Search results for ""little, brown book group""

Overcome the crippling effects of panic attacks and agoraphobia Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by feelings of panic that seem to come from nowhere and yet feel terrifyingly real? Do you avoid certain situations because you think you'll experience a panic attack? If so, this step-by-step self-help course can give you the necessary skills to overcome and prevent such attacks and the associated agoraphobia. Based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques and the authors' many years of experience and expertise in treating this disabling condition, it offers an indispensable guide for anyone affected, including sufferers, their friends and families, psychologists and those working in the medical profession. Explains the many forms and causes of panic Contains a complete self-help program and monitoring sheets Based on clinically proven techniques of cognitive therapy

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'Scientists labelled fat the enemy ...they were wrong.' Time magazine We've been told for years that eating fat is bad for us, that it is a primary cause of high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity. The Real Meal Revolution debunks this lie and shows us the way back to restored health through eating what human beings are meant to eat. This book will radically transform your life by showing you clearly, and easily, how to take control of not just your weight, but your overall health, too - through what you eat. And you can eat meat, seafood, eggs, cheese, butter, nuts ...often the first things to be prohibited or severely restricted on most diets. This is Banting, or Low-Carb, High-Fat (LCHF) eating, for a new generation, solidly underpinned by years of scientific research and by now incontrovertible evidence. This extraordinary book, already a phenomenal bestseller, overturns the conventional dietary wisdom of recent decades that placed carbohydrates at the base of the supposedly healthy-eating pyramid and that has led directly to a worldwide epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Both a startling revelation, and as old as humanity itself, it offers a truly revolutionary approach to healthy eating that explodes the myth, among others, that cholesterol is bad for us. This is emphatically not just another unsustainable, quick-fix diet or a fad waiting to be forgotten, but a long-delayed return to the way human beings are supposed to eat.

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'If you were expecting to read Razor's views on politics then you're going to be disappointed. Anybody who wants to read that needs help! This is yours truly talking about some of the experiences that have helped to create the absolute legend that is moi. Some of the tales involve a bit of mischief and most involve a drink or two. Most importantly, though, they're all a bit of a laugh so I'd settle down and have yourself a nice little read'The two things Razor Ruddock can't resist in life are a pint and a dare. That and seventeen years as a professional footballer under his belt means he's got a story or two to tell. Chickening out of a fight with Eric Cantona, robbing Alan Shearer's minibar, cinema trips with Gazza, becoming mates with Ian Wright - Razor has seen and done it all.Packed full of hilarious anecdotes, Razor gives us his take on the beautiful game, sharing his tactics (good banter is a defender's duty), red mist (and red cards) on the pitch, run-ins with the FA and his theory as to why Ingerland never do as well as we'd like, as well as his best ever goal and the greatest night of his sporting life.Razor also lifts the lid on his bad reputation and reveals his regrets, his heroes, his greatest fears (notably upsetting the missus) and what it takes to make Britain's hardest footballer cry. Poignantly, he shares his views on the importance of family and his concerns over footballers' mental health. And the biggest surprise of all: that he was a shy and retiring young lad (and that his love of swearing comes from his mum).Cameo appearances include: Bobby Robson, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona, Dennis Bergkamp, Harry Redknapp, David Beckham, Alan Shearer, Gazza, Jimmy Case, Phil 'The Power' Taylor, Robbie Williams and Nelson Mandela ('Nelse').With his trademark sense of humour and foot-in-mouth disease, The World According to Razor is like having a pint down the pub with Razor himself.

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Duke's Company actress Kitty Burgess has a stunning future before her - until she vanishes after the opening performance of Aminta Grey's new play, The Summer Birdcage. One of her fellow actors swears he saw her being bundled into a black coach driven by six black horses outside the theatre. Then no more is heard of her - until the body of a young woman is found dead beside the road in Hertfordshire. It appears to be Kitty, so Aminta and her husband Sir John Grey, travel to Bishop's Stortford to identify her. The girl has been so badly beaten it is impossible to tell who she is, but there are three clues - the dress she is wearing, a ring and a copy of the script of Aminta's play, left (perhaps a little too conveniently) in the victim's hands.Back in London Aminta catches sight of a young woman who looks exactly like Kitty but before she can do anything, the woman runs off and is lost in the crowd. Meanwhile, rumours abound at court that Kitty was about to become the king's new mistress and all fingers are being pointed at Lady Castlemaine for having arranged for her rival to be spirited away and killed. And now John Grey finds that is no longer just his wife who is determined to prove Kitty Burgess is alive. It would seem her disappearance - and possible reappearance - is part of some much wider conspiracy, and that Kitty may be about to play the most dangerous, and possibly deadly, role of her life. A role from which there may be no escape ...Praise for L.C. Tyler'Len Tyler writes with great charm and wit . . . made me laugh out loud' Susanna Gregory'I was seduced from John Grey's first scene' Ann Cleeves'Tyler juggles his characters, story, wit and clever one liners with perfect balance' The Times'A dizzying whirl of plot and counterplot' Guardian'Unusually accomplished' Helen Dunmore'A cracking pace, lively dialogue, wickedly witty one-liners salted with sophistication . . . Why would we not want more of John Grey?' The Bookbag

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Having the wrong client can be murder...The voice was smooth, cultured, almost tender as it oozed from the phone into Connor Fraser's ear. "I've heard about you, Mr Fraser, and I'm very impressed by your work. So I've decided to employ you. I am going to kill Father John Donnelly sometime in the next seven days. And you are going to stop me - or die trying. "The thought it's a sick joke lasts for as long as it takes Connor to find that £70,000 has been deposited into his PayPal account, and for him to receive an email with a picture of his grandmother. With no choice but to make a deal with the devil, Connor races to unmask a killer before he strikes and uncovers a mystery that stretches back decades, threatening the people closest to him.Praise for Violent Ends'Line of duty meets Backdraft' -- Bloody Scotland, listed as one of Bloody Scotland's 12 Books of Christmas'A heart-pounding thriller that's also a brilliantly twisty mystery that keeps you guessing to the last page' Derek Farrell Praise for Neil Broadfoot: 'Tense, fast-moving and bloody. Broadfoot's best yet' Mason Cross'A true rising star of crime fiction' Ian Rankin'Beautifully crafted . . . There's no filler, no exposition, just action, dialogue and layering of tension that'll hold you breathless until the very end' Helen Fields'Wonderfully grisly and grim, and a cracking pace' James Oswald'A frantic, pacy read with a compelling hero' Steve Cavanagh

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'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl' Daily MailStrictly Murder is the eighth book in Julie Wassmer's popular crime series - now a major Acorn TV drama, Whitstable Pearl, starring Kerry Godliman as private detective and restaurateur, Pearl Nolan It really is murder on the dance floor. . . A new dance school opens in Whitstable run by celebrity tango champions - Tony and Tanya Ballard. Pearl Nolan knows herself to be an ace cook and a sharp private eye but has always left the dancing to her mother, Dolly. But Pearl becomes intrigued by the Ballards when they visit The Whitstable Pearl restaurant, and she realises that dance classes could provide the perfect cover for her clandestine relationship with DCI Mike McGuire... McGuire is the only man Pearl has ever considered partnering - and not just for tango - but the pair soon find themselves with more than steps to master when death joins them on the dance floor and a brutal killer stalks the school. Praise for Julie Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl Mysteries...'One of the best episodes in Wassmer's longrunning Whitstable saga' Daily Mail 'As light as a Mary Berry Victoria sponge, this Middle-England romp is packed with vivid characters' Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent 'All of the thrills without any of the gore' The Sun 'This is a quality title...a very entertaining read' The Puzzle Doctor 'My new favourite author in the genre' George Galloway 'A wonderful way to explore Whitstable . . . if you love cosy mysteries, then get acquainted with Pearl (and her mum and her cats!) and enjoy a trip to Whitstable through the eyes of this very convincing author' Trip Fiction 'Proves she's mistress of her craft' John McGhie, author of White Highlands 'Good, solid whodunits, without gruesome details or gratuitous violence, Murder on Sea may be just your cup of tea' Bec Stafford Praise for the TV series... 'Scandi noir meets the English seaside in Whitstable Pearl, a murder mystery series based on Julie Wassmer's novels...' Drama Quarterly '...explores all the murder and debauchery in the seemingly perfect English seaside town of Whitstable...' Washington Post '...you never know what might turn up, either on the menu or alongside an oyster boat.' Wall Street Journal

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'A slick, smart thriller you don't want to miss' Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife'Every page is packed with feral tension'Stephanie Wrobel, author of The Recovery of Rose Gold'An ending you won't see coming'Louise O'Neill, author of After the Silence'Chilling'Bella_____________Sera loves true crime podcasts. The mysteries become an unlikely comfort for her, and then an obsession. So when Rachel, her favourite podcast host, goes missing from a small rural town in Northern California, Sera decides to act. She heads to the isolated ranch where Rachel disappeared, determined to discover what's happened to her. But the more Sera digs into this unfamiliar world, the more off things start to feel.Because Rachel is not the first woman to vanish from the ranch, and she won't be the last . . .Rachel did try to warn her._____________A chilling and utterly addictive psychological thriller that will hook you from the first page and keep you up all night . . . 'DELICIOUSLY EERIE' PopSugar'MUST READ' New York Post'COMPULSIVE, ATMOSPHERIC' Katherine St. John'SPELLBINDING' Kathleen Barber'WILD, THRILLING, FAST-PACED' Hello Giggles'SLEEK, EXCITING AND TWISTY' Rene Denfield'DISQUIETING AND DISTINCTLY CREEPY' Kirkus'A PROPULSIVE THRILL RIDE' Lisa Unger'CLEVER, SINISTER' Kimberley Belle'GENUINELY SCARY' Andrea Bartz

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Humans have identified just a fraction of the 2.2 million species living in the sea. Roughly 91% of all marine species remain unknown: myths still to be written, discoveries still to be made, blank pages with room to dream . . .As a small boy, Bill François was frightened of deep water. Until a chance encounter with the elusive sardine set him on course for a life in marine science: a mission to better understand, and preserve, the underwater world, to find his place in that ecosystem and learn how to converse harmoniously with the ocean.In a series of exquisitely rendered vignettes of marine life, François invites us on a whistle-stop global tour to reveal the mysteries of the sea, beginning with the simple eloquence of the sardine. He unpicks the sound of the sea - an underwater symphony orchestra voiced by a choir of fish - and deciphers the latest scientific discoveries on the immunity of coral and the changing gender of wrasses. We visit the depths of underwater Paris as François delves into the mysterious world of the eel and explore an extraordinary three-generational friendship between humans and killer whales, and the role a shoal of herrings played in Cold War tensions.Throughout, François effortlessly brings the inner workings of fish to life - their language, their emotions, their societal rituals. He also makes a case for why we should look to the sea for inspiration for improving society and investigates the shocking journey from sea to plate.Drawing on history, myth and legend, but always grounded in science, The Eloquence of the Sardine will change the way you think about the sea in the most poetic of ways.

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The Times Best Literary Non-fiction Books 2021 - 'a super yarn' 'Rick Gekoski's encyclopaedic knowledge of rare books is matched only by the enthusiasm and brio with which he writes about them' Ian Rankin Rick Gekoski has been traversing the rocky terrain of the rare book trade for over fifty years. The treasure he seeks is scarce, carefully buried and often jealously guarded, knowledge of its hiding place shared through word of mouth like the myths of old. In Guarded by Dragons, Gekoski invites readers into this enchanted world as he reflects on the gems he has unearthed throughout his career. He takes us back to where his love of collecting began - perusing D.H. Lawrence first editions in a slightly suspect Birmingham carpark. What follows are dizzying encounters with literary giants as Gekoski publishes William Golding, plays ping-pong with Salman Rushdie and lunches with Graham Greene. A brilliant stroke of luck sees Sylvia Plath's personal copy of The Great Gatsby fall into Gekoski's lap, only for him to discover the perils of upsetting a Poet Laureate when Ted Hughes demands its return. Hunting for literary treasure is not without its battles and Gekoski boldly breaks the cardinal rule never to engage in a lawsuit with someone much richer than yourself, while also guarding his bookshop from the most unlikely of thieves. The result is an unparalleled insight into an almost mythical world where priceless first editions of Ulysses can vanish, and billionaires will spend as much gold as it takes to own the manuscript of J.K. Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard. Engaging, funny and shrewd, Guarded by Dragons is a fascinating discussion on value and worth. At the same time, Gekoski artfully reveals how a manuscript can tell a thousand stories.

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'Just the thing to chase the blues away' M. C. BeatonSpring is in the air ... and so, too, is the sound of music as the residents of Honeychurch Hall are stunned to learn that the Dowager Countess Lady Edith Honeychurch has agreed to the staging of a production of The Merry Widow in the dilapidated grand ballroom.Fears that the fiercely private octogenarian must be going senile are soon dismissed when our heroine, Kat Stanford, learns that the favour is a result of a desperate request from Countess Olga Golodkin. As one of Edith's oldest friends Olga is the director of the amateur Devon Operatic Dramatic Organization. Just a week before, D.O.D.O's original venue was destroyed in a mysterious fire but since tickets have been sold, costumes made and lucrative local sponsorships secured, Olga is determined that the show must go on. After decades at the helm of D.O.D.O., The Merry Widow will be Olga's swansong and she wants to go out with a bang . . .Praise for Hannah Dennison:'The perfect classic English village mystery but with the addition of charm, wit and a thoroughly modern touch' Rhys Bowen'Downton Abbey was yesterday. Murder at Honeychurch Hall lifts the lid on today's grand country estate in all its tarnished, scheming, inbred, deranged glory' Catriona McPherson'Will delight fans and new readers alike' People's Friend'A fun read' Carola Dunn'Sparkles like a glass of Devon cider on a summer afternoon' Elizabeth Duncan

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Something extraordinary happened to the UK literary scene in the 1980s. In the space of eight years, a generation of young British writers took the literary novel into new realms of setting, subject matter and style, challenging - and almost eclipsing - the Establishment writers of the 1950s. It began with two names - Martin Amis and Ian McEwan - and became a flood: Julian Barnes, William Boyd, Graham Swift, Salman Rushdie, Jeanette Winterson and Pat Barker among them. The rise of the newcomers coincided with astonishing changes in the way books were published - and the ways in which readers bought them and interacted with their authors. Suddenly, authors of serious fiction were like rock stars, fashionable, sexy creatures, shrewdly marketed and feted in public. The yearly bunfight of the Booker Prize became a matter of keen public interest. Tim Waterstone established the first of a chain of revolutionary bookshops. London publishing houses became the playground of exciting, visionary entrepreneurs who introduced new forms of fiction - magical realist, feminist, post-colonial, gay - to modern readers. Independent houses began to spend ostentatious sums on author advances and glamorous book launches. It was nothing short of a watershed in literary culture. And its climax was the issuing of a death sentence by a fundamentalist leader whose hostility to Western ideas of free speech made him, literally, the world's most lethal critic. Through this exciting, hectic period, the journalist and author John Walsh played many parts: literary editor, reviewer, interviewer, prize judge and TV pundit. He met and interviewed numerous literary stars, attended the best launch parties and digested all the gossip and scandal of the time. In Circus of Dreams he reports on what he found, first with wide-eyed delight and then with a keen eye on what drove this glorious era. The result is a unique hybrid of personal memoir, oral history, literary investigation and elegy for a golden age.

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What do you do when your child disappears?'A hugely compelling story of loss, grief and vengeance, The Empty Room is probably the best novel yet by one of our finest mystery writers. Unmissable.' John Connolly'The tension and heartbreak kept me turning the pages' Patricia Gibney'A searing, thrilling and heartbreaking look at life, loss and revenge, expertly handled by a hugely talented storyteller' Chris WhitakerPandora - Dora - Condron wakes one morning to discover her 17-year old daughter Ellie, has not come home after a party.The day Ellie disappears, Dora is alone as her husband Eamon has already left for the day in his job as a long-distance lorry driver. So Dora does the usual things: rings around Ellie's friends... but no one knows where she is. Her panic growing, Dora tries the local hospitals and art college where Ellie is a student - but then the police arrive on her doorstep with the news her daughter's handbag has been discovered dumped in a layby.So begins Dora's ordeal of waiting and not knowing what has become of her girl. Eamon's lack of empathy and concern, Dora realises, is indicative of the state of their marriage, and left on her own, Dora begins to reassess everything she thought she knew about her family and her life. Increasingly isolated and disillusioned with the police investigation, Dora feels her grip on reality slipping as she takes it upon herself to find her daughter - even if it means tearing apart everything and everybody she had ever loved, and taking justice into her own hands. Praise for The Empty Room 'The Empty Room has all the elements of great drama - murder, revenge, sacrifice - along with complex moral questions that will keep you engaged long after the final thrilling page' Martina Murphy'A compulsive, addictive, heart rending read, The Empty Room is a tale of grief and loss, and ultimately redemption, that puts Brian McGilloway at the very top of the game. I could not put it down' Sam Blake'Masterful, humane, compelling, beautifully written, utterly convincing - and without a wasted word' Catherine Kirwan 'The Empty Room is a tense, and at times claustrophic, slow-burner which builds to a devastating conclusion' Claire Allan'A tense thriller' Irish Daily Mail'The Empty Room surely secures Brian's place as one of the best writers out there. . . a thoughtful exploration of a mother struggling with a changed world. . . exceptional' Chris MacDonald 'High tension and high emotion make this story a page turner' Roisin Meaney Praise for Brian McGilloway 'A compulsive police procedural, but it's so much more than that: thought-provoking, compassionate and beautifully-written. McGilloway is one of the finest crime-writers working today' Ann Cleeves'Blood Ties is one of those rare gems; a beautifully written crime novel that's also brilliantly paced, skillfully plotted and utterly absorbing. Brian McGilloway is, quite simply, a master of his art. Bravo' Jo Spain'Brian McGilloway's police procedurals are a masterclass in crime fictions' Andrea Carter'A clever, engaging and beautifully crafted police procedural' Irish Independent'Some of the very best crime fiction being written today' Lee Child on Bad Blood'This dazzling, labyrinthine debut impresses not only for the authentic depiction of a troubled community and the conflicts of a fallible detective, but also for the intense portrait of the borderlands themselves; as beautiful and terrible as the secrets they keep' Guardian'McGilloway's Borderlands was one of last years most impressive debuts. Does Gallows Lane pass the feared second-novel test? Easily.' The Times'McGilloway skilfully handles the tangled threads of a conspiracy surrounding an old crime, to make a satisfying mystery with an attractive central character.' Sunday Telegraph

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A new edition of Orwell's end-of-tether third novel, introduced and annotated by his biographer, D.J. TaylorFirst published in 1936, and drawing on Orwell's own experiences of working in a Hampstead bookshop, Keep the Aspidistra Flying tracks the career of Gordon Comstock ('nearly 30 and moth-eaten already') a struggling poet who tries to rebel against the conventions of middle-class English life, only to be drawn inexorably back into the world that grinds him down.This new edition includes an introduction and extensive end-notes, and an appendix containing original responses to the novel as well as letters and documents from the period in which it was written.

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A new edition of Orwell's elegiac fourth novel, introduced and annotated by his biographer, D.J. TaylorFirst published in 1939 and dominated by the shadow of the Second World War, Coming up for Air finds fat, middle-aged and unhappily-married George Bowling trying to revisit the world of his Edwardian childhood in rural Oxforshire, only to discover that the certainties of his past are dead and that a very different future is looming up to claim him.This new edition includes an introduction and extensive end-notes, and an appendix containing original responses to the novel as well as letters and documents from the period in which it was written.

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'This is high quality crime writing' A A DhandThe second dark and twisted thriller in the Avison Fluke series by M. W. Craven, the acclaimed author of The Puppet Show.Investigating how a severed hand ends up on the third green of a Cumbrian golf course is not how Detective Inspector Avison Fluke has planned to spend his Saturday. So when a secret protection unit from London swoops in quoting national security, he's secretly pleased. But trouble is never far away. A young woman arrives at his lakeside cabin with a cryptic message: a code known to only a handful of people and it forces Fluke back into the investigation he's only just been barred from. In a case that will change his life forever, Fluke immerses himself in a world of New Age travellers, corrupt cops and domestic extremists. Before long he's alienated his entire team, has been arrested under the Terrorism Act - and has made a pact with the Devil himself. But a voice has called out to him from beyond the grave. And Fluke is only getting started...Praise for M. W. Craven:'Dark, sharp and compelling' PETER JAMES'Fantastic' MARTINA COLE'Britain's answer to Harry Bosch' MATT HILTON'Thrilling' MICK HERRON'Brilliantly inventive' WILLIAM SHAW'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent' DAVID MARK

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'For those who fear the worst for the sport they love, this is like cool, clear water for a man dying of thirst. It's barnstorming, coruscating stuff, and as fine a book about the game as you'll read for years' Mail on Sunday'Charming . . . a threnody for a vanished and possibly mythical England' Sebastian Faulks, Sunday Times'Lyrical . . . [Henderson's] pen is filled with the romantic spirit of the great Neville Cardus . . . This book is an extended love letter, a beautifully written one, to a world that he is desperate to keep alive for others to discover and share. Not just his love of cricket, either, but of poetry and classical music and fine cinema' The Times'To those who love both cricket and the context in which it is played, the book is rather wonderful, and moving' Daily Telegraph'Philip Larkin's line 'that will be England gone' is the premise of this fascinating book which is about music, literature, poetry and architecture as well as cricket. Henderson is that rare bird, a reporter with a fine grasp of time and place, but also a stylist of enviable quality and perception' Michael ParkinsonNeville Cardus once said there could be no summer in England without cricket. The 2019 season was supposed to be the greatest summer of cricket ever seen in England. There was a World Cup, followed by five Test matches against Australia in the latest engagement of sport's oldest rivalry. It was also the last season of county cricket before the introduction in 2020 of a new tournament, The Hundred, designed to attract an audience of younger people who have no interest in the summer game. In That Will Be England Gone, Michael Henderson revisits much-loved places to see how the game he grew up with has changed since the day in 1965 that he saw the great fast bowler Fred Trueman in his pomp. He watches schoolboys at Repton, club cricketers at Ramsbottom, and professionals on the festival grounds of Chesterfield, Cheltenham and Scarborough. The rolling English road takes him to Leicester for T20, to Lord's for the most ceremonial Test match, and to Taunton to watch an old cricketer leave the crease for the last time. He is enchanted at Trent Bridge, surprised at the Oval, and troubled at Old Trafford. 'Cricket,' Henderson says, 'has always been part of my other life.' There are memories of friendships with Ken Dodd, Harold Pinter and Simon Rattle, and the book is coloured throughout by a love of landscape, poetry, paintings and music. As well as reflections on his childhood hero, Farokh Engineer, and other great players, there are digressions on subjects as various as Lancashire comedians, Viennese melancholy and the fil

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Over seventy years since his premature death, George Orwell (1903-50) has become one of the most significant figures in western literature. His two dystopian masterpieces, Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) have together sold over 40 million copies. Even now, he continues to exert a decisive influence on our understanding of international power-politics. D.J. Taylor's new biography, the first full-length study for 20 years, draws on a wide range of previously unseen material - newly-discovered letters to old girlfriends and professional colleagues, the recollections of the dwindling band of people who remember him, new information about his life in the early 1930s - to produce a definitive portrait of this complex, driven and self-mythologising man.

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'Dripping with authenticity. Packed full of characters you genuinely care about . . . I didn't read the last few chapters, I devoured them. An absolute triumph' M. W. CRAVEN_____________________Three can keep a secret. If two of you are dead... Two women are snatched off the streets of London in one weekend.DI Charlie George and his team get to work. The lives of these young women - one of them a mother - are on the line, and the clock is ticking.When they catch a lucky break from a CCTV camera, Charlie is sure they have their man. And that's when he gets his first surprise. Because nothing about this case is simple and not everyone is quite what they seem.Charlie's job is to find the missing women and get to the truth. But some people would rather the truth stays hidden - even when the bodies start to pile up..._____________________Praise for Colin Falconer'Once you read [a] Colin Falconer [book], you'll want to read everything he's ever written' Crystal Book Reviews'Falconer's grasp of period and places is almost flawless ... He's my kind of writer' Peter Corris, The Australian'You are in for a real roller-coaster ride of never ending intrigue'History and Women'Falconer demonstrates exceptional characterization' Bookgeeks

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Aged nineteen, Alison McKelvie was a self-confessed romantic, immersed in books and poetry, and dreaming of beauty, truth and love. In 1940, whilst working as a secretary at MI6, Alison met Alexander Wilson. Thirty years her senior, Alexander was worldly and charismatic. An intense affair quickly led to marriage and two children. But the Wilsons' lives then spiralled into the depths of poverty. Alexander was sacked, imprisoned twice, and then declared bankrupt. His lack of reliability was a hefty emotional burden for Alison to bear. Nevertheless, she loved her husband unreservedly and stuck by him through thick and thin.In 1963, Alexander died suddenly of a heart attack. Alison's world imploded when she discovered that their life together had been built upon layer after layer of deception. Who was Alexander Wilson? How well had Alison really known him? Slowly the lies were unravelled: Alexander had been a novelist, spy and, devastatingly, a bigamist. Alison was the third of four wives, her children two of seven.The inspiration for critically-acclaimed drama Mrs Wilson, Before & After is the powerful and poignant memoir of Alison Wilson. 'Before' peels back the complex layers of a marriage steeped in lies, and the shattering heartbreak which followed. 'After' tells of an intensely-felt redemption through religion. Before & After is, first and foremost, a love story, but it is also an account of one extraordinarily strong woman's deep, unwavering faith.

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'One of Singapore's finest living authors' South China Morning Post'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life' CATRIONA MCPHERSON'Charming' RHYS BOWEN'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' SCOTSMAN________________The Allies have defeated Germany in Europe, but Japan refuses to surrender the East.In Singapore, amid rumours the Japanese occupiers are preparing to wipe out the population of the island rather than surrender, a young aide is found murdered beneath the termite mushroom tree in Hideki Tagawa's garden and his plans for a massive poison gas bomb are missing. To prevent any more destruction it falls to Su Lin to track down the real killer with the help of Hideki Tagawa's old nemesis, the charismatic shinto priest Yoshio Yoshimo. ________________Praise for The Mushroom Tree Mystery'Beautifully written. . . effortless storytelling and sensitive character development make this a must-read novel for 2022' The Courier Praise for Ovidia Yu:'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while' Catriona McPherson'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels' Rhys Bowen'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's Must Read list' Scotsman'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' SCMP'Ovidia Yu's writing helped me peel back the layers to understand Singapore. The story and Chen Su Lin's initiative and tenacity, set against a backdrop of wartime Singapore, intrigued both the historian and the mystery lover in me' Kara Owens CMG CVO, British High Commissioner to Singapore

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'Superior crime fiction set in Iceland' The Times'As chilling as an Icelandic winter' S. J. BoltonReykjavík detective Gunnhildur Gísladóttir tries not to believe in ghosts. But when Helgi, one of her team is certain he's seen a man who had been declared dead more than fifteen years ago, she reluctantly gives him some unofficial leeway to look into it.Has the not-so-dead man returned from the grave to settle old scores, or has he just decided to take a last look around his old haunts?Either way, there are people who have nursed grudges for years, hoping for a reckoning one day. Even the rumour of his being alive and kicking is enough to spark a storm of fury and revenge, with Gunnhildur and Helgi caught up in the middle of it.The seventh dark and atmospheric thriller in Quentin Bates's Icelandic crime series. A tense page-turner perfect for fans of Jo Nesbo, Henning Mankell and Søren Sveistrup's The Chestnut Man.Praise for Quentin Bates:'A great read - leaves you craving the next installment' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir'A perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire' The Bookbag'Well written and absorbing' Woman's Way'Captures the chilly spirit of Nordic crime fiction . . . Fans of Arnaldur Indridason's Reykjavík mysteries will want to add Bates to their reading lists' Booklist'[A] crackling fiction debut ... palpable authenticity' Publishers Weekly'A superb new series' Eurocrime

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font size="+1">'Animal lovers will delight' Ann Granger'A real treat . . . I loved it. Cats, dogs, murder and a credible and relatable heroine' Barbara NadelSummer in the Lincolnshire Wolds and Clarice is rung by her friend Louise, asking whether she can look after Susie, her son's lively Boxer, as 41-year-old Guy has gone missing from the family home. His mother thinks he has been suffering from depression but more worryingly, in his professional life, he had been working on a high-profile case, defending a known criminal. His home life was beset with problems too, which is why his mother has asked Clarice to look after the dog; Charlotte, Guy's wife, just can't cope with her as well as their three daughters.Getting drawn into the puzzle of Guy's disappearance, Clarice wonders how Susie received a nasty cut to her back leg, and who is the mysterious Charles? Guy apparently did not trust him enough to let him into his home, and he had not been seen since he was driven away in Charles car. Guy's friends all say that he was a good, honest man, but as Clarice looks further into the murky criminal world he inhabits, she questions if Guy has been pulled in out of his depth. And - why does Susie keep returning to the private woods, where she had spent so much time with her beloved master....

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'Animal lovers will delight' Ann Granger'A real treat . . . I loved it. Cats, dogs, murder and a credible and relatable heroine' Barbara Nadel'This debut promises to build up into a popular series' Daily MailClarice Beech has two passions in life: animal rescue and Detective Inspector Rick Beech. She is devoted to the first but she and Rick have been separated for the past six months - life without him is hard.Clarice shares her other love, for contemporary ceramics, with the charming Lady Vita Fayrepoynt. When Vita's adopted three-legged ginger cat Walter disappears from Weatherby Hall Clarice is called in to find him. Walter, snug in an old barn, is quite well. But his discovery ends with Clarice in hospital, and Rose Miller, late of the Old Vicarage in the morgue. There is nothing natural about Rose's death...Putting their differences aside, Clarice and Rick are drawn together to try to understand the murder that has shaken the rural Lincolnshire community. As she explores Rose's past Clarice is pulled into a shady world of blackmail, scams and violence. And as the secrets of Weatherby Hall and the Fayrepoynt family threaten to spill out Clarice finds friendships tested, and her own life at risk.A debut mystery set in the Lincolnshire Wolds, featuring an amateur detective who mixes sleuthing with her other great love: animal rescue. The perfect classic crime mystery for fans of Ann Granger, M. C. Beaton and Caroline Graham's Midsomer Murders.

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London, 1851. Restless and bored after a long hot summer, apothecary and poison expert Jem Flockhart decides to redesign her physic garden. But plans are thrown into confusion when a man's skeleton is unearthed from beneath the deadly nightshade, a smaller, child-like skeleton curled at its feet. The body bears evidence of knife wounds to its ribs and arms, and is accompanied by a collection of macabre objects: a brass bowl, a curious coin-like token, a set of tiny ivory sculls.The police claim the victim is too long-buried for answers to be found, but for Jem, a corpse in her own garden is something that cannot be ignored. The plans to the garden, laid out some forty years earlier, reveal a list of five names.When Jem and Will start asking questions, the murders begin. Each victim has a past connection with the physic garden; each corpse is found with its jaw broken wide and its mouth stuffed with deadly nightshade. As they move closer to uncovering the truth Jem Flockhart and Will Quartermain encounter a dark world of addiction, madness, power and death that strikes at the very heart of Jem's own history. This time, the poison is personal.

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Captain James Cook is one of the most recognisable in Australian history - an almost mythic figure who is often discussed, celebrated, reviled and debated. But who was the real James Cook?The name Captain James Cook is one of the most recognisable in Australian history - an almost mythic figure who is often discussed, celebrated, reviled and debated.But who was the real James Cook?This Yorkshire farm boy would go on to become the foremost mariner, navigator and cartographer of his era, and to personally map a third of the globe. His great voyages of discovery were incredible feats of seamanship and navigation. Leading a crew of men into uncharted territories, Cook would face the best and worst of humanity as he took himself and his crew to the edge of the known world - and beyond.With his masterful storytelling talent, Peter FitzSimons brings James Cook to life. Focusing on his most iconic expedition, the voyage of the Endeavour, where Cook first set foot on Australian and New Zealand soil, FitzSimons contrasts Cook against another figure who looms large in Australasian history: Joseph Banks, the aristocratic botanist. As they left England, Banks, a rich, famous playboy, was everything that Cook was not. The voyage tested Cook's character and would help define his legacy.Now, 240 years after James Cook's death, FitzSimons reveals what kind of man James was at heart. His strengths, his weaknesses, his passions and pursuits, failures and successes.JAMES COOK reveals the man behind the myth.

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'Shocking and perceptive' Guardian'It was easy to stay up well past lights out to read just one more chapter - and then one more...' James Oswald'Engaging' Sunday TimesLONGLISTED FOR THE CWA GOLD DAGGERMeet Weston Kogi, a London supermarket store detective. He returns home to his West African home country for his aunt's funeral. He sees his family, his ex-girlfriend Nana, his old school mate Church. Food is good, beer is plentiful, and telling people he works as a homicide detective seems like harmless hyperbole, until he wakes up in hell.He is kidnapped and forced by two separate rebel factions to investigate the murder of a local hero, Papa Busi. The solution may tip a country on the brink into civil war. Making Wolf is the outrageous, frightening, violent and sometimes surreal homecoming experience of a lifetime.Praise for Tade Thompson:'Breathtaking landscapes and intoxicating food and drink . . . endemic corruption, sultry sexuality and casual, slapdash violence . . . A rock-and-roll edge' The Financial Times'Brutal, uncompromising and thought-provoking . . . superb' M. W. Craven'A magnificent tour de force' Adrian Tchaikovsky'Smart. Gripping. Fabulous!' Ann Leckie'Mesmerising' M. R. Carey

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If only these walls and this land could talk . . . The Sydney Opera House is a breathtaking building, recognised around the world as a symbol of modern Australia. Along with the Taj Mahal and other World Heritage sites, it is celebrated for its architectural grandeur and the daring and innovation of its design. It showcases the incomparable talents involved in its conception, construction and performance history. But this stunning house on Bennelong Point also holds many secrets and scandals. In his gripping biography, Peter FitzSimons marvels at how this magnificent building came to be, details its enthralling history and reveals the dramatic stories and hidden secrets about the people whose lives have been affected, both negatively and positively, by its presence. He shares how a conservative 1950s state government had the incredible vision and courage to embark on this nation-defining structure; how an architect from Denmark and construction workers from Australia and abroad invented new techniques to bring it to completion; how ambition, betrayal, professional rivalry, sexual intrigue, murder, bullying and breakdowns are woven into its creation; and how it is now acknowledged as one of the wonders and masterpieces of human ingenuity.

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'A weighty discussion of metal, for both passionate fans and neophytes' Guardian'Heavy opens an ornate portal into a murky subculture, illuminating the marginalia as well as the big beasts' Sunday TimesWhat exactly is heavy metal music? How deep do its roots go? Long established as an undeniable force in culture, metal traces its roots back to leather-clad iron men like Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, who imbued their music with a mysterious and raw undercurrent of power. Heavy unearths this elusive force, delving deep into the fertile culture that allowed a distinctive new sound to flourish and flaying the source material to get to the beating heart of the music. From the imminent threat of nuclear apocalypse that gave rise to Metallica's brand of volatile thrash metal to Bloodbath and Carcass, the death metal bands resurrecting the horror of medieval art. But there are always more lines to be drawn. Cradle of Filth and Ulver trade in the transgressive impulses of gothic literature; Pantera lay bare Nietzsche's 'superman'; getting high leads to the escapist sci-fi dirges of Sleep and Electric Wizard; while the recovery of long-buried urns in the seventeenth century holds the key to the drone of Sunn O))). Dissecting music that resonates with millions, Heavy sees Slipknot wrestling with the trauma of 9/11, Alice in Chains exposing the wounds of Vietnam and Iron Maiden conjuring visions of a heroic England. Powerful, evocative and sometimes sinister, it gives shape and meaning to the terrible beauty of metal.

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Death stalks the streets of Tangier . . .When Detective Karim Belkacem's best friend and colleague, Abdou, goes missing during an investigation into an illegal cartel, Karim is sent to Tangier to look for him. But the Tangier police have another problem on their hands. Thousands of sub-Saharan migrants have collected in the region, desperate to get to the promised land of Europe. Unable to trust his contacts in the police, or anyone in Tangier's underworld of traffickers and informants, Karim turns to his adoptive sister Ayesha for help. The truth behind Abdou's disappearance is more disturbing than either of them could have imagined...Praise for James von Leyden:'A pacey desert-hot murder hunt' THE SUN'Clever, captivating and colourful; an absorbing thriller rich in atmosphere' Philip Gwynne Jones, author of The Venetian Game and Vengeance in Venice

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St. Andrews, Scotland: When a man's preserved body is discovered in a whisky ageing cask in the local Gleneden Distillery, DCI Andy Gilchrist and his partner, DS Jessie Janes, are assigned to the investigation. But when the dead man is identified as Hector Dunmore, the once heir-apparent of Gleneden Distillery, their investigation takes a dramatic turn, for Dunmore was reported missing 25 years earlier when his Land Rover was found abandoned on the outskirts of Mallaig, almost two hundred miles away on the Scottish west coast.Why hide a body in a 25-year ageing cask? And who would want Dunmore dead?Suspicion falls on Duncan Milne, the distillery manager at the time, but when Gilchrist learns that Milne died under suspicious circumstances the year Dunmore disappeared, he suspects they are looking at a double murderer. Gilchrist's efforts to resolve the murders forces him to dig deep into the Dunmore family's past, only to come up against a frightening killer who will stop at nothing to keep the darkest of family secrets from ever coming to light.PRAISE FOR T.F. MUIR:'Rebus did it for Edinburgh. Laidlaw did it for Glasgow. Gilchrist might just be the bloke to put St Andrews on the crime fiction map.' Daily Record'A truly gripping read, with all the makings of a classic series.' Mick Herron'Gripping and grisly, with plenty of twists and turns that race along with black humour.' Craig Robertson'DCI Gilchrist gets under your skin. Though, determined, and a bit vulnerable, this character will stay with you long after the last page.' Anna Smith'Gripping!' Peterborough Telegraph

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'Essential' DAILY MAIL CELEBRITY BIOGRAPHIES OF THE YEAR'The book reads like it's Bernard sitting down and telling a story' Steve Wright, BBC Radio 2'A fitting celebration of one of our most versatile and enduring acting talents' Sunday Express'A rollicking good read - charming, unassuming and full of amiable, homespun wit' The OldieThe long-awaited autobiography of national treasure Bernard Cribbins.Bernard Cribbins's life has been an eventful one. In 1943, he left school aged fourteen and joined Oldham Repertory Company where he earned fifteen bob for a seventy-hour week. After being called up for National Service in 1946 he became a paratrooper and spent several months in Palestine being shot at. On returning home, and to the theatre, Bernard was eventually approached by George Martin, then an A&R man for Parlophone Records, who suggested he made a record. Just months away from producing The Beatles, Martin asked Bernard to come to Abbey Road Studios in north London and, after teaching him how to sing into a microphone, they eventually recorded two hit singles - 'The Hole in the Ground' and 'Right Said Fred'. These, together with appearances in now classic films such as Two Way Stretch and The Wrong Arm of the Law (not to mention a certain television programme called Jackanory), catapulted Bernard to stardom and, by the time he started filming The Railway Children in 1970, he was already a national treasure.Since then, Bernard's CV has been an A-Z of the best entertainment that Britain has to offer, and, thanks to programmes such as the aforementioned Jackanory, The Wombles, and, more recently, Old Jack's Boat, he has become the voice of many millions of childhoods. Seventy-five years in the making and packed with entertaining anecdotes, Bernard Who? tells the wonderful story of one of the longest and most celebrated careers in show business.

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'Quirky, compelling and thoroughly enjoyable' Kate Ellis'A super start to the series' Frances Brody'An entertaining murder mystery . . . witty' L C Tyler'This quirky, fast-paced crime mystery is magically entertaining' - Dundee Courier A dazzling dawn breaks over the Stonehenge midwinter solstice, where the assembled new-age revellers are horrified to discover a green-painted human hand dangling from beneath a mound of snow, high on one of the stone lintels.Leading the investigation into this peculiar death is DI Shanti Joyce and her partner, Vincent Caine. To Shanti's chagrin the pair have become known as 'the go-to team for weird stuff in the West Country' and this festive fatality is the mother and Father Christmas of odd and ritualistic crimes.Amidst the swirling flurries of Salisbury Plain, the unlikely duo discover that the deceased is none other than Hector Lovell-Finch, the eccentric Earl of Lovell Court, known to all as 'Finch' - and who also happens to be the father of the notoriously right-wing MP, Quentin Lovell-Finch.It is no secret that relations between father and son have become decidedly frosty since Finch's acrimonious divorce from Quentin's mother, his conversion to environmentalism, and second marriage to an indigenous Brazilian environmentalist half his age. Now there is the icy issue of who will inherit the ancient Lovell-Finch Estate.To make things more complicated, single mum Shanti has faithfully promised her son, Paul a magical Christmas with all the trimmings. Can this most knotty of English murders be untwined in just five days? And will the unlikely detective duo celebrate the season with merriment, mindfulness and mistletoe?Praise for Laurence Anholt'... A quirky, surprising read... it transports you to the heart of Glastonbury festival... 5*' UK Crime Book Club'...Startlingly original and funny' Sidmouth Herald

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The devastating Phryne Fisher is under fire again in her seventeenth mystery.Melbourne, 1929. The year starts off for glamorous private investigator Phryne Fisher with a rather trying heat wave and more mysteries than you could prod a parasol at. Simultaneously investigating the apparent suicide death of a man on St Kilda beach and trying to find a lost, illegimate child who could be heir to a wealthy old woman's fortune, Phryne needs all her wits about her, particularly when she has to tangle with a group of thoroughly unpleasant Bright Young Things.But Phryne Fisher is a force of nature, and takes in her elegant stride what might make others quail, including terrifying séances, ghosts, Kif smokers, the threat of human sacrifices, dubious spirit guides and maps to buried pirate treasure ...

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'An absolute must-read for fans of Clancy, Ludlum et al' Bookseller & PublisherLachlan Fox . . . on a bad day he's the man you needOil prices are rocketing. Terror attacks have destabilised the global economy. The White House believes the Nigerian oil fields are the key to safeguarding America's future . . . but someone else sees them as an opportunity to increase their own power.Enter Lachlan Fox: graduate of ADFA; ex-Navy Clearance Diver; served in Iraq, East Timor and Afghanistan; international investigative journalist. The right man for the wrong place.Travelling from New York to Nigeria, Fox is hunting the story. He's seen combat action before, but this time it's personal. Wrestling with demons that push him right to the edge and leave him exposed like never before, will Fox uncover the truth in time? Or will his quest for revenge see him go too far?The Lachlan Fox SeriesFox HuntPatriot ActBlood OilLiquid GoldRed IcePraise for James Phelan'A big, juicy, rollicking tale in the spirit of Robert Ludlum' Jeffery Deaver 'A fast and furious ride through a complicated maze of timely political intrigue. James Phelan has earned a new avid fan' Steve Berry'A corker . . . Phelan writes in swift, gritty prose, never wasting a word' Sydney Morning Herald

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'A great celebration of one of our most loved national treasures' Felicity KendalThe term 'national treasure' has seldom been more appropriate. Richard Briers was not only the nation's favourite next-door neighbour thanks to his work in the iconic BBC sitcom The Good Life, he was an actor you felt like you really knew, despite having only seen him on stage or screen.While his role as Tom Good might be considered the pinnacle of Richard's sixty-year career, it sits atop a mountain of roles that combined represent one of the most productive and varied careers in British entertainment history. Indeed, Richard's television work alone makes up a not insignificant portion of our country's best endeavours on the small screen, from Jackanory and the anarchic Roobarb and Custard through to Dr Who, Inspector Morse, Ever Decreasing Circles, Extras, and the long-running comedy drama, Monarch of the Glen. On the big screen Richard appeared alongside Raquel Welch, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Kathy Bates and Michael Keaton, and he even taught Keanu Reeves how to act like Sir Henry Irving.But it was on the stage where Richard felt most at home as, in addition to testing him as an actor, it would often satisfy his passion for taking risks. Appearances in the West End were often interspersed with pantomime seasons or a world tour playing King Lear alongside Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. He was, as he always described himself, 'just a jobbing actor'.Anecdote-rich, this revealing but celebratory book will also lift the lid on the stories behind the shows, films and plays that made up this extraordinarily prolific career, not to mention Richard's working and personal relationships with many of his best-known collaborators and co-stars.

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A missing person report is not usually something that Hamish Macbeth sees as cause for undue distress.Should a child or a vulnerable person vanish, it's an urgent matter that needs to be treated seriously, but in Macbeth's experience, most other people who go missing tend to turn up again before long. So when Kate Hibbert disappears after having last been seen struggling along the road with a heavy suitcase, he is convinced she has gone travelling and reluctantly goes through the motions of investigating.Interviewing those who were closest to her, Macbeth is perplexed by their apparent lack of concern but sees no reason to suspect foul play. When Hibbert does eventually resurface, however, a storm of lies, intrigue and scandal threatens Macbeth's tranquil village of Lochdubh.Torn between loyalty to his local community and his responsibilities as a police officer, he begins threading his way through a maze of deceit, quickly finding himself on the trail of a ruthless, treacherous murderer. If he catches the killer, peace can return to the village. If he fails, he will lose everything - his job, his home and the life he so loves in Lochdubh.Praise of Death of a Green-Eyed Monster:'This Hamish Macbeth novel maintains Beaton's distinctive voice and includes the usual village eccentrics, loads of Scottish lore, and the light humor that Beaton fans have loved through the years. . . A definite purchase for all mystery collections' Starred Review, Library Journal'Unmissable!' Peterborough TelegraphPraise for the Hamish Macbeth series:'First rate ... deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere.' Booklist'It's always a treat to return to Lochdubh.' New York Times"A tale of international intrigue mixed with local Scottish flavor, "Death of a Spy" is a fast-paced read, and will thrill all Hamish fans. Once again, Rod Green, writing as M.C. Beaton, creates a masterful and fun spy tale, which incorporates all of Beaton's beloved Scottish characters...The Hamish MacBeth mysteries are like peanuts. When you read one, you cannot stop. After finishing "Death of a Spy," readers will itch for the next Hamish MacBeth installment." New York Journal of Books'Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast ... Beaton catches the beauty of the area's natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour.' Library Journal'Befuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying.' Publishers Weekly

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The Battle of Le Hamel on 4 July 1918 was an Allied triumph, and strategically very important in the closing stages of WW1. A largely Australian force commanded by the brilliant John Monash, fought what has described as the first modern battle - where infantry, tanks, artillery and planes operated together, as a coordinated force.Monash planned every detail meticulously - with nothing left to chance: integrated use of planes, wireless (and even carrier pigeons!)was the basis, and it went on from there, down to the details.Infantry, artillery, tanks and planes worked together of the battlefront, with relatively few losses. In the words of Monash: 'A perfect modern battle plan is like nothing so much as a score for an orchestral composition, where the various arms and units are the instruments, and the tasks they perform are their respective musical phrases.'

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No one in Lochdubh expects Dorothy to stay for long...She is, after all, entirely unsuitable. She's an uptown girl, used to a fancy lifestyle in the big city of Glasgow. She'll never fit in. And how is that work-shy rogue Hamish Macbeth supposed to get anything done when his new assistant is such a distraction? The village needs a police sergeant who can get on with his job, not one who's constantly swooning over his pretty young constable.Yet PC Dorothy McIver quickly shows how determined she is to win over the locals, and she certainly seems to bring out the best in Macbeth. Then comes a brutal murder and the pair find themselves plunged into a tangled web of conspiracy that acquires a sinister strand when the chilling shadow of Glasgow's underworld creeps to the Highlands and the peaceful village of Lochdubh.Through it all, the bond between Hamish and Dorothy grows ever stronger. Has Hamish Macbeth finally found the love of his life - and can he track down the murderer before any hope he has for a blissful future is destroyed?'This Hamish Macbeth novel maintains Beaton's distinctive voice and includes the usual village eccentrics, loads of Scottish lore, and the light humor that Beaton fans have loved through the years. . . A definite purchase for all mystery collections' Starred Review, Library Journal'Unmissable!' Peterborough Telegraph Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series:'First rate ... deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere.' Booklist'It's always a treat to return to Lochdubh.' New York Times'Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast ... Beaton catches the beauty of the area's natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour.' Library Journal'Befuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying.' Publishers Weekly

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'Not since Guy de Maupasant has the short literary form been imbued with such grace, elegance and poignancy . . . these quintessential and often poetic pearls astonish, inspire reflection and entertain' Morning StarThe internationally acclaimed last work by the bestselling Latin American writerMaster storyteller Eduardo Galeano was unique among his contemporaries (Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Mario Vargas Llosa among them) for his commitment to retelling our many histories, including the stories of those who were disenfranchised. A philosopher poet, his nonfiction is infused with such passion and imagination that it matches the intensity and the appeal of Latin America's very best fiction.Published here for the first time in an elegant English translation by long-time collaborator Mark Fried, Hunter of Stories is a deeply considered collection of Galeano's final musings on history, memory, humour, tragedy and loss.Written in his signature style - vignettes that fluidly combine dialogue, fables, and anecdotes - every page displays the original thinking and compassion that made Galeano one of the most original and beloved voices in world literature.

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The mutiny on HMS Bounty, in the South Pacific on 28 April 1789, is one of history's great epics - and in the hands of Peter FitzSimons it comes to life as never before.Commissioned by the Royal Navy to collect breadfruit plants from Tahiti and take them to the West Indies, the Bounty's crew found themselves in a tropical paradise. Five months later, they did not want to leave. Under the leadership of Fletcher Christian most of the crew mutinied soon after sailing from Tahiti, setting Captain William Bligh and 18 loyal crewmen adrift in a small open boat. In one of history's great feats of seamanship, Bligh navigated this tiny vessel for 3618 nautical miles to Timor.Fletcher Christian and the mutineers sailed back to Tahiti, where most remained and were later tried for mutiny. But Christian, along with eight fellow mutineers and some Tahitian men and women, sailed off into the unknown, eventually discovering the isolated Pitcairn Island - at the time not even marked on British maps - and settling there.This astonishing story is historical adventure at its very best, encompassing the mutiny, Bligh's monumental achievement in navigating to safety, and Fletcher Christian and the mutineers' own epic journey from the sensual paradise of Tahiti to the outpost of Pitcairn Island. The mutineers' descendants live on Pitcairn to this day, amid swirling stories and rumours of past sexual transgressions and present-day repercussions. Mutiny on the Bounty is a sprawling, dramatic tale of intrigue, bravery and sheer boldness, told with the accuracy of historical detail and total command of story that are Peter FitzSimons' trademarks.

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'A must for fans and rock buffs' The Sun'Fascinating read' PowerplayJudas Priest formed in Birmingham in 1969. With its distinctive twin-guitar sound, studs-and-leather image, and international sales of over 50 million records, Judas Priest became the archetypal heavy metal band in the 1980s. Iconic tracks like 'Breaking the Law', 'Living after Midnight', and 'You've Got Another Thing Coming' helped the band achieve extraordinary success, but no one from the band has stepped out to tell their or the band's story until now.As the band approaches its golden anniversary, fans will at last be able to delve backstage into the decades of shocking, hilarious, and haunting stories that surround the heavy metal institution. In Heavy Duty, guitarist K.K. Downing discusses the complex personality conflicts, the business screw-ups, the acrimonious relationship with fellow heavy metal band Iron Maiden, as well as how Judas Priest found itself at the epicentre of a storm of parental outrage that targeted heavy metal in the '80s. He also describes his role in cementing the band's trademark black leather and studs image that would not only become synonymous with the entire genre, but would also give singer Rob Halford a viable outlet by which to express his sexuality. Lastly, he recounts the life-changing moment when he looked at his bandmates on stage during a 2009 concert and thought, 'This is the last show'. Whatever the topic, whoever's involved, K.K. doesn't hold back.From the band at the very beginning until his retirement in 2011 (and even still as a member of the band's board of directors), Downing has seen it all and is now finally at a place in his life where he can also let it all go. Even if you're a lifelong fan, if you think you know the full story of Judas Priest, well, you've got another thing coming.

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Three men. 470 kilometres. Twenty-one days.Welcome to the Downhill Hiking Club . . .At a boozy, cricket-filled afternoon at Lord's, Dom Joly convinces his two closest friends to agree to the unthinkable: a challenging hike across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country's mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. For Joly it is something of a homecoming, having grown up in Beirut. It was a happy childhood, though he did go to school with Osama bin Laden.Arriving in Lebanon armed with copious amounts of Vaseline - and no walking experience, bar taking the dog for the occasional stroll - Dom, Chris and Harry don't quite know what they've got themselves into. Joined by their bemused chaperone Caroll, they meet a variety of characters along the way including Ali, a stony-faced Hezbollah Museum guide who seems unperturbed by circling Israeli jets, and part-time Londoner Raf, who challenges Dom and the boys to a brain-freeze drinking contest. From a hair-raising creep along the 'Valley of the Skulls' to accidentally flashing an unsuspecting Ethiopian cook, the three friends just about manage to keep going.With more than a smattering of persiflage and some cringe-worthy moments, The Downhill Hiking Club is a big-hearted, witty and affectionate love letter to Lebanon and its rich history with a meditation on family and homeland at its heart. Written with Dom's trademark humour, it is a paean to both the simple joys of friendship and to growing old disgracefully.

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A murder mystery featuring Lord Edward Corinth and Verity BrowneAugust 1939, the last hot days of a perfect English summer as the certainty of war descends. Newlyweds Lord Edward Corinth and Verity Browne are determined to spend these last days of peace quietly in their new house in a sleepy Sussex village - a honeymoon of sorts. But fight against it as he might, for Edward it turns out to be a busman's holiday. When poet Byron Gates is bizarrely murdered after the village fete - executed, in fact, his head chopped off on a wooden block - Edward is asked to investigate.Alas, murder is not yet done with Verity and Edward, for even in the hallowed studios of Broadcasting House, murder dares to rear its ugly head. Before Verity can take up her new foreign posting, there are more deaths and the intrepid couple embark on one of their most dangerous investigations to date.Praise for David Roberts:'A gripping, richly satisfying whodunit with finely observed characters, sparkling with insouciance and stinging menace' Peter James'A really well-crafted and charming mystery story' Daily Mail'A perfect example of golden-age mystery traditions with the cobwebs swept away' Guardian

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'Tense, fast-moving and bloody. Broadfoot's best yet' Mason Cross'A true rising star of crime fiction' Ian Rankin'Beautifully crafted . . . There's no filler, no exposition, just action, dialogue and layering of tension that'll hold you breathless until the very end' Helen Fields How far would you go to find the truth?After more than a decade of being in prison for the brutal murder two Stirling University students, Colin Sanderson has been released after his conviction was found to be unsafe. Returning home to a small village not far from Stirling, Sanderson refuses police protection, even in the face of a death threat. But the PR firm that has scooped him up to sell his story does know of a protection expert in Stirling. They want Connor Fraser.Connor reluctantly takes the assignment, partly as a favour to DCI Malcolm Ford, who is none too keen to have Sanderson on the loose, particularly as he was involved in the original investigation that saw him imprisoned. When a body is found, mutilated in the same way as Sanderson's victims were, all eyes fall on the released man. But how can he be the killer when Connor's own security detail gives him an alibi?As Connor races to uncover the truth, he is forced to confront not only Sanderson's past but his own, and a secret that could change his life forever.-----Praise for Neil Broadfoot: 'Wonderfully grisly and grim, and a cracking pace' James Oswald'A frantic, pacy read with a compelling hero' Steve Cavanagh'Broadfoot is here, and he's ready to sit at the table with some of the finest crime writers Scottish fiction has to offer' Russel D. McLean'Crisp dialogue, characters you believe and a prose style that brings you back for more . . . a fine addition to a growing roster of noir titles with a tartan tinge' Douglas Skelton'This is Broadfoot's best to date, a thriller that delivers the thrills: energetic, breathlessly paceyand keeping you guessing till the end' Craig Russell'Neil Broadfoot hits the ground running and doesn't stop. With the very beating heart of Scotland at its core, your heart too will race as you reach the jaw dropping conclusion of this brilliant thriller. First class!' Denil Meyrick'A deliciously twisty thriller that never lets up the pace. Thrills, spills, chills and kills' Donna Moore'An explosive, gripping page-turner with dark and utterly twisted murders. Simply brilliant!' Danielle Ramsay'An atmospheric, twisty and explosive start to a new series by one of the masters of Scottish fiction. Get your wee mitts on it' Angela Clarke'No Man's Land is a stunning, fast-paced, multi-layered thriller. Disturbing political unrest and psychological horror written with great confidence by Neil Broadfoot, who has one hand on Ian Rankin's crown as the king of Scottish crime' Michael Wood'[A] gritty and fast-moving tale of shifting loyalties set against the backdrop of Scottish and Irish politics' Nick Quantrill'Definitely a must read for all lovers of Tartan Noir: or anyone else who simply wants to enjoy a compelling tale' Undiscovered Scotland

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'An indispensable compendium for Steely Dan fans' The WireAt its core a creative marriage between Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, Steely Dan are one of the defining and bestselling American rock acts of the last half-century, recording several of the cleverest and best-produced albums of the '70s - from the breathlessly catchy Can't Buy a Thrill to the sleekly sinister Gaucho.In the '90s they returned to remind us of how sorely we had missed their elegance and erudition, subsequently recording Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go during the following decade. They have sold close to forty-five million albums.'A lot of people think of them as the epitome of boring '70s stuff,' novelist William Gibson said in 1993, when Becker and Fagen toured for the first time in nineteen years. 'They don't realize this is probably the most subversive material pop has ever thrown up.'Now fully embraced by the 'Yacht Rock' generation - semi-ironic devotees of '70s Southern-California slickness - Steely Dan no longer polarize lo-fi punks and studio geeks in the way they used to. In 2001 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.Major Dudes collects some of the smartest and wittiest interviews Becker and Fagen have ever given, along with insightful reviews of - and commentary on - their extraordinary songs. Compiled by Rock's Backpages editor Barney Hoskyns, the book's contributors include Charles Shaar Murray, Robert Palmer, Ian MacDonald, Bud Scoppa, Penny Valentine, Fred Schruers, Sylvie Simmons and Michael Watts.

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'Jed Walker is right there in Reacher's rear-view mirror' Lee Child, international bestselling author-----In the murky world of espionage the rules of war do not apply2005: Jed Walker has just joined the CIA. As a ten-year veteran of Air Force Special Operations, Walker is used to being at the sharp end of things. But normally the front line is much further from home.Sent to New Orleans on the trail of some desperate Russians, he has no choice but to team up with a female British agent. As the body count grows and Hurricane Katrina hits, it's clear to Walker that no game has higher stakes. The winner takes all and he must succeed. From Langley to Louisiana, Washington to Moscow, Jed Walker is going to be pushed to the limit - of what he can do, what he can take, and what he knows is right.-----Praise for James Phelan'James Phelan has produced a big, juicy, rollicking tale in the spirit of Robert Ludlum. We haven't seen an international thriller like this for a long time' Jeffery Deaver'A fast and furious ride through a complicated maze of timely political intrigue. James Phelan has earned a new avid fan' Steve Berry

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'This is a book about the stories we tell ourselves and one woman's determination to make hers true' Spectator'A fresh . . . heartfelt book that . . . makes you want to throw away your mobile, run for the hills and learn a traditional craft' The Lady'A spirited defence of manual labour' TLSAt the age of twenty-six, Whitney Brown met a dry-stone waller. Within weeks she was out on the hill with him in Wales, learning the language of dry-stone walling. Far away from the pressures of her old life, she found deep satisfaction in working with her hands, in the age and heft of the stones, and the ring of the hammer.Out under the open sky, Whitney relished every sore muscle and smashed finger, opportunity to stand atop a wall she'd just built and feel like the strongest woman alive. Between Stone and Sky is a celebration of the raw and rugged splendour of the Welsh countryside and the enduring beauty and relevance of traditional craftsmanship. It is an unflinchingly honest account of the emotional struggle to become and belong. Most of all, it is an empowering story of female friendship, accepting uncertainty and risk, and crossing oceans in pursuit of dreams.

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A SUNDAY TIMES POP BOOK OF THE YEARA DAILY TELEGRAPH MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEARA DAILY MAIL MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEARA TIMES MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEAR ('Of the many Led Zeppelin biographies marking the band's 50th anniversary, this is the most illuminating')OBSERVER BEST BOOKS OF 2018'An enthralling and rigorously researched book' Sunday Times 'Blake has talked to everyone, and the stories are both lurid and melancholy' Mail on Sunday 'A juicy saga of excess all areas, Mark Blake's biography of Led Zeppelin's notoriously combative manager, Peter Grant, reads at times like an all-you-can-eat buffet of guilty pleasures . . . a riotous roller coaster' The Times 'A tale as expansive and complex as the man himself' Mojo'To say Bring It On Home is a rambunctious page-turner is an understatement; but despite all the violence and weirdness, you can't help liking the "real" Peter Grant who emerges here' Planet RockThe late Peter Grant managed Led Zeppelin to global stardom. But his life story was every bit as extraordinary and dramatic as the musicians he looked after. For the first time ever, the Grant family have allowed an author access to previously unseen correspondence and photographs to help build the most complete and revealing story yet of a man who was a pioneer of rock music management, but also a son, a husband and a father.Published to coincide with Led Zeppelin's 50th anniversary, Bring It On Home charts Peter Grant's rise from wartime poverty through his time as a nightclub doorman, wrestler and bit-part actor to the birth of rock'n'roll in the 1950s. From here, it explores his pivotal role in the formation of Led Zeppelin and charts the impossible highs and lows of life on the road with rock's most outrageous band.Bring It On Home includes almost 100 new interviews with family members, friends, musicians and rival managers, and walk-on parts for Sharon Osbourne, Bob Dylan, Stanley Kubrick, Freddie Mercury, Elizabeth Taylor, the FBI, the CIA, the Mafia - and Elvis Presley. As Grant's son Warren says now: 'My dad knew everyone.'It is the first biography to reveal the truth behind Led Zeppelin's demise, Grant's subsequent fall from grace amid death threats and the shadow of organised crime, and his final days as a man who shunned the excesses of the music industry in favour of his friends and family.With access to several previously unpublished interviews - including Grant's last and most revealing yet - Bring It On Home sheds new light on the story of rock's greatest manager and one of the giants of modern music history.

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