Search results for ""transworld""

As heard on BBC Radio 4 'A Good Read''A cool, contemporary, whip-smart thriller.' Paula Hawkins, author of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and INTO THE WATERShe knows all your secrets. But will she keep them?Look around you. Who holds the most power in the room? Is it the one who speaks loudest, who looks the part, who has the most money, who commands the most respect?Or perhaps it's someone like Christine Butcher: a meek, overlooked figure, who silently bears witness as information is shared and secrets are whispered. Someone who quietly, perhaps even unwittingly, gathers together knowledge of the people she's there to serve - the ones who don't notice her, the ones who consider themselves to be important.There's a fine line between loyalty and obsession. And when someone like Christine Butcher is pushed to her limit, she might just become the most dangerous person in the room . . .The eagerly anticipated new thriller from the No.1 bestselling author of Disclaimer.________________'A scintillating double psychological portrait . . . an arresting ending reminiscent of Rendell at her flintiest.' Sunday Times'Clever, clever, clever. At the black heart of this story is a personal assistant - the colleague in your office who hears and knows everything about everyone - and Renée leads us on a deeply unsettling exploration of the limits of loyalty. Believe me, chats by the photocopier will never be the same . . .' Fiona Barton, author of THE WIDOW 'A black diamond of a thriller . . . with a sting in its tail.' A. J. Finn, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW________________Readers love The Secretary: ***** 'Kept me turning pages long into the night.'***** 'Head and shoulders above so many other novels in the genre.'***** 'I don't know how Renée Knight does it but her writing is exceptional.'

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From the author of the 2 million+ copy, worldwide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, - soon to be a major movie starring Jim Broadbent - an exquisite, funny and heartrending parallel story.When Queenie Hennessy discovers that Harold Fry is walking the length of England to save her, and all she has to do is wait, she is shocked. Her note had explained she was dying. How can she wait? A new volunteer at the hospice suggests that Queenie should write again; only this time she must tell Harold everything. In confessing to secrets she has hidden for twenty years, she will find atonement for the past. As the volunteer points out, 'Even though you've done your travelling, you're starting a new journey too.' Queenie thought her first letter would be the end of the story. She was wrong. It was the beginning.Told in simple, emotionally-honest prose, with a mischievous bite, this is a novel about the journey we all must take to learn who we are; it is about loving and letting go. And most of all it is about finding joy in unexpected places and at times we least expect.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'A beautiful story which will grip you, make you laugh and cry, uplift your spirit and leave you feeling profoundly grateful' DAILY MAIL'Will leave you wide-eyed and wanting to read it all again . . . wondrous' THE TIMES........................................................................................................................................................................................................RACHEL JOYCE'S NEW NOVEL MAUREEN FRY AND THE ANGEL OF THE NORTH - THE FINAL PART OF THE HAROLD FRY TRILOGY - IS PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2022

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Let much-loved and ever-popular author Judy Astley gift you an unmissable, hilarious and heart-warming read this Christmas. Perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Trisha Ashley, Jenny Colgan and Milly Johnson.'Witty and warm!' - New!'A lively laughter-packed riot of a story' - Heat'Full of fun and with great characters' -- ***** Reader review'Judy gets the story just right for me' -- ***** Reader review'Gives you a cosy glow and gets you into the Christmas spirit' -- ***** Reader review'A really good Christmas story devoured over a festive week-end' -- ***** Reader review*******************************************************************************************AT CHRISTMAS, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN...Thea's parents decide to host a big family Christmas in a house by the sea... even though they are, in fact, about to split up. And while her sister and brother are both settled, Thea herself is newly single - her boyfriend has ditched her in favour of his pedigree dogs, and Thea can't decide whether or not she minds.There will be copious food and drink, holly and mistletoe, lots of bracing walks and a wintry barbecue on the beach. If it seems an odd way to celebrate the final break-up of a marriage and the Moving On to new partners, no-one is saying so. But then no-one had anticipated that the new partners might actually turn up to complicate the sleeping arrangements...As Cornwall experiences the biggest snowstorm in living memory, the festive atmosphere comes under some strain. Will Thea manage to find some happiness for herself? Will the mistletoe work its magic on them all?

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'An extraordinary book . . . It will shake up your most fundamental beliefs about everyday experience, and it just might change your life.' Paul Bloom___For the millions of people who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris's new book is a guide to meditation as a rational spiritual practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. Throughout the book, Harris argues that there are important truths to be found in the experience of contemplatives such as Jesus, Buddha and other saints and sages of history-and, therefore, that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow.Waking Up is part seeker's memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris-a scientist, philosopher, and famous sceptic-could write it. ___'A demanding, illusion-shattering book.' Kirkus Reviews'A pleasure to read.' Huffington Post

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DS Evert Bäckström is in charge of a rare kind of case. Finding a suspect for the murder of Thomas Eriksson – gangster lawyer and renowned defender of the guilty – isn’t difficult, but narrowing down the long list of people who wanted him dead is almost impossible. Certainly the only thing the detective is mourning is his obligation to process the paperwork. Fortunately, Bäckström has spent his years cultivating a group of questionable acquaintances. His colleagues don’t know that he only closes his cases with the help of these friends. Nor that Bäckström owes them a few favours. But this time they’re all in for a surprise because even the dirtiest cop couldn’t have predicted where this trail would lead or how far from comfortable Bäckström might be at its end.

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In 1945, John Randall was the first Allied officer to enter Bergen-Belsen – the concentration camp that would reveal the horrors of the Holocaust to the world. Randall was one of that league of extraordinary gentlemen handpicked for suicidally dangerous missions behind enemy lines in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany throughout the Second World War. He was a man of his class and of his times. He hated the Germans, liked the French and was unimpressed by the Americans and the Arabs. He was an outrageous flirt, as might be expected of a man who served in Phantom alongside film stars David Niven and Hugh Williams. He played rugby with Paddy Mayne, the larger-than-life colonel of the SAS and winner of four DSOs. He pushed Randolph Churchill, son of the Prime Minister, out of an aeroplane. He wined and dined in nightclubs as part of the generation that lived for each day because they might not see another.This extraordinary true story, partly based on previously unpublished diaries, presents a different slant on that mighty war through the eyes of a restless young man eager for action and adventure.

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**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**'A riveting, compelling, mesmerizing journey. Josef Lewkowicz is a hero in every sense of the word. The Survivor both terrifies us and inspires us. It's a must read.'Tova Friedman, author of The Daughter of Auschwitz.One of the last great untold stories of the Holocaust, The Survivor is an astonishing account of one man's unbreakable spirit, unshakeable faith, and extraordinary courage in the face of evil.At only sixteen years old, Josef Lewkowicz became a number, prisoner 85314. Following the Nazi invasion of Poland, he and his father were separated from their family and herded to the Kraków-Plaszów concentration camp. Forced to carry out hard labour in brutal conditions, and to live under the constant threat of extreme violence and sudden death, before the war was over Josef would witness the unique horrors of six of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Mauthausen and Ebensee.From salt mines to forced marches, summary executions to Amstetten, where prisoners were used as human shields in Allied bombing, Josef lived under the spectre of death for many years. When he was liberated from Ebensee at the end of the war, conditions were amongst the worst witnessed by allied forces.With his freedom, Josef returned home to find that he was the only one left alive in an extended family of 150. Compelled by the need to do something to avenge that loss, he joined the Jewish police while still in a displaced persons' camp, and was recruited as an intelligence officer for the US Army who gave him a team to search for Nazis in hiding.Whilst rounding up SS leaders, he played a critical role in identifying and bringing to justice his greatest tormentor, the Butcher of Plaszow, Amon Göth, played by Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List. He then committed his life to helping the orphaned children of the Holocaust rebuild their lives.The Survivor is Josef's extraordinary testimony.

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The first in a brand-new nostalgic and heart-warming WWII series, perfect for fans of Donna Douglas and Elaine Everest.Alice is nursing an injured hand and a broken heart when she moves to the village of Churchwood at the start of WWII. She is desperate to be independent but worries that her injuries will make that impossible.Kate lives with her family on Brimbles Farm, where her father and brothers treat her no better than a servant. With no mother or sisters, and shunned by the locals, Kate longs for a friend of her own.Naomi is looked up to for owning the best house in the village. But privately, she carries the hurts of childlessness, a husband who has little time for her and some deep-rooted insecurities.With war raging overseas, and difficulties to overcome at home, friendship is needed now more than ever. Can the war effort and a shared love of books bring these women - and the community of Churchwood - together?**The fourth novel, Evacuees at the Wartime Bookshop, is available to pre-order now!**-------------------------------**Real readers are LOVING The Wartime Bookshop**'BRILLIANT''Oh I loved this book... please carry on the good writing''Wow what a brilliant start to a new series''Outstandingly fabulous, warm and inviting... so glad there is going to be a follow-on''I was only two pages in when I knew this would be a 5 star read... I honestly can't put my excitement into words at the thought of reading the next one'

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'The Quiet Before is a fascinating and important exploration of how ideas that change the world incubate and spread.' Steven Pinker'Filled with insightful analysis and colourful storytelling... Rarely does a book give you a new way of looking at social change. This one does.' Walter IsaacsonWhy do some radical ideas make history?We tend to think of revolutions as loud: frustrations and demands shouted in the streets. But the ideas fuelling them have traditionally been conceived in much quieter spaces, in the small, secluded corners where a vanguard can imagine alternate realities. This extraordinary book is a search for those spaces, over centuries and across continents, and a warning that they might soon go extinct.The Quiet Before is a grand panorama, stretching from the seventeenth-century correspondence that jump-started the scientific revolution to the encrypted apps used by epidemiologists fighting the pandemic in the shadow of an inept administration. Beckerman shows that defining social movements - from decolonization to feminism - thrive when they are given the time and space to gestate.Today, we are replacing these productive, private spaces with monolithic platforms. Why did the Arab Spring fall apart and Occupy Wall Street never gain traction? Has Black Lives Matter lived up to its full potential? Beckerman reveals what this new social media ecosystem still needs - from patience to focus - and offers a recipe for growing radical ideas again.Lyrical and profound, The Quiet Before looks to the past to help us imagine a different future.

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'Riveting... Everyone should read it' Observer'Nothing short of sudden death will distract you from The Jigsaw Man' Independent'Compelling... Fascinating... Britton has done hugely important work that saves lives' Sunday Times___________________________________________The award-winning true crime classic.Forensic psychologist Paul Britton asks himself four questions when he is faced with a crime scene: what happened: who is the victim: how was it done, and why? Only when he has the answers to these questions can he address the fifth: who is responsible?What he searches for at the crime scene are not frinerprints, fibres or bloodstains - he looks for the 'mind trace' left behind by those responsible: the psychological characteristics that can help the police to identify and understand the nature of the perpetrator.The Jigsaw Man is not only a detective story involving some of the most high-profile cases of recent years, but also a journey of discovery into the darkest recesses of the human mind to confront the question 'Where does crime come from?'

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With a foreword by Paul McCartney'It's semi-devotional -- a really special place' Florence Welch'There are certain things that are mythical. Abbey Road is mythical' Nile RodgersMany people will recognise the famous zebra crossing. Some visitors may have graffitied their name on its hallowed outer walls. Others might even have managed to penetrate the iron gates. But what draws in these thousands of fans here, year after year? What is it that really happens behind the doors of the most celebrated recording studio in the world?It may have begun life as an affluent suburban house, but it soon became a creative hub renowned around the world as a place where great music, ground-breaking sounds and unforgettable tunes were forged - nothing less than a witness to, and a key participant in, the history of popular music itself.What has been going on there for over ninety years has called for skills that are musical, creative, technical, mechanical, interpersonal, logistical, managerial, chemical and, romantics might be tempted add, close to magic.This is for the people who believe in the magic.

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'Peculiarly hilarious!' - William Gibson'Every page is a pleasure' - Lindsey FItzharris'Utterly charming' - Tom Holland'Laugh-out-loud' - Garth Nix'A must read' - Fergus Butler-Gallie'Brims with self-effacing charm' - Caitlin Doughty'Unfortunately I have mislaid the book in question' - Neil GaimanWelcome to Sotheran's, one of the oldest bookshops in the world, with its weird and wonderful clientele, suspicious cupboards, unlabelled keys, poisoned books and some things that aren't even books, presided over by one deeply eccentric apprentice.Some years ago, Oliver Darkshire stepped into the hushed interior of Henry Sotheran Ltd on Sackville Street (est. 1761) to interview for a job. Allured by the smell of old books and the temptation of a management-approved afternoon nap, he was soon balancing teetering stacks of first editions, fending off nonagenarian widows and trying not to upset the store's resident ghost (the late Mr Sotheran, hit by a tram).Darkshire came to love Sotheran's, not just for its illustrious history (or for producing the most cursed book of all time), but also its joyous disorganization and the unspoken rules of its gleefully old-fashioned staff, whose mere glance may cause a computer to burst into flames.By turns unhinged and earnestly dog-eared, Once Upon a Tome is the rather colourful story of life in one of the world's oldest bookshops and a love letter to the benign, unruly world of antiquarian bookselling.

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'If you have never entered the curious world of Bryant and May, you're in for a treat.' THE TIMESIt was the kind of story that barely made the news.When 91-year-old Amelia Hoffman died in her top-floor flat on a busy London road, it's considered an example of what has gone wrong with modern society: she slipped through the cracks in a failing system.But detectives Arthur Bryant and John May of the Peculiar Crimes Unit have their doubts. Mrs Hoffman was once a government security expert, even though no one can quite remember her. When a link emerges between the old lady and a diplomat trying to flee the country, it seems that an impossible murder has been committed.Mrs Hoffman wasn't the only one at risk. Bryant is convinced that other forgotten women with hidden talents are also in danger. And, curiously, they all own models of London Bridge.With the help of some of their more certifiable informants, the detectives follow the strangest of clues in an investigation that will lead them through forgotten alleyways to the city's oldest bridge in search of a desperate killer.But just when the case appears to be solved, they discover that Mrs Hoffman was smarter than anyone imagined. There's a bigger game afoot that could have terrible consequences. It's time to celebrate Bryant and May's twentieth anniversary as their most lunatic case yet brings death and rebirth to London's most peculiar crimes unit.

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As war rages on, can they keep dancing?Blackpool, November 1942Wartime worries fail to dampen the glitz and glamour of the ballroom in the run-up to Christmas. After all, life is for living.Newlywed Pearl's bliss is cut short when her beloved Bernie is called up into the Army. Will dancing at the Tower Ballroom take the edge off her heartache or will it throw temptation her way?Unexpected news of an inheritance presents Joy with a different dilemma. Should she move to Scotland in line with her parents' final wishes or stay in Blackpool to dance with Tommy, the man she loves?Meanwhile, ambitious Sylvia ditches Eddie, her loyal dance partner and launches into a new career teaching jive and jitterbug. Regrets soon set in, however. Is this the worst mistake she's ever made?Change is in the air. Can our Ballroom Girls fulfil their dreams and make this a Christmas to remember?

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*WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE IN NON-FICTION**Finalist for the National Book Award for Non-fiction*'His Name Is George Floyd is essential for our times.' Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist'An intimate, unvarnished and scrupulous account of his life...brilliantly revealing.' NEW YORK TIMESYou know how he died. This is how he lived.Who was George Floyd? What did he hope for? What was life like for him? And why has his death been the catalyst for such a powerful global response?The murder of George Floyd sparked a summer of activism and unrest all over the world in 2020, from Shetland to São Paolo, as people marched under the Black Lives Matter banner, demanding an end to racial injustice. But behind a face that would be graffitied onto countless murals, and a name that has become synonymous with civil rights, there is the reality of one man's stolen life.In His Name is George Floyd we meet the kind young boy who talked his friends out of beating up a skinny kid from another neighbourhood and then befriended him on the walk home. Big Floyd the high school American football player who ignored his coach's pleas to be more aggressive and felt queasy at the sight of blood. The man who fell victim to an opioid epidemic we are only just beginning to understand. The sensitive son and loving father, constantly in search of a better life in a society determined to write him off based on things he had no control over: where he grew up, the size of his body and the colour of his skin.Drawing upon hundreds of interviews with friends and family members, His Name Is George Floyd reveals the myriad ways that structural racism shaped Floyd's life and death - from his forebears' roots in slavery to an underfunded education, the overpolicing of his community and the devastating snare of the prison system. By offering us an intimate portrait of this one, emblematic life, Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa deliver a powerful and moving exploration of how a man who simply wanted to breathe ended up touching the world.

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Based on the powerful true story of Auschwitz prisoner number 3444 Wilhelm Brasse, whose photographs helped to expose the atrocities of the Holocaust.'Horror in sharp focus... important, because the world must know.' John Lewis-Stempel, Daily Express__________When Germany invaded Wilhelm Brasse's native Poland in 1939, he was asked to swear allegiance to Hitler and join the Wehrmacht. He refused. He was deported to Auschwitz concentration camp as political prisoner number 3444. A trained portrait photographer, he was ordered by the SS to record the inner workings of the camp. He began by taking identification photographs of prisoners as they entered the camp, went on to capture the criminal medical experiments of Josef Mengele, and also recorded executions. Between 1940 and 1945, Brasse took around 50,000 photographs of the horror around him. He took them because he had no choice.Eventually, Brasse's conscience wouldn't allow him to hide behind his camera. First he risked his life by joining the camp's Resistance movement, faking documents for prisoners, trying to smuggle images to the outside world to reveal what was happening. Then, when Soviet troops finally advanced on the camp to liberate it, Brasse refused SS orders to destroy his photographs. 'Because the world must know,' he said.For readers of The Librarian of Auschwitz and The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz, this powerful true story of hope and courage lies at the very centre of Holocaust history.__________'A remarkable tale of survival against the odds... an enthralling book.' The Sydney Morning Herald'Brasse has left us with a powerful legacy in images. Because of them we can see the victims of the Holocaust as human and not statistics.' Fergal Keane

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'Wonderfully haunting' JANE HARPER, author of The Dry'Extremely well written, fantastic' HARRIET TYCE, author of Blood Orange'Conjuring up... Twin Peaks and Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects' Stylist'Spellbinding.... a stunning debut' Woman & Home'Irresistible' PAULA HAWKINS, author of The Girl on the Train 'Clever, twisting' FRANCINE TOON, author of Pine'A nuanced thriller that will haunt you long after you race through its pages' Grazia'One of the most exciting debuts of the year' Sunday Express________________________________________________When Emma leaves her friend Abi at a party in the woods, she believes that their lives are just beginning. Many things will happen that night, beneath the stark beauty of the stars, but Emma will never see her friend again.But what happens next in Whistling Ridge is so much more than the story of a missing girl.It's a spellbinding story that will keep you guessing, a story of surprises and secrets, regrets and rage, love and lies. Abi's disappearance cracks open the façade of this small town, peeling away the layers of its past. Even within Abi's own family there are questions to be asked - of the older brother whom Abi betrayed, of the shining younger sibling who hides his wounds, of her mother and her father - both in thrall to the fiery preacher who has an unsettling grasp on the whole town. And then there is Rat, the outsider, whose exciting presence is a catalyst for change.Anything could happen in a tinder-box like Whistling Ridge. All it will take is just one spark...the truth of what happened that night at the Tall Bones. Beautifully written, arresting, and constantly surprising, TALL BONES is a gripping read from a stunning new voice.______________________________________READERS AND REVIEWERS praise TALL BONES:'A striking first novel' Observer'Fast-paced and moving' Literary Review'Will haunt you long after you race through its pages' Grazia (Book of the Month)'A compulsive literary crime-drama' Culturefly'Bailey writes like a dream' Emma Flint, author of Little Deaths'Brilliant, could not put it down' Katie Fford'One of my all-time favourite reads' Goodreads'I loved this book from the very first line' Goodreads

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'As informative as it is poetic' Dolly Alderton'Compassionate, funny and beautifully written' Daisy Buchanan------------------------------Every woman will experience the panic years in some way between her mid-twenties and early-forties.This maddening period of transformation and personal crisis is recognisable by the myriad of decisions we make - about partners, holidays, jobs, homes, savings, friendships - all of which are impacted by the urgency of the single decision that comes with a biological deadline, the one decision that is impossible to take back; whether or not to have a baby. But how to stay sane in such a maddening time? How to know who you are and what you might want from life? How to know if you're making the right decisions? Raw, hilarious and beguilingly honest, Nell Frizzell's account of her panic years is both an arm around the shoulder and a campaign to start a conversation. This affects us all - women, men, mothers, children, partners, friends, colleagues - so it's time we started talking about it with a little more candour.WHAT READERS ARE SAYING- 'Loved this book! Highly recommend for any woman (or man!) during the weird time in your 20s' *****- 'Those panicky feelings of being a 24-30 something put into words' *****- 'This book brings forth a sigh of relief. Excellent book that really taps into what so many of us are thinking and feeling, but not saying' *****

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'Brimming with all the ingredients for the best of novels: love, community spirit, family, friendship and four-legged friends.' Milly Johnson 'Heartwarming and full of hope. Lucy Dillon brings warmth to every page' Sarah Morgan After the storm it's time for a fresh start . . . First, the clouds... Tara Hunter is a therapist on a mission to restore Longhampton's community spirit after catastrophic flooding. But with her boyfriend AWOL, her family fragmented, and only a cat for company, Tara's own life is crumbling. Then the storm... On top of everything, Tara's father - last seen as he walked out on her when she was ten years old - is suddenly back, with a surprising offer that could change everything. And after the rain... Dr David Dalloway is Longhampton Wellness Centre's new star counsellor. He's charming, caring and has a knack for reading people's minds - which is the last thing Tara needs right now. Will having David and her dad around make for a bigger storm on the horizon? Or is this Tara's chance for a fresh start? 'Beautifully written with humour and insight' Katie Fforde ------- Readers love After the Rain: 'I enjoyed this book immensely... Her characters are people you want to spend time with' ***** 'This really tugs on your heartstrings' ***** 'This book is a joy to escape into.' ***** 'I have to confess I look forward to a new Lucy Dillion book every year, I get into a hot bubble bath, apply a face back and settle in for a good cosy read... and I was not disappointed with this year's offering...' ***** 'This is a book that becomes a friend and you never want it to end because you know you will miss their company.' *****

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With over 30 years' experience in helping people successfully change their lives for the better, Paul McKenna Ph.D. is perfectly placed to help you beat insomnia for good. This accessible guide - demystifying sleep, offering simple tips for change and including a free hypnotic trance download - is all you need to banish sleepless nights for good.What people are saying...'This excellent book was a life-saver for me' -- ***** Reader review'To all insomniacs, GIVE THIS A TRY' -- ***** Reader review'Amazing man, amazing processes, amazing book, amazing results!' -- ***** Reader review'I don't know how he does it but this really does work!' -- ***** Reader review*********************************************************************************************Would you like to sleep really well?Would you like to stop your mind racing and feel calm?Would you like to stop the disruption of waking in the night?Would you like to know what to do if you wake up in the night?Would you like to be able to sleep when you want to?Would you like to awaken full of energy?THEN THIS BOOK AND AUDIO DOWNLOAD ARE FOR YOU!We spend nearly a third of our lives sleeping. However, more people are suffering from insomnia than ever before.Paul Mckenna has made a remarkable 20 year study of tackling insomnia. He has developed a unique, easy system that everyone can use to improve the quality of their sleep. In this book, he shows you how easy exercise and simple changes in your thinking and behaviour can have a significant impact on your sleep.This book also comes with a hypnosis download code that re-sets your body's natural sleep mechanism so that you will automatically find it easier to get deep restful sleep and have energy to achieve what you want and improve your overall of quality of your life.

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The perfect gift for anyone in your life, or a wonderful source of comfort for the self - this is a wonderfully heartfelt collection of thoughts and blessings that will heal, inspire, comfort and move. When you need a poem or a blessing to find strength, whatever the occasion, this is a rich source - and something to be turned to time and time again...'This book is golden' -- ***** Reader review'Every family should have a copy of this book on their shelf' -- ***** Reader review'What a perfect companion to the challenges that come from being human' -- ***** Reader review'A beautiful book that I keep sharing with others' -- ***** Reader review'A book you will pick up time and time again for inspiration, for comfort and to be uplifted' -- ***** Reader review***************************************************************************************'We have fallen out of belonging. Consequently, when we stand before crucial thresholds in our lives, we have no rituals to protect, encourage and guide us as we cross over into the unknown. For such crossings, we need to find new words. What is nearest to the heart is often farthest from the word. This book is an attempt to reach into that tenuous territory of change that we must cross...'In sharing words of profound grace and wisdom, master storyteller John O'Donohue - author of the international bestseller Anam Cara - offers in Benedictus blessings to shelter us as we confront the many challenges we face on our journey through life.We are living in an anxious world - a world so often dominated by unwelcome change, unhappiness, uncertainty and even despair. Now, more than ever, we need this collection of blessings and thoughts, covering areas such as Beginnings, Desires, States of the Heart, Callings and Beyond Endings - it is a vision of hope and belonging for this sometimes troubled world.There are blessings in this book - for birthdays, anniversaries, deaths and many more. Some are long, some are short but all touch the heart.

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The Treatment is another gritty and gruesome thriller from bestselling and prize-winning author Mo Hayder. Utterly absorbing, it weaves a horrifying, gut-wrenching and compelling web, making it impossible to put down...or forget. Fans of Stephen King, Stuart MacBride and Karin Slaughter will not be disappointed.'One of the most frightening books I've ever read... Hayder's gory insights into the dark side are compelling' -- GUARDIAN'Bleak, powerful... The Treatment is cleverly plotted and Caffery is a believable creation' -- OBSERVER'Chilling... the book is surprisingly hard to put down. The plot develops with satisfying unpredictability; the characters are compellingly drawn... its final twist a bravura savagery' -- DAILY TELEGRAPH'A terrifying and tense read' -- ***** Reader review'An OUTSTANDING 5 star read that chilled me with its creepiness' -- ***** Reader review'A page-turning crime novel' -- ***** Reader review'An excellent read, kept me reading for hours at a time' -- ***** Reader review'I could not put it down and read it in two days' -- ***** Reader review*******************************************************************A quiet residential street in south London.A husband and wife are discovered, imprisoned in their own home. Badly dehydrated, they've been bound and beaten. He is close to death. But worse is to come: their young son is missing.When Detective Inspector Jack Caffery is called in to investigate, the similarities with events in his own past make it impossible for him to view this new crime dispassionately.And as he digs deeper - as he attempts to hold his own life together in the face of ever more disturbing revelations about both his past and his present - the real nightmare begins ...

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If you like Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden, you will love this second book in THE SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Manda Scott's epic retelling of the story of Britain's great warrior queen."One of the boldest of recent adventures in historical fiction...Scott celebrates the mystic matriarchy of the British tribe with lush lyricism and story-weaving panache..." -- INDEPENDENT"A cry for freedom cloaked in lyrical and sensitive prose." -- OXFORD TIMES"Of the recent historical novels set in Roman times, this is the best one I've read." -- MAIL ON SUNDAY"So well written and atmospheric that you are 'there' along with the characters. Plenty of development of the main characters from the first book, lots of suspense and page turning action." -- ***** Reader review"Amazing writing, spellbinding, transporting... History and fiction woven together in a memorising way and creating a real and vivid picture of life in Britain 2000 years ago. Highly recommend it!" -- ***** Reader review"Every book in the series has you on the edge of your seat. It makes you laugh and cry, love and hate. In fact be prepared to experience every emotion." -- ***** Reader review*********************************************THIS IS A HEART-STOPPING STORY OF WAR AND PEACE; OF LOVE, PASSION AND BETRAYAL; OF DRUIDS AND GODS IN A WORLD WHERE EACH LIFE IS SACRED BUT EACH DEATH EVEN MORE SO...In AD 60, Boudica, war leader of the Eceni, led her people in a final bloody revolt against the occupying armies of Rome - the culmination of nearly twenty years of resistance against an occupying force that sought to crush the vibrant native civilization of our island home ...Dreaming The Bull continues the story of Breaca - now hailed Boudica, the Bringer of Victory, and her half-brother, Bán, now an officer in the Roman auxiliary cavalry. Each stands on the opposing side in a brutal war between the occupying army and the defeated tribes; each is determined to see the other dead. Caught between them are two children, son and daughter to two of the greatest warriors their world has ever seen. While in distant Rome, the Emperor Claudius holds the balance of lives in his hands....Boudica's story continues in Boudica: Dreaming the Hound. Have you read Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle, the first instalment of the Boudica story?

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'A work of genius' Independent'Marvellously funny . . . What better entertainment is there than a serious book which makes you laugh?' Spectator'If you care about something you have to protect it. If you're lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.'Summer, 1953. In the small town of Gravesend, New Hampshire, eleven-year-old John Wheelwright and his best friend Owen Meany are playing in a Little League baseball game. When Owen hits a foul ball which kills John's mother, their lives are changed in an instant.It is dismissed as a tragic accident but Owen disagrees. He believes that he is God's instrument, put on Earth for a higher purpose. And as the boys come into adulthood to the background of the Vietnam War, a series of remarkable events show that perhaps Owen's divine plan was not imagined after all.Discover the funny yet poignant classic by the bestselling author of The World According to Garp.'So extraordinary, so original, and so enriching' Stephen King, The Washington Post'May justly join the classic American list' Anthony Burgess, Observer

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Readers of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse will love this wise and warm novel from multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope. A story of delicate family relationships and the catalysts that can change everything...'Her novels, like family life itself, are built on the tensions between the illusions of permanence and the reality of charm' -- Observer'A hugely enjoyable book' -- The Sunday Times'I love her wit, her benevolence, her resolve that in even the darkest hour a little light will shine' -- Irish Press'Profoundly satisfying as well as acutely querying...A perceptive chronicler of our times' -- Sunday Express'Beautifully written' -- ***** Reader reviewCouldn't put this book down 100% excellent -- ***** Reader review'Incredible' -- ***** Reader review***********************************************************************************TWO LIVES INTERTWINED AND SEEMINGLY HARMONIOUS. ONE DECISION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING. Lizzie and Frances are twins, together forming part of a unit. Or at least that's the way Lizzie sees things. Lizzie is the twin who has everything: husband, children, a flourishing career and a beautiful house. She worries about Frances, who seems to lead a solitary life in London, ricocheting from one disastrous man to the next. Lizzie just wants Frances to have a complete and satisfying life, just like hers.Then one day Frances announces she isn't coming to Lizzie's for Christmas as usual - she's going to Spain instead.Suddenly and equally unexpectedly, Lizzie's world begins to tilt. Frances's Christmas defection seems overwhelmingly threatening to their unity.As Frances's future begins to change into something exciting and Lizzie's deteriorates as financial pressures eat into her ideal lifestyle, long held assumptions are called into question.Which twin really is the one with everything?

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- WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION - NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER- NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST- 'You know you are in the hands of someone who can tell a story. Fantastic' ZADIE SMITHThe award-winning and New York Times bestselling novel: a dark and witty story of the rise of a young orphan in the surreal and tyrannical regime of North Korea .Young Pak Jun Do is convinced he is special. He knows he must be the unique son of the master of the orphanage, and definitely not some kid dumped by his parents. Surely it was obvious from the way his father singled him out for regular beating?He finds his calling when he is picked as a spy and kidnapper for his nation, the glorious Democratic Republic of North Korea. He knows he must find his true love, Sun Moon, the greatest opera star who ever lived, before it’s too late.He knows he’s not like the other prisoners in the camp. He’s going to get out soon. Isn't he?This hilarious, dark literary epic of a young boy's rise in North Korea from orphan to high-ranking officer won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was shortlisted for the National Book Award.Adam Johnson is working on a new work of fiction. 'An addictive novel of daring ingenuity' DAVID MITCHELL'Excavates the very meaning of life' NEW YORK TIMES

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Winner of the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel 2014 In the middle of an unusually hot Swedish summer, a young woman studying at the Vaxjo Police Academy is brutally murdered. Police Inspector Evert Bäckström is unwillingly drafted in from Stockholm to head up the investigation. Egotistical, vain and utterly prejudiced against everything, Bäckström is a man who has no sense of duty or responsibilty, thinks everyone with the exception of himself is an imbecile and is only really capable of warm feelings towards his pet goldfish and the nearest bottle of liquor. If they are to solve the case, his long suffering team must work around him, following the scant few leads which remain after Bäckström's intransigence has let the trail go cold.Blackly comic, thrillingly compelling and utterly real, Linda, As in the Linda Murder is the novel which introduces the reader to the modern masterpiece that is Evert Bäckström, a man described by his creator as 'short, fat and primitive'. He is, without doubt, the real deal when it comes to modern policing.

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Manchester, 1867Mara longs for a peaceful life free of violence and poverty. But she has married into the O'Hara family, who have a reputation for drunkenness and quick tempers. Her eldest stepson Conrad is the worst of them all - a brute and a criminal who makes Mara's life a misery.But when Conrad is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Mara is the only one who can prove his innocence. Perhaps this is her chance to finally free her family from his toxic influence . . . Will Mara clear Conrad's name, or will she have the courage to break away from her stepson's villainy? Readers love Emma Hornby:'Similar to Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, Emma Hornby tells a brilliant story' 'Emma Hornby's books just keep getting better and better' 'Keep writing Emma, you are very talented and can't wait for your next book' 'Emma is a wonderful storyteller and I can't wait for the next one!'

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For readers of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Sheryl Sandberg and Mary Beard, Women and Leadership is a powerful call to arms about the lack of women at the top.'Who better qualified to delve into this topic?' Business Life_______________Women make up less than 10 per cent of national leaders. Behind this statistic lies a pattern of unequal access to power. Drawing on current research and in conversation with some of the world's most powerful and interesting women about their lived experience, Gillard and Okonjo-Iweala explore gender bias and ask how we get more women into leadership roles. Speaking honestly and freely, women leaders such as Jacinda Ardern, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Bachelet and Theresa May talk about their ideas receiving less acknowledgement than their male colleagues' ideas, what it's like to be body-shamed in the media, and the things they wish they had done differently. Their stories reveal how gender and sexism affect perceptions of women as leaders, their pathways to power and the circumstances in which their leadership comes to an end. The result is a rare insight into life as a leader and a powerful call to arms for women everywhere.

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'Explores just about every area of life' DAILY MAIL'If only Adam Rutherford and Hannah Fry were on tap to all of us, all the time . . . The pair have such a gift for making life, numbers and the forces at work in the universe all the richer, stranger, funnier and more marvellous.' Stephen FryIn Rutherford and Fry's comprehensive guidebook, they tell the complete story of the universe and absolutely everything in it - skipping over some of the boring parts.This is a celebration of the weirdness of the cosmos, the strangeness of humans and the fact that amid all the mess, we can somehow make sense of life.Our brains have evolved to tell us all sorts of things that feel intuitively right but just aren't true: the world looks flat, the stars seem fixed in the heavenly firmament, a day is 24 hours... This book is crammed full of tales of how stuff really works. With the power of science, Rutherford and Fry show us how to bypass our monkey-brains, taking us on a journey from the origin of time and space, via planets, galaxies, evolution, the dinosaurs, all the way into our minds, and wrestling with some truly head-scratching questions that only science can answer:What is time, and where does it come from?Why are animals the size and shape they are?How horoscopes work (Spoiler: they don't, but you think they do)Does my dog love me?Why nothing is truly round?Do you need your eyes to see?'A wonderfully engaging blend of wit, enthusiasm, clarity and knowledge.' Bill Bryson'Like the universe itself, this book is multi-faceted, surprising and full of wonders. It's also funny, wise and exceedingly brainy. You really owe it to yourself to read it.' Tim Harford, author of How To Make The World Add Up

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'A delight . . . a glorious, witty and life-affirming ragbag of autobiography, cultural commentary and hard-won wisdom.' ANDREW TAYLOR, author of The Shadows of London'Perceptive, wise and illuminating . . . an unmissable farewell.' Barry Forshaw, FINANCIAL TIMES'The most hilarious, life-affirming book you’ll read this year.' SAGA magazine'Wit and wisdom that make every page turn . . . what a fine talent the world has lost.' STARBURSTThis is the memoir Christopher Fowler always wanted to write about 'writing'.It's the story of how a young bookworm growing up in a house where there was nothing to read but knitting pamphlets and motorcycle manuals became a writer - a 'word monkey' - and pursued a sort of career in popular fiction. And it's a book full of brilliant insights into the pleasures and pitfalls of his profession, dos and don'ts for would-be writers, and astute observations on favourite (and not-so-favourite) novelists.But woven into this hugely entertaining and inspiring reflection on a literary life is an altogether darker thread. In Spring 2020, just as the world went into lockdown, Chris was diagnosed with terminal cancer. And yet there is nothing of the misery memoir about Word Monkey. Past and present intermingle as, in prose as light as air, he relates with wry humour and remarkable honesty what he knows will be the final chapter in his story.Deeply moving, insightful and surprisingly funny, this is Christopher Fowler's life-affirming account of coming to terms with his own mortality.'A remarkable book by a remarkable writer: amazingly entertaining and informative and also, for obvious reasons, one of the most moving.' SIMON MASON, author of the DI Wilkins Mysteries'Wonderful . . . there is no bitterness here, but a hearty celebration of how art defines a life, with dark humour on the right occasions and the deliberate aim to leave a positive message . . . his enthusiasm is infectious and sobering when you are aware that he was dying as he wrote these pages.' Maxim Jacubowski, CRIME TIME

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From the Sunday Times bestselling author of You Do You, an interactive workbook designed to bring a bit more magic into your everyday life, one day at a time.You can start at any point of the year. Every page contains a simple act of self-care to take on each day, that will make today just that little bit better than yesterday. It's the best friend by your bedside - a safe space to help you take stock, take a moment for yourself, and then get ready to take on the world!Try your hand at self-care bingo one day. Get back to nature the next. Learn how to heal yourself using your love language. Practice celebrating your daily success, whether this is making your bed or finally catching up with that friend you've been meaning to chat to for ages.With Charlotte's signature humour and heart, this book is here to cheer you on through the ups and downs the year may bring, and take small steps towards happiness a little more each day.

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A beautiful new hardback edition of the classic Discworld novel.Moist von Lipwig is a con artist and a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet.It was a tough decision. But he's got to see that the mail gets though, come rain, hail, sleet, dogs, the Post Office Workers Friendly and Benevolent Society, the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too.

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AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERFrom New York Times Bestselling author Scott Galloway comes an urgent examination of the future of America and the reasons behind its current social and economic crisisIn Adrift, Scott Galloway looks from the past to the present - from 1945 to the 2020s - to reveal how America has reached its current state of political, social and economic crisis. It is on the brink of massive change, change that will disrupt the working of its economy and drastically impact its financial backbone, the middle class.Telling America's story through 100 charts, Galloway demonstrates how crises such as Jim Crow, World War II, and the Stock Market Crash of 2008, as well as the escalating power of technology, an entrenched white patriarchy, and the socio-economic effects of the pandemic, created today's perfect storm.Adrift seeks to make sense of it all, and offers Galloway's unique take on where America is headed and what it will become. It's a vital guide for anyone who wants to understand the state the country is in and how and why its influence on the world has changed.

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____________________NOW OUT IN CINEMAS, STARRING COLIN FIRTH, MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS AND LEA SÉYDOUX 'It takes you through each nail-biting moment . . . heart-breaking, humane and, at times, all too vivid. I've rarely read such a gripping work of non-fiction' COLIN FIRTH____________________At 11.30 a.m. on Saturday 12 August 2000, two massive explosions roared through the shallow Arctic waters of the Barents Sea. The Kursk, pride of the Northern Fleet and the largest attack submarine in the world, was hurtling towards the ocean floor.In Kursk (originally published as A Time to Die), award-winning journalist Robert Moore vividly recreates this disaster minute by minute. Venturing into a covert world where the Cold War continues out of sight, Moore investigates the military and political background to the tragedy. But above all, he tells the nail-bitingly poignant human story of the families waiting ashore, of the desperate efforts of British, Norwegian and Russian rescuers, and of the Kursk sailors, trapped in the aft compartnemt, waiting for rescue, as a horrified world followed their battle to stay alive . . .

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'Somebody!' I half-sob and then, more quietly, 'Please.' The words seem absorbed by the afternoon heat, lost amongst the trees. In their aftermath, the silence descends again. I know then that I’m not going anywhere...Sean is on the run. We don't know why and we don't know from whom, but we do know he's abandoned his battered, blood-stained car in the middle of an isolated part of rural France at the height of a sweltering summer. Desperate to avoid the police, he takes to the parched fields and country lanes but his leg is caught in a vicious animal trap. Near unconscious from pain and loss of blood, he is freed and taken in by two women - daughters of the owner of a rundown local farm with its ramshackle barn, blighted vineyard and the brooding lake. And it's then that Sean's problems really start... This nail-shredder of a thriller - like the fiction of Nicci French or Gillian Flynn - holds you from the beginning, tightening its grip as the story unfurls and shocks you with its final twist.

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‘Mallinson . . . combines the authority of a soldier-turned-military historian with the imaginative touch of the historical novelist.’ Lawrence James, THE TIMESWe remember months, because months have names, because they are linked to the seasons, and because they have their own character. Looking at the First World War month by month reveals its complexity while preserving a sense of time. From the opening shots to the signing of the armistice, the First World War lasted almost 52 months. It was fought on land, sea and in the air. It became industrial, and unrestricted: poison gas, aerial bombing of cities, and the sinking without warning of merchantmen and passenger ships by submarines. Casualties, military and civilian, probably exceeded 40 million. Four empires collapsed during the course of the war – the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman. The First World War is almost impossible to comprehend. Day-by-day narratives can be dizzying for the reader wanting to make sense of the conflict as a whole. Freer-flowing accounts, while helping to understand the broader trends and factors, can give less of a sense of the human dimension of time. The month is a more digestible gauge.Based on the Allan Mallinson’s monthly commentaries in The Times throughout the centenary, Fight to the Finish is a new and original portrait of “The War to End War.”

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"Pendragon has all the hallmarks of a traditional historical adventure story . . . However, there is also intellectual heft to this story, with its themes of myth-making and the nature of power." Antonia Senior THE TIMES Here is the beginning of a legend. Long before Camelot rose, a hundred years before the myth of King Arthur was half-formed, at the start of the Red Century, the world was slipping into a Dark Age…It is AD 367. In a frozen forest beyond Hadrian’s Wall, six scouts of the Roman army are found murdered. For Lucanus, known as the Wolf and leader of elite unit called the Arcani, this chilling ritual killing is a sign of a greater threat.But to the Wolf the far north is a foreign land, a place where daemons and witches and the old gods live on. Only when the child of a friend is snatched will he venture alone into this treacherous world - a territory ruled over by a barbarian horde - in order to bring the boy back home. What he finds there beyond the wall will echo down the years.A secret game with hidden factions is unfolding in the shadows: cabals from the edge of Empire to the eternal city of Rome itself, from the great pagan monument of Stonehenge to the warrior kingdoms of Gaul will go to any length to find and possess what is believed to be a source of great power, signified by the mark of the Dragon. A soldier and a thief, a cut-throat, courtesan and a druid, even the Emperor Valentinian himself - each of these has a part to play in the beginnings of this legend…the rise of the House of Pendragon.

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In every detective’s life there are cases that can’t be discussed, and throughout the Bryant & May novels there have been mentions of some of these such as the Deptford Demon or the Little Italy Whelk Smuggling Scandal.Now Arthur Bryant has decided to open the files on eleven of these previously unseen investigations that required the collective genius and unique modus operandi of Arthur Bryant and John May and the Peculiar Crimes Unit - investigations that range from different times (London during the Great Smog) and a variety of places: a circus freak show, on board a London Tour Bus and even a yacht off the coast of Turkey. And in addition to these eleven classic cases, readers are also given a privileged look inside the Peculiar Crimes Unit (literally, with a cut away drawing of their offices), a guide to the characters of the Peculiar Crimes Unit, and access to the contents of Arthur Bryant’s highly individual library.

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The story of Hereward continues in this brutal and bloody novel full of betrayal and murder - a must read for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden. "Dramatic, bloody and fast paced...I enjoyed every moment." -- PARMENION BOOKS"A CRACKING TALE...British heroism at its best. Magic" -- FALCATA TIMES"A real page-turner" -- ***** Reader review"Great characters, great plot-read it in two days!" -- ***** Reader review********************************************ONCE A REBEL. NOW IN EXILE. ALWAYS A WARRIOR...1072 - The battle has been lost and King William stands victorious. For the betrayed and abandoned English rebels, the price of their crushing defeat is exile.Their hopes of survival lie with one man, their leader Hereward. Can he navigate a safe course across a world torn by war? Their ultimate destination is the jewelled heart of the Christian emperor in the East, the New Rome - Byzantium. Here they hope to join those pledged to protect the emperor, the elite and savage Varangian Guard. But this once-mighty empire is far from stable. Turkish hordes plan for an attack that could come at any moment. And within the sprawling city itself, rival factions threaten bloody mayhem as they scheme to seize the crown.To stay alive in this cauldron of plot, betrayal and murder, Hereward and the English must fight as never before...Hereward: Wolves of New Rome is the fourth book in James Wilde's six book Hereward series. His story continues in Hereward: The Immortals. Have you read Hereward, Hereward: The Devil's Army andHereward: End of Days - the first three books in the series?

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Fantastic world-building meets spellbinding storytelling in this must-read fan-favourite from Esslemont. Ideal for fans of Steven Erikson, David Gemmell and Brandon Sanderson.'This book hits all the right notes at all the right times' -- FANTASY BOOK REVIEW'Highly entertaining . . . streamlined, tightly-plotted and structured' -- TOR.COM'An awesome read' -- ***** Reader review'Esslemont at his best' -- ***** Reader review'Totally absorbing' -- ***** Reader review'You'll find this hard to put down' -- ***** Reader review***********************************************************************************************************It was once a land ravaged by war, minor city states, baronies and principates fighting for supremacy. But when the rival cities of Tali and Quon formed an alliance, Quon Tali came into being.However that was generations ago, that dynasty has collapsed and the regional powers are now clawing at each others throats once more. But at the heart of Quon Tali lies the powerful city state of Li Heng which has for centuries enjoyed relative stability under the guidance of the powerful sorceress known as the "Protectress".She is not someone likely to tolerate the arrival of two particular young men into her domain: one is determined to prove he is the most skilled assassin of his age; the other is his quarry - a Dal Hon mage who is proving annoyingly difficult to kill.And now, under a new and ambitious king, the forces of Itko Kan are marching on Li Heng from the south. His own assassins, the Nightblades, have been sent ahead into the city, and rumours abound that he has inhuman, nightmarish forces at his command. So as shadows and mistrust swirl and monstrous beasts run rampage through Li Heng's streets, it seems chaos is come - but in chaos, as a certain young Dal Hon mage would say, there is opportunity . . .

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In Which Mr May Makes A Mistake And Mr Bryant Goes Into The DarkOn a rainy winter night outside a run-down nightclub in the wrong part of London, four strangers meet for the first time at 4:00am.A few weeks later the body of an Indian textile worker is found hanging upside down inside a willow tree on Hampstead Heath. The Peculiar Crimes Unit is called in to investigate. The victim was found surrounded by the paraphernalia of black magic, and so Arthur Bryant and John May set off to question experts in the field. But the case is not what it appears. When another victim seemingly commits suicide, it becomes clear that in the London night is a killer who knows what people fear most. And he always strikes at 4:00am.In order to catch him, the PCU must switch to night shifts, but still the team draws a blank. John May takes a technological approach, Arthur Bryant goes in search of academics and misfits for help, for this is becoming a case that reveals impossibilities at every turn, not least that there's no indication of what the victims might have done to attract the attentions of a murderer that doesn’t seem to exist. But impossibilities are what the Peculiar Crimes Unit does best. As they explore a night city where all the normal rules are upended, they’re drawn deeper into a case that involves murder, arson, kidnap, blackmail, bats and the psychological effects of loneliness on Londoners. It's a trail that takes them from the poorest part of the East End to the wealthiest homes in North London - an investigation that can only end in tragedy…

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The defenestration of a ruthless theatre impresario's young son was definitely not the best way to end the play's first night party. And the crime scene itself was most unusual: a locked bedroom, with no sign of forced entry, no prints or traces of blood, just a sinister, life-size puppet of Mr Punch lying on the floor...Everyone at the party - from the dodgy producer and rakish male lead to the dour set designer and the assistant stage manager (the wild daughter of a prominent civil servant) - is a suspect. It's a perfect case for Bryant and May and the Peculiar Crimes Unit but the Home Office, wary of the PCU's eccentric methods and intensely aware of the potential political embarrassment, wants them off the investigation. The elderly detectives are not so easily deterred, however. Delving into the history of London theatre and the gruesome origins of 'Punch and Judy', they uncover a maniacal killer is at work - one who must be caught before it's curtains for everyone!

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Some moments burn in the mind for ever. The landing is dark. Light comes from a window at the far end, enough to run by. Breath comes hard. From the stairs sound heavy footfalls in pursuit. The landing ends in a last doorway. There is no more running, only the need to hide...Imagine not knowing the father of your child. Not knowing his name. What he looks like. Or what sort of person he is. Although she is desperate for a baby, that is something that Kate Powell cannot accept. Single, independent, she likes to be in control of her own life - even if it has, somehow, become strangely shallow and meaningless. Then Kate meets a man who seems to be the answer to all her problems. But we all know appearances can be dangerously deceptive. And Kate should too. Soon her life is out her hands. And out of control...

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"A must-read for anyone interested in the intrigue of politics in the most dangerous country on earth" (The Sunday Times)Read the unique insider's view of a country unfamiliar to a Western audience, seen through the eyes of the man set to become Pakistan's new Prime Minister.Born only five years after Pakistan was created in 1947, Imran Khan has lived his country's history. Undermined by a ruling elite, and unable to protect its people from the carnage of regular bombings from terrorists and its own ally, America, Pakistan has for years suffered from instability. Now Imran Khan and his own political party, the Tehreek-e-Insaf, offer a real political alternative for the people of Pakistan at a time when tension between Pakistan's government and the powerful military has reached dangerous new levels. How did this flashpoint of volatility and injustice come about?Pakistan: A Personal History provides a unique insider's view of a country unfamiliar to a western audience. Woven into this history we see how Imran Khan's personal life - his happy childhood in Lahore, his Oxford education, his extraordinary cricketing career, his marriage to Jemima Goldsmith, his mother's influence and that of his Islamic faith - inform both the historical narrativeandhis current philanthropic and political activities. It is at once absorbing and insightful, casting fresh light upon a country whose culture he believes is largely misunderstood by the West.

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'Lee Child's protagonist, Jack Reacher, is a hero in the Dirty Harry style, a man who lives by his own principles . . . Produces a surprising twist when it's least expected.' Sunday TelegraphJack Reacher walks alone. No job, no ID, no last known address. But he never turns down a plea for help. Now a woman tracks him down. A woman serving at the very heart of US power. A woman who needs Reacher's assistance in her new job.Her job?Protecting the Vice-President of the United States.Her problem? Someone wants the VP dead._________Although the Jack Reacher novels can be read in any order, Without Fail is the 6th in the series.And be sure not to miss Reacher's newest adventure, no.27, No Plan B! ***OUT NOW***

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Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries?These are just some of the questions considered in the internationally acclaimed masterpiece by the world renowned physicist - generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders.This new edition includes recent updates from Stephen Hawking with his latest thoughts about the No Boundary Proposal and offers new information about dark energy, the information paradox, eternal inflation, the microwave background radiation observations, and the discovery of gravitational waves. It was published in tandem with the app, Stephen Hawking's Pocket Universe.

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______________"Genuinely delicious and grown-up-booze-free ideas. An essential for every household." Daily TelegraphThis book is full of the very best cocktails - the most delicious flavours, the most distinctive combinations and the most adventurous recipes. And they are all made with non-alcoholic ingredients, from exciting new mixers to rich, fragrant syrups and spirits. Most can be created with ingredients found in your kitchen or garden, and all promise an exciting new way to drink dry.These are imaginative, grown-up, non-alcoholic alternatives for the designated driver, teetotaller, or those who are pregnant, trying dry January, losing weight or just cutting back. Whether you're planning a Friday night in with friends, a lazy Sunday brunch or an evening huddled around a crackling fire you can find your dry drinks here.

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