Search results for ""Transworld""

Dublin, 1841. On a cold December morning, a small boy is enticed away from his mother and his throat savagely cut. This could be just one more small, sad death in a city riven by poverty, inequality and political unrest, but this killing causes a public outcry. For it appears the culprit – a feckless student named John Delahunt – is also an informant for the authorities at Dublin Castle. And strangely, this young man seems neither to regret what he did nor fear his punishment. Indeed, as he awaits the hangman in his cell in Kilmainham Gaol, John Delahunt decides to tell his story in this, his final, deeply unsettling statement . . .Based on true events that convulsed Victorian Ireland, The Convictions of John Delahunt is the tragic tale of a man who betrays his family, his friends, his society and, ultimately, himself. Set amidst Dublin’s taverns, tenements, courtrooms and alleyways and with its rich, Dickensian cast of characters, this compelling, at times darkly humorous, novel brilliantly evokes a time and a place, and introduces a remarkable new literary voice.

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The impressively versatile Joanne Harris in her psychological thriller mode, at her darkest and most unsettling. Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Susan Hill, Nicci French and Val McDermid.'A magnificently plotted and twisty journey to the heart of a 24-year-old crime...darkly humorous...constantly wrongfoots and misdirects...up to a satisfyingly eccentric conclusion.' -- Observer'Classy writing, sensitive and moving.' -- The Times'Harris pulls off an impeccable thriller denouement...consistently entertaining.' -- Sunday Times'Just fabulous' -- ***** Reader review'An absolute triumph of a book' -- ***** Reader review'Twists, turns and droll humour - a great read!' -- ***** Reader review'Absorbing' -- ***** Reader review****************************************************************************************************After thirty years at St Oswald's Grammar in North Yorkshire, Latin master Roy Straitley has seen all kinds of boys come and go - the clowns, the rebels, the underdogs, and those he calls his Brodie boys. But every so often there's a boy who doesn't fit the mould. A troublemaker. A boy capable of twisting everything around him. A boy with hidden shadows inside.With insolvency and academic failure looming, a new broom has arrived at the venerable school, bringing Powerpoint, sharp suits and even sixth form girls to the dusty corridors. But while Straitley does his sardonic best to resist this march to the future, a shadow from his past is stirring. A boy who even twenty years on haunts his teacher's dreams. A boy capable of bad things.

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1980s Syria, our young narrator is living a secluded life behind the veil in the vast and perfumed house of her grandparents in Aleppo. Her three aunts, Maryam the pious one; Safaa, the liberal; and the free-spirited Marwa, bring her up with the aid of their ever-devoted blind servant. Soon the high walls of the family home are unable to protect her from the social and political changes outside. Witnessing the crackdowns of the ruling dictatorship against Muslims, she is filled with hatred for her oppressors, and becomes increasingly fundamentalist. In the footsteps of her beloved uncle Bakr, she takes on the party, launching herself into a fight for her religion, her country, and ultimately, her own future.On a backdrop of real-life events that occurred during the Syrian regime’s ruthless suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s, IN PRAISE OF HATRED is a stirring, sensual story. Its elegant use of traditional, layered storytelling is a powerful echo of the modern-day tragedy that is now taking place in the Middle East.

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Sam Harris's first book, The End of Faith, ignited a worldwide debate about the validity of religion. In the aftermath, Harris discovered that most people - from religious fundamentalists to nonbelieving scientists - agree on one point: science has nothing to say on the subject of human values. Indeed, our failure to address questions of meaning and morality through science has now become the primary justification for religious faith.In this highly controversial book, Sam Harris seeks to link morality to the rest of human knowledge. Defining morality in terms of human and animal well-being, Harris argues that science can do more than tell how we are; it can, in principle, tell us how we ought to be. In his view, moral relativism is simply false - and comes at an increasing cost to humanity. And the intrusions of religion into the sphere of human values can be finally repelled: for just as there is no such thing as Christian physics or Muslim algebra, there can be no Christian or Muslim morality. Using his expertise in philosophy and neuroscience, along with his experience on the front lines of our 'culture wars', Harris delivers a game-changing book about the future of science and about the real basis of human cooperation.

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If you laughed and cried reading Anna McPartlin's bestselling story The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes or Alice Oseman's Heartstopper, then Somewhere Inside of Happy will have you smiling and tearful all over again.-----------------'And just like that my boy was gone.'Maisie Brennan is standing on a podium on the twentieth anniversary of the death of her son, trying to find the first breath that will help her start talking to a room full of strangers. A daunting task at the best of times, but she's also menopausal and one hot flush away from totally losing it.But as Maisie begins her story, she soon relaxes and word by word disappears into her past, back to 1st January 1995 – the day when one misunderstood action led to a chain of events that changed her life for ever...

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_____________From the bestselling author of ROMANTIC COMEDY, RODHAM, AMERICAN WIFE and YOU THINK IT, I'LL SAY IT.'Sittenfeld writes girls and women as they truly are, with shades of light and dark, with and without grace, apologetic as well as fearless' GUARDIAN'PREP might just be my favourite book' PANDORA SYKES'Sittenfeld shares with Salinger a knack of capturing, in effortless prose, a teenager mindset' THE TIMES_____________Lee Fiora is a shy fourteen-year-old when she leaves small-town Indiana for a scholarship at Ault, an exclusive boarding school in Massachusetts. Her head is filled with images from the school brochure of handsome boys in sweaters leaning against old brick buildings, girls running with lacrosse sticks across pristine athletics fields, everyone singing hymns in chapel. But as she soon learns, Ault is a minefield of unstated rules and incomprehensible social rituals, and Lee must work hard to find - and maintain - her place in the pecking order._____________'PREP is more than a coming of age story - it's a study of social class ... and Sittenfeld renders it with astonishing deftness and clarity.' JENNIFER EGAN'Straightforward, serious, funny.' London Review of Books'Sharp, caustic and brilliantly observed' Observer

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WINNER OF THE 2015 COSTA NOVEL AWARD AND BESTSELLING LITERARY PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR'Atkinson's finest work, and confirmation that her genre-defying writing continues to surprise and dazzle' ObserverA God in Ruins relates the life of Teddy Todd – would-be poet, heroic World War II bomber pilot, husband, father, and grandfather – as he navigates the perils and progress of the 20th century. For all Teddy endures in battle, his greatest challenge will be to face living in a future he never expected to have. This gripping, often deliriously funny yet emotionally devastating book looks at war – that great fall of Man from grace – and the effect it has, not only on those who live through it, but on the lives of the subsequent generations. It is also about the infinite magic of fiction. Few will dispute that it proves once again that Kate Atkinson is one of the most exceptional novelists of our age.'A dazzling read...ends on one of the most devastating twists in recent fiction' DAILY TELEGRAPH

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Imagine a world where everyone knows everything about everybody. Where 'sharing' is valued above all, and privacy is considered a dangerous perversion.Trafford wouldn't call himself a rebel, but he's daring to be different, to stand out from the crowd. In his own small ways, he wants to push against the system. But in this world, uniformity is everything. And even tiny defiances won't go unnoticed.Ben Elton's dark, savagely comic novel imagines a post-apocalyptic society where religious intolerance combines with a sex-obsessed, utterly egocentric culture. In this world, nakedness is modesty, independent thought subversive, and ignorance is wisdom.A chilling vision of what's to come? Or something rather closer to home?

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Many of us were put off history by the dry and dreary way it was taught at school. Back then 'The Origins of the Industrial Revolution' somehow seemed less compelling than the chance to test the bold claim on Timothy Johnson's 'Shatterproof' ruler.But here at last is a chance to have a good laugh and learn all that stuff you feel you really ought to know by now...In this 'Horrible History for Grown Ups' you can read how Anglo-Saxon liberals struggled to be positive about immigration; 'Look I think we have to try and respect the religious customs of our new Viking friends - oi, he's nicked my bloody ox!'Discover how England's peculiar class system was established by some snobby French nobles whose posh descendents still have wine cellars and second homes in the Dordogne today. And explore the complex socio-economic reasons why Britain's kings were the first in Europe to be brought to heel; (because the Stuarts were such a useless bunch of untalented, incompetent, arrogant, upper-class thickoes that Parliament didn't have much choice.)A book about then that is also incisive and illuminating about now, '2000 Years of Upper Class Idiots in Charge', is an hilarious, informative and cantankerous journey through Britain' fascinating and bizarre history.As entertaining as a witch burning, and a lot more laughs.

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Lots of husbands forget things: they forget that their wife had an important meeting that morning; they forget to pick up the dry cleaning; some of them even forget their wedding anniversary.But Vaughan has forgotten he even has a wife. Her name, her face, their history together, everything she has ever told him, everything he has said to her - it has all gone, mysteriously wiped in one catastrophic moment of memory loss. And now he has rediscovered her - only to find out that they are getting divorced. The Man Who Forgot His Wife is the funny, moving and poignant story of a man who has done just that. And who will try anything to turn back the clock and have one last chance to reclaim his life.

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What makes a nation happy? Is one country's sense of happiness the same as another's? In the last two decades, psychologists and economists have learned a lot about who's happy and who isn't. The Dutch are, the Romanians aren't, and Americans are somewhere in between...After years of going to the world's least happy countries, Eric Weiner, a veteran foreign correspondent, decided to travel and evaluate each country's different sense of happiness and discover the nation that seemed happiest of all. ·He discovers the relationship between money and happiness in tiny and extremely wealthy Qatar (and it's not a good one)·He goes to Thailand, and finds that not thinking is a contented way of life. ·He goes to the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, and discovers they have an official policy of Gross National Happiness!·He asks himself why the British don't do happiness?In Weiner's quest to find the world's happiest places, he eats rotten Icelandic shark, meditates in Bangalore, visits strip clubs in Bangkok and drinks himself into a stupor in Reykjavik. Full of inspired moments, The Geography of Bliss accomplishes a feat few travel books dare and even fewer achieve: to make you happier.

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A year after arriving in France, Englishman Paul West is still struggling with some fundamental questions:_________________What is the best way to scare a gendarme? Why are there no health warnings on French nudist beaches? And is it really polite to sleep with your boss's mistress?In his second comedy of errors, Paul West opens an English tearoom, and mutates (temporarily) into a Parisian waiter.Meanwhile, he continues his search for the perfect French mademoiselle. But will Paul find l'amour éternel, or will it all end in merde?Author's apology: 'I'd just like to say sorry to all the suppository fans out there, because in this book there are no suppositories. There are, however, lots of courgettes, and I see this as progress. Suppositories to courgettes - I think it proves that I'm developing as a writer.' Stephen Clarke

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The second Jackson Brodie novel (after Case Histories): literary crime from the prizewinning, number-one bestselling author of Big Sky and Transcription.'An absolute joy to read...the pleasure of One Good Turn lies in the ride, in Atkinson's wry, unvanquished characters, her swooping, savvy, sarcastic prose and authorial joie de vivre' GuardianIt is summer, it is the Edinburgh Festival. People queuing for a lunchtime show witness a road-rage incident - a near-homicidal attack which changes the lives of everyone involved. Jackson Brodie, ex-army, ex-police, ex-private detective, is also an innocent bystander - until he becomes a murder suspect. As the body count mounts, each member of the teeming Dickensian cast's story contains a kernel of the next, like a set of nesting Russian dolls. They are all looking for love or money or redemption or escape: but what each actually discovers is their own true self.

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This thought-provoking, compulsive novel shows how a simple story has the power to move you in the most extraordinary ways. From Richard & Judy bestselling Catherine Ryan Hyde, perfect for fans of Mark Haddon, Mitch Albom and Alice Sebold.'Hyde's book delivers a profound vision: The simple magic of the human heart' - SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE'The philosophy behind this book is so intriguing, and the optimism so contagious... a book that lingers long after the last page'- DENVER POST'The story is quick read, told with lean sentences and an edge... Hyde pulls off a poignant, gutsy ending without bathos' - LOS ANGELES TIMES*********************************************************************************THE EXTRADORINARY STORY OF A PERFECT IDEA...It all started with the social studies teacher's extra-credit project: Think of an idea for world change, and put it into action.Whilst this proved a little ambitious for most of his classmates, twelve-year-old Trevor thought he would start by doing something good for three people. But instead of paying him back, he would ask them to "pay it forward" by doing a favour for three more people.If it all went to plan, Trevor thought, it would be the start of a long chain of human kindness . . .Sound unlikely to you? Well a lot of other people had their doubts too - Trevor's teacher, his classmates, his mother, in fact everyone in his small California town.It could never really work. . . could it?Now a feature film starring Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey.

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'Imagine a young man on his way to a less-than-thirty-second event - the loss of his left hand, long before he reached middle age.'While reporting a story from India, a New York television journalist has his left hand eaten by a lion; millions of TV viewers witness the accident. In Boston, a renowned hand surgeon awaits the opportunity to perform the nation's first hand transplant. A married woman in Wisconsin wants to give the one-handed reporter her husband's left hand, that is, after her husband dies. But the husband is alive, relatively young, and healthy...

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With old friends like these, who needs enemies? It's a question mild mannered detective Edward Newson is forced to ask himself when, in romantic desperation, he logs on to the Friends Reunited website in search of the girlfriends of his youth. Newson is not the only member of the Class of take back '88 who has been raking over the ashes of the past. As his old class begins to reassemble in cyberspace, the years slip away and old feuds and passions burn hot once more.Meanwhile, back in the present, Newson's life is no less complicated. He is secretly in love with Natasha, his lovely but very attached sergeant, and failing comprehensively to solve a series of baffling and peculiarly gruesome murders. A school reunion is planned and as history begins to repeat itself, the past crashes headlong into the present. Neither will ever be the same again.In Past Mortem, Ben Elton - previous winner of The Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award for Popcorn - delivers both a heart-stopping thriller and a killer comic romance.

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***As dramatised on BBC Radio Four***SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZETHE SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA RICHARD AND JUDY PICK'Written with a wisdom and skill that few authors attain in a lifetime' SUNDAY TIMESStill in her teenage years, Nazneen finds herself in an arranged marriage with a disappointed older man. Away from her Bangladeshi village, home is now a cramped flat in a high-rise block in London's East End. Nazneen knows not a word of English, and is forced to depend on her husband.Confined in her tiny flat, Nazneen sews furiously for a living, shut away with her buttons and linings - until the radical Karim steps unexpectedly into her life. On a background of racial conflict and tension, they embark on a love affair that forces Nazneen finally to take control of her fate.A GRANTA BEST OF BRITISH YOUNG NOVELISTSHORTLISTED FOR THE GUARDIAN FIRST BOOK AWARD'A brilliant evocation of sensuality' DAILY TELEGRAPH'A novel that will last' GUARDIAN'Highly evolved and accomplished' OBSERVERReader's love for BRICK LANE:'Memorable and gripping' *****'The kind of book that changes your perception of the world' *****'This has become a classic and i can see why'*****'Funny, sharp and very touching' *****

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There's no pain, no theatrical agony. No screaming, no shouting. The kill shot is catastrophic and conclusive. I slump silently on to my knees and topple forward, head first, into the dirt. The lads have seen enough death to assume mine is instantaneous. The lights are out. That's him gone.Toby Gutteridge was only 24 when he was shot through the neck while operating behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. He survived despite not breathing for at least 20 minutes. Back in the UK, doctors recommended that his life support machine be switched off, but with the defiant spirit that would define his recovery, Toby pulled through.Now quadriplegic, capable of movement only with his head, Toby has rebuilt his life. His is an extraordinary story of survival against overwhelming odds, and of the power of the human spirit to overcome extreme adversity. Brutally honest and authentic, he builds a compelling picture of the type of person produced by the Special Forces system, and tells of how one split second changed the course of his life forever.Powerful and inspiring, Never Will I Die is a universal story about our search for purpose, and explores what extreme experience teaches us about what truly matters.

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'This is Robert Harris storytelling territory and is told with equal panache and authenticity. There could be no higher praise.' Daily MailOne the least known but most terrifying moments in modern history - when the fate of the world lay with a lone, nervous Soviet naval officer one hundred meters under the Caribbean sea - lies at the heart of this breathtaking new Cold War thriller from the author of the acclaimed Black Sun.The year is 1962, and KGB Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vasin is searching for ghosts: for evidence of the long-rumoured existence of an American spy embedded at the highest echelons of Soviet power. But it's while on this wild goose chase, a high-stakes espionage race against a rival State agency, that Vasin first hears whispers of an ominous top-secret undertaking: Operation Anadyr. As tensions flare between Nikita Khrushchev and President Kennedy over Russian missiles hidden in Cuba, four Soviet submarines - each carrying tactical ballistic missiles armed with thermonuclear warheads - are ordered to make a covert run at the U.S. blockade in the Caribbean . . .

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The queen of feel-good Christmas fiction returns with a snowy adventure to Canada!'If you love a rugged hero, a heroine you can relate to, a warm romantic story and a bit of armchair travel, Countdown to Christmas is for you!' Katie Fforde'It just wouldn't be Christmas without Jo's book in your stocking!' Jill Mansell-----------------------------------Chloe can't wait for Christmas . . . to be over! Her son Ruben is staying with his dad and Chloe is planning to ignore the holidays altogether. Her only festive touch is her son's advent calendar, to help count down the days till he's home again.But a surprise call changes everything. Chloe might be the unexpected owner of some land in Canada! Surely, it's a scam. Or could it be just the escape she needs right now? Ruben's latest note in the advent calendar tells her to 'say yes!'In a flash, Chloe's new countdown to Christmas involves a log cabin in the middle of a snowy forest, a community that's worried for its future, a gruff lumberjack who gives her butterflies and a lot of pancakes with maple syrup . . .For a happy Christmas read full of romance and festive surprises, choose Jo Thomas.Readers love Jo's books:'Bursting with flavour, adventure and romance' Ruth Jones'Jo sweeps you away to a better place with every book, which are always filled with warmth, love and a big spoonful of happiness' Veronica Henry'Sparkling, romantic, magical - and delicious' Milly Johnson

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Sometimes you just need to get away...'Warm and life-enhancing, I wanted to move to Spain with these wonderful characters' Katie Fforde'A fabulous read celebrating the good things in life - fun, friends, family and food' Jill MansellFrom the bestselling author of Escape to the French Farmhouse comes a deliciously feel-good new story...Eliza has a full house! When her three children grew up and moved out, she downsized to a smaller property... but now they're all back. Every room in the house is taken and Eliza finds herself sharing her bed with her eldest daughter and her daughter's pug. Combined with the online course she's trying to finish, plus her job to fit in, there just isn't the peace and quiet that Eliza needs.So when an ad pops up on her laptop saying 'house-sitters wanted', Eliza can't resist the chance to escape. She ends up moving to a rural finca in southern Spain, looking after the owner's Iberico pigs, learning about secret gastronomic societies ... and finding a new zest for life and love along the way.-------------------------------------Readers have fallen in love with Retreat to the Spanish Sun'Perfect for a summer holiday read''You'll be craving tapas, Flamenco and the southern Spanish sun after reading this 5-star book''A lovely read from Jo Thomas, her books never fail to make me happy''A lovely, warm and sunny read''Fabulous location, delicious descriptions of food & drink & wonderful characters, an all round feel-good book'If you love Jo's books, her newest summer novel, Summer at the Ice Cream Cafe, is available now!

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'Humour, toughness, resolution and generosity are Cookson virtues . . . In the specialised world of women's popular fiction, Cookson has created her own territory.' - Helen Dunmore, The TimesEveryone, including her family, thought Ward Gibson would marry Daisy Mason. So, when a music hall singer captures his heart instead there's hell to pay... Because of his betrayal, his family must face a series of reprisals... one so terrible it cannot go unanswered. A dark and twisting novel that follows Ward's journey and the succeeding generations. Catherine Cookson was the original and bestselling saga writer, selling over 100 million copies of her novels. If you like Dilly Court, Katie Flynn or Donna Douglas, you'll love Catherine Cookson.

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Captivated by the hit ITV true crime drama DES? Uncover the truth behind the trial of Rosemary West, another of Britain's most infamous serial killers.'Anyone reading this brilliant book will wonder whether justice was really done.' Evening StandardIn 1994, Frederick West was arrested and accused of murdering twelve young women. But it was the trial of his wife, Rosemary West, that became Britain's serial-killer trial of the century...Detained for the murder of the twelve women found at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, Frederick West hung himself on New Year's Day 1995. The case had enraged the nation, and the subsequent trial of Rosemary for the same crimes caused a media sensation.How are ordinary human beings driven to become serial killers? How did this psychopath ensnare so many women? And how much was Rosemary truly involved?Brian Masters attended the Rosemary West trial on a daily basis. In "She Must Have Known" he produces a penetrating study of the sexual obsession that led to a series of horrifying and measured killings, ultimately leaving the reader to make up their own mind on the guilt of Rosemary West._______________________'By far the most interesting book on the subject... profound and illuminating.' Sunday Telegraph'Another serious, compelling account of a serial killer.' The Sunday Times'A classic of criminological literature.' SpectatorWhat readers are saying:***** 'Brave and compelling and beautifully written. And it will certainly make you pause to think.'***** 'I am grateful for the existence of writers like Brian Masters . . . This is an excellent book.'***** 'Gives you the opportunity to consider the evidence against Rose West as a juror would rather than as a tabloid reader.'

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From the author of the BBC 2 Between the Covers hit, The Fine Art of Invisible Detection'The world's greatest storyteller' Guardian'One of the finest crime writers of any generation' Daily Mail'Our finest practitioner of the double-cross plotting' Mick Herron______________________________________Umiko Wada never set out to be a private detective, let alone become the one-woman operation behind the Kodaka Detective Agency. But so it has turned out, thanks to the death of her former boss, Kazuto Kodaka, in mysterious circumstances.Keen to avoid a similar fate, Wada chooses the cases she takes very carefully. A businessman who wants her to track down his estranged son offers what appears to be a straightforward assignment. Soon she finds herself pulled into a labyrinthine conspiracy with links to a twenty-seven-year-old investigation by her late employer and to the chaos and trauma of the dying days of the Second World War.As Wada uncovers a dizzying web of connections between then and now, it becomes clear that someone has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep the past buried. Soon those she loves most will be sucked into the orbit of one of the most powerful men in Tokyo. And he will do whatever it takes to hold on to his power...The Fine Art of Uncanny Prediction is another tour de force from the cunning mind of master storyteller Robert Goddard. Spanning seventy years, it takes the reader on a head-spinning journey of twist and counter-twist which keep you guessing until the final pages.__________________________________Readers love the Umiko Wada series:***** 'Guaranteed and satisfying escapism'***** 'Twists and turns right up to the last page'***** 'Edge-of-the-seat stuff'***** 'Fresh and inventive'***** 'The master of twists and suspense ... sublime'***** 'Scintillating and wickedly twisty'

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_________'WE ARE LIVERPOOL - THIS MEANS MORE.' JÜRGEN KLOPPAllez Allez Allez is the inside account of Liverpool FC during the Klopp era, including the 2018/19 campaign which saw the club compete in the most gripping Premier League title race in history and become Champions of Europe for the sixth time.Featuring access to management, players and staff, Allez Allez Allez explains how Liverpool have emerged from what Jürgen Klopp described as the “depression” of 2015 to achieve feats that have eluded an entire generation of supporters.Through original research and exclusive interviews, Simon Hughes takes readers into Melwood, the club’s training ground, and behind the dressing room door. He takes them to Chapel Street, where the club’s business is determined, and to America, where it is owned. He takes them into Anfield, where many of the most important moments are defined, and he takes them on to the pitches of the Premier League and the Champions League, as we revisit how Liverpool stormed their way to the top of the Premier League this season.

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‘A hugely entertaining debut with a shocker of an ending’ Emma Curtis, bestselling author of One Little MistakeThree women walk in to the dinner, but only two will leave. Sixteen years ago, best friends Nancy, Georgia and Lila committed a terrible crime. They have never spoken about it. But now, in their thirties, one of them wants to talk.One word and everything could be ruined: their lives, their careers, their relationships. It's up to Georgia to call a crisis dinner. But the evening does not go as planned. Only two women survive the night.Murder isn’t so difficult the second time around…***Authors love Perfect Liars...‘Skilfully done – Rebecca Reid is a master of building tension and Perfect Liars had me gripped throughout. I’ll never approach dinner with friends in the same way again…’ Phoebe Morgan, author of The Doll House'Despicable protagonists, despicable victim, I adored every second of it.' Sarah J Naughton, author of Tattle Tale'Disturbing and brilliant. A very refreshing psychological suspense novel and an outstanding debut.' Lauren North, author of The Perfect Betrayal***Rebecca Reid’s latest novel Truth Hurts is out now

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'Atmospheric, informative and flawlessly plotted' The Sunday Times'Riveting...with style and energy, evocative scene-setting and strong characterisation' Financial Times_____________________________A man in search of his son.An agent on the run from his past.A country on the verge of revolution... Nothing good ever comes from a midnight phone call, especially from Downing Street. For washed-up spy Harry Tower, it is the worst news at the worst possible time. His son, Sean, has gone missing in troubled Iran after writing an exposé about government corruption.Their relationship has never recovered since Harry's wife's suicide, for which Sean holds his father responsible. And Harry, with his career on the verge of disintegration, needs to find him and put things right.When Harry arrives in Tehran, he finds a city on the cusp of revolution. Foreign powers are jockeying for influence, money and, most importantly, oil. The CIA are conspiring to undermine the government with an impending coup, and there are dark mutterings about opium smuggling. But the reasons for Sean's disappearance may be even more sinister than Harry first suspected.Before long, he is on the run - not only from a faceless enemy, but from his own past. Which will catch up with him first?Yesterday's Spy is Tom Bradby at his very best, delivering a cunning espionage novel rich in intrigue and history that will keep you guessing until the final pages._____________________________Readers are loving Yesterday's Spy'His telling of fiction is as good as his telling of the news on TV!' *****'A very enjoyable book and a real page turner' *****'Writing that seems not just plausible but frighteningly real' *****_____________________________Praise for Tom Bradby'A gripping thriller' Sunday Times'Enthralling and fast-moving' Daily Mail'Teems with twists...imaginative and unexpected' The Times'Cracking' Financial Times'An all-too-plausible premise' Observer

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At only thirteen, Mikey Quinn is arrested for stealing a rabbit to feed his family. Despite his age, he’s shown no mercy by the wealthy lawyer who sends him to prison. He returns home to find that his mother has died and his younger siblings taken into the workhouse. With only his determination, Mikey makes his way to London to seek a better life for his family. Whilst there, he meets Eleanor who he recognises as the daughter of the lawyer who ruined his life. Desperate, they band together forging a new life for themselves on the streets of London. Overlooking their initial differences, the two come to rely on each other and, when the time comes to return to Hull, they face the long walk home together.

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AS RECOMMENDED BY PHILIPPA PERRY IN THE GUARDIAN:'This is about learning what adaptations you may unconsciously have built up throughout your life and how much easier it is to connect after we have let those defences go'Have you ever met someone who seems to get their way in every conversation they have? This book explains why. From the multimillion-bestselling author of GAMES PEOPLE PLAY and one of the godfathers of modern psychology, perfect for fans of Philippa Perry, Dale Carnegie and James Clear.'More interesting and ambitious than his best-selling "Games People Play,"... the primary virtue of Berne's descriptions is... their comprehensibility and accessibility. Eric Berne has [offered] therapy to many thousands and [provided] advice and counsel to millions more.' - NEW YORK TIMESWhat Readers are saying:***** - 'This book changed my life; reading it helped me to identify the life scripts that I was unconsciously following.'***** - 'With almost every page my understanding of human conversation improved by an insane amount.'***** - 'If you want to communicate well and to understand yourself - and other people - better, you ab-so-lu-te-ly need to read Eric Berne.'*******************************************************************************This book explains what makes the winners win, the losers lose, and the in-betweens so boring...In it, Dr Eric Berne reveals how everyone's life follows a predetermined script - a script they compose for themselves during early childhood.The script may be a sad one, it may be a successful one; it decides how a person will relate to his colleagues, what sort of person he will marry, how many children he will have, and even what sort of bed he will die in...What Do You Say After You Say Hello? demonstrates how each life script gets written, how it works and, more important, how anyone can improvise or change his script to make a happy ending...

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--------------------------'One of the freshest, funniest, most exciting new voices I’ve read for a long time' JANE FALLON'Fresh and funny and REAL ... Martha really spoke to me. She will steal everyone's heart!' VERONICA HENRY'Beautifully written and emotionally intelligent. I rooted for Martha from the start.' Daily MailMeet Martha Ross. She dreams of being a singer, but she’s been working in a call centre for far too long. She’s separating from her husband, the father of her son. And she’s moving back home to her parents’ as a single mum, toddler in tow.Life has thrown her a few lemons . . . but Martha intends to make a gin and tonic. It’s time to become the woman she’s always wanted to be. And at least her mum’s on hand to provide childcare – and ample motherly judgement, of course.Soon Martha realises that in order to find lasting love and fulfilment, she needs to find herself first . . . But her attempts at reinvention – from writing a definitive wish list of everything she wants in a new man, to half-marathons, business plans and meditation retreats – tend to go awry in the most surprising of ways . . . A warm, vibrant and painfully funny novel for fans of Why Mummy Drinks, Fiona Gibson and Lucy Vine. *Also published as The Reinvention of Martha Ross*

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AS SEEN ON CHANNEL 5 Heartwarming true stories from Channel 5's The Dog Rescuers, the RSPCA's tireless team of expert officers who save the lives of dogs in peril, return them to health and help them to find their forever homes.As a nation, we're big fans of man's best friend. Nearly a quarter of all British homes own a dog. Sadly, not all of them receive the love and care they deserve and some dogs are neglected or, worse, abused. Enter Channel 5's The Dog Rescuers. Every day, these dedicated and passionate RSPCA inspectors - like Anthony Joynes - contend with dog owners' abandonment and misuse of their pets, and spring into action on behalf of dogs in trouble, returning them to health, happiness and a loving new home. This collection of heartbreaking but ultimately heartwarming tales follows the likes of puppy Clover, who suffered damage to her face and lips, and Flint, the Lurcher who'd been used for badger baiting and lost most of his tail. When all seems lost, the RSPCA's dog rescuers are on hand, providing vital support to get Clover, Flint and friends the help they need and into forever families so that they don't just survive, they thrive.

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__________When single mum Joanna hears a rumour at the school gates, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another and now there's no going back . . .Rumour has it that a notorious child killer is living under a new identity, in their sleepy little town of Flinstead-on-Sea.Sally McGowan was just ten years old when she stabbed little Robbie Harris to death forty-eight years ago - no photos of her exist since her release as a young woman.So who is the supposedly reformed killer who now lives among them? How dangerous can one rumour become? And how far will Joanna go to protect her loved ones from harm, when she realizes what it is she's unleashed?__________'Everyone is going to be talking about The Rumour. An intriguing premise, a creeping sense of dread, and a twist you won't see coming!' Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door.Readers can't stop talking about The Rumour:***** 'So good ... The twist is amazing and really caught me out.' ***** 'Downloaded it last night before bed and have stayed up all night reading it! Could not put it down. ***** 'I couldn't devour this book quickly enough ... The surprises didn't stop til the very last page.'IF YOU'VE ALREADY DEVOURED THE RUMOUR THEN LOOK OUT FOR THE DARE, THE CAPTIVATING NEW THRILLER FROM LESLEY KARA. **OUT NOW!**

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___________________'Deeply personal and blisteringly powerful.’ Tom Marcus, author of SOLDIER SPYThe incredible true story of life as a London firefighter. What is it really like to be a firefighter? How does it feel to respond to an emergency call, to know that someone's life hangs in the balance and every second is critical?Into the Fire offers an unforgettable insight into the highs and lows of life in the fire service. Chronicling his thirteen-year career in the London Fire Brigade, Edric Kennedy-Macfoy takes us with him from his training days as a new recruit to his very first fire; from call-outs to cannabis farms, chemical spills and trapped swans to the devastating scenes of road traffic collisions, the Croydon tram derailment and the Grenfell Tower fire.Heart-breaking, deeply personal and at times hilarious, this is his remarkable story.

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Seven-year-old Hanna has never spoken a word.She is a sweet but silent angel in the eyes of her adoring father, but with Mummy, things are different. Suzette loves her daughter but difficulties with babysitters and teachers over the years have put a strain on their relationship and her sanity. Then Hanna speaks for the first time, to Suzette alone, and what she says is chilling. Suzette wants to write it off as a scary joke, but she’s becoming increasingly frightened by Hanna's little games. Could she be in danger from her own child? And when it's her word against her daughter's, can she make her husband believe her?Bad Apple is a blazing debut novel about a perfect-looking family – where sweetness can be deceptive.Fans of BEHIND HER EYES, DAUGHTER or GOOD ME, BAD ME will love this page-turning story of dark domestic suspense."Unnerving and unputdownable, BABY TEETH will get under your skin and keep you trapped in its chilling grip until the shocking conclusion." New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline"Gone Girl meets The Omen… a twisty delicious read" Entertainment Weekly

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In late August of 2011, Shahbaz Taseer was driving to his office in Lahore, Pakistan when he was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a Taliban-affiliated terrorist group.Just seven months earlier, his father, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab Province, had been shot dead by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws.For almost five years Shahbaz was held captive, moved ever-deeper into the lawless Hindu Kush, frequently tortured and forced to endure extreme cruelty, his fate resting on his kidnappers' impossible demands and the uneasy alliances between his captors and the Taliban and ISIS.Lost to the World is the remarkable true story of Taseer's time in captivity, and of his astonishing escape. It is a story of extraordinary faith, bravery and sorrow, with moments of kindness and humour offering a hopeful light in the dark years of his imprisonment. By turns immensely personal and surprisingly universal, Shahbaz Taseer's story is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit.

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What value can be put on a human mind?How Joe Roberts does what he does is a mystery. He has a brain that seems able to outperform a computer. To a games company like Venstrom that promises big profits if his abilities can be properly exploited. So they send Nicole Nevinson to track him down and make him an offer too good to refuse.But Venstrom aren’t the only people interested in Joe. His current boss, a shady businessman, is already making serious money out of Joe’s talents and isn’t going to let him go without a fight. And then there are other forces, with still darker intentions, who have their own plans for him.Almost before she knows it, Nicole’s crossed an invisible line into a world where the game being played has rules she doesn’t understand and where no-one can help her win.But win she must. Because the battle now isn’t just for Joe’s mind, it’s for Nicole’s life.

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AS FEATURED ON BBC RADIO 2: 'Properly gripping' Romesh RanganathanTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from the number one bestselling author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR.'Crafted like a vintage Christie and just as tense, this will be a smash hit.' Heat'Tense. Unpredictable. Unputdownable. Shari Lapena's novels are domestic noir at its finest.' Simon Kernick ____________________We can't choose the strangers we meet.As the guests arrive at beautiful, remote Mitchell's Inn, they're all looking forward to a relaxing weekend deep in the forest, miles from anywhere. They watch their fellow guests with interest, from a polite distance.Usually we can avoid the people who make us nervous, make us afraid.With a violent storm raging, the group finds itself completely cut off from the outside world. Nobody can get in - or out. And then the first body is found . . . and the horrifying truth comes to light. There's a killer among them - and nowhere to run.Until we find ourselves in a situation we can't escape. Trapped. ____________________READERS LOVE SHARI LAPENA:***** 'Best book I've read in ages' ***** 'On the edge of my seat to the end'***** 'Had me hooked from start to finish'***** 'Incredibly readable and unputdownable'***** 'I haven't picked up a book in 9 years and I'm so glad that I picked this up! I loved it.'OUT NOW the new Sunday Times bestseller from Shari Lapena: THE END OF HER

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This is the call he is always ready for. They’ve had word of a planned attack. That’s why he’s back here, opposite some suit who’s trying to tell him what he needs to do. But he knows exactly what’s required.Four men. Plain clothes. Eyes peeled.Three targets. Two cases. One car.Gibraltar isn’t an ideal location. Too many people. Too many blind alleys. But then again, he’s not the terrorist. Who knows what goes through their minds? Well, he will soon. If everything goes to plan.

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From being transported by the sound of 'True Love' by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly on the radio, as a small child living in condemned housing in ungentrified West London in the late 1950s, to going out to work as a postman humming 'Watching the Detectives' by Elvis Costello in 1977, Alan Johnson's life has always had a musical soundtrack. In fact music hasn't just accompanied his life, it's been an integral part of it.In the bestselling and award-winning tradition of This Boy, In My Life vividly transports us to a world that is no longer with us - a world of Dansettes and jukeboxes, of heartfelt love songs and heart-broken ballads, of smoky coffee shops and dingy dance halls. From Bob Dylan to David Bowie, from Lonnie Donnegan to Bruce Springsteen, all of Alan's favourites are here. As are, of course, his beloved Beatles, whom he has worshipped with undying admiration since 1963.But this isn't just a book about music. In My Life adds a fourth dimension to the story of Alan Johnson the man.

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'With typical razor-sharp wit and candour, Paul tells of his rise to fame as Lily Savage . . . Riveting.' Daily MirrorFrom Britain's most beloved TV star, Open the Cage, Murphy is an action-packed roller-coaster ride through a decade of Paul O'Grady's life, stuffed full to the gunwales with hilarious stories, extreme situations and outrageous one-liners.A must read for any Paul O'Grady fan, Open the Cage, Murphy follows his brilliant comic creation Lily Savage as she embraces success and world domination beckons.From being involved in a plane crash, to getting caught up in the LA riots and a close encounter with Madonna, the stories come thick and fast. Paul takes us with him to a gay-themed weekend in Butlin's in Skegness, on a rowdy tour with Prisoner Cell Block H - the Musical and into the depths of the Australian rainforest, where he befriends a rare bird that can disembowel a man with a single kick. The dramatis personae include a family of dolphins, Charlton Heston and the ghost of Joan of Arc - and there's a starring role for a certain remarkable dog, Buster Elvis Savage.But whether he's writing about star-studded Hollywood parties, the devastating loss of close friends to AIDS, or late night shenanigans at the end of Blackpool Pier, Paul's wit and humanity never desert him.Open the Cage, Murphy is a genuine delight - all the more so for being delightfully genuine.Readers love Open the Cage, Murphy!' I couldn't put it down . . . Paul comes across as a very intelligent man . . . with a heart of gold under that naughty exterior.' *****'This is such a great read, Paul is excellent when describing things makes you feel as though you are there with him. His humour warmth and caring comes out in abundance.' *****'An excellent read. He takes you through the highs and lows of his life, you laugh and cry with him.' *****

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'One of the finest crime writers of any generation' Daily Mail'He's the high priest of plot ... deftly woven, but also beautifully written ... I loved it' Mel Giedroyc_______________________________Umiko Wada has recently had quite enough excitement in her life. With her husband recently murdered and a mother who seems to want her married again before his body is cold, she just wants to keep her head down.As a secretary to a private detective, her life is pleasingly uncomplicated, filled with coffee runs, diary management and paperwork.That is, until her boss takes on a new case. A case which turns out to be dangerous enough to get him killed. A case which means Wada will have to leave Japan for the first time and travel to London.Following the only lead she has, Wada quickly realises that being a detective isn't as easy as the television makes out. And that there's a reason why secrets stay buried for a long time. Because people want them to stay secret. And they're prepared to do very bad things to keep them that way...A pulse-pounding, breathless crime thriller, perfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz's Hawthorne series, Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike series and LJ Ross's Alexander Gregory thrillers.The new Umiko Wada novel from Robert Goddard, THE FINE ART OF UNCANNY PREDICTION, is available now._______________________________What readers are saying:'5 stars''Guaranteed and satisfying escapism''Edge-of-the-seat stuff''The master of twists and suspense... sublime'

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‘Meth, murder and pirates: the coder who became a crime boss. A world that lurks just outside of our everyday perception, in the dark corners of the internet we never visit’ – WiredThe Mastermind tells the incredible true story of Paul Le Roux, the frighteningly powerful creator of a twenty-first century cartel, and the decade-long global manhunt that finally brought his empire to its knees.Le Roux’s business evolved from an online prescription drug network into a sprawling multinational conglomerate engaged in almost every conceivable aspect of criminal mayhem. All tied together with encryption programs so advanced that government agencies were unable to break them.Tracing Le Roux’s vast wealth and his shadowy henchmen around the world, award-winning journalist Evan Ratliff spent four years piecing together this intricate network. His investigation reveals a dark parable of ambition and greed, and exposes a new age of crime in which a reclusive entrepreneur can build an empire in the shadows of our networked world.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe gripping true story of the undercover agent risking his life to fight terrorismTheir aim was to kill as many people as possible.His mission was to stop them.A terrorist plot to kill hundreds of innocent people. An undercover agent posing as a wealthy Al-Qaeda sympathiser.A race against time to gain the terrorists’ trust and bring them down. Before it’s too late…In the aftermath of 9/11, long-time undercover FBI agent Tamer Elnoury joined an elite counterterrorism unit. Its mission: to infiltrate terror cells, gain detailed knowledge of their networks and bring them successfully to justice. Writing under a pseudonym, Tamer Elnoury here tells the hair-raising true story of life undercover, risking his life to keep us safe.

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'James Holland is a master' BBC HistoryIt was to be the battle to end the air war once and for all.During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and at the same time draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Big Week is the knife-edge story of bomber against flak gun and fighter, but also, crucially, fighter against fighter. Following the fortunes of pilots and aircrew from both sides, this is a blistering narrative of one of the most critical periods of the entire war. Big Week was the largest air battle ever witnessed, but it has been largely forgotten – until now.

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In the summer of 1972, during a compulsory stint in the South African military, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman heard the music that would forever change his life. A decade later, on yet another military base, Craig Bartholomew Strydom heard the same music. It would have a profound effect. Who was this folk singer who resonated with South Africa's youth? No one could say. All that anyone knew was his name - Rodriguez - and the fact that he had killed himself on stage after reading his own epitaph.After many years of searching in a pre-internet age, Strydom with support from Segerman found the musician not dead but alive and living in seclusion in Detroit. Even more remarkable was the fact that Rodriguez, no longer working as a musician and struggling to eke out a blue-collar existence, had no idea that he had been famous for over 25 years in a remote part of the world...

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**Don't miss Emma Hornby's gripping new wartime saga, A DAUGHTER'S WAR - out now**----------------------------Fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin and Maggie Hope will love Emma Hornby.After a cold, hard winter on the streets, three orphan children are about to give up hope when an unexpected turn of events brings them to the doorstep of a grand house in Ardwick, Manchester.Taken in by the firm but kind-hearted cook, the young friends can hardly believe their luck. But behind Bracken House's impressive façade lies a household steeped in troubles and mystery, with residents above and below stairs battling their own demons and dark secrets.Not everyone is happy about the new arrivals, and soon the orphans' safety is in danger. If they want to stay in the first home any of them have known for years, they must unravel the past and bring hope to the future. Will they succeed? Or will they come to regret ever leaving the mean slum streets they once called home?Emma Hornby's page-turning, absorbing sagas will tug at your heartstrings.----------------------------Readers love Emma Hornby:'Similar to Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, Emma Hornby tells a brilliant story that will keep you guessing with twists and turns. Pure talent.''Emma Hornby's books just keep getting better and better. Honest, gritty, lovely characters.''Keep writing Emma, you are very talented and can't wait for your next book. I've read them all.''Emma is a wonderful storyteller and I can't wait for the next one!''Thank you again Emma Hornby for a captivating read''Another beautifully written story by Emma Hornby'

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FREDERICK FORSYTH HAS SEEN IT ALL. AND LIVED TO TELL THE TALE…At eighteen, Forsyth was the youngest pilot to qualify with the RAF.At twenty-five, he was stationed in East Berlin as a journalist during the Cold War.Before he turned thirty, he was in Africa controversially covering the bloodiest civil war in living memory.Three years later, broke and out of work, he wrote his game-changing first novel, The Day of the Jackal. He never looked back.Forsyth has seen some of the most exhilarating moments of the last century from the inside, travelling the world, once or twice on her majesty’s secret service. He’s been shot at, he’s been arrested, he’s even been seduced by an undercover agent. But all the while he felt he was an outsider. This is his story.

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A shocking exposé of Volkswagen’s fraud by the New York Times reporter who covered the scandal.Updated with a New Afterword by the Author.When news of Volkswagen’s clean diesel fraud first broke in September 2015, it sent shockwaves around the world. Overnight, the company long associated with quality, reliability and trust became a universal symbol of greed and deception. Consumers were outraged, investors panicked, the company embarrassed and facing bankruptcy.As lawsuits and criminal investigations piled up, by August 2016 VW had settled with American regulators and car-owners for $15 billion, with additional fines and claims still looming.In Faster, Higher, Farther, Jack Ewing rips the lid off the scandal. He describes VW’s rise from “the people’s car” during the Nazi era to one of Germany’s most prestigious and important global brands, touted for being “green.” He paints vivid portraits of Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch and chief executive Martin Winterkorn, arguing that their unremitting ambition drove employees, working feverishly in pursuit of impossible sales targets, to illegal methods.With unprecedented access to key players and a ringside seat during the course of the legal proceedings, Faster, Higher, Farther reveals how the succeed-at-all-costs culture prevalent in modern boardrooms led to one of corporate history’s farthest-reaching cases of fraud—with potentially devastating consequences.As the future of one of the world’s biggest companies remains uncertain, this is the extraordinary story of Volkswagen’s downfall.

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