Summer Reads books

Book Synopsis**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023****WINNER Crime Novel of the Year, Irish Book Awards 2023****SHORTLISTED for The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award****SHORTLISTED for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2024**Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.Now Sally is the centre of attention, not only from the hungry media and police detectives, but also a sinister voice from a past she cannot remember. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends and big decisions, and learning that people don''t always mean what they say.But who is the man observing Sally from the other side of the world? And why does her neighbour seem to be obsessed with her? Sally''s trust issues are about to be severely challenged . . .*****''In Sally Diamond, Nugent has given us an astounding creation with a singular voice . . . an absorbing, twisty, compulsive psychological thriller with surprising humour and pathos'' Sunday Independent''Strikingly well-observed and consistently surprising'' The Times''Incredible'' Sara Cox''Strange indeed . . . and smart, too! Shocking, disturbing and utterly original, Strange Sally Diamond will grip you from first page to last'' Paula Hawkins''Irresistibly compelling, this dark story is shocking yet endearing. A brilliant read that will suck you in'' Crime Monthly''Liz Nugent has outdone herself. Twisted and twisty, dark and gripping, no one is going to forget Sally Diamond in a hurry!'' Graham Norton''It creeped me out (in a good way) . . . Terrific'' Ian Rankin''Dark, compelling and deeply moving'' Ruth Ware''So, so good! Sally gets under your skin and worms her way into your heart. I didn''t want it to end'' Jane Fallon''I''m lost in admiration for Liz and her writing . . . vivid, pacy, taut but so very moving'' Marian Keyes''Jaw-droppingly clever . . . One of the best books I''ve read in a long, long time. I can''t stop thinking about it'' Lucy Foley''An outstanding achievement which transforms the dark psychological thriller map with both bravura and delicacy. One for the ages'' Maxim Jakubowski

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Book SynopsisBrimming with characters you can''t help but fall for and off-the-charts chemistry, this is TikTok sensation Emily Henry doing what she does best!-----Two exes. One pact.Could this holiday change everything?Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple - they go together like bread and butter, gin and tonic, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.Every year, they take a holiday from their lives to drink far too much wine with their favourite people in the world.Except this year, they are lying through their teeth, because Harriet and Wyn broke up six months ago. And they still haven''t told anyone.But the cottage is for sale, so this is the last time they''ll all be here together. They can''t bear to break their best friends'' hearts so they''ll fake it for one more week.But how can you pretend to be in love - and get away with it - in front of the people who know you best?-----''Hilarious and wise . . . Another knockout' Taylor Jenkins Reid''One of my favourite authors'' Colleen HooverA must-read book of the year' Lauren Asher''Another Emily Henry masterpiece'' Hannah Grace, ICEBREAKER''Tender and sexy, bittersweet with Henry''s trademark warmth'' Bolu Babalola, HONEY & SPICEHappy Place, Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, May 2023

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Book Synopsis THE WORLDWIDE #1 BESTSELLER BEHIND NETFLIX''S THE LINCOLN LAWYER THE PATH TO JUSTICE CAN BE PAVED WITH LIES Defense attorney Mickey Haller - The Lincoln Lawyer - is inundated with pleas from prisoners protesting their innocence. With the help of ex-LAPD detective Harry Bosch, they find a needle in the haystack: a possible wrongful conviction. A woman imprisoned for murdering her husband, a sheriff''s deputy. But the evidence doesn''t add up, the department pushed for quick closure in the killing of one of its own. But is this rushed justice - or something more sinister? As they face a David versus Goliath court battle, the secrets which could set an innocent woman free could also be worth killing for...****PRAISE FOR RESURRECTION WALK:''Connelly at his glittering best: full of twists and insights, it grips like a hungry python''DAILY MAIL''The perfect combination of courtroom drama and police procedural - Connelly''s latest masterpiece shows why he''s the crime writer all his rivals look up to''SUNDAY EXPRESS****READERS LOVE RESURRECTION WALK:''Just perfect'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A masterpiece'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Probably the best Lincoln Lawyer yet'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A 5 star testament to Connelly''s enduring talent'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐****CRIME DOESN''T COME BETTER THAN CONNELLY:''The pre-eminent detective novelist of his generation''IAN RANKIN''The best mystery writer in the world''GQ''A superb natural storyteller''LEE CHILD''A master''STEPHEN KING''America''s greatest living crime writer''DAILY EXPRESS''One of the great storytellers of crime fiction''SUNDAY TELEGRAPH****Michael Connelly''s RESURRECTION WALK was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 27th May 2024

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Book SynopsisTHE HEART-STOPPING NEW NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR GILLIAN MCALLISTERHow do you choose between right or wrong, family or justice when the crime is so close to home . . .''McAllister stunned me and she will stun you too'' Jodie Picoult ---OLIVIA:22 years old. No history of running away.Last seen on CCTV, entering a dead-end alley.And never emerging.JULIA:Detective Chief Inspector Julia Day ought to be out hunting for Olivia. After all, missing person''s cases are a race against the clock. Only this one is different.Because someone just threatened Julia:Find Olivia, and we''ll take your daughter . . .---''A first-class thriller'' MAIL ON SUNDAY''Jaw-dropping, stunning'' DAILY EXPRESS''A sure-fire hit'' ADELE PARKS''This is McAllister at the height of her powers'' ERIN

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Book SynopsisA forbidden, secret affair proves that all''s fair in love and science - from Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood. Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on; the financial stability she yearned for as a kid; and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down. Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through - and he''s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can''t stop thinking about. The woman who''s off-limits to him. Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business - one that plays for keeps.Real readers are so in love with Not in Love:''Ali Hazelwood''s spiciest book so far...also one of the funniest. The dual pov was really fun! Loved this book!'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Ali never, ever misses! Another incredible book with characters you simply cannot resist falling for...And the spice. Just wow. Absolute perfection!'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''WOW...Intelligent, beautiful, profound in a gentle way, and entertaining from the get-go...I can''t help but think about it days later, I''m obsessed. One of the easiest five stars I have ever given.'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''ALI FINALLY DID DUAL POV!!!...The spice was also *chefs kiss* but there was a good mix of storyline and plot as well...100% recommended to any romance readers out there!'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''I loved this book so much!...I couldn''t drag myself away...An absolutely gorgeous romance, and one I will be rereading and enjoying all over again'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''ATTENTION: I HAVE A NEW FAVOURITE ALI HAZELWOOD BOOK. Not only is this Ali''s spiciest book yet, but it''s so full of heart and growth...Oh and did I mention it''s dual POV?'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Eli and Rue got me GOOD. They were everything to me. But what I loved the most about this story is how fun, fast paced and sexy it was...Perfect, just perfect!'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Ali Hazelwood is a literal mastermind...intriguing, emotional and so good...The tension, chemistry and spice was incredible. Ali truly knocked it out of the park!'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Stem-romance, smut and enemies-to-lovers all in one! Phenomenal'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''The spice was SPICING. I was literally gasping for air...dual pov was such a game changer... Top Tier Ali Hazelwood and a MUST READ'' Real Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐*Ali Hazelwood''s Not in Love was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 15 June 2024.

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Book Synopsis ''Next to impossible to put down . . . exciting, mysterious, and totally satisfying.'' STEPHEN KING *****The islands of Prospera lie in a vast ocean: in splendid isolation from the rest of humanity, or whatever remains of it. . .Surrounded by sun, and sea, and stars, their world is perfect. But every paradise comes at a price.When the truth behind theirs is revealed, it will end a way of life, and start a revolution that will change the course of humanity itself.And it will all begin with one person hearing these simple words:The world is not the world...*****PRAISE FOR THE FERRYMAN:''A mind-bending novel full of big ideas and a rollercoaster''s worth of twists and turns - so powerful and thrilling!'' ANDY WEIR, author of The Martian''All of my sky-high expectations were smashed... Fiction doesn''t get better than this.''<

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Book SynopsisA daring group of women risk it all in this irresistible heist drama. ''Delightfully mischievous'' THE TIMES ''A rip-roaring tale of revenge'' DAILY MAIL''Flawless, lawless fun'' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE---------- UPSTAIRS, MADAM IS PLANNING THE PARTY OF THE SEASON. All eyes are on the grandest house in Mayfair as the countdown to their lavish summer ball begins. Everything must be perfect. But with the chandeliers gleaming and the cellars stocked, loyal housekeeper Mrs King is suddenly dismissed. DOWNSTAIRS, THE SERVANTS ARE PLOTTING THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY. As the clock strikes twelve on the night of the ball, Mrs King will return to strip the house of its riches - right under the nose of her former employer. And she knows just who to recruit to pull off the impossible: a bold alliance of women with nothing left to lose and every reason for revenge.***READER

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Book SynopsisAnn Cleeves is the author of more than thirty-five critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV's Vera, BBC One's Shetland and ITV's The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide.Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of Murder Squad', working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set.

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Book Synopsis‘If you haven’t read Kate Morton before, do yourself a favour’ – Graham Norton, broadcaster and bestselling author of Home StretchA breathtaking mystery of love, lies and a cold case come back to life, Homecoming is an immersive, twisting epic from the bestselling Kate Morton, told with her trademark intricacy and beauty.Adelaide Hills, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, in the grounds of a grand country house, a local man makes a terrible discovery. Police are called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most mystifying murder investigations in the history of Australia.London, 2018. Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for nearly two decades, a phone call summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother, Nora, has suffered a fall and is seriously ill in hospital.Seeking comfort in her past, Jess discovers a true crime book at Nora’s house chronicling a long-buried police case: the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. And within its pages she finds a shocking personal connection to this notorious event – a crime that has never truly been solved.An epic novel that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love and how we protect the lies we tell.Readers love Homecoming by Kate Morton . . .‘Will leave you glued to the very last page’‘Plenty of turns to keep you guessing’‘Heartbreaking, beautifully written and superbly constructed’Trade ReviewHomecoming is Kate Morton at her very best. A lush, rich, beautiful novel, set against the vibrant, immense backdrop of Australia -- Kristin Hannah, bestselling author of Firefly Lane and The Four WindsIf you’re a fan of Kate Morton you will love it. If you haven’t read Kate Morton before, do yourself a favour. It is a treat; it is a big deep-dive, twisty-turny yarn. It is fantastic -- Graham NortonKate Morton is the author who made me fall in love with dual-timescale storylines. An epic novel about a 1959 murder case in South Australia that has never fully been solved, this is one to devour on holiday * Prima *An unsolved murder, a host of family secrets and three generations of women shape Morton's captivating novel. It’s a sweeping yet intimate tale of motherhood and belonging, loss and longing . . . * Mail on Sunday *A historical mystery that weaves themes of love, family and secrets in a Gothic Australian landscape * BBC Radio 4's Open Book *Prepare yourself for a thriller that will chill you to the bone * Woman's Own *An eerie epic . . . There are beautiful descriptions of the region’s landscape and canny insights into the neighborhood’s tight-knit community. This is Morton’s best yet * Publisher's Weekly *In true Kate Morton style, this is an immersive and intricately plotted intergenerational historical mystery that weaves themes of love, family and secrets * Culturefly *

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Book Synopsis**Winner of the 2023 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize**Discover the world as you've never seen it before - through the eyes of animals.'Immersive and mind-blowing' Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of TreesThe Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every animal is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving only a tiny sliver of this world.In An Immense World, Ed Yong coaxes us beyond the confines of our own senses, welcoming us into previously unfathomable dimensions - the world as it is truly perceived by other animals. Showing us that in order to understand our world we don't need to travel to other places; we need to see through other eyes.A NEW YORK TIMES, GUARDIAN, ECONOMIST, SPECTATOR, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT and NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR**Winner of 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction**'Suffused with magic' Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Song of the Cell'A book that prompts awe at the world around us' Sunday TimesSunday Times bestseller, July 2023Trade ReviewStanding out even during a recent golden age of nature writing, Ed Yong dazzles with a deeply considered exploration of the many modes of sensory perception that life has evolved to navigate the world, written with exhilarating freshness * Winner of 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction *[A] wondrous, lustrous, captivating book: Ed Yong's An Immense World... left me awed and stunned - and revolted by humanity's destructive pride and planetary abuse * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *Full of extraordinary discoveries... an encyclopaedic, rigorously researched journey... recasts the world in breath-taking, bewildering immensity * Daily Telegraph *A hymn to the wonders of evolution... fascinating * Mail on Sunday *Yong succeeds in bringing a sense of grandeur to life on every scale * Financial Times *Not just a study of the myriad wonders of the natural world - though wondrous they are - but also a panoramic, complex portrait of the sensory capacities that underpin a multitude of life. ... In uncovering all this, Yong also shows why we should give more thought to our place in the world. * New Statesman, *Best Books of 2022* *An Immense World is an exploration of the ways in which our fellow creatures navigate, understand and interact with one another and their environment through senses. ... The result is so mind-boggling, it's tempting to say 'forget looking in deep space for astonishment'. But let's not do that. Let's continue searching there while also paying better attention to the miracles right under our noses. Yong's marvellous book shows us how. * Spectator, *Best Books of 2022* *This book lifts the shroud on previously invisible dimensions of the world itself * Economist, *Books of the Year* *A magic well of surprising, enlightening discoveries about the sensory worlds of other species... A brilliant book, marvellous and mesmerizing -- Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of BirdsA stunning achievement - steeped in science but suffused with magic -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author The Emperor of All MaladiesA delight... it prompts a radical rethink about the limits of what we know - what the world is, even. It is quite a book. And, I felt, putting it down, quite a world * Sunday Times *I love this book. Reading it is a delightful sensory experience... I truly enjoyed Yong's adventures in Wonderland! * Gaia Vince, author of Transcendence *A journal of discovery and animal magic, a sensory exploration that is a joy to read -- Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid ThiefMagnificent - an unbelievably immersive and mind-blowing account of how other animals experience our world -- Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees and The Inner Life of AnimalsLike stepping into a new kind of Alice in Wonderland. The perfect mixture of revelation, curiosity, science, beautiful prose and buckets full of wonders -- Andrea Wulf, author of The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New WorldA cornucopia of wonders... a fascinating reminder of the humbling truth that most of what happens among life forms on Earth is beyond our ken -- David Quammen, author of SpilloverAn expansive, constantly revelatory exploration of the biosphere's sensorium... Ed Yong is my favourite contemporary science writer -- William Gibson, author of Neuromancer and The PeripheralEvery page finds the reader mouthing quiet whoa's, as the world she thought she knew opens out into a hundred others, improbable, strange, and fabulous. -- Mary Roach, author of Fuzz and StiffAn Immense World took my hand and brought me on a journey I'll never forget. After reading this book, I'll never look at our planet the same way again -- Clint Smith, author of How the Word is PassedA whirlwind tour of animal perceptual abilities. A magnificent book * Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist *

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Book Synopsis'Blissfully funny, staggeringly informative, a joyful companion' Caroline Quentin'Tells the endlessly fascinating tale of Britain's natural history in a way that makes every delicate detail sparkle with life' Charlie Corbett, author of 12 Birds to Save Your LifeWhen we go for a walk, whether in the countryside or city, we pass through landscapes full of natural beauty and curiosities both visible and invisible - but though we might admire the view, or wonder idly about the name of a flower, we rarely have the knowledge to fully engage with what we see. When we do, our sense of place is expanded, our understanding deepened and we can discover richness in even the most everyday stroll. John Wright has been leading forays around Britain for decades. As an expert forager, he shows people how to identify the edible species that abound - but he also reveals the natural history, stories and science behind our surroundings. Here, he takes us with him on eight walks: from verdant forests to wil

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Book Synopsis''Genuinely thought-provoking' THE TIMES''Extraordinary'' WILLIAM BOYDFaulks is an enviably graceful and economical writer' GUARDIANA CHILD WILL BE BORN WHO WILL CHANGE EVERYTHINGTech billionaire Lukas Parn has an ambitious plan. Behind the doors of the IVF clinic in his London institute, a daring switch is made. Young academic Talissa Adam believes she is simply carrying a child for a grateful family, but the baby inside her is different from any living human. The boy, Seth, grows up unaware, though his parents not that he's different: he can't make plans, is unaware of danger and seems to have at least one extra sense. But as Seth becomes a man, the truth about him is revealed and the world starts to hunt him down. [An] unsettling book from one of our most popular novelists; it's also one of his best' FINANCIAL TIMESHis greatest novel yet'' ANTONY BEEVOR<

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Book Synopsis**NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING BLAKE LIVELY AND JUSTIN BALDONI** THE RUNAWAY GLOBAL MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING NOVEL BY COLLEEN HOOVER.  ‘The reigning queen of BookTok’ GUARDIAN ‘One of the most influential voices of the last decade’ ELLE ‘One of the world's most successful writers’ DAILY MAIL  ‘In the future . . . if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again . . . fall in love with me.’ Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life

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