Search results for ""MACMILLAN""

One Good Thing is the heartwarming, hilarious alternative love story, from the internationally bestselling author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up, Alexandra Potter'A joyful, wholly unpredictable love story' - Woman's OwnIn life, nothing is certain. Just when you think you have it all figured out, something can happen to change the course of everything . . .Liv Brooks is still in shock. Newly-divorced and facing an uncertain future, she impulsively swaps her London Life for the sweeping hills of the Yorkshire Dales, determined to make a fresh start. But fresh starts are harder than they look and feeling lost and lonely she decides to adopt Harry, an old dog from the local shelter, to keep her company.But Liv soon discovers she isn’t the only one in need of a new beginning. On their daily walks around the village, they meet Valentine, an old man who suffers from loneliness who sits by the window and Stanley, a little boy who is scared of everyone, hides behind the garden gate and Maya, a teenager who is angry at everyone and everything. But slowly things start to change . . .Utterly relatable, hilarious and heart-breakingly honest, this is a novel about friendship, finding happiness and living the life unexpected. And how when everything falls apart, all you need is one good thing to turn your life around and make it worth living again.

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Push, pull and slide the tabs to take part in the Busy Sports Day! Pass the baton, toss a bean bag and keep your egg on the spoon, before collecting a medal at the end of the day. Young children will love playing with this bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Louise Forshaw, which is part of the popular Busy Book series.Little ones can enjoy more adventures in this tactile series with Busy Park, Busy Playtime, and Busy Swimming.

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Happiness is an uplifting novel about the choices we must make to find the life we want, from billion-copy bestselling author Danielle Steel.After a dark and unhappy childhood and two failed marriages where love was rarely felt, bestselling thriller author Sabrina Brooks has finally found the life she’s always craved. Her writing, her close circle of friends, and her beautiful home in the Massachusetts Berkshire Mountains are all that she needs to be happy and at peace.However, Sabrina’s perfect life is disrupted when a mysterious letter informs her that she is now the sole heir to her recently deceased uncle’s title and manor house in Hampshire. Determined to sell, Sabrina is forced to cross the Atlantic and see the property for herself.But Sabrina’s visit to England takes a very different turn. She learns more about her family history – and the secrets her father kept from her. She starts to fall in love with the

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Set in present-day New York, The Whittiers is a heartwarming story about the importance of family, home and being true to yourself, from the world’s favourite author Danielle Steel.Connie and Preston Whittier raised their six children in a once-grand Manhattan mansion. The children are now adults, but the house remains the heart of the family and somewhere they all love to return to, particularly in times of stress. But on Connie and Peter’s annual skiing holiday in Europe, an avalanche hits their resort, resulting in tragedy.In every family, each member has their own personal struggles. The Whittiers are no exception. Lyle is successful but has an unhappy marriage. Gloria is a genius on Wall Street but lonely. Twins Caroline and Charlie work all hours on their growing fashion brand, but have no time to enjoy life and discover who they really are. Benjie has personal challenges and requires additional support. And rebellious Annabelle has fallen in with a bad crowd.The future of the family – and also their home – is now in question. The house is a refuge providing comfort but each of them will learn that, to move forward and face their challenges, they must be true to themselves and come together to support one another.

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Moomintroll and all his family and friends are back in Return to Moominvalley, based on the stunning award-winning 3D animation.Join the Moomins as they journey to a mysterious island, meet the Hobgoblin and his extraordinary hat, and encounter a magical mural. Meanwhile, Snufkin, Mrs Fillyjonk, Mymble and the others gather in the Moominhouse to wait for the family to come back to Moominvalley . . . Illustrated throughout with gorgeous full-colour art from the acclaimed animation, Return to Moominvalley is the third storybook in the collection, based on episodes from Moominvalley series 2. The eight stories introduce beloved characters including Thingumy & Bob, Toffle, and the Lighthouse Keeper, and retell some of Tove Jansson’s most popular Moomin tales including Finn Family Moomintroll, Moominpappa at Sea and the masterfully poignant Moominvalley in November. Bursting with adventure and full of the Moomins’ trademark humour, kindness and tolerance, this beautiful collection of stories captures all the wit and whimsy of Tove Jansson’s original Moomin stories and is sure to be treasured by Moomin fans old and new.

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In Secrets at Bletchley Park by Margaret Dickinson, two young women from very different backgrounds meet in the Second World War and are plunged into a life where security and discretion are paramount. But both have secrets of their own to hide . . .In 1929, life for ten-year-old Mattie Price, born and raised in the back streets of Sheffield, is tough. But Mattie’s neighbours and teachers recognize that the girl is clever beyond her years and they are determined that she shall have the opportunity in life she deserves.Victoria Hamilton, living in the opulence of London’s Kensington, has all the material possessions that a young girl could want. But Victoria's mother lives her life in the social whirl of upper-class society, leaving Victoria in the care of her governess and the servants. At eleven years old, Victoria is sent to boarding school where, for the first time in her young life, she is able to make friends of her own age.Mattie and Victoria are both set on a path that will bring them together at Bletchley Park in May 1940. Together they will face the rest of the war keeping the nation’s secrets and helping to win the fight. But keeping secrets is second nature to both of them . . .

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Push, pull and slide the tabs to help the Busy Ambulance on its way! Join the ambulance crew as they hurry to an accident before racing to hospital, with flashing lights and a noisy siren.Young children will love playing with this bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Louise Forshaw, which is part of the popular Busy Book series. Discover more of the Busy Book series with titles such as Busy Fire Station, Busy Builders, and Busy Town.

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A brilliantly funny robot adventure from award-winning author and illustrator Chris Riddell, creator of Once Upon a Wild Wood.Wendel is a very clever mouse – but not a very tidy one. If his inventions go wrong, Wendel just throws them away and starts again. So when Clunk, his robot assistant, fills the sock drawer with cups and saucers and makes tea in a Wellington boot, Wendel throws him on the scrapheap and makes himself a new assistant: the Wendelbot. But he gets more than he bargained for, and soon Wendel finds himself on the scrapheap! Can he win back his workshop from the mighty Wendelbot? Let the robot battle commence!With Chris Riddell's characteristic verve and brilliance, Wendel and the Robots is a wonderfully funny, action-packed story full of surprises and extraordinary inventions, and with a subtle environmental message.

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A glorious imaginative adventure from Rebecca Cobb, the award-winning illustrator of The Paper Dolls and The Everywhere Bear.Underneath the cherry tree in our garden there is a little hole. I'm sure there is something down there . . . When a little boy's ball disappears down a mysterious hole in the garden, he can't stop thinking about what could be down there. Could it be a little mouse's house? The lair of a hungry troll? Or maybe even a dragon's den? Whatever the something is, he is determined to find out!The Something is a gorgeous, original story full of warmth and the wonder of childhood from Rebecca Cobb, the award-winning creator of Lunchtime and Aunt Amelia. Also available from Rebecca Cobb: Lunchtime, Aunt Amelia and Hello Friend!

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Wendy Erskine lives in Belfast. Her work has been published in The Stinging Fly, Stinging Fly Stories and Female Lines: New Writing by Women from Northern Ireland. She also features in Being Various: New Irish Short Stories (Faber and Faber), Winter Papers and on BBC Radio 4. Sweet Home is her first collection.

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Join Moomintroll, his family and their friends in beautiful Moominvalley - where everyone is welcome. Surprising things happen every day in Moominvalley - luckily the Moomin family and their friends embrace the unexpected with their characteristic humour, kindness and charm. This lavish gift book contains nine exciting adventure stories - all closely based on the warm and whimsical Moomin world and characters created by the celebrated writer, artist and illustrator Tove Jansson. Presented in chronological order, each story is taken from an animation episode and set in the idyllic and peaceful valley where the round blue Moominhouse stands, and where everyone is welcome. The stories describe the adventures of nine-year-old Moomintroll, his parents, Moominmamma and Moominpappa and their eclectic and happy band of friends – Little My, Snufkin, Snorkmaiden, the hattifatteners and other famous characters from the classic stories. The stories in this collection will delight Moomin fans of all ages. In one story Moomintroll sails to the mysterious Hattifattener island and in another, he finds a tiny dragon. The Moomins temporarily move house, Snufkin composes a new spring tune and Moomintroll encounters the mysterious Groke.

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A Richard and Judy Book Club Pick and a Sunday Times Number One BestsellerFull of her trademark mix of unforgettable characters and heart-breaking secrets, The Butterfly Room is a spellbinding, multi-generational story from Lucinda Riley, bestselling author of the Seven Sisters series.'Captivating . . . poignant yet uplifting' – Woman's OwnPosy Montague is approaching her seventieth birthday. Still living in her beautiful Suffolk family home, Admiral House, she is surrounded by memories of her idyllic childhood catching butterflies with her beloved father, and of raising her own children. But Posy knows she must make an agonizing decision.Despite the memories the house holds, and the exquisite garden she has spent twenty-five years creating, the house is crumbling around her, and Posy knows the time has come to sell it.Then a face appears from the past – Freddie, her first love, who abandoned

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Deeply gripping and darkly atmospheric, The Animals at Lockwood Manor is a tale of long-buried secrets and hidden desires by Jane Healey.Winner of the HWA Debut Crown Award 2020Some secrets are unspoken. Others are unspeakable . . .August 1939. As the Second World War looms, thirty-year-old Hetty Cartwright is tasked with the evacuation and safekeeping of the natural history museum’s famous collection of mammals. But once she and her exhibits arrive at Lockwood Manor, Hetty soon realizes that she’s taken on more than she’d bargained for . . .Protecting her priceless animals from the irascible Lord Lockwood and resentful servants is hard enough, but when a series of mysterious events occur, Hetty begins to suspect someone – or something – is stalking her through the darkened corridors of the gothic mansion.As her fears build, Hetty finds herself falling under the spell of Lucy, Lord Lockwood’s beautiful but haunted daughter. But why is Lucy so traumatized? Does she know something she’s not telling? And is there any truth to local rumours of ghosts and curses?'Atmospheric and disquieting . . . an ideal book club read' – A J Pearce, author of Dear Mrs Bird

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A hilarious tale about a a boy with a wild imagination and his loving family, from award-winning author, Swapna Haddow and bestselling artist, Dapo Adeola. Is Mum a lioness? She loves her 'cubs', she can run faster than anything, and she can catch you in a single pounce for cuddles and kisses. She always makes sure you can hear her incredibly loud, proud roar when you're playing football. What else could Mum be but a lioness?She's always pawing your hair, along with the rest of the pride of lionesses. But sometimes, especially when her young ones are upset or scared, a lovely, warm, protective lioness embrace is just what is needed.My Mum is a Lioness is the brilliantly funny follow-up to My Dad is a Grizzly Bear. Created by Swapna Haddow, author of the Dave Pigeon series, and Dapo Adeola, illustrator of Look Up!

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A Sunday Times bestseller, Where's My Happy Ending? asks the questions you've always wondered: What is ‘happily ever after’? How do you make love last? Is there such a thing as ‘the one’?‘As entertaining as it is instructive . . . Surprisingly funny and touching.’ - Evening StandardMaybe you’ve just had a first date with ‘the one’, maybe you’ve been married for ten years. Either way, it’s hard to know if they’re really meant to be by your side until you both wear dentures. In this book Anna Whitehouse and Matt Farquharson, co-founders of the Mother Pukka website and authors of the Sunday Times bestseller Parenting the Sh*t Out of Life, set out to discover what it takes to make it to forever, by asking our greatest questions about love.They ask a former sex-worker and her ex-gigolo husband, celibate monks and free-loving hippies. They ask people who never wanted kids and people who have loads of them. They speak to couples, throuples and singles; gay, straight and anywhere in-between.And in asking these questions, they are forced to confront their own relationship after a decade of marriage. Join Anna and Matt on a searingly honest, belly-laugh inducing journey through love and relationships, social media and small children, expert advice and everyday exasperation, as they navigate the muddy waters of modern romance.

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From rising star Victoria Cassanell, Penguin Parcel is a sparkling Arctic adventure about friendship, empathy, and a very long journey.When Polar Bear spots a Penguin Coupon in the newspaper, he wastes no time in ordering his very own pet. He's thrilled with his new friend, but Penguin doesn't seem quite as pleased (though it's hard to tell – he's not very chatty). As time goes on, Penguin becomes more and more despondent, and Polar Bear knows he has to do something to fix it. And that something involves a very long journey. . . A warm-hearted, funny and breathtakingly beautiful book about kindness and learning to think about others.

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Join in the fun with Where's Teddy? and help find Teddy on every page in this fun lift-the-flap book from the bestselling creator of preschool classic, Dear Zoo.Buster and Teddy go everywhere together. Buster is busy helping out around the house, from baking in the kitchen to helping with the gardening, but where is Teddy hiding? This search-and-find story from the creator of Dear Zoo is sure to delight young children, with a satisfying lift-the-flap ending and a teddy to spot in every scene.Look out for more novelty books from Rod Campbell including: Oh Dear!, My Presents, and Farm 123.

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There's lots of fun to be had with this collection of first rhymes from the bestselling creator of preschool classic, Dear Zoo – with flaps to lift on every page.Featuring much-loved classic nursery rhymes such as 'Incy Wincy Spider' and 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' as well as a selection of original rhymes from Rod Campbell, First Rhymes is packed full of fun rhymes to share with your toddler. With flaps to lift on every page and lots of things to spot, this chunky board book is perfect for little hands. Look out for more novelty books from Rod Campbell including: Oh Dear!, ABC Zoo and Farm 123.

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Love is in the air . . .The Exiles in Love is the third and final book in the award-winning The Exiles series, with Hilary McKay's trademark wit and warmth.Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe Conroy are all struggling to deal with the trials and tribulations of first love(s). Ruth develops a crush on the school bus driver, but finds herself conflicted when she also develops feelings for Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre, the temporary English teacher (who Naomi is also smitten with) AND Alan Adair who works in the butcher's shop.Meanwhile, the younger two sisters have other things on their minds – Rachel is plotting to become May Queen at her school and Phoebe is in training to become an international spy. But when Big Grandma arranges for a French boy called Philippe to stay with the Conroy's, it's not long before all the girls fall head over heels for him as well . . .

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A stunning and classic picture book, with a special textured cover, The Invisible Guest in Moominvalley is the perfect gift for Moomin fans of all ages. In Moominvalley everyone is welcome. So when Too-ticky arrives with an unusually invisible guest, Ninny, the Moomins endeavor to make their guest feel at home, armed with remedies to gently draw their new guest into visibility allowing her to regain her once lost voice.This unique retelling of Tove Jansson's touching short story The Invisible Child captures Jansson's wise, perceptive and original voice and includes delicate, painterly illustrations full of character and detail and based on Jansson's original drawings and colour plates.A new generation of readers will enjoy meeting the lovable Moomin family and friends, with their special values of tolerance, kindness and integrity, as they help feel Ninny feel safe and one of the family.

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It's time to visit London – what a noisy city! Watch out for the beeping double-decker buses. Mind the gap on the tube and hear Big Ben chime the hour. Find out who's roaring at the Natural History Museum and listen to the monkeys chitter chatter at ZSL London Zoo. Finish off the day with a royal visit to Buckingham Palace: remember to look out for the naughty crown jewel thief on every page! The London Noisy Book has ten sounds to listen to, including a genuine Big Ben chime and “mind the gap” recording. Young children will love pressing the noises as they discover the sights in this hustling, bustling book about London. With tons of detail and things to spot, this beautifully illustrated sound book by Marion Billet is a must-have for toddlers visiting noisy London Town!Collect more London titles for little tourists: My First London Bus, My First London Taxi, and Hello! London.

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The perfect crime – it's a work of art, in Frank Cottrell Boyce's ingenious story, Framed.Dylan is the only boy living in the tiny Welsh town of Manod. His parents run the Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel garage – and when he's not trying to persuade his sisters to play football, Dylan is in charge of the petrol log. And that means he gets to keep track of everyone coming in and out of Manod – what car they drive, what they're called, even their favourite flavour of crisps. But when a mysterious convoy of lorries trundles up the misty mountainside towards an old, disused mine, even Dylan is confounded. Who are these people – and what have they got to hide?A story inspired by a press cutting describing how, during World War II, the treasured contents of London's National Gallery were stored in Welsh slate mines. Once a month, a morale-boosting masterpiece would be unveiled in the village and then returned to London for viewing. This is a funny and touching exploration of how art – its beauty and its value – touches the life of one little boy and his big family in a very small town.This edition of Framed includes bonus material and discussion questions from Frank Cottrell Boyce, and illustrations by Steven Lenton.

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If the dead could speak, what would they say to the living? From their graves in the field, the oldest part of Paulstadt’s cemetery, the town’s late inhabitants tell stories from their lives. Some recall just a moment, perhaps the one in which they left this world, perhaps the one that they now realize shaped their life for ever. Some remember all the people they’ve been with, or the only person they ever loved. These voices together – young, old, rich, poor – build a picture of a community, as viewed from below ground instead of from above. The streets of the small, sleepy provincial town of Paulstadt are given shape and meaning by those who lived, loved, worked, mourned and died there. From the author of the Booker International-shortlisted A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler’s The Field is about what happens at the end. It is a book of human lives – each one different, yet connected to countless others – that ultimately shows how life, for all its fleetingness, still has meaning.

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A SPECTATOR and PROSPECT Book of the Year'Ceaselessly interesting, knowledgeable and evocative' Spectator'A fresh way to write history' Alan Johnson'A quirky, amused, erudite homage to France . . . ambitious and original' The Times_____France: An Adventure History is a profoundly original and endlessly entertaining history of France, from the first century BC to the present day, based on countless new discoveries and thirty years of exploring France on foot, by bicycle and in the library.Beginning with the Roman army’s first recorded encounter with the Gauls and ending with the Gilets Jaunes protests in the era of Emmanuel Macron, each chapter is an adventure in its own right. Along the way, readers will find the usual faces, events and themes of French history – Louis XIV, the French Revolution, the French Résistance, the Tour de France – but all presented in a shining new light.Graham Robb does not offer a standard dry list of facts and dates, but instead a panorama of France, teeming with characters, full of stories, journeys and coincidences, giving readers a thrilling sense of discovery and enlightenment. France: An Adventure History is a vivid, living history of one of the world’s most fascinating nations by a ceaselessly entertaining writer in complete command of subject and style._____'A rich and vibrant narrative . . . clear-eyed but imaginative storytelling' Financial Times'Full of life' Prospect

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Push and pull the tabs and turn the wheel in Busy Friends. Young children will love seeing two best friends share their toys, swap treats, play in the park and give each other a big hug!This bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Samantha Meredith is part of the popular Busy Book series. Keep little ones busy with more books from the series: Busy Playtime, Busy Nursery, and Busy Café.

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‘Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world.’ - Lee Child, author of The Jack Reacher seriesA long-lost masterpiece sparks deadly violence – and sets Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on the path of a calculating killer. Discover the darkness that lurks around every corner in Picture You Dead.Now a major ITV drama starring John Simm as Roy Grace.Harry and Freya, an ordinary couple, dreamed for years of finding something priceless buried amongst the tat in a car boot sale.It was a dream they knew in their hearts would never come true – until the day it did . . .They buy a drab portrait for twenty pounds for its beautiful frame, planning to cut the painting out. Then, studying it back at home, there seems to be another picture beneath, of a stunning landscape. Could it be a long-lost masterpiece from 1770? If genuine, it could be worth millions.One collector is certain it is genuine. Someone who uses any method he can to get what he wants.Detective Superintendent Roy Grace finds himself plunged into the unfamiliar and rarefied world of fine art. Outwardly it appears respectable, gentlemanly, above reproach. But beneath the veneer, he rapidly finds that greed, deception and violence walk hand-in-hand. And Harry and Freya are about to discover that their dream is turning into their worst nightmare . . .Although the Roy Grace novels can be read in any order, Picture You Dead is the eighteenth title in the bestselling series. Enjoy more of the Brighton detective’s investigations with Find Them Dead and Left You Dead.‘The master of the craft’ - Daily Express

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Squirty Fish is the perfect waterproof book for baby's bath time!With bright and engaging illustrations of sea creatures from Kay Vincent and an inbuilt squirter, Squirty Fish makes bath time as much fun as possible for carers, parents and babies.Turn the pages together, read the gentle rhyming story about animals in a pond – and squirt some water! The waterproof pages are durable, safe and wipe-clean for hygiene.You can also enjoy bath time with Squirty Duck.

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Split Second is the first in the gripping King and Maxwell series by bestselling author David Baldacci.When something distracts Secret Agent Sean King for a split second, it costs him his career and presidential candidate, Clyde Ritter, his life. But what stole his attention? And why was Ritter shot? Eight years later Michelle Maxwell is on the fast track through the ranks of the Secret Service when her career is stopped short: presidential candidate John Bruno is abducted from a funeral home while under her protection. The similarity between the two cases drives Michelle to re-open investigations into the Ritter fiasco and join forces with attractive ex-agent King. The pair are determined to get to the bottom of what happened in those critical moments. Meanwhile, high-ranking members of the legal system and key witnesses from both cases are going missing. King is losing friends, colleagues and clients fast and his ex-lover, Joan Dillinger, is playing curious games – she wants Sean back, but she also owes him for something . . .Split Second is followed by Hour Game, Simple Genius, First Family, The Sixth Man and King and Maxwell.

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The Simple Truth is a tense courtroom drama with a fast-paced plot from bestselling author, David Baldacci.As a young conscripted soldier, Rufus Harms was jailed for the brutal killing of a schoolgirl. Yet, after twenty-five hard years of incarceration, a stray letter from the US army reveals new facts about the night of the murder – and the evil secret shared by some of Washington's most powerful men. Fearful for his life, Harms seizes his one chance to escape. But within hours the only people who knew about the letter have been hunted down and eliminated. As the unknown assassins close in on Harms, ex-cop turned criminal attorney John Fiske is drawn into the web. His younger brother is already a victim, the woman he loves is under threat. For the truth and the chance of a future, he will never give up the fight. But for both men time is already running out. Their enemy is buried deep within the system and completely ruthless when protecting the truth . . .

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Winner of the Schlegel-Tieck Prize for German Translation'Both a great anti-war novel and a love story, full of tenderness – as around it the world shatters.' – Der Spiegel, 'Novel of the Year'The year is 1944 and Veit Kolbe, a young German soldier, injured fighting in Russia, is recovering at Mondsee, a village and a lake below Drachenwand mountain, close to Salzburg in Austria. Here he meets Margot and Margarete, two young women who share his hope that sometime, sooner or later, life will begin again.The war is lost but how long will it take before it finally comes to its end? In Hinterland, Arno Geiger tells of Veit’s nightmares and the strangely normal life of the small village, of the Brazilian who dreams of returning to Rio de Janeiro, of the landlady and her rallying calls, of Margarete the teacher with whom Veit falls in love, but who doesn't return his affection.But when Veit’s wounds are healed his next call-up orders arrive. The military outlook for Germany and Austria looks increasingly grim and Veit’s luck has run out . . .Translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch

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When sixteen-year-old Chloe replies to a DM from a gorgeous stranger, she has no idea what she's inviting into her life. As her online fan becomes increasingly obsessive, her real life starts to come apart at the seams and Chloe realizes she needs to find a way to stop him before things spiral out of control.Misfit Amber's online obsession with her personal trainer begins to creep into the real world. But when she hears a terrible rumor about him, she drops everything to try and prove his innocence – even if it means compromising her own.In Follow Me, Like Me by Charlotte Seager, Amber and Chloe might find that the truth is much harder to swallow than the lies.

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'Through sharply drawn characters, Rossi achieves a clear-eyed and poignant view of a family in crisis' - Sydney Morning HeraldA fatal car crash. A young boy orphaned. Who should now become his parents?Nicholas and April are driving home from a party when their car crashes on an empty road high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As they lay on the roadside slowly dying, their four-year-old son, Jack, waits for them at home. In the days after their deaths, their grieving relatives begin to descend on the family home. There, they are forced to decide who will care for the child Nicholas and April left behind. Nicholas’s brother Nathaniel and his wife Stefanie aren’t ready to be parents, but Nicholas’s mother and father have issues of their own. And April’s mother Tammy is driving across the country to claim her grandson. Spanning a few traumatic days in the minds of each family member, Mountain Road, Late at Night, is a masterly portrait of grief, the pain of sudden loss and a family in utter crisis. Gripping, affecting and extremely accomplished, Alan Rossi's unforgettable debut asks one crucial question: what do you do when the worst happens?

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Lin Anderson is a Scottish author and screenwriter known for her bestselling crime series featuring forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod. Four of her novels have been longlisted for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year, and in 2022 she was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association Dagger in the Library Award. Lin is the co-founder of the international crime-writing festival Bloody Scotland, which takes place annually in Stirling.

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The Special Dead is the thrilling tenth book in Lin Anderson's forensic crime series featuring Rhona MacLeod.When Mark is invited back to Leila's flat and ordered to strip, he thinks he's about to have the experience of his life. Waking later he finds Leila gone from his side. Keen to leave, he opens the wrong door and finds he's entered a nightmare; behind the swaying Barbie dolls that hang from the ceiling is the body of the girl he just had sex with.Rhona MacLeod's forensic investigation of the scene reveals the red plaited silk cord used to hang Leila to be a cingulum, a Wiccan artefact used in sex magick. Sketches of sexual partners hidden in the dolls provide a link to nine powerful men, but who are they? As the investigation continues, it looks increasingly likely that other witches will be targeted too.Working the investigation is the newly demoted DS Michael McNab, who is keen to stay sober and redeem himself with Rhona, but an encounter with Leila's colleague and fellow Wiccan Freya Devine threatens his resolve. Soon McNab realizes Freya may hold the key to identifying the men linked to the dolls, but the Nine will do anything to keep their identities a secret.Follow Rhona MacLeod in more forensic thrillers with None but the Dead, Follow the Dead, Sins of the Dead and Time for the Dead.

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Darkly funny, shockingly honest, Brothers in Arms is an unforgettable account of a soldier's tour of Afghanistan, the brutal reality of war – every scary, exciting moment – and the bonds of friendship that can never be destroyed.‘If you could choose which two limbs got blown off, what would you go for?’ Danny said. ‘Your arms or your legs?’In July 2009, Geraint (Gez) Jones was sitting in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan with the rest of The Firm – Danny, Jay, Toby and Jake, his four closest friends, all junior NCOs and combat-hardened infantrymen. Thanks to the mangled remains of a Jackal vehicle left tactlessly outside their tent, IEDs were never far from their mind. Within days they’d be on the ground in Musa Qala with the rest of 3 Platoon – a mixed bunch of men Gez would die for. As they fight furiously, are pushed to their limits, hemmed in by IEDs and hampered by the chain of command, Gez starts to wonder what is the point of it all. The bombs they uncover on patrol, on their stomachs brushing the sand away, are replaced the next day. Firefights are a momentary victory in a war they can see is unwinnable. Gez is a warrior – he wants more than this. But then death and injury start to take their toll on The Firm, leaving Gez with PTSD and a new battle just beginning.'Jones writes of his brothers and their Afghan experience, from its adrenalin-filled highs to the many lows, with passion and candour.' – Major Adam Jowett, bestselling author of No Way Out'A gritty, brutal book about men at war. Raw and real. Brilliant.' – Tom Marcus, author of Soldier Spy

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Join Sam the farm dog for a day on the farm to meet lots of animals and their babies in this interactive lift-the-flap story from Rod Campbell, creator of bestselling preschool classic, Dear Zoo.Children will love lifting the flaps to discover their favourite farm animals and their babies in Noisy Farm. Meet Sam the farm dog, visit the animals and don't forget to join in by calling out their noises!With bright, bold artwork, a simple, engaging text and a whole host of favourite farm animals, Noisy Farm is a perfect first farm animal story book – and the chunky board book format and sturdy card flaps make it great for small hands.Rod Campbell, the creator of the preschool lift-the-flap classic Dear Zoo, has been a trusted name in early learning for over thirty-five years.Little animal lovers will also enjoy Rod Campbell's Look After Us, a lift-the-flap animal book for toddlers with a positive message about conservation.

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Enter a fantastical, underwater world in Deeplight, from Frances Hardinge, the Costa Award-winning author of The Lie Tree.'One of our finest storytellers,' – Sarah Perry, author of The Essex SerpentThe gods of the Myriad were as real as the coastlines and currents, and as merciless as the winds and whirlpools. Now the gods are dead, but their remains are stirring beneath the waves . . .On the streets of the Island of Lady's Crave live 14-year-old urchins Hark and his best friend Jelt. They are scavengers: diving for relics of the gods, desperate for anything they can sell. But there is something dangerous in the deep waters of the undersea, calling to someone brave enough to retrieve it.When the waves try to claim Jelt, Hark will do anything to save him. Even if it means compromising not just who Jelt is, but what he is . . .

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A compellingly beautiful tale of magic, intrigue and deception, set against the backdrop of eighteenth-century Paris on the cusp of revolution.Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries – and magicians . . . When seventeen-year-old Camille is left orphaned, she has to provide for her frail sister and her volatile brother. In desperation, she survives by using the petty magic she learnt from her mother. But when her brother disappears Camille decides to pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.Using dark magic Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine‘ and presents herself at the court of Versaille, where she soon finds herself swept up in a dizzying life of riches, finery and suitors. But Camille’s resentment of the rich is at odds with the allure of their glamour and excess, and she soon discovers that she’s not the only one leading a double life . . .Enchantée is a compelling historical fantasy and is Gita Trelease's debut novel.

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The Rookery, city of secrets, lies and magic, is facing destruction. But does Alice have the power to save her new home? And will she give her life to save its secrets?When Alice discovered this alternate London, her life changed forever. She discovered she was seeing Nightjars – miraculous birds that guard our souls. But her newfound magic has a dark side. So in an effort to protect her friends, Alice is training to wield her rare abilities under House Mielikki – the House of Life. Yet something isn't right. And after a series of attacks leaves her reeling, it's clear someone wants her to fail. Alice must plunge into a world of seductive magic and unimaginable perils to uncover the conspiracy. And when she discovers why the Rookery itself is at risk, she realizes the price she must pay to save it. The Rookery is the dazzling, magical sequel to The Nightjar by Deborah Hewitt.Praise for The Nightjar: 'The wildly imaginative Hewitt is a writer to watch' – Publishers Weekly starred review 'An unusual and exciting story . . . the plot explodes off the page' – TheBookbag'A magical adventure full of danger, betrayal, and devotion' – Booklist

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A laugh-out-loud cautionary tale (for children and grown-ups) written by Catherine Emmett and illustrated by David Tazzyman, bestselling illustrator of the Mr Gum series and You Can't Take an Elephant on a Bus.Shortlisted for Oscar's Book Prize 2022Digby David slammed the door, and dumped his bag upon the floor."Daddy! I DEMAND a pet,Why have I not got one yet?"Digby David wants a pet, but not just any pet - it has to be TWICE as big as Reuben's guinea pig and even better than Lily Jean's cat. Digby David's Daddy does what he's told, and soon Digby has a guinea pig, which he loves with all his heart... for half a day. Digby demands bigger and better, Daddy's hair gets greyer and greyer, and when Digby's dog gets boring too, he insists Daddy buy him... a gorilla! A hilarious tale with a 'be careful what you wish for' message, especially if you wish for a gorilla and don't look after it properly.

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*Shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize 2020**Winner of non-fiction book of the year at the Irish Book Awards*An extraordinarily intimate book of essays that chart the experiences that have made Sinéad Gleeson the woman and the writer she is today, for readers of The Last Act of Love and I Am, I Am, I Am.'Utterly magnificent. Raw, thought-provoking and galvanising; this is a book every woman should read.' – Eimear McBride, author of A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing.I have come to think of all the metal in my body as artificial stars, glistening beneath the skin, a constellation of old and new metal. A map, a tracing of connections and a guide to looking at things from different angles. How do you tell the story of a life in a body, as it goes through sickness, health, motherhood? How do you tell that story when you are not just a woman but a woman in Ireland? In the powerful and daring essays in Constellations Sinéad Gleeson does that very thing. All of life is within these pages, from birth to first love, pregnancy to motherhood, terrifying sickness, old age and loss to death itself.Throughout this wide-ranging collection she also turns her restless eye outwards delving into work, art and our very ways of seeing. In the tradition of some of our finest life writers, and yet still in her own spirited, generous voice, Sinéad takes us on a journey that is both uniquely personal and yet universal in its resonance. Here is the fierce joy and pain of being alive.'Breathtaking and sublime.' – Nina Stibbe'Absolutely extraordinary and life-enhancing.' – Daisy Buchanan, author of How to be Grown-up.

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Will the war be over by Christmas?As the war moves into 1945 the lives of the women of Woolworths continue. When store manager, Betty Billington, announces she is expecting Douglas’s baby her future life is about to change more than she expects.Freda has fallen in love with the handsome Scottish engineer but will it end happily?Maisie loves being a mother and also caring for her two nieces although she still has her own dreams. When her brother appears on the scene he brings unexpected danger to the family.Meanwhile Sarah dreams of her husband’s return and a cottage with roses around the door but Woolworths beckons.Will our girls sail into times of peace, or will they experience more heartache and sorrow? With a wedding on the horizon, surely only happiness lies ahead – or does it?A Gift from Woolworths is the fourth instalment in Elaine Everest's much-loved Woolworths series.

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Sweden 2012. When Inspector Gunnar Barbarotti returns to work after a terrible personal tragedy his boss asks him to investigate a cold case, hoping to ease him back gently into his police duties.Five years previously a shy electrician, Arnold Morinder, disappeared from the face of the earth, the only clue his blue moped abandoned in a nearby swamp. At the time his partner, Ellen Bjarnebo, claimed that Arnold had probably travelled to Norway never to return. But Ellen is one of Sweden’s most notorious killers, having served eleven years in prison after killing her abusive first husband and dismembering his body with an axe. And when Barbarotti seeks to interview Ellen in relation to Arnold’s disappearance she is nowhere to be found . . .But without a body and no chance of interviewing his prime suspect Barbarotti must use all the ingenuity at his disposal to make headway in the case. Still struggling with his personal demons, Barbarotti seeks solace from God, and the support of his colleague, Eva Backman. And as he finally begins to track down his suspect and the cold case begins to thaw, Barbarotti realizes that nothing about Ellen Bjarnebo can be taken for granted . . .The Axe Woman is the fifth and final Inspector Barbarotti novel from bestselling author Håkan Nesser.

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A secluded hut in the middle of the woods. A double life that could be his downfall. The Secret Life of Mr Roos is the third Inspector Barbarotti novel from the ‘Godfather of Swedish crime’ (Metro), Håkan Nesser. At fifty-nine years old, Valdemar Roos is tired of life. Working a job he hates, with a wife he barely talks to and two step-daughters he doesn’t get on with, he doesn’t have a lot to look forward to. Then, one day, a winning lottery ticket gives him an opportunity to start afresh.Without telling a soul, he quits his job and buys a hut in the remote Swedish countryside. Every day he travels down to this man-made oasis, returning each evening to his unsuspecting wife. Life couldn’t be better, until a young woman arrives in paradise . . .Anna Gambowska is a twenty-one-year-old recovering drug addict. On the run from the rehab centre she hated and an abusive relationship she can’t go back to, all Anna’s prayers are answered when she comes across a seemingly vacant hut in the Swedish woodland. But it’s not long before Anna’s ex discovers her location, and an incident occurs that will mar the lives of both Anna and Valdemar forever.Inspector Barbarotti doesn’t take much interest when a woman reports her husband as missing. That is, until a dead body is found near the missing man’s newly bought hut, and Mr Roos becomes the number one murder suspect . . .The Secret Life of Mr Roos is the third novel in Håkan Nesser’s Inspector Barbarotti quintet.

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Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-FictionLonglisted for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing'If you have even the slightest interest in Orwell or in the development of our culture, you should not miss this engrossing, enlightening book.' - John Carey, The Sunday TimesGeorge Orwell's last novel has become one of the iconic narratives of the modern world. Its ideas have become part of the language - from 'Big Brother' to the 'Thought Police', 'Doublethink', and 'Newspeak' - and seem ever more relevant in the era of 'fake news' and 'alternative facts'.The cultural influence of 1984 can be observed in some of the most notable creations of the past seventy years, from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaids Tale to Terry Gilliam's Brazil, from Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s V for Vendetta to David Bowie's Diamond Dogs – and from the launch of Apple Mac to the reality TV landmark, Big Brother.In this remarkable and original book. Dorian Lynskey investigates the influences that came together in the writing of 1984 from Orwell's experiences in the Spanish Civil War and war-time London to his book's roots in utopian and dystopian fiction. He explores the phenomenon that the novel became on publication and the changing ways in which it has been read over the decades since.2019 marks the seventieth anniversary of the publication of what is arguably Orwell’s masterpiece, while the year 1984 itself is now as distant from us as it was from Orwell on publication day. The Ministry of Truth is a fascinating examination of one of the most significant works of modern English literature. It describes how history can inform fiction and how fiction can influence history.

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Blom’s hypothesis is forceful, and has the potential to be both frightening and, if you hold it up to the light at just the right angle, a little optimistic. The idea can be put like this: climate change changes everything' John Lanchester, New Yorker In this innovative and compelling work of environmental history, Philipp Blom chronicles the great climate crisis of the 1600s, a crisis that would transform the entire social and political fabric of Europe. While hints of a crisis appeared as early as the 1570s, by the end of the sixteenth century the temperature plummeted so drastically that Mediterranean harbours were covered with ice, birds literally dropped out of the sky, and ‘frost fairs’ were erected on a frozen Thames – with kiosks, taverns, and even brothels that become a semi-permanent part of the city. Recounting the deep legacy and sweeping consequences of this ‘Little Ice Age’, acclaimed historian Philipp Blom reveals how the European landscape had ineradicably changed by the mid-seventeenth century. While apocalyptic weather patterns destroyed entire harvests and incited mass migrations, Blom brilliantly shows how they also gave rise to the growth of European cities, the appearance of early capitalism, and the vigorous stirrings of the Enlightenment. A sweeping examination of how a society responds to profound and unexpected change, Nature’s Mutiny will transform the way we think about climate change in the twenty-first century and beyond.

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Join Digger at the roadworks where she decides she no longer likes digging down – she wants to dig UP!This is quite tricky for a digger used to going into mud, dark and worms – maybe some balloons will help? But Digger quickly discovers that adventures aren't fun without her friends and she needs to dig her way back . . . but how?With a witty text, bright colours and a finger trail to follow from the award-winning Morag Hood, young children and adults will love reading Dig, Dig, Digger! together.Keep digging in the hilarious follow-up, Runaway Cone.

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Vera Stanhope, star of ITV’s Vera, returns in the tenth novel in number one bestseller Ann Cleeves’ acclaimed series.Fifty years ago, a group of teenagers spent a weekend on Holy Island, forging a bond that has lasted a lifetime. Now, they still return every five years to celebrate their friendship, and remember the friend they lost to the rising waters of the causeway at the first reunion.Now, when one of them is found hanged, Vera is called in. Learning that the dead man had recently been fired after misconduct allegations, Vera knows she must discover what the friends are hiding, and whether the events of many years before could have led to murder then, and now . . .But with the tide rising, secrets long-hidden are finding their way to the surface, and Vera and the team may find themselves in more danger than they could have believed possible . . .

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