Search results for ""simon schuster ltd""

Until 1971, female victims of domestic violence were expected to 'kiss and make up' with their husbands, hide their black eyes and bruises, and bear the shame that somehow their partners' brutality was their fault. Chiswick Women's Aid was Europe's first ever refuge for what were then called 'battered women', and Jenny Smith was one of the first females who bravely made their way to this much-needed safe house. Desperate, and in fear for her life and the welfare of her two small children, Jenny had fled her dangerously schizophrenic partner, carrying only a few possessions. In the Chiswick shelter, founded by famous women's rights campaigner Erin Pizzey, Jenny found other women in the same position, all with harrowing, extraordinary stories to tell. Amenities were basic, but the respect, kindness and humanity of the community would help to give Jenny a new lease of life and strength. When the safe house came under threat of closure, she lobbied parliament and drove across Europe in a convoy of women in camper vans to raise awareness of their plight. Jenny's story is a slice of social history that begins in a Derbyshire mining village in the 1950s and takes the reader to inner city of Hackney in the 1960s, and Jenny's heart-breaking journey to the refuge. The house was the subject of a famous documentary, Scream Quietly or the Neighbours Will Hear, which, when first broadcast in 1974, sent shockwaves through the UK. Jenny was one of the first women to break a taboo by speaking publicly about domestic abuse. With the new start afforded her by the refuge, Jenny went on to find love, have another child and work as a foster carer.

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Escape to a hotel by the beach with Melissa Hill, the internationally bestselling author of SOMETHING FROM TIFFANY'S and A GIFT TO REMEMBER. Mulberry Hotel, perched on a clifftop above a sweeping bay, was once the heart and soul of pretty seaside town Mulberry Bay. Run by the Harte family for years, the place itself is almost as beloved as cheery landlady Anna. The hotel was also once home to thirty-something sisters Eleanor and Penny, and while youngest sister Penny still lives close by, it's been some time since Elle has visited. But following a family tragedy, Elle is forced to return from her busy London life and reassess her past.When it becomes apparent that the hotel is in dire straits, Elle and Penny are unprepared for the reaction of their father, Ned, He steadfastly refuses to give up the family legacy, revealing that he's given up something equally precious once before. Startled by their father's surprising revelation, the sisters unite, with the local community behind them, in their efforts to save the hotel - and, in the process, heal the fractures in the Harte family.

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Miffy is going to the playground - she loves to play on the swings, slide and jump on the trampoline. What fun! This highly desirable, collectible classic series has been updated for a new generation by award-winning poet, Tony Mitton.

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An absolute monster. A true psychopath. Charming on the outside, empty and cold as ice on the inside. Not until she was 16 did Stella Arnold learn the full truth about her father, how handsome, charming James turned out to be a cold-blooded, psychotic extortionist, racketeer and killer. Knowing now what her father was capable of, she decides to study psychology and the criminal mind, and to further her education in America. In the spring of 1962 she flies to Boston where, being beautiful, bright and fashionably English, she becomes someone of huge fascination and on every invitation list. Then comes an invitation one summer weekend to the home of the Kennedys. Stella quickly becomes part of the inner Kennedy circle as they party through the hot summer nights. Both brothers, JFK and Bobby, make their moves on her but she firmly, charmingly, repels them. Further south, on the Florida Keys, a killer is on the loose. The case, unsolved, begins to rock America, and with her specialist knowledge of psychopaths, Stella is co-opted by the police investigation and prepares to fly south...

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A superb evocation of theatre life from a naturally gifted storyteller, the beloved Lynda Bellingham. It is the summer of '82 as Sally Thomas prepares to leave her job at the British Drama League in London and head off to the North of England for her very first season in repertory as an Assistant Stage Manager at the beautiful old theatre in Crewe. Flung into this new world, Sally soon finds her feet, thanks to her own steady, unspoilt nature and to the company of her best friend, Jeremy. One of the first lessons she learns is that the other actors barely need tuition in the art of stage-fighting, since they are quite adept at stabbing each other in the back. When Jeremy falls suddenly and dangerously in love, Sally needs to grow up - fast. A shadow is falling over the theatre, sparing no one, and a tragedy is gathering pace in the darkness behind the stage. The Boy I Loveis a superb evocation of theatre and real life that will stay with you long after you've read it. Be warned: it may just break your heart.

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‘Mind-expanding and hilarious!’ Jeff Kinney, author of the bestselling DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series.This hilarious new illustrated series will make you laugh-out-loud AND grow your brain. Perfect for readers age 8+ and fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The 13-Storey Treehouse. Hi, I’m Oliver! I know what you’re thinking: what does an 11-year-old kid know about the universe? Am I a famous scientist? No. Am I a super-genius? Not really.  I’m just trying to figure out the usual stuff: new school, new friends, how to avoid my annoying sister. But there’s one thing that DOES make sense: science! Outer space is totally my thing and I can tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about awesome stuff like:  time-bending black holes  how the Big Bang is like a fart  aliens!

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‘A wonderful, tender evocation of friendship and how its power can help you overcome your worst fears. A pure splash of joy.’ The Daily Mail Duck is not like other ducks. Duck doesn’t like water and is perfectly fine alone, thank you very much. But then, one dark and stormy night, an outgoing, water-loving, and very lost Frog turns up at Duck’s door. Can this odd couple find Frog’s home? And will they find friendship along the way? This endearing, gorgeously illustrated tale marked the author-illustrator debut for Steve Small, illustrator of the highly acclaimed, I’m Sticking with You and is now available in this board book edition.‘A beautiful book, with a zen-like balance, and full of light and drama, too.’ Benji Davies, creator of The Storm Whale  

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THE NEWEST PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING MITCH RAPP SERIESAs war looms in the Middle East, only Mitch Rapp can deliver truth and justice. 2011. On a remote mountaintop overlooking the remains of the Iranian nuclear weapons programme, Azad Ashani witnesses a Quds Force demonstration of a capability meant to upend America’s war in the Middle East. Ashani, director of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security and Irene Kennedy’s former back channel to the Iranian government, recognises the demonstration’s true significance and the nation-ending conflict it will provoke. In Washington, DC, CIA director Irene Kennedy briefs the president that the operational window to kill or capture Osama bin Laden is rapidly closing. But before he’ll authorise a commando raid on Pakistani soil, the president demands irrefutable proof of bin Laden’s presence. Proo

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Set in a fantasy, reimagined India where dreams can be captured and bottled, young Mimi Malou must go on a quest to save the king and rescue her parents. A gorgeous adventure dripping in magic from debut author Nazima Pathan, perfect for fans of Starfell, The Hatmakers and The Kingdom Over the Sea.In the Citadel, we hunt. Dreams are our prey. If we catch them before they melt into moonlight, they can be recycled and sold for great profit. My family has been hunting dreams for generations. Capturing them as they slip away, and storing them in a soaring, magnificent library. Twelve-year-old Mimi lives with her Aunt Moyna in a centuries-old Citadel where she studies the ancient practice of making, capturing and recycling dreams. The Citadel was once run by Mimi’s parents who have been imprisoned by the king, accused of treason. When Mimi spies a royal visitor, she uncovers a plot to transform the Citadel from a p

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‘Thrilling, heartfelt, and hugely evocative, Redemption manages to be both intensely exciting and deeply moving. A brilliant achievement’ Alex Michaelides ‘Tense, dark, emotional, and beautifully written, this action-packed gut-punch of a novel is flawless, and one of the best books I’ve read this year’ Andrea Mara THE LATEST PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER FROM MASTER OF THE MORAL DILEMMA AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER JACK JORDANAaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him. But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the day

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Join Supertato, Evil Pea and the super team of fruits and veggies in this awesome annual!   Make your own superhero mask, find your way back to Tato Tower, spot the difference in the supermarket, find the Veggies hiding in the aisles and SO much more. There are also three exciting, new stories about Supertato’s adventures, featuring Evil Pea getting up to her old tricks, a supermarket snow day and a prickly new arrival in the fruit section . . .    Get ready for POTATO POWER!

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The scintillating new novel from the author of The End of Mr YPatricia Highsmith meets White Lotus in this compulsive and brilliant gothic thrillerOne of the Daily Telegraph's '20 Best New Crime Thrillers to Read this Summer'  ‘Clever, emotionally resonant, packed with startling twists and dark turns and very funny indeed, this is fiction roaring on all cylinders.’ Guardian “Gloriously dark and tangled . . . clever . . . I highly recommend it.” Observer 'A dark, twisty, savagely humorous plunge into a cauldron of toxic relationships . . . as well as a mystery loaded with menace, this is a smart, layered, stinging look at power and its abuse.' The Times ‘Through her bold storytelling, “The Sleepwalkers” becomes a work of peculiar,

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The third book in the New York Times bestseller Middle School and Other Disasters series, witch-in-training Heidi Heckelbeck struggles to keep a secret alongside magical mishaps and everyday mayhem at her new boarding school. Featuring black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout and perfect for fans of Dork Diaries, The Worst Witch and Harper Drew! Heidi is making new friends at Broomsfield Academy—in particular, a popular girl named Isabelle. But it turns out Isabelle has a big secret that Heidi discovers by accident! Heidi promises to keep the secret, but as more time goes by, it becomes more and more difficult…especially with nosy Melanie Maplethorpe snooping around. This secret is huge. Will Heidi be able to keep her promise?Join Heidi and her friends for pranks, potions and magical misahaps in this bestselling series!

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From the number one bestselling author Catherine Doyle comes the most fiery enemies-to-lovers romantasy of the year. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo and Stephanie Garber.  In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love… In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy guilds: the Cloaks and the Daggers – the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, 17-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city? Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment sh

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Welcome to Nikki Maxwell's aDORKable world in the second book in the mega-selling Dork Diaries series – now with over 50 million copies in print worldwide!Nikki is finally adjusting to life at her new school: she's made some real friends and her major crush, Brandon, has even asked to be her science partner! But when Nikki overhears mean girl Mackenzie bragging about going to the Halloween dance with Brandon, she's gutted and decides to go to her little sister's party instead. Then she discovers Mackenzie was lying. Could her dream of going to the party with Brandon still come true? With a HUGE global fanbase, Dork Diaries is the perfect series for fans of Lottie Brooks, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates. Don’t miss out! I LOVE PARIS, the brand new DORK DIARIES, is out now! Have you read all the DORK DIARIES series?Dork Diaries Dork Diaries 2: Party Time Dork Diaries 3: Pop Star Dork Diaries 4: Skating Sensation Dork Diaries 5: Dear Dork Dork Diaries 6: Holiday Heartbreak Dork Diaries 7: TV Star Dork Diaries 8: Once Upon a Dork Dork Diaries 9: Drama Queen Dork Diaries 10: Puppy Love Dork Diaries 11: Frenemies Forever Dork Diaries 12: Crush Catastrophe Dork Diaries 13: Birthday Drama Dork Diaries 14: Spectacular Superstar Dork Diaries 15: I Love Paris! - Out now!

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Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the international bestselling Spiderwick Chronicles with the fifth instalment in the adventures of the Grace children. Bruised and battered, having narrowly escaped the clutches of faerie world, Jared, Simon and Mallory return home to Spiderwick, only to find the mansion ransacked and learn that Mulgarath has made off with both the Guide and their mother! With only the help of Thimbletack, Hogsqueal, and Byron, the children now have to work out how to find Mulgarath, the guide and, most importantly, save their mother from the faerie world before it's too late . . .

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The first book in a warm and beautifully observed farm adventure series from Nicola Baker, star of Our Farm in the Dales. Perfect for readers 8+ and fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo, Dick King Smith and The Snow Foal. With stunning illustrations from Rachael Dean throughout. When ten-year-old Ava moves to Whistledown Farm while her parents are working abroad, she must swap city life for mud, wellies and animals. But as one catastrophe follows another, will Ava learn to love life on the farm and find hope in nature? And can a very special little lamb show Ava that when all might seem lost, hope can be found... ‘Baker is a gifted writer, and her bucolic adventure harks back to classic farm stories such as those written by Dick King Smith and Michael Morpurgo’ The BooksellerAbout the author: Growing up, Nicola spent hours with her n

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A treasure trove of forgotten stories about jewels throughout history by internationally renowned jewellery expert, Carol Woolton.  If Jewels Could Talk delves into the history, cultural significance and eclectic trivia of jewellery. As a jewellery historian, jewellery editor at British Vogue and now podcast host, Carol Woolton is uniquely qualified to take us on a whistle-stop tour through history via seven items of jewellery: hoops, rings, beads, charms, brooches, cuffs and head ornaments.  Weaving in examples from cultures around the world, Carol will uncover fascinating stories about Viking silver torques, Imperial jade in China, sixteenth-century Posy rings, organic gems, snake motifs, Roman cameo carving, Hindu wedding jewellery, Etruscan gold, Ancient Greek coins, piercings, Wedding pigs in China, tiaras and anklets - to name but a few.  A beautiful and illuminating gift for any jewellery love

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**Available to pre-order now!**AND THEN THERE WERE NONE meets THE TRAITORSFive beautiful couples. One deadly game. Who will escape alive? Lyla Santiago has spent months working on a research project that could be the key to getting a permanent job in her field. So, she can’t really drop everything to go to a desert island with her actor boyfriend Nico to film One Perfect Couple, a new reality TV show that Nico is sure will lead to his big break – can she?   Two weeks later, Lyla finds herself boarding a boat to an isolated luxury resort in the Indian Ocean.   The rules of the game are simple. Ten strangers have to survive together on the island - and the last couple standing scoops the prize. There will be sun, sea, laughs and plenty of flirting. What could possibly go wrong? But when a huge tropical storm cuts them off from everyt

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A fascinating inside account of the attempt to prosecute former US president Donald Trump. Mark Pomerantz was a retired lawyer living a calm suburban life when he accepted an offer to join the staff of the district attorney of New York County in February 2021. His brief: to work on the investigation of former president Donald Trump and the Trump Organisation. Over the next year, Pomerantz interviewed potential witnesses, scrutinised financial records and learned everything he could about Trump’s business practices. He finally gathered enough evidence to support the view—held by many of his colleagues on the case—that Trump should be indicted for a number of financial crimes. But that indictment never happened. This book explains why. In People vs. Donald Trump, Pomerantz tells the story of his unprecedented investigation, why he and his colleague Carey Dunne resigned in protest when Manhattan’s district attorney refused to act, and why he believes Donald Trump should be prosecuted. He draws from a lifetime of legal experience to tell a devastating and frequently entertaining story of how prosecutors think, how criminals act, and how the American justice system works—and sometimes doesn’t work. It is a cautionary tale that explores how Trump manages to dance between the raindrops of accountability, and how others might bring him to justice.

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A warm and funny stage-by-stage tour through all the sizes of a growing baby – from teeny-tiny poppy seed to giant watermelon – from an exciting new picture book partnership! It’s hard to wait for a new baby to join the family, especially when it’s still growing inside Mum’s tummy. But when Dad describes the size of the baby at each stage, one little girl imagines, while she waits, all the fun she can have with her baby brother as a teeny-tiny poppy seed, then a grape, then a lemon . . . But she’s not quite sure how she feels about having an avocado for a brother. Or an onion. Or – gulp – a watermelon! This joyful picture book playfully explores the loooong waiting game for a much-anticipated new sibling – with an adorable twist at the end . . .

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'A thrillingly dark and atmospheric tale, richly evocative of its time' JOHN BANVILLE 'This isn't just a mystery novel: it's a window into a vanished world' TANA FRENCH 'Gripping and brilliantly atmospheric' RODDY DOYLESome stories demand to be told. They keep coming back, echoing down through the decades, until they find a teller . . .Dublin, 1943 Actress Julia Bridges disappears. The last sighting of her is entering the house of Gloria Fitzpatrick, who is later put on trial for the murder of another woman whose abortion she facilitated. But it’s never proved that Gloria had a hand in Julia’s death – and Julia’s body has never been found. Gloria, however, is sentenced to life in an institution for the criminally insane, until her apparent suicide a few years later, and the truth of what happened to Julia Bridges dies with her. Dublin, 1968 Nicoletta Sarto is an ambitious junior reporter for the Irish Sentinel when the bones of Julia Bridges are discovered in the garden of a house on the outskirts of Dublin. Drawn into investigating the 25-year-old mystery of Julia’s disappearance and her link to the notorious Gloria Fitzpatrick, the story takes Nicoletta into the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry, stirring up long-buried secrets from her own past.As much a murder mystery story as a look at a young woman’s struggle to succeed in a man’s world, Where They Lie is a beautifully atmospheric debut that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. 'Atmospheric and absorbing, an ambitious young journalist finds herself at the heart of a corkscrew tale she never knew existed. A dark and turbulent journey to unexpected truths’ VAL McDERMID ‘A dark, gorgeously-written thriller, its tap root deep in a past so vividly evoked, you can see and smell and feel it’ NICCI FRENCH ‘Atmospheric, authentic, and almost unbearably poignant. Like the best historical fiction, Where They Lie transports the reader back in time while holding up a mirror to the present. A must-read’ ERIN KELLY

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‘A superb novel, evoking a bygone era when women could not afford to put a foot wrong’SUNDAY TIMES ‘This isn't just a mystery novel: it's a window into a vanished world’TANA FRENCH Some stories demand to be told. They keep coming back, echoing down through the decades, until they find a teller . . .Dublin, 1943 Actress Julia Bridges disappears. Her body is never found.  Dublin, 1968 The bones of Julia Bridges are discovered in a back garden. Nicoletta Sarto, an ambitious junior reporter for the Irish Sentinel, investigates the mystery of Julia’s disappearance, drawing her into the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry.But some stories remain a mystery for a reason, and it’s not long before this one stirs up buried secrets from Nicoletta’s own past. Secrets that pe

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From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception comes something new to fall in love with... Josie Moore has given the opposite sex––and love––plenty of chances. Four exactly, if you count all her failed engagements, and five if you include the absentee father who kept her existence a secret until very recently. So when her father decides to announce his retirement with a splashy magazine piece about the family, Josie realizes her romantic history is a complicated PR issue.   Matthew Flanagan is the mud, literally. Not only has he been fired from his job, but also the tires of his car are stuck in the muck after taking a wrong turn as he enters Green Oak, North Carolina. So, he grabs a duffel with his essentials and goes in search of a place to crash until he gets his life back on track. But instead, he finds his best friend’s sister, Josie, greeting him as her fiancé.

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Discover a world of extraordinary beasts and unexpected heroes in the dazzling debut from New York Times bestselling author Kiyash Monsef. Perfect for readers aged 9+ and fans of Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, J.K. Rowling and A.F. Steadman.Once was, once wasn’t . . . So began the stories Marjan’s father told her as a little girl – tales of mythical beasts that filled her with curiosity and wonder: Griffons. Unicorns. Dragons.  But Marjan is not a little girl anymore. After her father’s sudden death, she is trying to hold it all together: her schoolwork, her friendships and her dad’s struggling veterinary practice. But a mysterious visitor soon reveals that Marjan’s father was no ordinary vet. The creatures from his stories are real – and he travelled the world to care for them.

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WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 1996 Four men once close to Jack Dodds, a London butcher, meet to carry out his peculiar last wish: to have his ashes scattered into the sea at Margate. For reasons best known to herself, Jack’s widow, Amy, declines to join them . . . On the surface a simple tale of an increasingly bizarre day’s outing, this Booker-prize winning, internationally acclaimed novel is a resonant and classic exploration of the complexity and courage of ordinary lives. Intensely local but overwhelmingly universal, faithful to the fleeting rhythms and accidental eloquence of everyday speech but also to the timeless truths of life and death, it succeeds in being comic and heartstopping, affectionate and wise, and in conferring on its stumbling, disappointed characters an enduring decency, dignity and depth. ‘A surpassing testament to Swift’s vibrant and powerful gifts’ The Times‘A triumph . . . a story about the most fundamental things of all’ Evening Standard

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*A Sunday Times Book of the Year* The remarkable and inspirational story of Oksana Masters, who was born with radiation-induced birth defects and suffered appalling abuse as an orphan, before being adopted and moving to the US, where she went on to triumph over her challenges to win seventeen Paralympic medals in four different sports. Oksana Masters was born in the shadow of Chernobyl, with one kidney, a partial stomach, six toes on each foot, webbed fingers, no right bicep and no thumbs. Her left leg was six inches shorter than her right, and she was missing both tibias. Relinquished to the orphanage system by birth parents daunted by the staggering cost of their child’s medical care, Oksana encountered numerous abuses, some horrifying. Salvation came at the age of seven when Gay Masters, an unmarried American professor who saw a photo of the little girl and became haunted by her eyes, waged a two-year war against stubborn adoption authorities to rescue Oksana from her circumstances. In America, Oksana endured years of operations that included a double leg amputation. Still, how could she hope to fit in when there were so many things making her different? As it turned out, she would do much more than fit in. Determined to prove herself and fuelled by a drive to succeed that still smouldered from childhood, Oksana triumphed in not just one sport but four - winning against the world’s best in rowing, biathlon, cross-country skiing and road cycling competitions. This is Oksana’s astonishing story of journeying through a series of dark tunnels - and how, with her mother’s love, she finally found her way into the light. Her message to anyone who doesn’t fit in: you can find a place where you excel and where you have worth. 'Gripping, powerful and inspiring' - TONY HAWK 'Heart-wrenching and extraordinary' - ARIANA NEUMANN 'Riveting' - DONALD MCRAE'It’s a story of horror and heroism, of hate and love, of piercing pain and immense, euphoric joy - IRISH INDEPENDENT'The book is by turns difficult to read and to put down; "triumph over adversity’ barely covers it" - TELEGRAPH

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From the author of Dreamland 'My name is Jude. And because of Law, Hey and the Obscure, they thought I was a boy.'Jude is twenty-one when she flies in a private plane to Sark, a tiny carless Channel Island, the last place in Europe to abolish feudalism. She has been hired for the summer to give tuition to a rich local boy called Pip. But when she arrives, the family is unsettling- Pip is awkward, over-literal, and adamant he doesn't need a tutor, and upstairs, his enigmatic mother Esmé casts a shadow over the house.Enter Sofi: the family's holiday cook, a magnetic, mercurial Polish girl with appalling kitchen hygiene, who sings to herself and sleeps naked. When the father of the family goes away on business, Pip's science lessons are replaced by midday rosé and scallop-smuggling, and summer begins. Soon something surprising starts to touch the three together.But those strange, golden weeks cannot last forever. Later, in Paris, Normandy and London, they find themselves looking for the moment that changed everything.Compelling, dark and funny, The Last Kings of Sark is tale of complicated love, only children and missed opportunities, from one of our most exciting young writers.

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Award-winning writer Richard Williams tells the remarkable story of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the world's most iconic motorsports events, which celebrates its centenary in 2023.  The event was created by a group of Frenchmen in 1923 and remains uniquely compelling to spectators, to the major motor manufacturers who continue to see it as an opportunity for priceless publicity, as well as to drivers hoping to add their names to its distinguished roll of honour. Between the wars, those manufacturers included Bugatti, Bentley and Alfa Romeo. Subsequently, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ford, Porsche, Audi and Toyota have all been serial winners, guaranteeing the continuation of ferocious inter-marque rivalry.  Over the decades the race acquired a rich folklore, including stories of leaking petrol tanks being sealed with chewing gum, one competitor making his last pit-stop for a fill-up and a glass of champagne,

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Featuring a new, intimate introduction from Jessie Burton talking about what Jackie and her books mean to her! Discover the empowerment, sex, scandal and glamour of Lucky, a book ‘so hot it will have to be printed on asbestos’, from the insatiable number one bestseller Jackie Collins. ‘Collins was saying that women didn’t have to centre round men, either in books or in life. Women could have their own adventures’ JESSIE BURTON'Jackie Collins’s daring, unapologetic stroke of the pen, combined with her glorious wit, has single-handedly given creative license to new generations of authors and storytellers.' COLLEEN HOOVER There have been many imitators, but only ever one Jackie Collins. With millions of her books sold around the world, and thirty-one New York Times bestsellers, she is one of the world’s top-selling novelists. From glamorous Beverly Hills bedrooms to Hollywood movie studios; from glittering rock concerts to the yachts of billionaires, Jackie chronicled the scandalous lives of the rich, famous, and infamous from the inside looking out. 'A true inspiration, a trail blazer for women's fiction' JILLY COOPER ‘Jackie shows us all what being a strong, successful woman means at any age’ MILLY JOHNSON ‘Jackie will never be forgotten, she’ll always inspire me to #BeMoreJackie’ JILL MANSELL ‘Jackie’s heroines don’t take off their clothes to please a man, but to please themselves’ CLARE MACKINTOSH ‘Legend is a word used too lightly for so many undeserving people, but Jackie is the very definition of the word’ ALEX KHAN ‘What Jackie knew how to do so well, is to tell a thumping good story’ ROWAN COLEMAN ‘Here is a woman who not only wanted to entertain her readers, but also to teach them something; about the world and about themselves’ ISABELLE BROOM ‘There’s a lot a drag queen can learn from Jackie’ TOM RASMUSSEN ‘Lessons galore on every page… about feminism, equality, tolerance and love’ CARMEL HARRINGTON ‘Jackie is the queen of cliff-hangers’ SAMANTHA TONGE ‘Nobody does it quite like Jackie and nobody ever will’ SARRA MANNING ‘Jackie bought a bit of glitter, sparkle and sunshine into our humdrum existence’ VERONICA HENRY ‘Jackie wrote about Hollywood with total authenticity, breaking all the rules and taboos’ BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD ‘Jackie lived the Hollywood dream, but, she looked sideways at it, and then shared the dirt with her readers’ JULIET ASHTON ‘What radiates from her novels, is a sense that women are capable of great things’ ALEXANDRA HEMINSLEY

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'Read this and learn – this is what a force for good looks like' - Jess Phillips MP 'Her work has directly contributed to a groundswell of pent-up frustration and exhaustion from women and girls who have simply had enough. And people are listening’ -The Independent ‘Soma’s efforts feel more pressing than ever’ - Vogue‘An impressive series of essays around inequality’ - Bernardine Evaristo‘The next generation is in safe hands with women like Sara coming to the fore’ - Sunday Times -------------------------We are all a part of a culture that is broken – and nobody benefits from it. It’s in the news we read, the films we watch, the music we listen to, the people we surround ourselves with, the institutions we navigate, the laws we follow, and the streets we walk. We are part of a system that was founded on inequality and drastic power imbalance. Of course, many things are better than they were. But the age of social media has dramatically exposed truths previously hidden. In this collection of essays, covering subjects from porn to the patriarchy, Soma Sara draws a line between the different facets of our society that enable inequality to flourish. The scale of the problem is vast, and deeply entrenched in all of us. Here, Soma Sara argues that we can flip the script and start solving the problem – and create a better society for everyone.Everyone’s Invited is an essential and enlightening force to push us forward to a more equal world.

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A hilarious and, at times, moving and soul-searching account of rugby union’s rollercoaster days in the 1990s, told through the eyes of a player who saw it all as the sport lurched shambolically from the crazy final days of amateurism into the professional era.Martin Bayfield has a story to tell. Indeed, some might describe it as a very tall story. Standing at 6ft 10ins, the former England and British and Irish Lions second row remains one of the tallest players ever to have played international rugby, and his immense physical stature made him one of the most destructive forwards in the world game. He played for England during one of the most successful eras in English rugby, winning two Grand Slams alongside legendary players such as Will Carling, Jeremy Guscott, Brian Moore and Rory Underwood. His international heyday came at a seminal moment for rugby union when, almost overnight, it was transformed from a noble minority sport to a celebrity event, with stories appearing on the front pages of the British tabloids. Now Bayfield is ready to reveal the inside story of that rip-roaring decade that changed forever the face of English rugby. The book provides an emotional link between the generations, so that today’s fans can reconnect with rugby's soul. Renowned as one of rugby's best and most entertaining storytellers, the former policeman and Hagrid's body double has written a brilliant and very funny love letter to a sport that continues to inspire and entertain millions.

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A rhyming celebration of Afro hair, barbershops and father-son relationships, from hair care coach and author Tọlá Okogwu and rising star illustrator, Chanté Timothy.Nana’s getting married, and today is the big day!I’m her little page boy; Daddy’s giving her away.“Deji and Daddy, just look at your hair!”Uh-oh, we’re in trouble. Nana shoots us a glare.“You better find a barber. You both need a cut.Now hurry along,” she adds with a tut. It’s the morning of Nana’s wedding, and Deji and Daddy need haircuts – right away! Join them on a race against the clock to make sure they look slick just in time to walk Nana down the aisle. This story features a fun and heart-warming portrayal of the quality time spent between parent and child. This is the second book in the Daddy Do My Hair series, with joyful rhyming text paired with bold and beautiful illustrations from Chanté Timothy (Hey You! by Dapo Adeola). Other Daddy Do My Hair books, by Tọlá Okogwu and Chanté Timothy:Beth’s TwistsAlso includes haircare tips for Afro hair from the author!

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**Gorgeous and romantic festive fiction from the author of The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop**Hazel plans perfect weddings. But life is full of surprises... Hazel never set out to be a wedding planner – she was just helping her stressed sister Lila with cakes and décor for her big day. But when Lila and Ollie's summer ceremony is a runaway success, with guests raving about the food and styling at the pretty venue, word about Hazel's expertise soon spreads. Turning her talent into a new career, Hazel takes on new clients who expect the very best. She's promised lawyers Gemma and Eliot a snow-covered castle in the Scottish Highlands, and laidback couple Josh and Sarah a bohemian beach wedding in a Caribbean paradise. As weather, in-laws and wilful brides conspire against her, can Hazel get two very different couples to walk up two very different aisles to say 'I do'? And will she find her own happy ending along the way?Praise for Abby Clements‘A warm and charming winter treat, sparkling with wit and the feel-good factor’ Miranda Dickinson‘Sweet, light and romantic’Closer‘Pure delight from start to finish’ Victoria Fox‘Kept me thoroughly entertained until the very last page’ Novelicious'Funny, inspiring and light hearted... The perfect Christmas read' Inspire'Delicious and delightful' Woman's World

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A joyful, humorous rhyming tale about how friends lift each other up, from the creators of the internationally bestselling I'm Sticking With You and I'm Sticking With You Too.Much-loved characters Bear and Squirrel are back and it's time to party! Squirrel is the expert at throwing parties and knows exactly what to do to make this the biggest and best EVER, but Bear isn't so sure and is feeling a bit shy. Can the two friends find a way to work through their worries and wobbles and stick together?This beautifully written, gorgeously illustrated new I'm Sticking With You story is the perfect book for showing how you're never truly lost when you have a great friend by your side.Praise for I'm Sticking With You:"Gloriously illustrated, with a captivating rhyme and rhythm, this celebration of friendship is as relevant to adults as children and has future classic stamped all over it" Daily Mail"Deftly humorous images and warmly rhyming text make for a lovely book to cuddle up with" The Guardian"With comical, bold images, this rhyming picturebook is a timely, tender reminder that if sometimes we need a bit of space from our loved ones, it doesn't mean we love them any the less" The Sunday TimesAlso by Smriti Halls and Steve Small:I'm Sticking With YouI'm Sticking With You Too

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Flappy returns in the fabulously fun follow-up to Flappy Entertains from bestselling author Santa Montefiore, and this time something is amiss in the village of Badley Compton . . . Binoculars at the ready, Flappy Scott-Booth is set to investigate. Newcomers have moved in, a young couple from London, delightful no doubt but they do need to know their place. Who better to teach them the ways of this close-knit community than Flappy herself? But Flappy has other distractions. An ardent admirer, a New Year’s Ball to organize and manifold appearances to be kept up. How much time and effort it all takes! Add to the mix the sudden arrival of her son Jasper with his utterly charming persona and total lack of ambition and drive, accompanied by his pretentious wife and their two highly-strung children - and Flappy is on ultra-high alert.Endlessly entertaining and gorgeously gossipy, Flappy Investigates is the perfect escape.Praise for Flappy Entertains: ‘Santa Montefiore is a born storyteller’ Woman’s Weekly ‘A friendly, undemanding read in unfriendly, demanding times’ Daily Mail ‘A keeping up with the Joneses tale that will lift your spirits in no time’ New! ‘Another winner from the author who writes about relationships so astutely’ Belfast Telegraph 'Packed with wickedly funny insights and throwaway lines and written with an extra-large helping of heart, this is the perfect escape for anyone in need of of a book hug!' Lancashire Post ‘With its air of nostalgia, gentle humour and snobbery, this is a super but also surprising read’ NFOP magazine

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PRE-ORDER THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM MARTIN CRUZ SMITH, COMING 2025!‘The later Renko novels are stark, spare and beautiful, like trees in winter. Martin Cruz Smith does more on a page than most writers manage in a chapter. He is unique and irreplaceable’ MICK HERRON ARKADY RENKO IS BACK . . . Renko has been confined to a desk job by his superiors to keep him out of the way. Although he’s more disillusioned with policing and the general state of Russia than ever, he feels an odd sense of hope. A rebellion is bubbling in the country, with new values butting heads against old-school regimes. People want change and politician Leonid Lebedev could be the man to do it. When Karina, a staunch supporter of Lebedev and member of the Forum, goes missing, Renko is asked by her father to find her. Soon after his investigation begins, Alex, a close friend of Arkady’s son, is found dead. He was also a member of the Forum. The night before his murder, Alex sent Arkady a cryptic message, simply containing three pictures of Russian writers. The link between the pictures is there, if only Renko could see it. But Arkady has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and the physical and psychological effects of the disease are taking their toll. This time, he must fight more than the impenetrable Russian regime to get answers – he will need to fight himself. PRAISE FOR MARTIN CRUZ SMITH: ‘Smith was among the first of a new generation of writers who made thrillers literary’ Guardian ‘One of those writers that anyone who is serious about their craft views with respect bordering on awe’ Val McDermid ‘Martin Cruz Smith writes with an immediacy, depth and lightness of touch that is rare in its combination, and impossible to resist . . . Independence Square is no exception, and further crystallises Cruz Smith as one of the finest writers of our age’ Charlotte Philby ​ ‘The undisputed master of the political crime thriller’ Abir Mukherjee 'A moving portrayal of struggle against political and personal tides' New York Times 'Renko started off investigating murders in Soviet Russia, now it's political corruption in Putin's Russia. And it's even more gripping than before' Gareth Rubin ‘Cruz Smith’s most powerful and engaging novel since Gorky Park’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM

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One Day meets Up: The House That Made Us is a love story – and a life story – told through a series of photographs and inspired by a true story When Mac and Marie marry and find a home of their own, Mac takes a snap of them outside their newbuild bungalow, the garden bare and the paint on the front door still wet. It becomes a tradition, this snap, and slowly the photographs build into an album of a fifty-year relationship. Every year they take a photo and though things change around them – the garden matures, the fashions change, they grow older – the one constant is their love. Every year, come rain, come shine, from the Seventies through the decades, every photo tells the story of their love. But life never travels the path you expect it to, though they know that a life with love is a life lived to the full. Now, in the present day, the photo album belongs to someone who doesn’t know the people in its pages. As they watch the lives from the past unfold, will the truth of their love story be told…? A heart-breaking story about life and love for readers who love Holly Miller, Jojo Moyes and Hazel Prior.

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From the author of international bestseller Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 ''Cho’s complex, humane, and by its end utterly transfixing novel shows that it is in community that we find resilience.' i newspaper 'Like Bong Joon-ho's Academy Award-winning film Parasite and the popular Netflix series Squid Games, Saha points to the increasing inequality and lack of social mobility in South Korea. ... With global inequality on the rise, Saha’s theme of human dignity quashed by the interests of mega-corporations resonates widely.' Daily Telegraph '[A]n affecting portrait of people doing their best to survive in a world that would rather pretend they didn’t exist.' New York Times In a country called ‘Town’, Su is found dead in an abandoned car. The suspected killer is presumed to come from the Saha Estates. Town is a privatised country, controlled by a secretive organisation known as the Seven Premiers. It is a society clearly divided into the haves and have-nots and those who have the very least live on the Saha Estates. Among their number is Jin-Kyung, a young woman whose brother, Dok-yung, was in a relationship with Su and quickly becomes the police’s prime suspect. When Dok-yung disappears, Jin Ky-ung is determined to get to the bottom of things. On her quest to find the truth, though, she will uncover a reality far darker and crimes far greater than she could ever have imagined. At once a dystopian mystery and devastating critique of how we live now, Saha lifts the lid on corruption, exploitation and government oppression, while, with deep humanity and compassion, showing us the lives of those who, through no fault of their own, suffer at the hand of brutal forces far beyond their control.Praise for Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 'It describes experiences that will be recognisable everywhere. It’s slim, unadorned narrative distils a lifetime’s iniquities into a sharp punch.’ The Sunday Times ‘A ground-breaking work of feminist fiction’ Stylist ‘Along with other socially critical narratives to come out of Korea, such as Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning film Parasite, her story could change the bigger one.’ The Guardian 'This witty, disturbing book deals with sexism, mental health issues and the hypocrisy of a country where young women are “popping caffeine pills and turning jaundiced” as they slave away in factories helping to fund higher education for male siblings.' The Independent 'Enthralling and enraging.' Sunday Express ‘Cho’s moving, witty and powerful novel forces us to face our reality, in which one woman is seen, pretty much, as interchangeable with any other. There’s a logic to Kim Jiyoung’s shape-shifting: she could be anybody.’ Daily Telegraph

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BRINGING DANGER CLOSE TO HOME . . . DON’T MISS THE HEART-RACING NEW THRILLER FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR NICCI FRENCH.Shortlisted for the 2023 Ned Kelly Awards for Best International Crime Fiction ‘Excels at depicting an ordinary life swept away by horror' Observer ‘Fantastic – a breathless drumbeat of dread and suspense’ Lee Child‘Heart-thumping, head-scratching, nail-biting stuff: The Favour is classic Nicci French. I read it in one breathless sitting’ Erin Kelly A good deedCan turn deadly… When Jude’s first love Liam turns up in her life after ten years of no contact, asking her for a favour, she just can’t say no. He will always be someone special to her. But does she really know what she is getting herself into? After she does the favour, Jude is contacted by the police. Liam has been found dead, and suddenly she is caught up in a murder investigation. She realises this one decision could cost her everything – even her life… Praise for Nicci French: ‘Expertly paced, psychologically sharp, thoroughly enjoyable’ Louise Candlish ‘Meticulously plotted, psychologically astute’ Sarah Vaughan ‘First-class’ Independent ‘Gripping’ Literary Review ‘A pure adrenaline rush’ Jenny Colgan

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THE NEW CAUTIONARY TALE OF OBSESSION, LOVE, JEALOUSY AND DECEPTION FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF OUR HOUSE AND THE OTHER PASSENGER Wrong time. Wrong place. Wrong man. Alex lives a comfortable life with his wife Beth in the leafy suburb of Silver Vale. Fine, so he’s not the most sociable guy on the street, he prefers to keep himself to himself, but he’s a good husband and an easy-going neighbour. That’s until Beth announces the creation of a nature trail on a local site that’s been disused for decades and suddenly Alex is a changed man. Now he’s always watching. Questioning. Struggling to hide his dread . . . As the landscapers get to work, a secret threatens to surface from years ago, back in Alex’s twenties when he got entangled with a seductive young woman called Marina, who threw both their lives into turmoil. And who sparked a police hunt for a murder suspect that was never quite what it seemed. It still isn’t. No one else could have done it. Could they? ‘The best Louise Candlish novel yet’ Lisa Jewell 'I'm blown away by how good it is. A gripping tale of love, secrets and deception - it's the best psychological thriller I've read in a long time.' Mark Edwards

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***Previously published as Snowed in at The Practice***Join the residents of Larkford for a festive fling as the snow falls, secrets are revealed and romance blossoms under the mistletoe! 'Full of humour, warmth and characters you care about - this is a festive read you're sure to love' Woman's Weekly Larkford Surgery is the heart of a tightknit community in the Cotswolds, as well as a hotbed of drama, rivalry, resentment and romance - and that's just the doctors … Dr Holly Graham has just had twins and is finding life exhausting. Even with husband Dr Taffy Jones and devoted friend Elsie by her side, she is completely outnumbered. Making the transition back to work will be no easy feat but then an unexpected job offer changes everything. Her maternity cover, Dr Tilly Grainger, has arrived in from South America to cover but it seems that she isn’t finding life in the peaceful Cotswolds valley as rewarding as she’d hoped, and she is causing chaos. Then widower and former rock star Connor arrives in Larkford, ready for a new start. He’s not sure how he will fit in with his new tightknit community. Has he made a mistake leaving his old life behind, or will he find exactly what he’s looking for in the beauty of the Cotswolds?Curl up with this wonderful festive novel from the bestselling author and winner of the RNA Romantic Comedy Award 2017. Praise for Penny Parkes 'Hugely enjoyable’ Catherine Isaac ‘Larkford is still my happy place’ Katie Fforde 'Delightfully warm' Jo Thomas ‘Has everything: warmth, humour, drama, laughter and a few tears’ Milly Johnson ‘A pure delight’ Julie Cohen

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