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Paul Murray's Skippy Dies is a tragicomic masterpiece about a Dublin boarding schoolLONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2010Ruprecht Van Doren is an overweight genius whose hobbies include very difficult maths and the Search of Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. Daniel 'Skippy' Juster is his roommate. In the grand old Dublin institution that is Seabrook College for Boys, nobody pays either of them much attention. But when Skippy falls for Lori, the frisbee-playing siren from the girls' school next door, suddenly all kinds of people take an interest - including Carl, part-time drug-dealer and official school psychopath. . .A tragic comedy of epic sweep and dimension, Skippy Dies scours the corners of the human heart and wrings every drop of pathos, humour and hopelessness out of life, love, Robert Graves, mermaids, M-theory, and everything in between.'That rare thing, a comic epic. . . Murray is a brilliant comic writer, but also humane and touching, and he captures the misery and elation, joy and anxiety of teenage life' David Nicholls, Guardian'Novels rarely come as funny and as moving as this utterly brilliant exploration of teenhood and the anticlimax of becoming an adult . . . one of the finest comic novels written anywhere' Eileen Battersby, Irish Times'I loved Skippy Dies . . . three novels fused into one ignited tragicomic tour de force' Ali Smith, Times Literary Supplement Books of the Year'An unforgettably exuberant saga set in an Irish boys' school. The insulting repartee is Shakespearean, the minor characters hilarious, and Murray captures the fleeting joys and lasting sorrows of adolescence perfectly' Emma Donoghue, Daily Telegraph'A triumph . . . brimful of wit and narrative energy' Sunday Times'The sprawling brilliance of Paul Murray's darkly comic second novel works on many different levels . . . When you finish the last page, you may be tempted to start all over again' Metro

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'Jane Casey's police procedurals go from strength to strength!' Sunday Times'If you have not read Jane Casey, start immediately' Marian Keyes'The most dangerously addictive series in crime fiction. . .' Erin Kelly_______________Jenny Shephard is twelve years old and missing.Her teacher, Sarah Finch, knows better than most that the chances of finding her alive are diminishing every day.As a little girl Sarah's older brother went out to play and never come home. The strain of not knowing what happened to him tore her family apart.When Sarah finds Jenny's body, beaten and abandoned in the woods near her home, she is drawn into the heart of the investigation and a media storm.Her presence at the scene arouses suspicions. But it is not just the police that are watching her...

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PRE-ORDER PRECIPICE, THE THRILLING NEW NOVEL FROM ROBERT HARRIS, NOW - PUBLISHING AUGUST 2024NOW A LANDMARK SKY MINI-SERIES STARRING JOSH HARTNETT'Could scarcely be more of the moment' THE TIMES'Harris is a master of pace and entertainment' OBSERVERNothing spreads like fear . . .In the secretive inner circle of the ultra-rich, Alex Hoffmann is a legend.He has developed an algorithm for playing the financial markets that generates billions of pounds - and feeds on panic.When one day his system is threatened by a terrifying intruder who breaches the elaborate security of his lakeside home, his life becomes a waking nightmare of violence and paranoia.But who is trying to destroy him? And is it already too late?'There are moments when this book feels so up to date it could have been written next week . . . spookily exciting' EXPRESS'The Fear Index is a frightening book, of course, as, with its title, it intends. Harris has an excellent sense of pace' TELEGRAPH

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When a firebomb attack at a Brighton travellers' site kills women and children, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe has strong reason to believe the new, dubiously elected, far-right council leader is behind the murders. Against the direct orders of her chief constable, Jo digs deeper into the killings. She uncovers a criminal ring of human trafficking and euthanasia all leading to a devastating plot which threatens thousands of lives and from which the murderous politician looks sure to walk away scot-free.

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When novelist Sophie Carr rescues a man from a group of paparazzi, she finds that her new neighbour is ageing pop star Jez Winter. She has loved his music for years and knows he has had a tough time lately, with a violent intruder and then a car accident putting his ability to play music at risk. Life's not been easy for Sophie either, losing her husband just as she was taking off as a novelist and having her hands full with her children. While Jez and Sophie's families continue to complicate their lives, Sophie also has a secret to hide. One that makes her very wary of getting involved with Jez .

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Molly Peel feels trapped by her family: her ex-husband Craig cannot seem to abandon his controlling ways despite abandoning her for a younger woman, her lazy son Brian has long been taking advantage of her generosity, and her selfish daughter Rachel is embarrassed by her. When she is blamed for ruining Rachel's wedding in circumstances beyond her control, Molly decides enough is enough and makes a clean break to Wiltshire to begin a new life. However, the persistent interference of her ex presents difficulties. Can Molly find the courage to stand up for herself and finally move on?

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Now that Nell's three sons are in work, she's ready to build a new life for herself. She's been left a house in England by an elderly aunt and decides to leave Australia for a while. But her house on Peppercorn Street isn't fit to live in and Nell is happy to sell it and allow a builder to create Cinnamon Gardens. Her elderly neighbour Winifred however wants to stay in the only home she's ever known. Violence escalates as someone tries to frighten the old lady into selling, and to make matters worse, her young friend Janey is being stalked. Can Nell build a new life with a new love? Will she find out why her parents quarrelled with their relatives? And, more importantly, what can she and her new friends do to help each other stay safe?

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

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'Rose Tremain does not disappoint. As always her writing has a delicious, crunchy precision.' ObserverA wise and witty look at the contemporary migrant experience.Lev is on his way from Eastern Europe to Britain, seeking work. Behind him loom the figures of his dead wife, his beloved young daughter and his outrageous friend Rudi who - dreaming of the wealthy West - lives largely for his battered Chevrolet. Ahead of Lev lies the deep strangeness of the British: their hostile streets, their clannish pubs, their obsession with celebrity. London holds out the alluring possibility of friendship, sex, money and a new career and, if Lev is lucky, a new sense of belonging...'A novel of urgent humanity' Sunday Telegraph

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The recent fiction of Spanish America has been widely acclaimed for its experimental and revolutionary qualities. In Reclaiming the Author, Lucille Kerr studies the sources of power of this newly emergent literature in her detailed examination of the critical concept of "the author." Kerr considers how Spanish American narratives raise questions about authorial identity and activity through the different figures of the author they propose. These author-figures, she maintains, both complement and contradict notions of authority that exist outside of the world of fiction.By focusing on works by well-known Spanish American authors—Cortazar, Donoso, Fuentes, Poniatowska, Puig, and Vargas Llosa—Kerr shows how the Spanish Americans have formed a radical poetics of the author. Her readings demonstrate how exemplary Spanish American texts, such as Rayuela, Terra nostra, and El hablador, call into question the author as a unitary or uniform, and therefore unproblematical, figure. Individually and together, Kerr's readings reclaim "the author" as a complex critical concept encompassing diverse, conflicting, even competitive roles.

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Shortlisted for General Fiction Book of the Year in the 2009 Australian Book Industry Awards. A group of friends on an unconventional diet learn some important life lessons, a fashion-challenged grandmother weaves some magic in a dusty charity shop, a grieving young mother takes a healing journey, and a shy woman from a family of high achievers learns to follow her dreams.All Together Now is the essential companion to Monica McInerney. This is a collection of her short fiction that will inspire and delight, from her earliest magazine stories to anthology contributions and her warm and witty novella Odd One Out. Praise for Monica McInerney:'Monica McInerney is at the very top of her game . . . If you've yet to read her books, treat yourselves IMMEDIATELY!' Patricia Scanlan, bestselling author of A Time For Friends'You'll be laughing out loud one minute and crying the next' Cosmopolitan'Heart-warming . . . A lovely read' Hello! Magazine'McInerney is a must-read author for women's fiction fans around the world' Huffington Post'McInerney's bewitching multigenerational saga lavishly and lovingly explores the resiliency and fragility of family bonds' Booklist

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Widely celebrated as the author of the worldwide bestselling novels A SUITABLE BOY and AN EQUAL MUSIC, Vikram Seth is also a highly acclaimed poet with a substantial body of work. Here, for the first time in one volume, readers can appreciate the beauty and scope of his poetic vision. Including MAPPINGS, THE HUMBLE ADMINISTRATOR'S GARDEN, ALL YOU WHO SLEEP TONIGHT, THREE CHINESE POETS, BEASTLY TALES FROM HERE AND THERE, ARION AND THE DOLPHIN, THE RIVERED EARTH and SUMMER REQUIEM, this collection displays the richness of Vikram Seth's imagination and the brilliant diversity of his craft.

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'A book to cancel plans for' BELLA'An ode to sisterhood and sexuality... Utterly refreshing' HEAT'Daisy Buchanan writes about all the chaos and conflict of being a young woman' RedThis good girl is naked on the internet...By day, Frankie lives an ordinary life: doting daughter, supportive sister, adoring aunt and (mostly) capable colleague. The only trouble is that she also feels invisible.So by night, Frankie creates her alter ego, uploading risqué photos to a small community of online fans. She becomes sexy, confident and, most importantly, anonymous.That is, until Frankie's two worlds collide and she finds herself thrust into the limelight, along with her secret.Overnight, she becomes both a feminist icon and a target; wanted and worthless; powerful and petrified. Suddenly all eyes are on her....but is she ready to bare it all?Limelight is a funny, touching and provocative tale of sisterhood, sexuality and self-esteem. What would you gain - and lose - by being yourself, instead of who everyone wants you to be?'Daisy Buchanan has that special something that makes a wonderful popular fiction writer - acute observational skills, huge empathy and a perfect balance of light and shade.' Marian Keyes, author of Again, Rachel'Buchanan works through big themes of power, sexuality, friendship and purpose with truly interesting and recognisable characters' Stylist'Daisy Buchanan brings characters to life like no other writer' Lucy Vine, author of Seven Exes

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A bibliography of studies of individual Middle English words and groups of words offering evidence for word meanings. Although detailed and full bibliographies exist for Old English word studies, this is the first specifically on Middle English lexicography, focussing on studies of individual Middle English words and groups of words which offer evidence for word meanings: ante- and post-datings for the Oxford English Dictionary and the Middle English Dictionary, missing entries and ghost words, possible proverbs, proposals for etymologies, wordplay, punning, new readingsin manuscripts and the reinterpretations of textual cruces. It first presents an annotated bibliography arranged alphabetically by author's name and date of publication; the annotations include notes on the contents and approach of each article, cross-references to related work, and references to reviews. Two indexes follow, the Index of Words, an alphabetical listing of words that have attracted significant discussion with references to the author(s), publication date and notes of pages on which the words are discussed; and an Index of Authors. The introductory section offers critical analyses of the word studies. Professor JANE ROBERTS and Dr LOUISE SYLVESTER teach atKing's College London.

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AS SEEN ON CHANNEL 4'S THE GREAT COOKBOOK CHALLENGE'A culinary masterpiece' Olia Hercules, author of Home FoodSun-kissed, simple, and delicious recipes bursting with the delights of the Mediterranean cooking from award-winning food writer, Georgina Hayden.Throughout TAVERNA you'll be treated to the full, delicious melting pot of Greek Cypriot food and flavours, including:Simple Mediterranean saladsClassic ingredients like feta, a squeeze of lemon and fresh oreganoCinnamon-infused stewsOrange-blossom scented pastriesGeorgina takes the best of traditional Cypriot cooking and makes it relevant to modern home cooks. From simple vegan fast-day dishes to feasts for the family, there is something delicious for every mood and moment.These delicious recipes relive sun-kissed Mediterranean holidays and simple taverna-style meals.'Taverna... brings a touch of Cypriot sunshine into your kitchen' Good Housekeeping'This spectacular book is filled with comforting, delicious recipes' Jamie Oliver

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*** CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS AUTHOR OF THE YEAR 2022***Discover this hilarious, heart-warming story about how far one woman will go to find herself, from the No. 1 bestselling author of Grown Ups'Keyes writes brilliantly, as always, about love, grief, jealousy and friendship' Daily Mail'Funny, compassionate, well-observed and irreverent' Time Out_________Meet Maggie Walsh.Unlike the rest of her family, Maggie has always done everything right. At thirty-three she has a proper job, is happily married to Garv and never puts a foot wrong.So when she makes a break for Hollywood with her best friend, Emily, her family and friends don't know what to think.In the City of Angels, Maggie gets to do things she's never done before: mixing with film stars, pitching scripts, partying non-stop.No one ever expected predictable Maggie to do something so unpredictable. And in LA, Maggie can be whoever she wants to be. But sooner or later, Maggie must face the life - and the people - she left behind, and discover whether finding herself, means losing the people she loves . . .Love the Walsh sisters? Don't miss out on the eagerly awaited sequel to Rachel's Holiday: AGAIN, RACHEL . . ._________'Witty, wicked, yet moving. A novel to both laugh and cry over' Ireland on SundayFAMOUS FANS AND WHY THEY LOVE MARIAN KEYES'Marian's writing is the truth. With big laughs' Dawn French'A giant of Irish writing' Naoise Dolan'Will make you laugh and make you cry, but will also reveal the truth of who you really are' Louise O'Neill'Keyes weaves the joy and pain of life in a unique and magical way' Cathy Rentzenbrink'One of the most honest writers writing today' Pandora Sykes'Compassionate, tender, incisive writing' Lucy Foley'Her talent for tackling serious issues with such humanity and wit is balm for the soul' Nigella Lawson'Marian Keyes is a brilliant writer. No one is better at making terrifically funny jokes while telling such important, perceptive and agonizing stories of the heart. She is a genius' Sali Hughes'Irresistible, profound. Keyes's comic gift is always evident' Independent'Joyful. Keyes' clever way with words and extraordinary wit. People stared at me as I laughed to myself' C.L. Taylor'A born storyteller' Independent on Sunday

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And so for anyone who didn't really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you'll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is . . .Intimately set within the walls of a family home, this book is an incredible artefact of the historic year we have all lived through. We travel from the depths of despair but not without hope; the mundane details contained within four walls becomes our sanctuary. This is a gift in commemoration of a time and place, of a world wide pandemic, of loss and of the murder of George Floyd. It is a reminder of how, in uncertain times, we can cling to the simple things for respite, for hope. A reminder of how comforting books and artworks are in times of extreme stress.

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'It's Mona's ballsy, kickass voice that makes this novel tick. Unreliable, sharply observant and funny, she recounts her journey of self-discovery in a way that is immediate and intriguing.' Daily Mail Mary Karr meets Miranda July in this hilarious debut about a young woman’s quest for self-acceptance and belonging Mona is twenty-three, emotionally adrift and cleaning houses to get by. While handing out clean needles to drug addicts, she falls for a man she calls Mr Disgusting, who proceeds to break her heart in unimaginable ways. In search of healing, she decamps to New Mexico for a fresh start, but always lurking just beneath the surface are the ghosts of her past, and the crushing legacy of a chaotic, destructive childhood. It seems running further away from her problems could just leave more inventive ways for them to find her.

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'Nobody's ever really given us such a revealing look at New York's Dominican population before . . . Cruz, in this determinedly real yet often magical novel, offers canny insights into family life' LA TimesAt eighteen, Soledad couldn't get away fast enough from her contentious family with their endless tragedies and petty fights. Two years later, she's an art student at Cooper Union with a gallery job and a hip East Village walk-up. But when Tía Gorda calls with the news that Soledad's mother has lapsed into an emotional coma, she insists that Soledad's return is the only cure. Fighting the memories of open hydrants, leering men, and slick-skinned teen girls with raunchy mouths and snapping gum, Soledad moves home to West 164th Street. As she tries to tame her cousin Flaca's raucous behaviour and to resist falling for Richie - a soulful, intense man from the neighbourhood - she also faces the greatest challenge of her life: confronting the ghosts from her mother's past and salvaging their damaged relationship.Evocative and wise, Soledad is a wondrous story of culture and chaos, family and integrity, myth and mysticism, from a Latina literary light.

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AN EXPLOSIVE ASSAULT When a firebomb attack at a Brighton travellers' site kills women and children, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe has strong reason to believe the new, far-right council leader is behind the murders. A CORRUPT LEADER Howe digs deeper into the case and uncovers a criminal ring of human trafficking and euthanasia leading to a devastating plot threatening thousands of lives and from which the murderous politician will walk away scot-free. A DETECTIVE AT BREAKING POINT

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Nell has come to feel very at home in her beautiful corner of Wiltshire with her partner Angus. What she could do with, however, is a challenge, and the prospect of bringing life back to an abandoned row of houses, Saffron Lane, is just what she's looking for. Stacy, lost and alone after a divorce she didn't see coming, is trying her best to start over. And Elise, battling her nieces who would force her into residential care, longs for a home where she can get back to her painting. When their paths cross, the future starts to look brighter although not all goes according to plan.

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Richard Morgan has always been one of our most successful SF authors with his fast-moving and brutal storylines, blistering plots and a powerful social conscience behind his work.And now he's back, with his first SF novel for eight years . . . and it promises to be a publication to remember.An ex-corporate enforcer, Hakan Veil, is forced to bodyguard Madison Madekwe, part of a colonial audit team investigating a disappeared lottery winner on Mars. But when Madekwe is abducted, and Hakan nearly killed, the investigation takes him farther and deeper than he had ever expected. And soon Hakan discovers the heavy price he may have to pay to learn the truth.

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The bestselling classic from a 'magnificent story-teller' (Independent on Sunday). Journey to the glittering seventeenth-century court, and witness the rise and fall of young, charming Robert Merivel...When a twist of fate delivers an ambitious young medical student to the court of King Charles II, he is suddenly thrust into a vibrant world of luxury and opulence. Blessed with a quick wit and sparkling charm, Robert Merivel rises quickly, soon finding favour with the King, and privileged with a position as ‘paper groom’ to the youngest of the King’s mistresses. But by falling in love with her, Merivel transgresses the one rule that will cast him out from his new-found paradise…'For a vivid – and funny – fictional re-creation of the era, Tremain’s Restoration is hard to beat.' The TimesRose Tremain has sold over one million copies of her books.

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A story of survival set in 600 AD Ireland; a parable of patriarchy, destruction and religion at sea, by Emma Donoghue, the bestselling author of Room.'Everything a novel should be: compassionate, unpredictable, and questioning. Haven is Donoghue at her strange, unsettling best.' - Maggie O'Farrell, author of HamnetIn seventh-century Ireland, a priest has a dream telling him to leave the sinful world behind. Taking two monks with him, he travels down the Shannon in search of an isolated spot on which to found a new place of worship. Drifting out into the Atlantic, the three men find an impossibly steep, bare island inhabited by tens of thousands of birds, and claim it for God. But in such a place, far from all other humanity, what will survival mean?‘Haven is a beautiful, bold blaze of a book’ – Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry‘Beautiful and timely’ - Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater‘Sinister, heart-wrenching and beautifully written’ – The Times‘Combines pressure-cooker intensity and radical isolation, to stunning effect’ – Margaret Atwood via Twitter‘Book of the Year’ pick in The Irish Times, The Guardian, The Irish Post, RTÉ and The Times.

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A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis. Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast - again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold an historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange - again . . . Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It's clear from the way he tracks Misery's every movement that he doesn't trust her. If only he knew how right he was . . . Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what's hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory . . . alone with the wolf. Praise for The Love Hypothesis 'Contemporary romance's unicorn: the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist.' Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners 'Funny, sexy and smart.' Mariana Zapata, New York Times bestselling author 'I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended!' Jessica Clare, New York Times bestselling author 'Pure slow-burning gold with lots of chemistry.' Popsugar 'A beautifully written romantic comedy with a heroine you will instantly fall in love with.' Elizabeth Everett, author of A Lady's Formula for Love

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The hugely anticipated novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Pull of the Stars and Room'Beautiful and timely' - Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater'Combines pressure-cooker intensity and radical isolation, to stunning effect.' – Margaret Atwood via TwitterThree men vow to leave the world behind them and start anew . . . In seventh-century Ireland, a scholar and priest called Artt has a dream telling him to leave the sinful world behind. Taking two monks – young Trian and old Cormac – he travels down the river Shannon in search of an isolated spot on which to found a monastery. Drifting out into the Atlantic, the three men find an impossibly steep, bare island inhabited by tens of thousands of birds, and claim it for God. Their extraordinary landing spot is now known as Skellig Michael. But in such a place, far from all other humanity, what will survival mean?Haunting, moving and vividly told, Haven displays Emma Donoghue’s trademark world-building and psychological intensity – but this tale is like nothing she has ever written before . . .Pre-order Learned by Heart, the dazzling new love story from Emma Donoghue.

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A rich and complex story full of warmth, humour and unforgettable women. A deeply moving novel about family, memory, lies and secrets, perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Jenny Eclair. As a child, Maggie Faraday grew up in a lively, unconventional household in Tasmania, with her young mother, four very different aunts and eccentric grandfather. With her mother often away, all four aunts took turns looking after her – until, just weeks before Maggie's sixth birthday – a shocking event changed everything.Twenty years on, Maggie is living alone in New York City when a surprise visit from her grandfather brings a revelation and a proposition to reunite the family. As the Faradays gather in Ireland, Maggie begins to realise that the women she thought she knew so intimately all have something to hide...If you loved Those Faraday Girls, don't miss Monica McInerney's The Godmothers, out now. ___________Praise for Monica McInerney: 'Monica McInerney is at the very top of her game . . . If you've yet to read her books, treat yourselves IMMEDIATELY!' Patricia Scanlan, bestselling author of A Time For Friends'You'll be laughing out loud one minute and crying the next' Cosmopolitan'Heart-warming . . . A lovely read' Hello! Magazine'McInerney is a must-read author for women's fiction fans around the world' Huffington Post'The sort of feel-good read you long to get back to' Hilary Boyd, bestselling author of Thursdays In The Park'Exploring universal family issues of loss, rivalry, ageing and grief, this is a warm, witty and moving novel' Woman's Day'McInerney's bewitching multigenerational saga lavishly and lovingly explores the resiliency and fragility of family bonds' Booklist'A world of family, love, warmth and heartbreaking secrets that will sweep you up . . . Superb' Books of all Kinds'You'll be laughing in one breath, crying in the next . . . If you haven't discovered McInerney yet, now is the time to do so' Better Reading

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From the bestselling author of STILL LIFE*As featured on BBC Radio 4's A Good Read*This is almost a love story. But it's not as simple as that.It begins with two boys, Ellis and Michael,who are inseparable.And the boys become men, and then Annie walks into their lives, and it changes nothing and everything. 'Packs an enormous punch' Independent'Exquisite. I haven't been so moved and so in love with a book and its characters for a very long time'Joanna Cannon'This book is why I read' Nina Pottell, Prima'Ephemeral yet powerful... Every fleeting moment is worth repeating, again and again' Stylist

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'THE MOST IMPORTANT LIVING RUSSIAN WRITER' New Yorker MY HEAD SPINS. I'M LYING IN A BED. WHERE AM I? WHO AM I? A man wakes up in hospital. He has no idea who he is or how he came to be there. The doctor tells him his name, but he doesn't remember it. He remembers nothing. As memories slowly resurface, he begins to build a picture of his former life. Russia in the early twentieth century, the turbulence of the revolution, the aftermath. But how can this be possible when the pills beside his bed are dated 1999? In the deft hands of Eugene Vodolazkin, author of the multi award-winning Laurus, The Aviator paints a vivid, panoramic picture of life in Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century, richly evoking the sights, sounds and political turmoil of those days. Reminiscent of the great works of Russian literature, and shortlisted for the Russian Booker Prize, it cements Vodolazkin's position as the rising star of Russia's literary scene.

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Discover this bestselling classic from the author of The Gustav Sonata, charting Robert Merivel’s rise and fall through glittering seventeenth-century society. When a twist of fate delivers an ambitious young medical student to the court of King Charles II, he is suddenly thrust into a vibrant world of luxury and opulence. Blessed with a quick wit and sparkling charm, Robert Merivel rises quickly, soon finding favour with the King, and privileged with a position as ‘paper groom’ to the youngest of the King’s mistresses.But by falling in love with her, Merivel transgresses the one rule that will cast him out from his new-found paradise…‘A most beautiful and original novel’ Independent‘Triumphant’ Sunday Telegraph‘Dazzling’ New York Review of Books *Rose Tremain has sold over ONE MILLION books. Enter her vivid historical world*

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For Rousseau, "consecrating one's life to the truth" (his personal credo) meant publicly taking responsibility for what one published and only publishing what would be of public benefit. Christopher Kelly argues that this commitment is central to understanding the relationship between Rousseau's writings and his political philosophy. Unlike many other writers of his day, Rousseau refused to publish anonymously, even though he risked persecution for his writings. But Rousseau felt that authors must be self-restrained, as well as bold, and must carefully consider the potential political effects of what they might publish: sometimes seeking the good conflicts with writing the truth. Kelly shows how this understanding of public authorship played a crucial role in Rousseau's conception - and practice - of citizenship and political action. "Rousseau as Author" should be a ground-breaking book not just for Rousseau scholars, but for anyone studying Enlightenment ideas about authorship and responsibility.

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St Trinians and Lauren St John collide in this hilarious and thrilling bestselling adventure from Natasha Farrant!When Alice Mistlethwaite is shipped off to boarding school in Scotland it's nothing like she imagines. Run by the mysterious Major, there are no punishments and the students are more likely to be taught about body painting or extreme survival than maths or English!Then Alice's dad goes missing and she must run away to find him. Can she persuade her new friends to help?So begins an epic quest across wild Scottish highlands and islands, where friendships will be made and broken, lies will be untangled and the children will face danger and excitement at every turn . . .Both hilarious and heartfelt, this is the classic adventure story brought bang up to date, and told in Natasha's inimitable voice.'Thrilling adventure.' The Times'This wise and touching novel has originality and a fresh voice.' Sunday Times'A gripping adventure . . . I stayed up all night reading it!' Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse

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The works of four major fifteenth-century writers re-examined, showing their innovative reconceptualization of Middle English authorship and the manuscript book. Thomas Hoccleve, Margery Kempe, John Audelay and Charles d'Orléans present themselves as the makers not only of their texts, but also of the books that transmitted their writing. This new study argues that they elaborated a "self-publishing pose" with the aim of regaining their audiences' confidence in the face of the compromised social, physical and material conditions they inhabited. Dr Critten shows that while the strategies of self-presentation that these authors develop draw on trends in contemporary literature and book history (such as the proliferation of the "go, litel bok" motif and the increasing popularity of the single-author codex), their approach to writing differs fundamentally from that pursued by their immediate predecessors, Chaucer and Gower, and by their most prominent peer, Lydgate. Rather, in their unusual insistence on their co-identity with their manuscripts, they demonstrate a new awareness of the socially instrumental potential of Middle English writing. RORY G. CRITTEN is a Maître d'enseignement et de recherche (lecturer) in the English Department at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

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From Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of MEXICAN GOTHIC, comes UNTAMED SHORE, a dark cocktail mixing a nuanced coming-of-age story with a classical noir. 'Brutality takes on an almost divine quality' LA Review of BooksBaja California, 1979: Viridiana spends her days under the harsh sun, watching the fishermen pulling in their nets and the dead sharks piled beside the seashore. Her head is filled with dreams of romance, travel and of a future beyond this drab town where her only option is to marry and have children.When a wealthy American writer arrives with his wife and brother-in-law, Viridiana jumps at the offer of a job as his assistant, and she's soon entangled in the glamorous foreigners' lives. They offer excitement, and perhaps an escape from her humdrum life. When one of them dies, eager to protect her new friends, Viridiana lies - but soon enough, someone's asking questions. It's not long before Viridiana has some of her own questions about the identities of her new acquaintances.Sharks may be dangerous, but there are worse predators nearby, ready to devour a naïve young woman unwittingly entangled in a web of deceit.

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Richmal Crompton, Author of Just William: A Literary Life celebrates the first two William books, Just William (1922) and More William (1922). As well as a study of her famous character William Brown, this book is an introduction to Richmal Crompton’s less well-known fiction and a story about her writing life. Her multifaceted identity—her deep knowledge of Classical Greek and Latin literature and languages, her life as a disabled writer, and her writing about domestic violence and disability—played a role in her literary persona. Jane McVeigh moves beyond Richmal Crompton’s impact on children’s literature and offers an appraisal of all her writing including her novels and short fiction, her media profile on radio and TV, her impact on her readers—both adults and children—and her international success. Particularly, McVeigh considers Crompton in the context of twentieth century woman writers and the development of crossover fiction for dual audiences. The book argues that as a woman writer pigeon-holed as a writer for children, Crompton’s other novels and short stories have been side-lined and overlooked. More than a century after the first book collection of Crompton’s William stories was published, this biography places Richmal Crompton among other twentieth century women writers.

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This volume offers the first comprehensive analysis in English of all the writings of Julian (r. AD 361-363), the last pagan emperor of Rome, noted for his frontal and self-conscious challenge to Christianity. This book also contains treatments of Julian's laws, inscriptions, coinage, as well as his artistic programme. Across nineteen papers, international specialists in the field of Late Antique Studies offer original interpretations of an extraordinary figure: emperor and philosopher, soldier and accomplished writer. Julian, his life and writings, are here considered as parts of the tumult in politics, culture and religion during the Fourth Century AD. New light is shed on Julian's distinctive literary style and imperial agenda. This volume also includes an up-to-date, consolidated bibliography.

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The story of a life. The story of the year.'Lessons shows [McEwan] at the very peak of his powers. He has written his masterpiece' Daily TelegraphWhen the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has descended, young Roland Baines's life is turned upside down. Stranded at boarding school, his vulnerability attracts his piano teacher, Miriam Cornell, leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade.Twenty-five years later Roland's wife mysteriously vanishes, and he is left alone with their baby son. Her disappearance sparks of journey of discovery that will continue for decades, as Roland confronts the reality of his rootless existence and attempts to embrace the uncertainty - and freedom - of his future.'Ian McEwan is a masterful storyteller' Elif Shafak'A beautiful book about love, loss and regret' Observer'Luminous, beautifully written... about lives imperfectly lived' Vogue'A whole, unruly life between the covers of a single book: a literary feat' Spectator'A tour de force... A single life is silhouetted against global happenings' Sunday Times* A Book of the Year for The Times, Sunday Times, Financial Times, Spectator, New Statesman, Washington Post, Vogue and New Yorker *

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'Ray Carney was only slightly bent when it came to being crooked...'To his customers and neighbors on 125th street, Carney is an upstanding salesman of reasonably-priced furniture, making a life for himself and his family. He and his wife Elizabeth are expecting their second child, and if her parents on Striver's Row don't approve of him or their cramped apartment across from the subway tracks, it's still home.Few people know he descends from a line of uptown hoods and crooks, and that his façade of normalcy has more than a few cracks in it. Cracks that are getting bigger and bigger all the time.See, cash is tight, especially with all those instalment plan sofas, so if his cousin Freddie occasionally drops off the odd ring or necklace at the furniture store, Ray doesn't see the need to ask where it comes from. He knows a discreet jeweller downtown who also doesn't ask questions. Then Freddie falls in with a crew who plan to rob the Hotel Theresa - the 'Waldorf of Harlem' - and volunteers Ray's services as the fence. The heist doesn't go as planned; they rarely do, after all. Now Ray has to cater to a new clientele, one made up of shady cops on the take, vicious minions of the local crime lord, and numerous other Harlem lowlifes.Thus begins the internal tussle between Ray the striver and Ray the crook. As Ray navigates this double life, he starts to see the truth about who actually pulls the strings in Harlem. Can Ray avoid getting killed, save his cousin, and grab his share of the big score, all while maintaining his reputation as the go-to source for all your quality home furniture needs?HARLEM SHUFFLE is driven by an ingeniously intricate plot that plays out in a beautifully recreated Harlem of the early 1960s. It's a family saga masquerading as a crime novel, a hilarious morality play, a social novel about race and power, and ultimately a love letter to Harlem.

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A powerful new standalone novel from global bestseller Nora Roberts - a story of a mother, a daughter and a traumatic past reawakened'If you're after the perfect pick-me-up, take-me-away-from-the-world read, then she's your woman'The GuardianThe first time Adrian met her father was the day he tried to kill her...Adrian Rizzo didn't have the easiest childhood, to put it mildly, but she's worked hard to put it behind her and to the outside world she is a beautiful young woman with a successful, high-profile career and a wonderful family and friends.When, out of the blue, she receives a death threat in the post, she is shocked but puts it down to someone's jealousy of her success and tries to forget about it. But Adrian doesn't realise that it's more than just spite. Someone is very, very angry about her happy life and will stop at nothing to bring it all crashing down.'Nora Roberts is, quite simply, a one-woman phenomenon'Heat'I love Nora Roberts'Stephen King

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'Welsh is brilliant at what he does... This is his most readable and memorable novel since Trainspotting' Independent on SundayGlue is the story of four boys growing up in the Edinburgh schemes, and about the loyalties, the experiences and the secrets that hold them together into their thirties. As we follow their lives from the 70s into the new century - from punk to techno, from speed to Es - we can see each of them trying to struggle out from under the weight of the conditioning of class and culture, peer pressure and their parents' hopes that maybe their sons will do better than they did. What binds the four of them is the friendship formed by the scheme, their school, and their ambition to escape from both; their loyalty fused in street morality: back up your mates, don't hit women and, most importantly, never grass - on anyone.'His most ambitious, but also his most complete and engaging work to date... arguably, his best book' TLS

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Debut author Kristen Callihan pens a dark atmospheric paranormal romance set in Victorian London, which will appeal to fans of New York Times bestselling authors Amanda Quick and Gail Carriger.

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An epic tale of trees of power and a world under threat, from the author of the bestselling Five Realms series.Here come the roots of the Shadow Tree.Whatever they touch will never get free.Liska lives in Arborven, a city surrounding an extraordinary tree that gives all those living there special powers. As a shapeshifter, Liska is training as a warrior. When she discovers that the Tree is under threat, it is her duty to act - but she can't convince anyone to listen to her. So with Lug, whose power over earthworms is dismissed as useless, and a ghost-girl, Elowen, she goes on an epic journey to defeat the worst threat their world has ever known.Illustrated by Chris Wormell this is a richly woven and thrilling fantasy with a wonderful affinity between humankind and nature - a current and vital message for young readers everywhere.'An epic, exciting feat of imagination.' - Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars'Utterly compelling; brilliant.' - BookTrust'A vivid world full of wonder, magic and fantastical creatures.' - The Scotsman

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The definitive critical study of Tolkien’s greatest works by the respected and world renowned Tolkien scholar Professor T.A. Shippey. Following the unprecedented and universal acclaim for The Lord of the Rings, the respected academic and world-renowned Tolkien scholar, Professor Tom Shippey, presents us with a fascinating and informed companion to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, in particular focusing on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Written in a clear and accessible style, J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century reveals why all of these books will be timeless, and shows how even such complex works as The Silmarillion can be read enjoyably. Taking issue with the uninformed criticism that has often been levelled at Tolkien and fantasy in general, Professor Shippey offers a new approach to Tolkien, to fantasy and to the importance of language in literature, and demonstrates how his books form part of a live and continuing tradition of storytelling that can trace its roots back through Grimm's Fairy Tales to The Elder Edda and Beowulf.

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