explored both lightly and deeply, humorously and profoundly, and always honestly.” —Library Journal (starred review) “An inspirational memoir by a writer who refuses to be defined by his paralysis as he comes to terms with the unknown man who shot him.” —Kirkus Reviews “I couldn’t put it down. This is a compelling marriage of remembrance and forgiveness, absolution and compassion, cynicism and understanding.” —Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore “Written with passion, honesty, humor, and a stubborn, rebellious optimism, Dear Marcus is like nothing I’ve ever read. When a bullet in the back told Jerry McGill not to go on, Jerry went on—smiling.” —Shalom Auslander, author of Hope: A Tragedy

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Book SynopsisThe 10th Winner of the 2019 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, Awarded by Barbara Kingsolver “What a read this is, right from its startling opening scene. But even more than plot, it’s the richly layered details that drive home a lightning bolt of empathy. To read At the Edge of the Haight is to live inside the everyday terror and longings of a world that most of us manage not to see, even if we walk past it on sidewalks every day. At a time when more Americans than ever find themselves at the edge of homelessness, this book couldn’t be more timely.”—Barbara Kingsolver, author of Unsheltered and The Poisonwood Bible Maddy Donaldo, homeless at twenty, lives with her dog and makeshift family in the hidden spaces of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. She thinks she knows how to survive and whom to trust until she accidentally witnesses the murder of a young man. Her world is upended as she has to face not only the killer but also the police and then the victim’s parents, who desperately want Maddy to tell them about the life their son led after he left home. And in a desire to save her since they could not save their own son, they are determined to have Maddy reunite with her own lost family. But what makes a family? Is it the people who raised you if they don’t have the skills to look after you? Is it the foster parents whose generosity only lasts until things become more difficult? Or is it the family that Maddy has met in the park, young people who also have nowhere else to go? Told with sensitivity and tenderness and set against the backdrop of a radically changing city, At the Edge of the Haight is narrated by a young girl just beginning to understand herself. The result is a powerful debut that, much like previous Bellwether winners The Leavers, by Lisa Ko, or Heidi Durrow’s The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, grapples with one of the most urgent issues of our day.Trade Review“What a read this is, right from its startling opening scene. But even more than plot, it’s the richly layered details that drive home a lightning bolt of empathy. To read At the Edge of the Haight is to live inside the everyday terror and longings of a world that most of us manage not to see, even if we walk past it on sidewalks every day. At a time when more Americans than ever find themselves at the edge of homelessness, this book couldn’t be more timely.”—Barbara Kingsolver, author of Unsheltered and The Poisonwood Bible “A terrific novel, half murder-mystery, half a tale of growing up. The heroine and her friends are unique in my reading experience—homeless young people living in Golden Gate Park, with their own community and their own rules—and their story is suspenseful and touching throughout.”—Scott Turow “Katherine Seligman's new novel makes alive and visible the lives of people we often walk past, sometimes as quickly as we can.” —NPR “At the Edge of the Haight inspires empathy for San Francisco’s unhoused. A journalist who has written extensively about homelessness and mental health issues, particularly in California, Seligman is a keen observer of the wealth gap in San Francisco and the challenges facing those experiencing homelessness. Seligman’s writing is at its best when it juxtaposes the experiences of living in San Francisco for those who have and those who have not . . . The book is a compassionate and probing character study of the type of street kids Seligman knows people tend to overlook or even scorn when they see them begging on the sidewalk." —San Francisco Chronicle “An incisive look at homelessness in the Haight.” —7x7“[A] gripping debut novel, At the Edge of the Haight explores a community on the edge of a historic setting and on the edge of getting by, with a compelling protagonist and an array of problems to wrestle with . . . In this quietly compassionate novel, a young homeless woman stumbles onto a crime scene on the edge of Haight-Ashbury, and eventually reconsiders how she got there." —Shelf Awareness“At the Edge of the Haight brims with empathy for the overlooked and the underserved. It's a deep, dark, and necessary look into lives often discarded and disregarded—an urgent and important read and a startling debut.”—Ivy Pochoda, author of These Women “This book pulled me deep into a world I knew little about, bringing the struggles of its young, homeless inhabitants—the kind of people we avoid eye contact with on the street—to vivid, poignant life. The novel demands that you take a close look. If you knew, could you still ignore, fear or condemn them? And knowing, how can you ever forget?” —Hillary Jordan, author of Mudbound “Through careful observation, Seligman seeks to humanize a community that is often ignored and misunderstood . . . Winner of the 2019 PEN/Bellweather Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, At the Edge of the Haight is a thoughtful look at modern homelessness.” —Booklist “[An] intense, personal drama about wayward lives positioned between redemption and disaster. Putting a human face on those who live at society’s margins, At the Edge of the Haight is an intimate novel whose young characters struggle for survival and a little bit of dignity. —Foreword Reviews "I love Maddy Donaldo. I can’t wait for you to meet her. Not since Carson McCullers’s Frankie Addams have I seen a character so defined by her deep dualism—an electric desire to be both invisible and seen, free and bonded."—Mesha Maren, author of Sugar Run"Subtle yet compelling . . . written in delicate, understated prose, At the Edge of the Haight not only offers unexpected insights into the daily life of those who are young and on the streets, but into the confusion of tenderness, hurt, fear and fierceness that tumble within the minds of many. An enlightening read for anyone of any age.”—Helen Benedict, author of Wolf Season “I loved this novel: its tenderness, its toughness, its brilliantly-named protagonist Maddy—these days, what thoughtful person isn’t mad? Maddy is a Holden Caulfield for our times, smart, streetwise, a survivor who is not jaded. Seligman’s vivid portrait leads us to understand San Francisco’s street people not as “the other” but as extensions of our friends, our families, our neighbors, ourselves. If there is hope for our species, it begins there.” —Fenton Johnson, author of At the Center of All Beauty: Solitude and the Creative Life "At the Edge of the Haight is a novel of rare grace and compassion that opens a window onto a world to which we often keep ourselves closed. With a keen sense for setting and state of mind, Katherine Seligman takes us on a journey into the hidden spaces of America, where the friction created between the need to be seen and to disappear, to remember and to forget sets little fires that help us see better, help us stay warm." —C. Morgan Babst, author of The Floating World"Seligman is to be commended for an insightful portrayal of homelessness . . . heartfelt . . . brave." —Kirkus Reviews"Seligman has a strong sense of the city and of the challenges faced by the homeless. [Her] portrayal of life as a homeless young person is immersive." —Publishers Weekly

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Book Synopsis#1 Essence® bestselling author La Jill Hunt presents Drama Queen, a hilariously funny, fast-paced novel that will drag you away from your own problems and bring you into someone else’s.Kayla Hopkins is young, beautiful, and can’t win for losing. That’s why everyone calls her the Drama Queen. She doesn’t go looking for drama; it just happens to find her. Take, for instance, her love life. Kayla’s not satisfied with just one man. She has two—one she’s in love with and another she’s pregnant by. It’s a ready-made formula for disaster, but will Kayla see it before everything blows up in her face? Her track record says no, but her friends and family can only hope.

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Book SynopsisTwenty years ago, Chunichi penned the tale of Cezia, the good girl gone bad at the center of this hood classic. This will introduce new audiences to the Essence® bestseller’s debut novel, along with a new collectible cover for longtime fans.Meet Ceazia, a very attractive, very good girl who has just left the safety of her parents’ home and entered into the world of bad boys and fast money. Ceazia thinks the world belongs to her when she meets Vegas, one of the Tidewater, Virginia area’s most notorious drug dealers. Even though a relationship with Vegas goes against everything her parents taught her, she still can’t resist his bad-boy persona. He’s fine, sexy, and ready to give her anything her heart desires--just what the doctor ordered for a broke, wannabe diva. This might just end up being the biggest mistake of her life.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE AUTHOR'S CLUB FIRST NOVEL AWARD, THE RSL CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZE and THE HWA DEBUT CROWN AWARD'A new classic' SARA COLLINS, author of THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON'Impassioned. Lyrical and affecting' GUARDIAN_____________Brixton 1981. Sixteen-year-old Michael is already on the wrong side of the law. In in his community, where job opportunities are low and drug-running is high, this is nothing new. But when Michael falls for Ngozi, a vibrant young immigrant from the Nigerian village of Obowi, their startling connection runs far deeper than they realise.Narrated by the spirit of an African woman who lost her life on a slave ship two centuries earlier, her powerful story reveals how Michael and Ngozi's struggle for happiness began many lifetimes ago.Through haunting, lyrical words, one unforgettable message resonates: love, hope and unity will heal us all._____________'A searing, rhapsodic novel. Filled with beauty, devastation and the power of ancestral connections that ripple through the ages' IRENOSEN OKOJIE, author of NUDIBRANCH'A gorgeous book' ALEX WHEATLE, author of BRIXTON ROCK_____________Readers love THE BOOK OF ECHOES:'A powerful and honest debut which is going to stay with me for a long time' *****'You can feel Amaka's passion rising off the page' *****'BRILLIANT, thoughtful and masterfully crafted' *****'Oh my goodness, the book itself is even more beautiful and haunting than the cover' *****Trade ReviewBEST NEW FICTION: A beautifully written testament to oppression that reverberates across the centuries. * DAILY MAIL *Searing and rhapsodic. Filled with beauty, devastation and the power of ancestral connections that ripple through the ages * IRENOSEN OKOJIE *Bewitching. I almost felt like I time-travelled back into Brixton 1981. A gorgeous book - totally recommended. * ALEX WHEATLE, author of BRIXTON ROCK *An absorbing debut * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Impassioned. Lyrical and affecting * GUARDIAN *Powerfully redemptive * INDEPENDENT *Fierce and poignant * TATLER *BEST BOOKS for FEBRUARY * COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE *Powerful, impassioned, thought-provoking * DAILY MAIL Staycation Sensations *A beautiful rich story that shows how hope can get people through the worst of times * PRIDE MAGAZINE *A breath-taking read. Both intimate and sweeping * LOUISE HARE, author of THIS LOVELY CITY *Bewitching. I almost felt i'd time-travelled back to Brixton in the 1980s. Highly recommended * ALEX WHEATLE, author of BRIXTON ROCK *

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Book SynopsisNow a major film directed by Danny Boyle reuniting the cast of TrainspottingYears on from Trainspotting Sick Boy is back in Edinburgh after a long spell in London. Having failed spectacularly as a hustler, pimp, husband, father and businessman, Sick Boy taps into an opportunity which to him represents one last throw of the dice. However, to realise his ambitions within the Adult industries, Sick Boy must team up with old pal and fellow exile Mark Renton. Still scheming, still scamming, Sick Boy and Renton soon find out that they have unresolved issues to address concerning the unhinged Begbie, the troubled, drug-addled Spud, but, most of all, with each other.T2 Trainspotting was previously published as Porno.Trade ReviewFunny, appalling, frightening * Mail on Sunday *A brilliant satirical study of the ugly dynamic which draws together predators and prey * Sunday Telegraph *Not for the fainthearted... Highly entertaining * Sunday Times *Funny and eloquently obscene * Daily Telegraph *A worthy sequel... A touching love song to the possibilities and limits of friendship. Charming, funny and sly, Porno is a good poke at all kinds of pretence and moral tidiness * Evening Standard *

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Book Synopsis'Powerful as [Richard Wright] was - is - as a writer, nobody can surpass him in doing certain kinds of writing... He is courageous - he was able to look into areas that nobody at that time was willing to look at' Toni Morrison Cross Damon is disenchanted. At odds with society, and with himself, his idealism and sense of alienation have driven him to drink and incessant reflection. But when Cross is mistakenly reported to have died, he is suddenly free to put his ideals to the test - and a reign of terror and destruction ensues. A counterpart to Wright's 1940 novel, Native Son, The Outsider is Wright's existential masterpiece. An epic exploration of criminality and oppression its publication established Wright as America's most daring, and damning writers.

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Book Synopsis* READ THE NOVEL THAT INSPIRED THE FILM PRECIOUS *This 25th Anniversary Edition includes a new preface from Tayari Jones, and a new afterword by the author. This is the story of Precious Jones, a sixteen year old illiterate black girl who has never been out of Harlem. She is pregnant by her own father for the second time, and kicked out of school. Placed in an alternative teaching programme, she learns to read and write. This is Precious's diary, in which she honestly records her relationships and her life. 'The Color Purple for the nineties' Vogue 'Sapphire's vibrant, unindulgent first novel has you cheering the awesome Precious on until the last page' Mail on Sunday 'Has all the power and vehemence of rap...brutal in its defence of the vulnerable' Independent 'Part wishful prayer, part manifesto, mingling poetry and humour...splendid, turbulent, bracing language...its music takes you over, its story grips... A voice to remember' Scotland on Sunday 'Harrowing yet hilarious... packs a powerful punch' GuardianTrade ReviewAn inspired and inspiring debut, a The Color Purple for the nineties * Vogue *Sapphire's vibrant, unindulgent first novel has you cheering the awesome Precious on until the last page: her voice is true and the book is cool * Mail on Sunday *Harrowing yet hilarious... packs a powerful punch... The powerful writing makes the book a cracking read... a tour de force * Guardian *Unforgettable...a mesmerising and uplifting read... Has all the power and vehemence of rap...brutal in its defence of the vulnerable * Independent *

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Book Synopsis'I'm alive inside. A bird is my heart. Mama and Daddy is not win. I'm winning.'This is the story of Precious, a sixteen-year-old illiterate Black girl who has never been out of Harlem. Pregnant by her own father for the second time, she is kicked out of school and placed in an alternative teaching programme. Through learning to read and write, Precious begins to find her voice, and fight back.Push is the unflinching diary of a girl whose strength and kindness shines amidst extraordinary adversity.Meet ten of literature's most iconic heroines, featuring bold portraits by female photographers from around the world.Trade ReviewAn inspired and inspiring debut, a The Color Purple for the nineties * Vogue *Sapphire's vibrant, unindulgent first novel has you cheering the awesome Precious on until the last page: her voice is true and the book is cool * Mail on Sunday *Harrowing yet hilarious... packs a powerful punch... The powerful writing makes the book a cracking read... a tour de force * Guardian *Unforgettable...a mesmerising and uplifting read... Has all the power and vehemence of rap...brutal in its defence of the vulnerable * Independent *Harrowing yet hilarious...packs a powerful punch... The powerful writing makes the book a cracking read...a tour de force * Guardian *

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VINTAGE CLASSICS' HARLEM RENAISSANCE SERIES Celebrating the finest works of the Harlem Renaissance, one of the most important Black arts movements in modern history.'Why did I want to mix mahself up in a white folk's war? It ain't ever was any of black folks' affair'When Jake Brown joins the army during the First World War, he is treated more like a slave than a soldier. After deserting his post to escape the racial violence he is facing, Jake travels back home to Harlem. But despite the distance, Jake cannot seem to escape the past and the explosive ways in which it can culminate. Written with brutal accuracy, Home to Harlem is an extraordinary work, and was the first American bestseller by a Black writer. 'One of the most gifted writers of the Harlem Renaissance' Washington Post

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Book SynopsisA beautiful hardback edition of the hilarious, dark, ingenious novel that changed the face of British fiction.Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye've produced.Choose life.'The best book ever written by man or woman... Deserves to sell more copies than the Bible' Rebel Inc'Welsh writes with a skill, wit and compassion that amounts to genius' Sunday TimesVINTAGE QUARTERBOUND CLASSICS: Bound to be beautifulTrade ReviewAbhorrently dark and raw to the core, Trainspotting is an insight into one of life’s many ugly personalities — addiction and the accompanying domino effect of grim inevitabilities… Irvine Welsh’s novel will always be a cult classic.—Tori Chalmers, Culture TripWelsh’s skill as a storyteller is undeniable, bringing both wit and compassion to a grim subject matter. If you liked Danny Boyle’s film adaptation, you’ll love the original.—Maddy Searle, iThe voice of punk, grown up, grown wiser and grown eloquent—Sunday TimesThe best book ever written by man or woman... Deserves to sell more copies than the bible—Rebel IncWelsh writes with a skill, wit and compassion that amounts to genius. He is the best thing that has happened to British writing for decades—Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisFrom the award-winning and bestselling author of Eyes Like Mine comes the new thriller featuring Nora Watts, 'a brave, unflinching heroine' (Lee Child). This time in order to protect her daughter, Nora is willing to risk everything. Meet Nora Watts. She's not your average heroine, but she'll go above and beyond for those she loves. For fans of Jeffery Deaver's The Never Game and Karin Slaughter's The Last Widow comes a book about family, loyalty and love.'Sheena Kamal's writing is as fearless as her protagonist' LINWOOD BARCLAY'Will stay with you for a long, long time. Perhaps forever' JEFFERY DEAVER****Find your enemy. Before he finds you . . . Nora Watts is used to being hunted. Since she rescued her biological daughter, Bonnie, two years ago, from the criminal gang that had kidnapped her, Nora's been targeted by the ruthless Dao. He wants revenge, and he will use whatever he can to get to Nora - including Bonnie.So, Nora has no choice: the hunted must become the hunter. But as she chases after Dao, from the snow-laden streets of Vancouver to the sun-bleached beaches in Indonesia, she knows that it's only a matter of time before they come face to face - and this time, only one of them can walk away. It's a mother's job to keep her child safe, at all costs, so can Nora find Dao and stop him - before it's too late?'I'd follow Nora Watts (and her dog) anywhere' A. L. GAYLIN'The next Gillian Flynn' IRISH INDEPENDENTTrade ReviewSheena Kamal's writing is as fearless as her protagonist * Linwood Barclay *Intricately plotted. A tense, taut thriller with a flawed, compelling heroine. I want to read more about Nora Watts * Andrea Carter *Will stay with you for a long, long time. Perhaps forever * Jeffery Deaver on Eyes Like Mine *This is a rampageous romp in the modern idiom with an underlying theme of sacrifice. Mothers will recognise that and accept it as rote, going on to enjoy Nora Watts, the swashbuckling hero, a woman of inviolate principle who makes her own rules. Hardly a role model but certainly a brilliant companion for dark days. All hail to escapist literature and Sheena Kamal in particular. * SHOTS Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''A cracking read.'' Val McDermid''One of the year's best urban crime stories. Topical, gripping and perfectly paced, you won't be able to put it down.'' Better Reading''The Rip pulls you under and tosses your emotions around like flotsam bobbing up and down on the waves.'' Queenland Reviewers CollectiveA young woman living on the street has to keep her wits about her. Or her friends... but when the drugs kick in that can be hard.Anton has been looking out for her. She was safe with him. But then Steve came along.He had something over Anton. Must have. But he had a flat they could crash in. And gear in his pocket. And she can''t stop thinking about it. A good hit makes everything all right.But the flat smells weird.There''s a lock on Steve''s bedroom door.And the guy is intense.The problem is, sometimes you just don''t know you are in too deep, until you are drowning.Praise for Mark Brandi:Winner of the CWA Debut DaggerWinner of the 2018 Indie Debut Fiction Award''A bold new voice in fiction'' Louise Jensen''Devastating, breathtaking, and effortless'' Sarah Schmidt''An unforgettable story'' Sarah Bailey

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Book SynopsisBe careful who you let into your lifeArabella MacQueen had a tough start. Growing up surrounded by drugs and alcohol, getting into trouble as a teen, she’s now in her late-twenties and has turned her life around.Until the fateful night that sees her imprisoned for 10 months.She’s hit rock bottom … but unexpectedly forges a bond with cellmate Roxanne McPhail that lasts beyond the prison walls.Now both women are free, and Arabella is excited about the future with boyfriend Eddie, with Roxanne at her side.But Arabella doesn’t know the truth about her new best friend; about Roxanne’s reputation as the head of Glasgow gangland, about the violence in Roxanne’s past.She doesn’t know that Roxanne has plans for Arabella that might lead her into some very dangerous places.In this dirty game, Arabella is going to have to learn you can’t always trust those closest to you…A gritty, utterly addictive thriller set in Scottish gangland - fans of Roberta Kray and Jacqui Rose won't be able to put it down.Readers can't get enough of Alex Kane's gritty gangster thrillers:‘I read this book in one night and all I have is 3 words. Oh my god.’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘What a fantastic book! Such an intense, fast paced read from the first page’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘What a rollercoaster ride…it grips you and you can't put it down. I loved it.’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘What a page turner this is… you never want it to end… A great, gritty, UK gangland thriller’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘A dark and gritty crime thriller that kept me hooked from the first page.' Casey Kelleher, author of No Fear and Mine'A gripping read that got under my skin. Alex Kane writes one hell of a villain.’ Gemma Rogers, author of Stalker and Reckless

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Book Synopsis'A gritty powerful story. A must read for fans of gangland crime.' Bestselling author Kerry KayaTony Lambrianu might look like he's sitting pretty, but when you're the kingpin of a gangland empire you have to keep your guard up at all times. Deceit and betrayal lurk around every cornerWith threats looming from all sides, he is about to find out just who his real enemies are.Meanwhile, Tony’s twin daughters, Scarlet and Katie Lambrianu have their sights set on building their own empire and establishing a Lambrianu legacy of their own....but will it cost them everything?As Tony fights for personal survival and to protect his family danger comes from unexpected places. It seems everyone is willing to resort to dirty dealings...but how low will Tony go to avoid the devastating consequences of failure?Dirty Dealings is the shocking final instalment in this gripping gangland series by Gillian Godden.Please note, this is a re-release of Dirty Dealing previously published by Gillian Godden.

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Book SynopsisShe's the boss now...Daddy’s girl Samantha Reynold hadn’t bargained on unexpectedly needing to step into her father’s shoes and take over the family casino business.Pampered and spoiled, Sam knows nothing about the rules of this glamorous but deadly new world. She has a lot to learn and even more to prove. But she won’t let her family down, especially when it looks like they could lose everything to their biggest rivals – the Stoker family.Eldest son Sebastian hasn’t got time to pander to pretty girl Samantha as she plays at being boss. Rumours are swirling around the streets of Birmingham that have the power to rip the Stoker family apart and destroy everything they’ve built.And Seb will stop at nothing to ensure that in this takeover, only one will succeed.A gripping new gangland story perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Heather Atkinson and Caz Finlay.What people are saying about Edie Baylis!'From start to finish, fast paced and gripping. Gangland fiction at its best! Bestselling author Kerry Kaya.'Shocking and thrilling at the same time. It will take your breath away!' Bestselling author Gillian Godden'Edie Baylis has produced another fantastic gangland read. I loved the characters and was gripped from the first page. A massive 5 stars!' Bestselling author Caz Finlay.

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Book SynopsisA brilliant collection of micro-fiction, reflecting our fragmented times. With quirky humor and wry insight, Swiss author Judith Keller’s micro-fictions unravel the fabric of daily life. She delves into the aporia of language by taking idiomatic expressions literally, unpacking the multiple meanings of words, and confounding expectations. Seven Zurich tram stops provide the framework for these familiar yet absurd portraits of passers-by, fellow passengers on the tram, the unemployed and the overemployed, the innocent and the suspicious, young mothers and confused elderly. The reader is taken on a journey through the city and offered glimpses of people going more or less successfully about their lives. These deceptively banal glimpses, however, show us more than we expect—they turn the lens back on us, puncture our complacency and ask, "Who are you to judge?" The characters are hapless and far-fetched, trying to find their footing on shifting ground and grateful for what happiness they can find. In just a sentence or two, Keller unlocks metaphysical trapdoors. The Questionable Ones offers a collection of snapshots that reveal the extraordinary lurking inside the ordinary and the ordinary at the core of the extraordinary. Table of ContentsBucheggplatz SchwertMicafilElektrowattGlattWaldgartenGlattWaldgartenSucculent Collection

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Book SynopsisCousins Valerie and Toni McVay have been best friends forever, and when you’re a McVay you need all the friends you can get.When Toni’s twelfth birthday is marred by a terrible crime, the wicked path of the girls looks set. A decade later, the McVay family aren't the unstoppable force they once were in the Glaswegian criminal underworld but Frankie McVay, the up-and-coming prince, is determined to restore the family to its former glory by whatever means necessary. And the whole family are expected to help.His sister Toni shares her brother’s blood lust but Valerie dreams of a quieter life, and when she meets and falls in love with Seb, as straight as Frankie is bent, as kind as Frankie is wicked, Val sees her way out.Can she escape a family that is determined to own the city, and to keep Valerie firmly in their violent grasp? And will Toni ever let her best friend Val turn her back on the bloody secret they have shared for all these years…Heather Atkinson is back with a treat for all gangland fans. If you love Kimberley Chambers, and Jessie Keane, you’ll love Wicked Girls, and readers of Heather’s Gallowburn series can look forward to bumping into some old friends… What readers are saying about Heather Atkinson:'Another brilliant book from Heather...she really is one the best in the business''I have read ALL Heather Atkinson's books. They are all fantastic''All Heather's books are action packed and have you on edge''I stumbled upon Heather's books and I'm so glad I did, characters excellent and storylines are great, I find myself searching the book stores for more of them to read the minute I finish one'

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Book SynopsisFrom the stranger in the car, to the madman at her door...Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell ‘It’s a shocking thriller that grabs at your emotions on every page! Loved it.’ bestselling author Lauren North The day my path crossed with Simon Fox I thought I’d already lost everything but then he almost ran me off the road with his flash car and belittling jibes. The men in my life had undermined me for too long. Enough was enough. Fuelled by alcohol and the desire to get even, I decided a spot of petty vandalism would make me feel a whole lot better. Wrong. Very wrong... I hadn’t realised that Simon Fox was not a man to be messed with. He showed me just how much I still had left to lose. Soon I was battling for my home, family and life.Praise for Gemma Rogers: ‘Captivating and enthralling, a story of revenge, infidelity, friendship and love. An outstanding book by an outstanding author, I give this book five shiny golden stars’ Anita Waller ‘A well-written and thoroughly entertaining thriller from a very talented author’ John Nicoll 'Unputdownable. a nail-biting thriller that grips to the very last page.' Keri Beevis ‘A beautifully written edge-of-your-seat thriller that had me guessing right until the end’ Dreda Say Mitchell 'A brilliant thriller from an exciting new voice. Stalker it had me on the edge of my seat' Kerry Barnes 'An atmospheric, taut thriller which keeps you hooked from the first page' Jacqui Rose 'A cracking read. Brilliantly written characters and a gripping plot. Highly recommended.' Caz Finlay 'A page-turning must-read. It will have you hooked from the first page until the last' Stephanie Harte 'An intense thriller - it's a must-read' Sam Michaels ‘An incredible read that had me engrossed from the first page. A five-star read’ Alex Kane ‘A real page turner, full of sinister secrets' Casey Kelleher

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