Search results for ""Quercus Publishing""

'Her brilliant, accessible illustrations bring understanding to all the tricks and twists of our complicated brains.' - Nell Frizzell*This box may not contain band aids or antiseptic wipes but it is ready to deliver some urgent care to your brain.*Just like the first aid kit in your glove box or bathroom cabinet, the Emotional First Aid Kit is full of practical tools for looking after yourself and the people you love. Each card focuses on a different topic of mental and emotional wellbeing; with an illustration to help visualize how your brain works, and a practical exercise to restore balance and self-compassion.Either read them at random, using the cards to pay attention to your inner thoughts and feelings, or focus on specific cards that you identify with - no matter your approach these cards will allow you to better understand how your mind works, and help you develop positive coping strategies.'In a world of white noise it is often hard to hear - or even find - the mental health support you need. Emma has a unique way of cutting through to the heart of the issues we all face day-in-day-out.' - Anna Whitehouse'Emma helped me understand my own thoughts.' - Emma Gannon'Emma is relatable, practical and knowledgeable.' - Gemma Bray'Emma has an amazing talent for making evidence-based psychology easy to understand and simple to put into practice.' - Dr Jessamy Hibberd

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*THE NO.5 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*'Grips from the first page . . . Among the best he's written' Sunday ExpressA TOMB OF ICEA young meteorologist checking a mountain top weather station in Kinlochleven discovers the body of a missing man entombed in ice.A DYING DETECTIVECameron Brodie, a Glasgow detective, sets out on a hazardous journey to the isolated and ice-bound village. He has his own reasons for wanting to investigate a murder case so far from his beat.AN AGONIZING RECKONINGBrodie must face up to the ghosts of his past and to a killer determined to bury forever the chilling secret that his investigation threatens to expose.Set against a backdrop of a frighteningly plausible near-future, A WINTER GRAVE is Peter May at his page-turning, passionate and provocative best.

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"Both a pleasure and a testament to life in Ukraine, before" Sunday Times"Ukraine's greatest living novelist" New European"A Ukrainian Murakami" GuardianA love letter to the beautiful city of Lviv, by the author of Death and the Penguin and Grey Bees.Strange things are afoot in the cosmopolitan city of Lviv, western Ukraine. Seagulls are circling and the air smells salty, though Lviv is a long way from the sea . . . A ragtag group gathers round a mysterious grave in Lychakiv Cemetery - among them an ex-KGB officer and an ageing hippy he used to spy on. Before long, Captain Ryabtsev and Alik Olisevych are teaming up to discover the source of the "anomalies".Meanwhile, Taras ­- who makes a living driving kidney-stone patients over cobblestones in his ancient Opel Vectra - is courting Darka, who works nights at a bureau de change despite being allergic to money.The young lovers don't know it, but their fate depends on two lonely old men, relics of another era, who will stop at nothing to save their city. Shot through with Kurkov's unique brand of black humour and vodka-fuelled magic realism, Jimi Hendrix Live in Lviv is an affectionate portrait one the world's most intriguing cities.Translated from the Russian by Reuben Woolley

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"Lisbeth Salander is back - and maybe better than ever . . . Remarkable" LEE CHILD"Highly readable - and still ferocious" Financial Times"The first to be written by a woman, and all the better for it . . . This legendary crime series is back in safe hands" Daily Mail"Fresh, fearless, faithful and original . . . I loved it" CHRIS WHITAKER"Salander is alive and well and embroiled in another thrilling adventure . . . Fans will not be disappointed" Independent"An absolute incident-packed thrill-ride from start to finish" JO SPAIN"Breathlessly exciting" Irish Independent"A thrilling adventure" Sunday Express"Smirnoff's writing is wonderfully vivid" ANNA BAILEY"A satisfying drama . . . It is the well-told personal stories that drive the novel" Literary ReviewThe untapped natural resources of Sweden's far north are sparking a gold rush, with the criminal underworld leading the charge. But it's not the prospect of riches that brings Lisbeth Salander to the small town of Gasskas. Her niece's mother is the latest woman in the region to have vanished without trace. Two things soon become clear: Svala is a remarkably gifted teenager -- and she's being watched. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is also heading north. He has seen better days. Millennium magazine is in its final print issue, and relations with his daughter are strained. Worse still, there are troubling rumours surrounding the man she's about to marry. When the truth behind the whispers explodes into violence, Salander emerges as Blomkvist's last hope.Stieg Larsson's Dragon Tattoo series continues in a new thriller from Swedish bestselling author Karin Smirnoff - it will submerge you in a world of conspiracy and betrayal, old enemies and new friends, snow-bound wilderness and corporate greed. Lisbeth Salander is BACK.Translated from Swedish by Sarah Death

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'The Night Manager meets Narcos' Saul David'To catch this criminal took incredible courage and skill. This is James Bond meets Jason Bourne' Bear Grylls'This is the book that warned us years before the Ukraine invasion about the power and reach of Moscow's Merchants of Death... Should be on the bookshelf of every Western anti-narcotics officer and not a few spies. No cliché this time - this is truth which really does trump fiction' Euan Grant, UK former intelligence analyst for ex-Soviet states.Russian billionaire Viktor Bout was the world's foremost arms dealer. Known as the 'Merchant of Death' he was both "Public Enemy No. 1" to the global intelligence agencies who hunted him and a ruthless criminal worth a fortune. He was also a former KGB officer and a tool of the Kremlin.For decades Bout had eluded capture, building up a labyrinthine network of airlines rushing weapons to dictators, rebels, despots and terror groups worldwide. An enemy of the free nations of the world and a top global sanctions buster, Bout was hunted by MI6, INTERPOL, the CIA, the NSA and more. Holed up in Moscow - from where he masterminded the sale of anything from AK47s to state-of-the-art helicopter gunships and anti-aircraft missiles - he was shielded by a Russian state that was a partner in his dark dealings. In short, Bout appeared utterly invulnerable and beyond hope of capture.Step forward former SAS man Mike Snow, AKA 'The Bear'. After serving in the world's most famous special forces unit, Snow had worked as a bush pilot in war-torn Africa, where he'd got to know Bout well. Via a secretive, shadow network, Snow was approached by the US Drugs Enforcement Agency. The DEA agents had one question for him: was Snow able to get Bout - the Lord of War?This is the incredible tale of OPERATION RELENTLESS, the top-secret mission masterminded by Snow and a handful of DEA operatives - a manhunt that ranges from the steamy jungles of Colombia to the ice-bound streets of Moscow, and from horrific bloodshed and tyranny in Afghanistan to a snatch operation like no other. Based upon the first hand testimonies of those who were there, award-winning author Damien Lewis reveals a story that reads like an impossible thriller, but every word is true

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'As vibrant, colourful and complex as South America's largest city'São Paulo, 2013: a city at an extraordinary moment in its history. Mario Leme, a detective in the civil police, has developed a friendship with a young English investigative journalist, Ellie. When she goes to meet a contact in central São Paulo, Mario observes from the street as she walks into a building and doesn't come out. Inside, he discovers the dead body of a young man he doesn't recognise, and Ellie's phone lying on the floor. Told partly from Leme's point of view, partly from Ellie's, Gringa takes us through five days during the redevelopment of the centre of Sao Paulo in the run-up to the 2014 World Cup. Ellie's disappearance links characters at every level of the social hierarchy, from the drug dealers and civil and military police to the political class she witnesses the feral brutality of urban breakdown. Gringa, with shades of Don Winslow and James Ellroy, is a portrait of São Paulo in all its harshness and dysfunction, its corruption and social divisions, its kaleidoscopic dynamism, its undercurrent of derangement, and its febrile, sensual instability, executed with a deep knowledge of the city's aPRAISE FOR JOE THOMAS 'Brilliant' The Times 'Feverish energy' Guardian 'Wonderfully vivid' Mail on Sunday'Sophisticated, dizzying' GQ'Vivid and visceral' The Times'Superbly realised vivid and atmospheric' Guardian'Original' Mail on Sunday'A stylish, atmospheric treat an inspired blend of David Peace and early Pinter' Irish Times 'Sparse, energetic, fragmented prose' The Spectator 'Vibrant, colourful, and complex' Irish Independent 'Stylish, sharp-witted, taut. A must for modern noir fans' NB Magazine 'Definitive confident and energetic' Crime Time 'Brilliant manic energy' Jake Arnott 'Wildly stylish and hugely entertaining' Lucy Caldwell 'Vivid, stylish, funny' Mick Herron 'Gripping, fast-paced, darkly atmospheric' Susanna Jones 'Snappy, thoughtful, moving' John King 'Exciting, fresh, incredibly assured' Stav Sherez 'Happy days!' Mark Timlin 'Utterly brilliant' Cathi Unsworth 'Had James Ellroy and David Peace collaborated on a novel they'd have written something like this' Paul Willets

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A spy thriller that will change your view of the Cold War forever, by a former special forces officer who is 'poised to inherit the mantle of John le Carré' 'Edward Wilson seems poised to inherit the mantle of John le Carré' Irish Independent'More George Smiley than James Bond, Catesby will delight those readers looking for less blood and more intelligence in their spy thrillers' Publishers WeeklyAugust, 1956. A generation of British spies is haunted by the ghosts of friends turned traitor. Whitehall spymaster Henry Bone has long held Butterfly to be the Holy Grail of Cold War Intelligence. His brain is an archive of deadly secrets - he can identify each and every traitor spy as well as the serving British agents who helped them. And now Bone learns that Butterfly plans to defect to the Americans. Unless Bone gets to him first. William Catesby, a spy with his reputation in tatters, is pressured into posing as a defector in order to track down Butterfly. His quest leads him from Berlin, through a shower of Molotov cocktails in Budapest, to dinner alone with the East German espionage legend Mischa Wolf. 'A gripping Cold War story centred on a Berlin seething with agents and counterspies' Mail on Sunday'Smart, finely written' Publishers Weekly Starred Review'All you could want in a spy thriller' Oliver JamesPraise for Edward Wilson:'Stylistically sophisticated . . . Wilson knows how to hold the reader's attention' W.G. Sebald'A reader is really privileged to come across something like this' Alan Sillitoe

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Originally published as Relish, a fully revised and updated edition of the eye-opening story of one woman's incredible appetite for life: Dame Prue Leith, judge of hit show GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF, tells all from childhood in South Africa to becoming a DBE.'What a terrific tale it is - of a South African girl who could stand the heat and made the kitchen into a remarkable career' TelegraphPrue Leith describes herself as greedy in all senses of the word. Cook, caterer, restaurateur, food writer, journalist, novelist, businesswoman, teacher, television presenter, charity worker, lover, wife and mother, she has certainly lived life to the full. Prue came to London in the early 1960s and, not long afterwards, opened Leith's Restaurant. By the mid-seventies she was a food columnist on the Daily Mail, had published several cookbooks and opened Leith's School of Food and Wine. But it wasn't all work. Prue writes with honesty of her love life, her longing for children, the birth of her son, the adoption of her daughter and much else besides. In this fully revised and updated edition she tells of how she met, fell in love with and married John Playfair as well as her exciting role as a judge on Great British Bake Off, now a hit show in the United States as well as the UK. Prue's down-to-earth attitude to life and her remarkable energy are an inspiration to women readers everywhere.

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'It's a breeze to read and you won't feel so alone at the end of it' Marie Claire It's never too late to grow the f*ck up. And New York Times bestselling author Sarah Knight is here to help! With her no-bullsh*t bible for the modern adult, you'll become more self-aware, self-sufficient and resourceful - and turn grown-up responsibilities into exciting opportunities for making your life easier and more fun. You'll learn:- How to anticipate consequences and orchestrate outcomes- Four keys to effective communication- Strategies for slaying self-care- The perks of being independent and dependableAnd much more!Packed with practical advice and pro-dult tips for everything from balancing your budget to impressing your in-laws, Grow the F*ck Up is the perfect guide for anyone - at any age - who wants to be an adult and get treated like one.SARAH KNIGHT's No F*cks Given Guides have sold over 3 million copies and her TEDx talk has been viewed 10 million times.

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When Rosalind West leaves her native Durham for a job in London with the Doxbridge Motor Company she is determined to escape her background and build a new life. London is excitingly different and tantalisingly glamorous - especially when she meets the handsome and aristocratic Freddie Harrington, a rally driver, and the son of a once-wealthy Northumberland landowner. Against her friends' better judgement Freddie and Rosalind begin a relationship. But Freddie's family have plans for him which do not include marrying a Durham miner's daughter. Turning to a close companion for consolation, Rosalind suddenly finds herself torn between two men, both of strong passions, and fierce ambition.Note: this book was previously published under the title Home to the High Fells.Praise for Elizabeth Gill'Original and evocative - a born storyteller' Trisha Ashley 'A wonderful book, full of passion, pain, sweetness, twists and turns. I couldn't put it down' Sheila Newberry 'Elizabeth Gill writes with a masterful grasp of conflicts and passions' Leah Fleming 'An enthralling and satisfying novel that will leave you wanting more' Catherine King'If you love Catherine Cookson then you will love Elizabeth Gill' Northern Echo

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Finalist for the 2021 National Book Award (Fiction)"It was Indiana, it was the dirt she had bloomed up out of, it was who she was, what she felt, how she thought, what she knew."As a girl, Zorrie Underwood's modest and hardscrabble home county was the only constant in her young life. After losing both her parents, Zorrie moved in with her aunt, whose own death orphaned Zorrie all over again, casting her off into the perilous realities and sublime landscapes of rural, Depression-era Indiana. Drifting west, Zorrie survived on odd jobs, sleeping in barns and under the stars, before finding a position at a radium processing plant. At the end of each day, the girls at her factory glowed from the radioactive material.But when Indiana calls Zorrie home, she finally finds the love and community that have eluded her in and around the small town of Hillisburg. And yet, even as she tries to build a new life, Zorrie discovers that her trials have only begun.Spanning an entire lifetime, a life convulsed and transformed by the events of the 20th century, Laird Hunt's extraordinary novel offers a profound and intimate portrait of the dreams that propel one tenacious woman onward and the losses that she cannot outrun. Set against a harsh, gorgeous, quintessentially American landscape, this is a deeply empathetic and poetic novel that belongs on a shelf with the classics of Willa Cather, Marilynne Robinson, and Elizabeth Strout.

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'An uproariously funny collection of true stories from one of the comedy greats' - BILL BAILEY'I loved this book. Absolutely adored it. I devoured it and savoured every word. A wild and wonderful love letter to comedy' - ADAM HILLS'It's rare for comedians to be as funny on paper as they are on stage, but Rich Hall nails it' - CARL HIAASENA collection of hilarious and often absurd epiphanies in the legendary comedian's life that defined him - more in a for worse than for better kind of way - and all delivered in his unique deadpan style. Growing up, Rich Hall aspired to be a writer, and after school he trained to be a journalist. But after a stint at the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee, he found himself trying to impress a girl by doing a one-man show in a state university campus in Kansas, armed with a bucket, a loudhailer and some dog biscuits. It wasn't exactly a triumph, and he didn't get the girl, but he had found his true calling.Nailing It is a collection of true stories from both Hall's professional and personal life where he really had to nail it. They're not about glitz, or fame, or how he met his seventh wife at the rehab clinic and found spiritual direction. None of that happened to him.They're about accidentally melting Kraft cheese at his first Edinburgh Fringe Festival, alienating an entire convention of RV holiday-makers in Las Vegas, singing The Who's 'You Better You Bet' at a charity gig and turning his performance into a legendary rock 'n' roll disaster, and attempting to seduce Karen, which must have been successful because she is now his wife. And other such escapades.Hall doesn't always come out of them all covered in glory - far from it - but if someone propped him up at the end of the comedy bar and put a 50p coin in him, these are the tunes he would spin. And you'd be laughing all night.

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"Powerful, profound and deeply moving, new fiction by Afghan women writers will expand your mind and elevate your heart" ELIF SHAFAK***A Financial Times Fiction in Translation Book of the Year 2022***"[An] arresting collection . . . Written in simple, direct prose and offers vivid snapshots of a country beset by war and violence . . . It seems more important than ever to read the work of these courageous writers" Financial Times"My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you those thoughts we are not allowed to think, those dreams we are not allowed to dream"A woman's fortitude saves her village from disaster. A teenager explores their identity in a moment of quiet. A petition writer reflects on his life as a dog lies nursing her puppies. A tormented girl tries to find love through a horrific act. A headmaster makes his way to work, treading the fine line between life and death."A precious collection of work, the first and maybe the last of its kind. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is a huge accomplishment" MONIQUE ROFFEY, author of The Mermaid of Black ConchMy Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is a landmark collection: the first anthology of short fiction by Afghan women. Eighteen writers tell stories that are both unique and universal - stories of family, work, childhood, friendship, war, gender identity and cultural traditions."This book reminds us that everyone has a story. Stories matter; so too the storytellers. Afghan women writers, informed and inspired by their own personal experiences, are best placed to bring us these powerful insights into the lives of Afghans and, most of all, the lives of women. Women's lives, in their own words - they matter." Lyse Doucet in her IntroductionThis collection introduces extraordinary voices from the country's two main linguistic groups (Pashto and Dari) with original, vital and unexpected stories to tell, developed over two years through UNTOLD's Write Afghanistan project. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird comes at a pivotal moment in Afghanistan's history, when these voices must be heard.With an Introduction by BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet and an Afterword by Lucy HannahABOUT UNTOLD UNTOLD is a writer development programme for marginalised writers in areas of conflict and post-conflict. Afghanistan has millions of Pashto and Dari speakers with little or no local support for creative writing, literary translation, or literary editing. Support for writers has been hampered by cultural norms, free expression issues, chronic instability, and internal displacement. UNTOLD has been working one-to-one with women on their short stories, with English-speaking literary editors and translators working with the writers to realise the potential of their stories for publication both locally and globally in translation.

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"The limitless possibilities of fiction are brilliantly utilised . . . Ingenious" Irish Times"Agualusa's funny and lively tale turns increasingly ominous ahead of an explosive conclusion" Guardian***A Financial Times Fiction in Translation Book of the Year 2023***Daniel lives with artist Moira on her native Island of Mozambique. They are awaiting the birth of their child, while also organising the island's first literary festival. But as soon as the first festival guests arrive, the coast is hit by a cyclone.The island is spared, but the bridge to the mainland is left impassable, and telephone and internet connections are severed. The islanders - and the writers who have come for the festival - are cut off from the outside world. Left to their own devices, the authors forge new bonds and make the best of a situation that gets stranger each day. Some believe they're in an intermediate realm, a kind of limbo, and some have no choice but to write, as the boundaries between reality and fiction, past and future, and life and death begin to blur.Where do we go when it's all over? Perhaps to a small island. This is a novel about the nature of life and of time, and the extraordinary power of imagination and the written word, capable of creating anything and regenerating everything.Translated from the Portuguese by Daniel Hahn

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"The most interesting Dutch writer of his generation" Herman Koch"Vivid and moving. A marvellous hybrid of a book about one of the major contemporary causes of sickness and unhappiness. In it we recognise ourselves, our restlessness and insecurity" George SzirtesSomething inside will not let me be . . . Daan Heerma van Voss is not just anxious. According to tests on the cortisone levels in his hair, he is seventy-four times as anxious as the average person. And that makes him hard to live with. When another relationship is broken by his crippling fears, the only way to cope is to get to the roots of his condition. But he also wants to dig deeper and tackle the big questions. Why are 264 million people worldwide suffering from anxiety, and why is this number growing every day? Is it hereditary? Is there a link with creativity? And how can you love when you're living in a constant state of fear? In his quest for answers, he takes us on a profoundly moving journey from his apartment in Amsterdam to France, Jakarta and San Francisco. Along the way we'll meet philosophers, artists, writers and other fascinating individuals from around the world. But this is also a journey through literature, the classics, the history of anxiety and the science behind it. Timely, learned and heartfelt, The Anxiety Project fuses the sharp musings of a curious mind with a raw and honest dissection of a relationship undercut by fear. It will appeal to anyone trying to remain calm on our very nervous planet.Translated from the Dutch by David Doherty

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THREE CHRISTMASES. TWO BROKEN HEARTS. ONE HELL OF A JOURNEY.'Festive, feel-good and funny, a proper Christmas cracker of a read' LAURA KEMPDriving home marks the start of the holidays for Kate and Ed, who have made this journey every Christmas of their ten-year long relationship. Normally the seasonal hits blare from the car stereo, and they are guaranteed to be wearing ridiculous jumpers in anticipation, but this year a frosty silence fills the car... A massive argument leads to the immediate collapse of their relationship. But the show must go on, so they decide to brave their families together one last time. With three Christmases to celebrate, an old flame waiting under the mistletoe and a shed load of expectation around their future together, this most wonderful time of year is anything but. There will be turkey, tiffs and tantrums galore, but it's sure to be a Christmas they'll never forget.'Warm, witty and deeply moving . . . a real festive treat' CLODAGH MURPHY A hilarious and heartfelt seasonal romance from the author of All I Want for Christmas. Perfect for fans of Sophie Cousens and Lucy Vine.****************************HEAR WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS'Had me laughing out loud . . . entertaining, full of heart and hope' 5* Reader Review'Such a beautiful book' 5* Reader Review'I loved everything about this book' 5* Reader Review'I gobbled up this book in one sitting . . . funny and heartfelt' 5* Reader Review

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The darkest truths should never surface . . . A twisty and atmospheric Wiltshire-set crime novel from a brilliant new voice in the genre. Stay Buried will keep you guessing until the end.'Your next must-read' LUCY FOLEY 'Absolutely brilliant plotting' ANN CLEEVESDetective Inspector Matt Lockyer has been side-lined to working cold cases, following a bad decision he made in a recent investigation in order to support a friend. Lockyer isn't too bothered though, as it gives him the chance to review some of the cases that keep him up at night and to look into his own brother's senseless killing which still remains unsolved.On a quiet afternoon Lockyer receives a phone call from prisoner Hedy Lambert - a woman he put inside for murder fourteen years ago. She informs him that the man she was originally accused of killing has turned up alive and well. She begs him to reopen her case.All those years ago, Lockyer had been the one to pin down Hedy's motive, but deep down he'd never wanted to believe she was guilty. The thought that he might have sent an innocent woman down for life doesn't sit well with him and he agrees to reopen the investigation. But has it become too personal and is he being manipulated? Perhaps there are some cases that should just stay buried.Praise for Stay Buried'Gloriously atmospheric' ELLY GRIFFITHS'The twists were terrific' GYTHA LODGE'A well-written deftly plotted whodunnit' GUARDIAN'Remarkably assured' LITERARY REVIEW'Accomplished, twisty' WOMAN AND HOME

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The darkest truths should never surface . . . A twisty and atmospheric Wiltshire-set crime novel from a brilliant new voice in the genre. Stay Buried will keep you guessing until the end.'Your next must-read' LUCY FOLEY 'Absolutely brilliant plotting' ANN CLEEVESDetective Inspector Matt Lockyer has been side-lined to working cold cases, following a bad decision he made in a recent investigation in order to support a friend. Lockyer isn't too bothered though, as it gives him the chance to review some of the cases that keep him up at night and to look into his own brother's senseless killing which still remains unsolved.On a quiet afternoon Lockyer receives a phone call from prisoner Hedy Lambert - a woman he put inside for murder fourteen years ago. She informs him that the man she was originally accused of killing has turned up alive and well. She begs him to reopen her case.All those years ago, Lockyer had been the one to pin down Hedy's motive, but deep down he'd never wanted to believe she was guilty. The thought that he might have sent an innocent woman down for life doesn't sit well with him and he agrees to reopen the investigation. But has it become too personal and is he being manipulated? Perhaps there are some cases that should just stay buried.Praise for Stay Buried'Gloriously atmospheric' ELLY GRIFFITHS'The twists were terrific' GYTHA LODGE'A well-written deftly plotted whodunnit' GUARDIAN'Remarkably assured' LITERARY REVIEW'Accomplished, twisty' WOMAN AND HOME

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Bring the joy of flowers into your home with 30 stunning projects for every season.From spring planters to summer floral crowns and autumn vase arrangements to winter wreaths; life is better with flowers all year round. With clear, step-by-step instructions, expert florist Ashlee Jane leads you through her inspirational ideas for floral designs to bring the calming presence of flowers and foliage into your home.There is something for every occasion here, from small place settings and everyday bouquets to show-stopping displays for a mantlepiece or staircase, and everything in between. Including styling tips, a directory of favourite flowers and gorgeous ideas on every page, you will be inspired to fill your home with flowers throughout the year.

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'Deeply moving' Katie Fforde'Wise and wonderful' Veronica Henry'Lucy Diamond at her very best' Rosie WalshThe McKenzies are your average complicated family: knotted together by in-jokes, arguments and a few closely-guarded secrets. Thirty-something sisters Leni and Alice became inseparable following the divorce of their parents, Belinda and Tony, with younger brother Will always trying to keep up. They're not perfect, but they love each other - most of the time, anyway.But then one ordinary summer day, an accident changes the family forever. Questions arise, guilt surfaces and secrets begin to emerge. Scattered by grief and seeking comfort in the unlikeliest of places, can the McKenzies find their way back to each other?Set over the course of one life-changing year, The Best Days of Our Lives is a warm, big-hearted and poignant story, full of hope, heartache and love. SEE WHAT EVERYONE'S SAYING ABOUT THE BEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES'So real and so romantic' Laura Kemp'Deeply moving' 5* Reader Review'This book touched my heart' Sarah Morgan'So uplifting and comforting' 5* Reader Review'Poignant, yet uplifting and comforting' My Weekly'You'll laugh as often as you cry' Sunday Express

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The next heartwarming instalment of the Timber Girls Series. Perfect for fans of Elaine Everest and Pam Howes.Trixie and her fellow lumberjills are back in Scotland, newly stationed at the MacKay estate. When they arrive, they are shocked to find the place dilapidated and neglected and the taciturn and secretive Noah MacKay not at all happy to be meeting them.It quickly becomes apparent that MacKay was expecting men from the forestry commission to take charge, rather than four young women. Trixie, Jo, Hen and Vi decide he needs to be proven wrong - after all, don't they have stamina, skill and strength? But as the girls work to prove their worth, secrets from their own pasts threaten to follow them to Sutherland.

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Seven interconnected stories orbit a central novella to create a collection of tales which resonate with the sound of women's voices.A widower struggles to erase his wife's voice from his answering machine. Two old friends meet after a period apart and find they can no longer fit into their habitual rhythm. A woman records herself reading a poem for two sisters who obsessively collect voice recordings.At the heart of Canoes is "Mustang", in which a woman moves with her family to the suburbs of Denver, where her partner takes up a research post. As her husband and child fit seamlessly into their new lives, she remains aloof, consumed by a feeling of not belonging, and observing as her loved ones change and adapt to these alien surroundings.In this moving and deeply poetic collection, Maylis de Kerangal casts light on the balance between life and death, exploring the traces we leave upon each other's lives and creating space for women of all ages to be heard.Translated from the French by Jessica Moore

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'Dark, disturbing and utterly compelling' LIZ FENWICK'Haunting and skilfully crafted' PHOEBE WYNNE'Mysterious, atmospheric and chilling' ANITA FRANKA HOUSE CAN HOLD A THOUSAND SECRETS . . .2019When Henry Fox is found dead in his ancestral home in Cornwall, the police rule it a suicide, but his pregnant wife, Josie, believes it was murder. Desperate to make sense of Henry's death she embarks on a quest to learn the truth, all under the watchful eyes of Henry's overbearing mother. Josie soon finds herself wrestling against the dark history of Helygen House and ghosts from the past that refuse to stay buried.1881New bride Eliza arrives at Helygen House with high hopes for her marriage. Yet when she meets her new mother-in-law, an icy and forbidding woman, her dreams of a new life are dashed. And when Eliza starts to hear voices in the walls of the house, she begins to fear for her sanity and her life.Can Josie piece together the past to make sense of her present, or will the secrets of Helygen House and its inhabitants forever remain a mystery?PRAISE FOR THE HOUSE AT HELYGEN'Haunting and emotional' Lisa Hall 'I could not put it down' Louise Beech'Leaves you breathlessly wanting more' Nydia Hetherington'A chilling, unforgettable, historical drama' Karin Nordin'I absolutely loved this novel' Helen Scarlett

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THE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY, THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERSAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021'Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.' Undiscovered Scotland'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of BooksA detective is haunted by the feeling he knows his murder suspect - despite the fact they have never met.IF YOU FLEE FATE...When Detective Sime Mackenzie is sent from Montreal to investigate a murder on the remote Entry Island, 850 miles from the Canadian mainland, he leaves behind him a life of sleeplessness and regret.FATE WILL FIND YOU...But what had initially seemed an open-and-shut case takes on a disturbing dimension when he meets the prime suspect, the victim's wife, and is convinced that he knows her - even though they have never met.And when his insomnia becomes punctuated by dreams of a distant Scottish past in another century, this murder in the Gulf of St. Lawrence leads him down a path he could never have foreseen, forcing him to face a conflict between his professional duty and his personal destiny.LOVED ENTRY ISLAND? Read the first book in Peter May's acclaimed China thrillers series, THE FIREMAKERLOVE PETER MAY? Buy his new thriller, THE NIGHT GATE

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'Truly inspirational' The Sun'Honest and authentic - I could not put it down' Michelle Griffith Robinson OLY'Black Sheep is powerful testimony for anyone seeking to deepen their own anti-racist journey. This is passionate, raw writing, with moments of reflection that we can all learn from. It's a story that had to be told, and must be heard' Jeffrey BoakyeSabrina Pace-Humphreys is a 44-year-old mother of four and grandmother of three, an award-winning businesswoman, an ultrarunner, a social justice activist and a recovering alcoholic. She is a mixed-raced woman, the daughter of a white Scottish Roman Catholic woman and a Black man. When she was two, her parents separated and Sabrina, her mother and her white-presenting younger sister moved to a small market town where no-one looked like her. From as young as she can remember, she was the subject of verbal and physical racist abuse.In Black Sheep, Sabrina reveals how she got from there to here: about growing up in a home, a school and a town where no-one looked like her and her subsequent struggle to understand and find her identity; about her lived experience of rural racism; about becoming a teenage mother and her determination to break that stereotype; about her battle with alcoholism and her mental health; about how running saved her life; and ultimately about how someone can not only survive but thrive in spite of their past. Sabrina's experience will chime with anyone who has felt like an outsider. Poignant and eye-opening, and exploring themes of trauma, identity, mental health and addiction, Black Sheep is a tale of triumph: of grit and determination, of hope over despair.

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THE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY, THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERSAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021'Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.' Undiscovered Scotland'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of BooksFIVE DREAMS OF FAMEGlasgow, 1965. Jack Mackay dares not imagine a life of predictability and routine. The headstrong seventeen-year-old has one thing on his mind - London - and successfully convinces his four friends, and fellow band mates, to join him in abandoning their homes to pursue a goal of musical stardom.FIVE DECADES OF FEARGlasgow, 2015. Jack Mackay dares not look back on a life of failure and mediocrity. The heavy-hearted sixty-seven-year old is still haunted by the cruel fate that befell him and his friends some fifty years before, and how he did and did not act when it mattered most - a memory he has run from all his adult life.London, 2015. A man lies dead in a bedsit. His killer looks on, remorseless. What started with five teenagers five decades before will now be finished.

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The New Yorker's award-winning war correspondent returns to his own country to chronicle a story of mounting civic breakdown and violent disorder, in a vivid eyewitness narrative of revelatory explanatory power.'This is a searing book, exquisitely reported, lyrically told, and so vivid it will make your heart stop-a dark journey into what ails America' Patrick Radden KeefeOn the morning of January 6, a gallows was erected on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A little after noon, as thousands of Trump supporters marched past the structure, some paused to climb its wooden steps and take pictures of the US Capitol framed within an oval noose. Up ahead, the dull thud of stun grenades could be heard, accompanied by bright flashes. Several people carried Confederate flags. Others had Tasers, baseball bats, bear spray, and truncheons. 'They need help!' a man shouted. 'It's us versus the cops!' No one seemed surprised by what was taking place. There was an eerie sense of inexorability, mixed with nervous hesitation. It reminded me of combat: the slightly shocked, almost bashful moment when bravado, fantasy, and training crash against reality.In early 2020, Luke Mogelson, who had been living in France and covering the Global War on Terrorism, returned home to report on the social discord that the pandemic was bringing to the fore in the US. Soon, he found himself embedded with militias descending on the Michigan state capitol. From there, the story swept him on to Minneapolis, then to Portland, and ultimately to Washington, D.C. His stories for The New Yorker were hailed as essential first drafts of history. They were just the tip of the iceberg.The Storm Is Here is the definitive eyewitness account of how--during a season of sickness, economic uncertainty, and violence--a large segment of Americans became convinced that they needed to rise up against dark forces plotting to take their country away from them, and then did just that. It builds month by month, through vivid depictions of events on the ground, from the onset of the pandemic to the attack on the US Capitol--during which Mogelson was in the Senate chamber with the insurrectionists--and its aftermath. Bravely reported and beautifully written, Mogelson's book follows the tradition of some of the essential chronicles of war and unrest of our time.

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The fourth novel in a historical series that began with the International Booker-shortlisted The Unseen "Taken together, Jacobsen has given us an epic of Norway's experience of the first half of the 20th century that is subtle and moving" David Mills, Sunday Times"Jacobsen can make almost anything catch the light . . . One of Norway's greatest writers on the working class" Times Literary SupplementA childless island is no island at all.Ingrid Marie Barrøy has returned to the island that bears her name, bringing up her daughter with the other children that came with the war, who will someday raise their own children until an island that was empty is singing once more with life.And soon another will arrive, a child of the war and an orphan of the peace, whom Ingrid will fight to make her own, and whose interests may, in time, collide with those of certain others on the island, forcing her to make a choice she will long regret.The sea brings the island all it has - herring for salting, eider ducks for down - but Ingrid knows, has alwaysknown, that one day it may wish to take something back. But until that day, she continues to live by one simple truth:There is no limit to what you can do with an island, the imagination sets the only limits, as with the sea.Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett and Don ShawReviews for The Unseen"Even by his high standards, his magnificent new novel The Unseen is Jacobsen's finest to date, as blunt as it is subtle and is easily among the best books I have ever read" Eileen Battersby, Irish Times"A beautifully crafted novel . . . Quite simply a brilliant piece of work . . . Rendered beautifully into English by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw, The Unseen is a towering achievement that would be a deserved Booker International winner" Charlie Connelly, New European."A profound interrogation of freedom and fate, as well as a fascinating portrait of a vanished time, written in prose as clear and washed clean as the world after a storm" Justine Jordan, Guardian"The subtle translation, with its invented dialect, conveys a timeless, provincial voice . . . The Unseen is a blunt, brilliant book" Tom Graham, Financial Times.

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In A Toolkit for Your Emotions, Emma takes a deep dive into how we feel and explains all the tools you need to intercept and redirect challenging emotion. From joy to anger, shame to stress and anxiety, Emma has practical and effective ways to feel instantly calmer and more content.Each topic is illustrated with Emma's well-loved illustration to make them accessible, meaningful and memorable. Dr Emma Hepburn is the most well-known psychologist on Instagram (@thepsychologymum, 135k followers) and has won numerous awards for her contribution to mental health awareness.

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'A powerful new voice in thriller writing' ADAM HAMDYBorn and raised in London, Pretty Boy has spent the last ten years in exile after being forced out of his hometown. He's learned patience, and how to disappear. Now Pretty Boy is ready to get his revenge on those who need to pay for his lost years. Meanwhile, back in the city, things have moved on. People still talk about Pretty Boy, of course. He's a legend, more myth than man, and rumours run wild about his deadly legacy. But most think they've seen the last of him. He's finished.Someone who never gave up on Pretty Boy is Alan Pierce. The former policeman turned corrupt businessman has always lived by his own rules: stay focussed, stay one step ahead of the enemy, stay alive. Alan and Pretty Boy have history - Pretty Boy owes him everything - so when Alan finds himself fighting a drug-fuelled war on all fronts, there's only one man he wants to turn to. But where is Pretty Boy?Sharp, fast-paced and gripping and with a cast of unforgettable characters, A Good Night to Kill is a heart-pounding tale of justice, loyalty, and of what happens when two men turn to face the fight they've been trying to outrun. Praise for Amen Alonge and A Good Day to Die'Action-packed, gripping, and wildly entertaining' ADAM HAMDY'One of those books that you hate to put down' 5* READER REVIEW'A smart, gritty, action-packed' WILLIAM SHAW'[An] ultra violent and propulsive London thriller' 5* READER REVIEW'Powerful' LITERARY REVIEW'A great non-stop action thriller with an explosive ending' 5* READER REVIEW'A cracker of a debut' TREVOR WOOD'Enthralling' 5* READER REVIEW

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Candice Brathwaite's much-anticipated second book about all the things she wishes she'd been told when she was young and needed guidance.I Am Not Your Baby Mother was a landmark publication in 2020. A thought-provoking, urgent and inspirational guide to life as a Black British mum, it was an important call-to-arms allowing mothers to take control and scrap the parenting rulebook to do it their own way. It was a Sunday Times top five bestseller.Sista Sister goes further. It is a compilation of essays about all the things Candice wishes someone had talked to her about when she was a young Black girl growing up in London. From family and money to Black hair and fashion, as well as relationships between people of different races and colourism, this will be a fascinating read that will have another profound impact on conversations about Black Lives Matter.Written in Candice's trademark straight-talking, warm and funny style, it will delight her fans, old and new.

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The perfect gift for your Friends-obsessed pals. We might not be able to meet at their favourite coffee spot, but Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica and Phoebe are (unofficially) here to help you to be the best friend you can be. A nostalgic and heart-warming homage to the world's most popular sitcom, Friends for Life distils the wisdom of the TV series, providing readers with advice and practical tips for pivoting - sorry, perfecting - the art of friendship. Having a group of ride-or-die mates has never been more important, because when life kicks you in the teeth (especially if they're luminous like Ross's), you know they'll help you come out stronger on the other side. This book takes lessons from the show on how to (and how not to) deal with issues such as living together, borrowing money, dating, arguments and knowing when to step-up or step away.With everything from actionable strategies, magazine-style quizzes, listicles and countdowns of the best cameos to the best insults, all beautifully emphasised with bespoke line illustrations, Friends for Life is the perfect book for new and returning fans alike.

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'A treasure trove of uplifting and accessible practices, to organise your mind and give shape to your day.' Suzy Reading, author of The Little Book of Self-Care'Easy to read, deeply inspiring and oh so wise, it was the perfect antidote to my in-box overwhelm.' Susannah Conway, author of This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart---Whether it's a speedy note-to-self, a simple shopping list or a carefully penned thank-you note, putting words on paper is a daily habit - and can also bring us great joy and calm.In this book you'll discover practical ways to turn the ordinary ritual of jotting things down into a remarkable source of peace, focus and confidence. Learn to take pleasure in your correspondence, find fresh delight in your diary writing and put renewed heart in your humble to-do list.Dr Megan C Hayes has spent her academic career exploring the links between writing, identity and happiness - and she is on a mission to encourage us all to pick up a pen and reap the wellbeing benefits in writing.

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WHAT MAKES US HAPPY? BILL BAILEY PLAYS CRAZY GOLF AND HUGS TREES TO FIND OUT.'A warm, funny read, full of personal anecdotes and love letters to things that bring Bill Bailey pleasure' Sunday Mirror'Very thoughtful and written in a delightfully humorous and accessible way... Guaranteed to make [you] smile' Daily ExpressIs there a knack to being happy? From paddle-boarding down the Thames in a Santa hat, to wild swimming in a glacial river and cooking sausages on a campfire, Bill revels in the exhilaration of the outdoors, as well as the quieter pleasures of letter-writing, or of simple reflection.In this beautiful and uplifting book, Bill Bailey explores all this and more while delving into the nature of happiness, all in his own, remarkable, way.Packed with wisdom and humour, and with delightful illustrations by the comedian himself, Bill Bailey aims for the heart of pure joy and contentment - and how we can all achieve it.*Bill Bailey: Thoughtifier will tour UK arenas in February and March 2024*

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A book for shy people of all ages who wonder how to shine in an incredibly noisy world.Shyness can make us feel isolated, and it's inherently difficult to talk about, yet half of all humans consider themselves shy. But shyness is not weakness, nor a shameful secret. Let's own our shyness, and work with it in the face of the loud, outgoing idea of success. It's time for a softer, more considered approach. Shy people have unique qualities and skills, so let's nurture and appreciate them.Nadia Finer gives shy people the support and understanding they need to step out of the shadows. This book is full of easy to follow advice, backed up by first-hand experiences from fellow shy people. Nadia shares insights from scientists and psychologists to help explain the reasons behind shyness, and gives us top tips to help navigate the most challenging situations.Shy and Mighty is packed with practical tools, techniques and ideas to help you work with your shyness, and become a more mighty you.

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From one of Britain's best-loved comedians comes this wonderfully funny, sharp and touching memoir and a celebration of the bond between man and dog - an autobidography, if you will.'I loved The Lick of Love. It's often insightful, sometimes hilarious, frequently filthy - I'm a cat person, but if anything were ever to convince me to get a dog, it would be this' Joanne Harris'. . . wise and perceptive, and funny and moving. Each dog you meet marks a different chapter of your life and Julian writes about it so BEAUTIFULLY' Joanna Cannon'A quirky and witty excavation of memory lane in the company of his furry canine friends' Dame Joan CollinsThe Lick of Love takes us on a tour of Julian's colourful life - and wherever life has taken him, Julian has had a dog by his side. Fanny the Wonder Dog, who came into Julian's life when he was somewhat adrift, propelled him up the ranks of the alternative comedy circuit and onto television. Valerie, the whippet cross-breed escorted Julian through his forties, the Germaine Greer to his Bernard Manning. Albert, a jaunty geezer type who was sent to acclimatise Julian to middle age and helped him seduce his now husband, before being joined by naughty but nice Gigi, an unpredictable fur bullet of a dog. These canine characters have been there, bearing witness, on and off stage. Whether writing about encounters in seedy London nightclubs, finding success on television with Sticky Moments, the death of his partner, that Normant Lamont joke, a narrow squeak with a thwarted eastern European plot to kidnap him, his move to the country, or finally settling down, falling in love and getting married, Julian's unique voice bounces off the page. Ultimately, The Lick of Love is the story of a fascinating life and a love letter to the dogs that have played a loving and near constant part of it. Told with humour and great honesty, this promises to be one of the best memoirs of the year. 'Whatever else is going on, it is the water bowl in the kitchen, the dog hair on my jumper, the knowing gaze from the dog in the basket beside me that comforts me and tells me that all is well.' JC

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'A master at using humour to underscore the horror of racism, William Melvin Kelley is a writer whose work, decades later, continues to shed light on that which millions of people would rather remain hidden'MATEO ASKARIPOUR, AUTHOR OF BLACK BUCKA searing, provocative satire by one of the most important African-American novelists of the twentieth century that lays bare the abiding racism and the legacy of slavery on the psyche of white America.Mitchell Pierce is a well-off New York ad executive whose marriage is falling apart. He no longer feels any passion for his pregnant wife, Tam, and even feels estranged from his toddler son, Jake. Mitchell is trapped in an unrewarding and loveless life, and though domestic violence isn't in his character, it is never very far away, either.Mitchell's life will irrevocably change one day, though, when a young man appears at his apartment door to pick up the family's black maid, Opal, for a date. Cooley it turns out is not a stranger to the household. The twins that Tam is carrying are a result of superfecundation--the fertilization of two separate ova by two different males. So when one child is born black and the other white, Mitchell goes on a quest to find Cooley and make him take his baby.In the tradition of Brer Rabbit trickster tales, dem enacts a modern-day fable of turning the tables on the white oppressor and inverting the history of miscegenation and subjugation of African Americans.

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'READING THIS TERRIFIC, ORWELLIAN NOVEL YOU ALMOST HOLD YOUR BREATH' Bel MooneyAn alternative history with a strong feminist twist, perfect for fans of Robert Harris' Fatherland, Christina Dalcher's Vox and the dystopian novels of Margaret Atwood.'A TRIUMPH' Amanda Craig'CONVINCING AND GRIPPING' Elizabeth Buchan'BRILLIANTLY IMAGINED' Clare Chambers'TERRIFIC HEROINE' Adèle Geras'VIVIDLY IMAGINED' Nicci FrenchTo control the past, they edited history. To control the future, they edited literature.London, 1953, Coronation year - but not the Coronation of Elizabeth II. Thirteen years have passed since a Grand Alliance between Great Britain and Germany was formalized. George VI and his family have been murdered and Edward VIII rules as King. Yet, in practice, all power is vested in Alfred Rosenberg, Britain's Protector. The role and status of women is Rosenberg's particular interest. Rose Ransom belongs to the elite caste of women and works at the Ministry of Culture, rewriting literature to correct the views of the past. But now she has been given a special task. Outbreaks of insurgency have been seen across the country; graffiti daubed on public buildings. Disturbingly, the graffiti is made up of lines from forbidden works, subversive words from the voices of women. Suspicion has fallen on Widowland, the run-down slums where childless women over fifty have been banished. These women are known to be mutinous, for they have nothing to lose. Before the Leader arrives for the Coronation ceremony of King Edward and Queen Wallis, Rose must infiltrate Widowland to find the source of this rebellion and ensure that it is quashed.'THE MOST IMPORTANT FEMINIST NOVEL IN DECADES' Jane Harris'A VERY SMART REIMAGINED HISTORY' Henry Porter'BRIMMING WITH CRACKLING DETAIL, A GRIPPING THRILLER' Miranda Carter

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Power always wins.Imagine Camelot but in Gotham: a city where Arthurian knights are the celebrities of the day, riding on motorbikes instead of horses and competing in televised fights for fame and money.'Arthurian legend meets urban fantasy in a brilliant, bloody wild ride' Jay Kristoff, Sunday Times bestselling author of Aurora BurningImagine a city where a young, magic-touched bastard astonishes everyone by becoming king - albeit with extreme reluctance - and a girl with a secret past trains to become a knight for the sole purpose of vengeance.The boldest, smartest, most adventurous fantasy I've read in ages' Krystal Sutherland, author of Our Chemical HeartsImagine a city where magic is illegal but everywhere, in its underground bars, its back-alley soothsayers - and in the people who have to hide what they are for fear of being tattooed and persecuted.Imagine a city where electricity is money, power the only game worth playing, and violence the most fervently worshipped religion.'King Arthur as you've never seen him before. The coolest thing you'll read this year' Samantha Shannon, author of The Bone Season and The Priory of the Orange TreeIn this dark, chaotic, alluring place, any dream can come true if you want it hard enough - and if you are prepared to do some very, very bad things to get it . . .

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Gangster, soldier, priest. Queen's Man. Governor.'If you haven't yet picked up this riveting and unique series, I highly recommend you do' Fantasy Book Critic Tomas Piety has everything he ever wanted. In public he's a wealthy, highly respected businessman, happily married to a beautiful woman and governor of his home city of Ellinburg. In private, he's no longer a gang lord, head of the Pious Men, but one of the Queen's Men, invisible and officially non-existent, working in secret to protect his country.The queen's sudden death sees him summoned him back to the capital - where he discovers his boss, Dieter Vogel, Provost Marshal of the Queen's Men, is busy tightening his stranglehold on the country.Just as he once fought for his Pious Men, Tomas must now bend all his wit and hard-won wisdom to protect his queen - even when he can't always tell if he's on the right side.Tomas has started to ask himself, what is the price of power? And more importantly, is it one he is willing to pay? 'If you like your fantasy with a side of dark and gritty, you won't want to miss this' CHRISTINA HENRY, bestselling author of The Girl in Red on Priest of Lies

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'What I like best about this fascinating book is the detail. Brian Butterworth doesn't just tell us stories of animals with numerical abilities: he tells us about the underlying science. Elegantly written and a joy to read' - Professor Ian Stewart, author of What's the Use? and Taming the Infinite'Full of thought-provoking studies and animal observations' - Booklist'Enlightening and entertaining' - Publishers WeeklyThe Hidden Genius of Animals: Every pet owner thinks their own dog, cat, fish or hamster is a genius. What makes CAN FISH COUNT? so exciting is the way it unveils just how widespread intelligence is in nature. Pioneering psychologist Brian Butterworth describes the extraordinary numerical feats of all manner of species ranging from primates and mammals to birds, reptiles, fish and insects. Whether it's lions deciding to fight or flee, frogs competing for mates, bees navigating their way to food sources, fish assessing which shoal to join, or jackdaws counting friends when joining a mob - every species shares an ability to count.Homo Sapiens may think maths is our exclusive domain, but this book shows that every creature shares a deep-seated Darwinian ability to understand the intrinsic language of our universe: mathematics CAN FISH COUNT? is that special sort of science book - a global authority in his field writing an anecdotally-rich and revelatory narrative which changes the way you perceive something we take for granted.

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'Internationally acclaimed pianist, author and all-round nice guy James Rhodes promises that this book can teach anyone with access to a piano or an electric keyboard and 45 minutes to practice every a day, the tools they need to learn to play Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C Major in 6 weeks' RED MAGAZINELearn to play one of Bach's most exquisite preludes in just 6 weeks, even if you have never played the piano before.An accessible and inspiring book by the pianist and international bestselling writer James Rhodes, who promises that it gives anyone with two hands, a piano or an electric keyboard and just 45 minutes a day the tools they need to learn to play Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C Major in 6 weeks, even if they know nothing about music and have never even touched a piano before.How often do we convince ourselves that it's just too late - too late to learn how to ride a bike, too late to know how to meditate, too late to travel the world... As we get older and time slips through our fingers like water, we become resigned, almost defeatist, about abandoning our dreams. For James Rhodes, after the inevitable "How many hours a day do you practice?" and "Show me your hands", the most common thing people say to him when they hear he's a pianist is "I used to play the piano as a kid. I really regret giving it up". Where does this mourned and misplaced creativity go? For Rhodes, it's still there to be tapped into by all of us, at any point. This inspirational book gives us the means to do this, by breaking up Bach's seminal Prelude No. 1 from the Well-Tempered Clavier into manageable segments, teaching us the basics of piano playing - how to read music, the difference between the treble and the bass clef, sharp and flat notes, how to practice etc.. - and encouraging personal interpretation in a way that is guaranteed to soothe the mind, feed the soul and unleash creative powers we didn't know we still had. All of this will culminate in an ability to perform one of Bach's masterpieces."If listening to music is soothing for the soul, then playing music is achieving enlightenment. It's going from kicking a ball around with a few pals to playing alongside Ronaldo."

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'A brilliant testament to those reclaiming their sexual power' - RUBY RARE'Searingly honest ... A beautiful and important work' - VANITY FAIR'This is a book that really should be pressed into the hands of a generation of young men who have learnt everything they wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask from porn ... Holmes has done an admirable job' SUNDAY TIMES'An important read for any young women starting out on their sexual life' SUNDAY INDEPENDENTWITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRISSIE HYNDE, JENNY ECLAIR AND MANY OTHERSWhat goes through a woman's head while she's having sex?Women on Top of the World is a collection of 51 first person testimonies by 51 women from around the globe, from all ages and from all walks of life. Searingly honest, they reveal their innermost thoughts and feelings during sex to writer Lucy-Anne Holmes. The result is an incredible compendium of true disclosures that are funny and sad, shocking and tender.Every experience is different, unique and fascinating. From 19-year-old Melodie in the UK to 32 year-old Wambui from Kenya and 74-year-old Lucy in New Zealand, we as readers are led down as many paths as there are ways to have sex. There are heterosexual women, gay women, bisexual women, queer women, monogamous women, polyamorous women, those who identify as non-binary and transgender women. There is beautiful sex, bored sex, auto-sexuality, crazy sex, tantric sex, sad sex and sex that is experienced as colours and melted toffee. A range of hugely talented, cutting-edge artists from all over the world - both male and female - have given their visual interpretations with rich and remarkable illustrations that convey the range of emotions contained within these intimate revelations.The result is a stunning, transportive book that will help quench the obvious thirst for narratives for women by women about their journeys of sexual self-discovery.

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'I loved this novel' SARAH PEARSE, bestselling author of The Sanatorium 'Rippling with suspense' VICTORIA SELMAN, author of Truly, Darkly, Deeply 'Haunting at its core' SHEA ERNSHAW, author of The Wicked Deep BEHIND EVERY STRONG WOMAN IS A GIRL WHO SURVIVED. . .Summer, 1985: Ruby has stayed at the chateau with her family every summer since she can remember. It was her favourite place to be, but this year uninvited guests have descended, and everything is about to change. . .As the intense August heat cloaks the chateau, the adults within start to lose sight of themselves, and darkness begins to creep around them. With the summer spiralling out of control, Ruby and her two young friends soon discover it is best not to be seen or heard until, one fateful night, an incident occurs that can never be undone. . .Summer, 2010: One of the three young girls, now grown and newly widowed, returns to the chateau. In her fight to free herself from its grip, she uncovers what truly happened that long, dark summer.The Ruins is a dark and suspenseful tale of control, and the women determined to fight back.~*~ WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE RUINS ~*~"Dark and compelling""I couldn't stop reading it. . . I wanted justice""A dark, disturbing and gripping read""Unnerving, tense and compelling"

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The first in a new Swedish crime series featuring Tekla Berg, a fearless doctor with a remarkable photographic memory"Watch your blood pressure! A tense and clever thriller" Lilja SigurðardóttirWith 85% per cent burns to his body and a 115% risk of dying, it's a miracle the patientis still alive.He only made it this far thanks to Tekla Berg, an emergency physician whose unorthodox methods and photographic memory are often the difference between life and death.Convinced that the fire was a terrorist attack - and that the patient was involved - the police are determined to question him. Almost as determined as those who would silence him at any cost. And while Tekla battles to keep him breathing, she can't shake the thought that something about him is strangely familiar . . .Tekla has always hidden her remarkable mind from her hospital colleagues, resorting to amphetamines to take the edge off the endless whirl of lucid memories. But now she'll need to call on all her wits as she's drawn into a mystery involving corrupt police, the godfather of the Uzbek mafia, and her beloved but wayward brother.Translated from the Swedish by George Goulding

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London, 1919: a city of ghosts and absences, haunted by the men who marched away but never came back. 'A poignant and readable mystery' THE TIMES Grace Armstrong believes that she has come to terms with her own loss, the death of her dazzling fiancé who was declared Missing in Action. But soon he starts to reappear both in her waking life and dreams. To make matters worse, a body, dragged from the Thames, is identified as Elizabeth Smith, who lodged with Grace and her family for the last eight years before suddenly disappearing. Elizabeth had been more than a lodger; she had become a close friend to Grace, who feels compelled to uncover the true circumstances of her death. In doing so, she is drawn reluctantly into the sordid and dangerous underbelly of London and a scandal that rocked Edwardian society. Will Grace find the answers she so desperately craves, or will she lose herself in the search?********************Praise for The Lodger'A deliciously Gothic page-turner' BEST'A gripping historical mystery' A. J. WEST '[Helen Scarlett] has a gift for pulling readers into the twists and turns of her story' SUNDAY TIMES'A devastating reveal and a tangled web I won't forget' AMANDA GEARD

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THE JOURNAL TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD-WINNING AND BESTSELLING STORIES FOR BOYS WHO DARE TO BE DIFFERENT John Lennon, Gandhi, Trevor Noah, Grayson Perry, Roald Dahl, Martin Luther King... all dared to be different - and now young boys can too with this fun and enlightening guided journal. Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different Journal is full of tips and ideas to help boys everywhere explore their dreams and release their creativity in an environment where emotions and feelings are celebrated. Thanks to an array of imaginative and thoughtful prompts, and short biographies of some real-life inspiring figures who followed their personal dreams, this journal will help boys construct their own world away from gender stereotypes and social conventions. Activities include:· Devising a plot for a film in which your biggest fear is quashed· Identifying what cause you would go out and protest for· Creating a list of characteristics about human beings for aliens · Imagining what would make you happy a week, a month, ten years from now It is the must-have journal for all those boys who worry about stuff and all those parents who worry about their boys who worry about stuff. ___________ Praise for STORIES FOR BOYS WHO DARE TO BE DIFFERENT: "This book can save lives. This book can change lives. This book can help to bring forth another generation of boys who dare to be different" - Benjamin Zephaniah "[The stories] coalesce into a rousing symphony of against-the-odds achievement" - Financial Times "It will help to inspire a younger generation to understand that you don't have to be tough, strong and a dragon killer to be worthwhile" - Stylist "Offer[s] a refreshing twist . . . and will encourage young boys to resist the gender stereotypes that can damage men as much as women" - Daily Express

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The sparkling Christmas romance to pick you up this year...'A hilarious and heartwarming festive treat' Heidi Swain'So funny, sweet, warm and fuzzy' Clodagh MurphyWhat if the love of your life was your best friend's girl?When Nick loses his job and is dumped by his glamorous but demanding girlfriend, he is forced to grudgingly accept work as a Santa at a local Christmas grotto. As his friends are getting married or promoted, Nick spends his days being terrorised by unfriendly elves and cried on by snotty, spoiled children.Then he meets 4-year-old Alfie. All Alfie wants for Christmas is for his mum, Sarah, to be happy again. Moved by the boy's selfless wish, Nick arranges a date between Sarah and his best friend, Matt. But as Sarah and Alfie become part of all their lives, Nick realises that happiness for Sarah and Matt might mean heartbreak for himself.'A hilarious and touching festive read' Heat'A festive romance in all its technicolour fairy-light glory' My WeeklyREADERS ARE LOVING ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS'Will have you laughing out loud' *****'I'd have given it 10 stars if I could!' *****'Impossible to put down' *****'A funny, fuzzy, festive feast of a book!' *****'Absolutely perfect escapism' *****

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