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A criminal walking free. A life hanging in the balance. The ultimate choice.Zach Bridger hasn't seen his ex-wife since their divorce. So he's shocked to learn that not only has Rebecca been placed on life support following an assault, but he's also still her Power of Attorney. Buckling under the responsibility, he leaves Rebecca in the care of her parents.Years later, when Rebecca's attacker is released from prison, savvy state prosecutor Kate is determined to see him justly punished. But Kate's ambitious legal strategy puts Zach in yet another heart-wrenching position regarding Rebecca's care. While he wrestles with the decision that no one should have to make, Zach and Kate's mutual attraction grows irresistible. Little do they know that Rebecca's attacker has no intention of going back to prison. He's plotting to stop them both - at any cost.A riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestseller, which pits conscience against ambition.

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1916: Bella is working as a Voluntary Aid driving ambulances in England when she gets engaged to Philip, on leave from fighting in France. His family strongly disapprove of her but the two of them are happy together. Georgie, Philip's sister, is in trouble having broken her engagement and fled from her bullying family. Who can she turn to for help when she needs it most? When the worst happens, Bella must manage on her own, though there are shocks and dangers she did not foresee ahead. Thankfully, Philip's best friend Tez, injured in France, steps in to offer assistance. Can he also help Bella build a new life?

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In this creative and engaging reading, Richard Kuhns explores the ways in which Decameron'ssexual themes lead into philosophical inquiry, moral argument, and aesthetic and literary criticism. As he reveals the stories' many philosophical insights and literary pleasures, Kuhns also examines Decameronin the context of the nature of storytelling, its relationship to other classic works of literature, and the culture of trecento Italy. Stories and storytelling are to be interpreted in terms of a wider cultural context that includes masks, metamorphosis, mythic themes, and character analysis, all of which Boccaccio explores with wit and subtlety. As a storyteller, Boccaccio represents himself as literary pimp, conceiving the relationship between storyteller and audience in sexual terms within a tradition that goes back as far as Socrates' conversations with the young Athenians. As a whole, Boccaccio's great collection of stories creates a trenchant criticism of the ideas that dominated his social and cultural world. Addressed as it is to women who were denied opportunities for education, the author's stories create a university of wise and culturally observant texts. He teaches that comic, religious, sexual, and artistic themes can be seen to function as metaphors for hidden and often dangerous unorthodox thoughts. Kuhns suggests that Decameronis one of the first self-conscious creations of what we today call "a total work of art." Throughout the stories, Boccaccio creates a detailed picture of the Florentine trecento cultural world. Giotto, Buffalmacco, and other great painters of Boccaccio's time appear in the stories. Their works and the paintings that surround the characters as they prepare to leave the plague-ridden city, with their representations of Dante, Aquinas, and other thinkers, are essential to understanding the ways the stories work with other works of art and illuminate and enlarge interpretations of Boccaccio's book.

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As this dynamic biography reveals, the writer Ernest William Hornung (1866 - 1921) became a household name in the 1890s. Scion of a wealthy Yorkshire family, he was short-sighted and slight and suffered from severe asthma. Returning home in high spirits from medical treatment in Australia in 1886, he was devastated to find that the family fortunes had collapsed. Already aware that he had a brilliant knack with words, Hornung managed to support himself by his pen alone, contributing short stories to children’s magazines, newspapers, and monthly periodicals. His first published novel proved a sensational best-seller.Peter Rowland’s superb literary biography traces Hornung’s rise to fame and fortune, as the writer deftly turned his hand to comedy, romance, and drama. In the process, the book untangles the intricate literary network of Victorian London and Hornung’s relationships with some of its leading figures, including his brother-in-law Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s, and their collaborative ventures.

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You think you know someone...Would you bet your life on it?A detective came to her home, drugged her and kidnapped her. She tries to make sense of it, but only one conclusion is possible: it's the past, come to claim her.His new life seemed perfect - right up until the moment a missed call shatters everything. Ex-journalist Martin Scarsden checks his voicemail, and all he hears is his partner Mandy's terrified scream before the phone cuts off.Racing home, he finds an unconscious man sprawled on the floor and Mandy gone. Someone has abducted her. But who, and why?So starts a riveting tale of intrigue and danger, as Martin probes the hidden past of the woman he loves. But can he trust her, once her shocking secrets are finally revealed? Even if it means putting everything on the line...Praise for Chris Hammer'The best Australian crime novel for years' The Times'Shimmers . . . A tortured tale of blood and loss' Val McDermid'Intelligent, thought-provoking - an almost-perfect crime novel' Ann Cleeves'Hammer is a great writer - a leader in Australian noir' Michael Connelly'Stunning - a page-turner which stays long in the memory' Sunday Times'Hammer's writing is so evocative the heat practically rises off the pages' Guardian'A dark and brilliant thriller' Mail On Sunday

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Chosen as a Book of the Year by Sebastian Barry, Martina Devlin and Peter Cunningham Winner of the Prix Gens de Mer, 2022 Hector and Bolivar set sail from their South American fishing village on what they believe to be a routine expedition. But then a devastating storm casts them adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. With no means of contacting the outside world and no sign of rescue, their only hope lies with one another. Both men must confront the truth about themselves, and the regrets that they have spent a lifetime trying to forget, if they are to survive. Part gripping story of resilience, part fearless existential parable, Beyond the Sea is a meditation on what it means to be human, in a world that pushes us to the brink.

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Updated edition featuring a new introduction by StanleyAs seen on BBC2's Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy Food can bind and govern a family and no one knows this more than Hollywood actor and respected foodie, Stanley Tucci. Throughout his childhood, cooking was a familial venture evoking a wealth of memories and traditions.Featuring family-friendly dishes and stunning photography THE TUCCI TABLE will captivate food lovers' imaginations with recipes from Stanley's traditional Italian roots as well as those of his British wife, Felicity Blunt. Each dish is introduced by Stanley and he offers an insight into why each recipe is so special to his family. Recipes include Pasta Al Forno, Roasted Sea bass, Pan Seared Venison and British classics such as Shepherd's Pie and Sausage Rolls.THE TUCCI TABLE captures the true joys of family cooking.

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An unexpected inheritance from her grandmother offers Libby Pulford the opportunity to escape her abusive marriage and return to her Lancashire roots with her young son Ned. But her domineering husband Steven won't let her go so easily. She turns to her new neighbour for help, former police detective Joss Atherton, to whom Libby feels a growing attraction. But Joss has troubles of his own. Emily Mattison is trying to make contact with the daughter she was forced to give up for adoption so many years before. People's lives are destined to intertwine in ways they could never have imagined.

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***Pre-order David Nicholls' new novel YOU ARE HERE now - Coming April 2024***A COMIC MASTERPIECE BY BELOVED BESTSELLER DAVID NICHOLLSA scintillating comedy of ambition, celebrity, jealousy and love'Irresistible' DAILY MAIL 'Wonderfully chaotic' THE TIMES 'Delightful' OBSERVER 'Brilliant' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'Funniest book of the year' MARIE CLAIRE For Josh Harper, being in show-business means everything he ever wanted: money, fame, a beautiful wife and a lead role on the London stage. For Stephen C. McQueen, it means being stuck with an unfortunate name, a hopeless agent and a job as understudy to Josh Harper, the 12th Sexiest Man in the World. When Stephen falls in love with Josh's clever, funny wife, Nora, things get even more difficult. But might there yet be a way for Stephen to get his big break?ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now'FINANCIAL TIMES'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters'DAILY TELEGRAPH'Nicholls writes with such tender precision about love'THE TIMES'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does'EVENING STANDARD'Genuinely brilliant'NEW STATESMAN

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'Barnett has that rare talent, like Curtis Sittenfeld or Kate Atkinson, of building up the mundane aspects of everyday life until they acquire meaning' THE TIMES 'Barnett excels herself in this mesmerising ballad of a book...Greatest Hits is not just about music, it's about people: their ambitions, friendships and flaws. An absolute must read' STYLISTIf you could choose just sixteen moments to define your entire life, what would they be? Cass Wheeler has seen it all - from the searing heights of success, to earth-shattering moments of despair. She has known passion, envy, pride, fear, and love. She has been a daughter, a mother, a singer, a lover. A musician born in 1950, Cass is now taking one day to select the sixteen songs in her repertoire that have meant the most to her. And behind each song lies a story - from the day her mother abandoned her, to her passionate first love, to the moment she lost everything. The dreams, the failures, the second chances. But what made her disappear so suddenly from her public life and, most importantly, can she find her way back?'The mother/daughter relationship is the most moving aspect ofthis excellent book...This engaging, emotionally charged novel about music,motherhood and mental illness deserves to be a hit' OBSERVERWhat readers are saying about GREATEST HITS:'A brilliant and unusual read...There is real emotional power to Cass's story and you really feel it in the narrative....It gives an unfiltered personal history, with joy, love, failures, regrets and all that it takes to live delivered beautifully' Goodreads 5 star review'Truly, truly wonderful in every way imaginable and I can't recommend it highly enough' Goodreads 5 star review'A triumphant second book to follow up to The Versions of Us which I also adored' Goodreads 5 star review'A truly unique and memorable novel. Definitely one of the best novels so far this year' Goodreads 5 star review'Filled with characters who burst from the page, dealing with almost unbearable sorrows and incredible highs, Greatest Hits is an absolute triumph. I loved every single page' Goodreads 5 star review

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HE DISAPPEARED FOR 15 YEARS...UNTIL THE DAY OF THE MURDER. *** THE INTERNATIONAL TOP TEN BESTSELLER***'Taut, beautifully observed...with an explosive finish.' PETER MAY'Original, compelling and highly recommended. S. R. White is the real deal.' CHRIS HAMMER'A fascinating case' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB PICKAfter a puzzling death in the wild bushlands of Australia, detective Dana Russo has just 12 hours to interrogate the prime suspect - a silent, inscrutable man found at the scene of the crime, who disappeared without trace 15 years earlier.But where has he been? Why won't he talk? And exactly how dangerous is he? Without conclusive evidence to prove his guilt, Dana faces a desperate race against time to persuade him to speak. But as each interview spirals with fevered intensity, Dana must reckon with her own traumatic past to reveal the shocking truth . . .Compulsive, atmospheric and stunningly accomplished, HERMIT introduces a thrilling new voice in Australian crime fiction, perfect for fans of Jane Harper's THE DRY and Chris Hammer's SCRUBLANDS.'It draws you in - and rewards with a truly powerful ending.' HEAT (Read of the week)'This slow-burn novel catches light' THE SUN'A dark and compulsive read' WOMAN & HOME

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'Wickedly clever prose and a sense of humour that seems to loom up like a character in itself' – M John Harrison, GuardianIn her brilliantly inventive and haunting debut collection of stories, Julia Armfield explores the body, mapping the skin and bones of her characters through their experiences of isolation, obsession, love and revenge.Teenagers develop ungodly appetites, a city becomes insomniac overnight, and bodies are diligently picked apart to make up better ones. The mundane worlds of schools and sleepy sea-side towns are invaded and transformed, creating a landscape which is constantly shifting to hold on to its inhabitants. Blurring the mythic and the gothic with the everyday, Salt Slow considers characters in motion – turning away, turning back or simply turning into something new entirely.Winner of The White Review Short Story Prize 2018, Armfield is a writer of sharp, lyrical prose and tilting dark humour – Salt Slow marks the arrival of an ambitious and singular new voice.'Salt Slow is exemplary. A distinct new gothic, melancholy, powerful and poised.' – China Miéville, author of The City & The City'Armfield is an enormous, gut-wrenching talent.' – Daisy Johnson, author of Everything Under

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One Night in Italy is a charming, funny and heartwarming novel from Lucy Diamond, author of Anything Could Happen.Is Italian really the language of love? A new class of students hopes to find out . . .Anna’s recently been told the father she’s never met is Italian. Now she’s baking focaccia, whipping up tiramisu and swotting up on her vocabulary, determined to make it to Italy so she can find him in person.Catherine’s husband has walked out on her, and she's trying to pick up the pieces of her life. But she’ll need courage as well as friends when she discovers his deception runs even deeper than infidelity.Sophie’s the teacher of the class, who’d much rather be back in sunny Sorrento. She can’t wait to escape the tensions at home and go travelling again. But sometimes life – and love – can surprise you when you least expect it.As the evening class gets underway, friendships form and secrets from Italy begin to emerge. With love affairs blossoming in the most unlikely places, and hard decisions to face, it’s going to be a year that Anna, Catherine and Sophie will never forget.'Charming, funny and as satisfying as a giant tiramisu. Loved it' - Milly Johnson, author of The Sweet Shop of Second Chances

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INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER"Don't start a Freida McFadden book late at night. You won't be able to put it down!"— Natalie Barelli, bestselling author of UnforgivableTwo women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can't be taken back.Dawn Schiff is strange.At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.So when Dawn doesn't show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell—beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running—is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…It turns out Dawn wasn't just an awkward outsider—she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who's the real victim?But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.The Coworker is a tense, unputdownable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden that explores the dark ways the past can echo through the present—with deadly consequences.

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Discover this funny and warm novel for anyone who has ever been curious about their partner's past from the bestselling author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Meet Buffy. With three ex-wives, a failing career and only his dog George for company, Buffy's bachelorhood is looking worryingly confirmed. Until he meets Celeste. Dazzled by love, Buffy has no idea that Celeste is systematically researching his ex-wives, children and step-children, and unearthing secrets that will change all their lives... 'Wonderfully funny' Daily Mail 'Marries comedy and canniness into a novel that's warm, tolerant, shrewd and exuberant' Sunday Times

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Welcome to the page-turning, twisty, gasp-inducing world of the Debutantes - an addictive YA mystery duology from the author of #1 bestselling, TikTok sensation INHERITANCE GAMES series. 'A plot twist every twenty pages . . . Barnes is at her page-turning best.' E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars A six-figure offer. A family mystery to solve. A town of buried secrets. When Auto mechanic Sawyer Taft's estranged grandmother offers her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season, Sawyer's first instinct is to run a mile. But then she realizes her grandmother's offer might mean solving the biggest mystery of her life - her father's identity. So she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses and even bigger egos. . .However, Sawyer doesn't expect to find a group of fellow debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own and soon it's clear that the truth about her father is just one of the shocking secrets buried deep in this high-society world . . . And no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past.Shocking twists, family secrets, a fish-out-of water protagonist and a page-turning mystery combine in Little White Lies and Deadly Little Scandals (The Debutantes Duology) - perfect for fans coming from THE INHERITANCE GAMES series looking for their next addictive read from the Master of YA Mysteries, Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

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A story in verse chronicling the misadventures of a recently divorced Lebanese woman dating in America. Laila Halaby’s second collection of poetry, why an author writes to a guy holding a fish is a story in verse. This honest, sensual, and often funny series of narrative poems chronicles the author’s decision to leave her two-decades-long relationship with her Palestinian husband. Halaby suddenly finds herself in the world of American dating where she searches for idealized love and genuine connection. Always treated as an “other” and having never dated a white man or an American before, Halaby writes about misadventures and heartbreak amid misread cues and lost nuances. Halaby reassesses her role as a woman, a mother, and a writer, and she learns how to dispense with labels and imagined expectations. In the process, she becomes reacquainted with her womanhood and power.

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From the author of the widely acclaimed Heat, an exhilarating account of Bill Buford's adventures in the world of French cooking.'A romping, chomping, savoury tour de force... Hilarious' Simon SchamaWhat does it take to master French cooking? This is the question that drives Bill Buford to abandon his perfectly happy life in New York City and (with his wife and three-year-old twin sons in tow) move to Lyon, the so-called gastronomic capital of France.But what was meant to be six months in a new city turns into a wild five-year odyssey. As Buford apprentices at Lyon's best boulangerie, studies at a legendary culinary school and cooks at a storied Michelin-starred restaurant, he discoveries the true grit, precision and passion of the French kitchen.'Hugely entertaining' Observer'Rollicking, food-stuffed entertainment... Gourmets and gourmands will savour this' Spectator

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The Akunin Project is the first book to study the fiction and popular history of Grigorii Chkhartishvili, one of the most successful writers in post-Soviet Russia. In the first two decades of the twenty-first century, Chkhartishvili published over sixty books under the pen names Anatolii Brusnikin, Anna Borisova, Akunin-Chkhartishvili, and, most commonly, Boris Akunin. His series featuring the tsarist secret policeman Erast Fandorin has sold over 15 million books in Russia alone, making Akunin one of the bestselling authors of the post-Soviet era. Combining intertextuality, allusions, pastiche, and other markers of postmodern playfulness, many of Akunin’s works have been translated into English and have also been adapted for film and television. Akunin’s public profile has been further enhanced by his active involvement in mass political protests against Vladimir Putin. Despite Akunin’s international reputation as a celebrated writer, there is very little critical work on his literary output and his mysterious persona. Bringing together scholars of literature, history, and culture, The Akunin Project fills this gap by exploring the author’s bestselling adventure novels and recent histories of the Russian state. The book includes translations of five short works previously unavailable in English as well as an interview with the author.

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An unputdownable, edge-of-your-seat thriller full of twists and turns from Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Kernick - the UK's answer to Harlan Coben. Guaranteed to keep you gripped. Perfect for fans of David Baldacci, Stuart MacBride and Peter James.'Simon Kernick writes great plots, great characters, great action' -- Lee Child'Simon Kernick writes with his foot pressed hard on the pedal. Hang on tight!' -- Harlan Coben'Simon Kernick uses every trick in the book to keep the action breakneck' -- Time Out'Highly recommend this book. I couldn't put it down' -- ***** Reader review'What an amazing read, it had me hooked!' -- ***** Reader review'From the first page to the last this story keeps you on the edge' -- ***** Reader review'Thriller writing at its best' -- ***** Reader review'Kept me engrossed all the way through' -- ***** Reader review*******************************************************************************************ONE NIGHT STAND. ONE DEAD GIRL.You wake up in a strange room on a bed covered in blood.You have no idea how you got there.Beside you is a dead girl. Your girlfriend.The phone rings, and a voice tells you to press play on the room's DVD machine.The film shows you killing your girlfriend. Then you're told to go to an address in East London where you're to deliver a briefcase and await further instructions.There's no way out.If you're to survive the next 24 hours, you must find out who killed your girlfriend, and why. Before they come for you too...

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FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SNAP'Extraordinarily powerful and evocative . . . will leave you breathless.' Daily MirrorVOTED CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR when it was first released, and still the most gripping, powerful thriller debut you will read this year.___Steven Lamb is 12 when he writes his first letter . . . to a serial killerEvery day after school, whilst his classmates swap football stickers, twelve-year-old Steven digs holes on Exmoor, hoping to find a body. His uncle disappeared aged eleven and is assumed to have fallen victim to the notorious serial killer Arnold Avery - but his body has never been found.Steven's Nan does not believe her son is dead. She still waits for him to come home, standing bitter guard at the front window while her family fragments around her. Steven is determined to heal the widening cracks between them before it's too late - even if that means presenting his grandmother with the bones of her murdered son.But when Steven realises this is an impossible task, he crafts a careful letter to Arnold Avery in prison. And there begins a dangerous cat-and-mouse game between a desperate child and a bored psychopath . . .Readers love Blacklands:'A dark, gripping story . . . full of tension' *****'A truly chilling and disturbing read' *****'An intelligent crime thriller that seeps with atmosphere' ******Belinda Bauer's pulse-pounding new thriller, EXIT, is out now*

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John Kenneth Galbraith's international bestseller The Affluent Society is a witty, graceful and devastating attack on some of our most cherished economic myths. As relevant today as when it was first published over forty years ago, this newly updated edition of Galbraith's classic text on the 'economics of abundance', lays bare the hazards of individual and social complacency about economic inequality. Why worship work and productivity if many of the goods we produce are superfluous - artificial 'needs' created by high-pressure advertising? Why begrudge expenditure on vital public works while ignoring waste and extravagance in the private sector of the economy? Classical economics was born in a harsh world of mass poverty, and has left us with a set of preconceptions ill-adapted to the realities of our own richer age. And so, too often, 'the bland lead the bland'. Our unfamiliar problems need a new approach, and the reception given to this famous book has shown the value of its fresh, lively ideas. 'A compelling challenge to conventional thought' The New York Times 'He shows himself a truly sensitive and civilized man, whose ideas are grounded in the common culture of the two continents, and may serve as a link between them; his book is of foremost importance for them both' The Times Literary Supplement John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) was a Canadian-American economist. A Keynesian and an institutionalist, Galbraith was a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism and progressivism. Galbraith was the author of 30 books, including The Economics of Innocent Fraud, The Great Crash: 1929, and A History of Economics.

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THE SPINE-TINGLING AND GRIPPING NEW THRILLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH, BREATHLESS'Enthralling. Combines an intricate murder mystery with lyrical passages describing ice cliffs and spectacular skies' SUNDAY TIMES'Chillingly atmospheric, with sub-zero tension and a creeping plot that makes it impossible to look away' JANICE HALLETT'A chilling, atmospheric rollercoaster of a read filled with clever unpredictable twists' CLAIRE DOUGLAS'Transportive, absorbing and perfectly paced. You won't want to miss it!' LUCY CLARKE___________With her life back in London falling apart, Olivia cannot believe her luck when she's invited on a once-in-a-lifetime Antarctic cruise with her boyfriend, Aaron.Olivia has never been anywhere so spectacular: huge cliffs of ice loom high on the horizon, penguins dive through the sparkling sea, and above it all, the sun never sets in the eerie twilight sky.Then Aaron disappears. And a body is discovered on board.Surrounded by strangers, Olivia has no idea who she can trust.If she can't figure it out soon, she might not make it back alive . . .___________'Chills, thrills and intense suspense . . . A clever mystery, a twisting page-turner, and a blistering adventure' CHRIS WHITAKER'An atmospheric, chilling book. It was difficult to put down' CATHERINE COOPERPraise for Amy McCulloch:'A high-altitude, high-stakes thriller. I loved it' MATT HAIG'Had me on the edge of my seat. A must read' SARAH PEARSE'Suffocatingly tense, highly original and exhilarating' DAILY EXPRESS'Tense, chilling and terrifying' CLAIRE DOUGLAS'An addictive, tightly plotted thriller that will leave you chilled to the bone' LUCY CLARKE'Chilling, vivid and entirely unique' ABIGAIL DEAN'A real page-turner. Tense, terrifying and fascinating in equal measure' CATHERINE COOPER'A truly terrifying thriller with a tense and twisty plot. Superbly executed' ALLIE REYNOLDS

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**FROM THE AUTHOR OF INSIDE THE WAVE, THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017** Leningrad, September 1941. Hitler orders the German forces to surround the city at the start of the most dangerous, desperate winter in its history. For two pairs of lovers - Anna and Andrei, Anna's novelist father and banned actress Marina - the siege becomes a battle for survival. They will soon discover what it is like to be so hungry you boil shoe leather to make soup, so cold you burn furniture and books. But this is not just a struggle to exist, it is also a fight to keep the spark of hope alive...A brilliantly imagined novel of war and the wounds it inflicts on ordinary people's lives, and a profoundly moving celebration of love, life and survival. 'Remarkable, affecting...there are few more interesting stories than this; and few writers who could have told it better' Rachel Cusk, Daily Telegraph 'Literary writing of the highest order set against a background if suffering so intimately reconstructed it is hard to believe that Dunmore was not there' Richard Overy, Sunday Telegraph 'Utterly convincing. A deeply moving account of two love stories in terrible circumstances. The story of their struggle to survive appears simple, as all great literature should. . . a world-class novel' Antony Beevor, The Times Novelist and poet Helen Dunmore has achieved great critical acclaim since publishing her first adult novel, the McKitterick Prize winning, Zennor in Darkness. Her novels, Counting the Stars, Your Blue-Eyed Boy, With Your Crooked Heart, Burning Bright, House of Orphans, Mourning Ruby, A Spell of Winter, and Talking to the Dead, and her collection of short stories Love of Fat Men are all published by Penguin. This edition includes the first chapter of Betrayal, the sequel to The Siege.

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Random House presents the audiobook edition of Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan, read by Billy Howle. Britain has lost the Falklands war, Margaret Thatcher battles Tony Benn for power and Alan Turing achieves a breakthrough in artificial intelligence. In a world not quite like this one, two lovers will be tested beyond their understanding.Machines Like Me occurs in an alternative 1980s London. Charlie, drifting through life and dodging full-time employment, is in love with Miranda, a bright student who lives with a terrible secret. When Charlie comes into money, he buys Adam, one of the first batch of synthetic humans. With Miranda’s assistance, he co-designs Adam’s personality. This near-perfect human is beautiful, strong and clever – a love triangle soon forms. These three beings will confront a profound moral dilemma. Ian McEwan’s subversive and entertaining new novel poses fundamental questions: what makes us human? Our outward deeds or our inner lives? Could a machine understand the human heart? This provocative and thrilling tale warns of the power to invent things beyond our control.

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From Sunday Times bestselling novelist Rose Tremain comes a gripping novel of murder and revenge set in Victorian England Nobody knows yet that she is a murderer... London, 1850. On a freezing winter's night, a baby is abandoned at the gates of a park only to be saved by a young policeman and taken to the Foundling Hospital.After suffering years of brutal hardship at the Hospital, Lily is released into the world of Victorian London. But she is hiding a dreadful secret...When Lily and the policeman meet again, Lily is convinced that he holds the key to her happiness. But might he also be the one to uncover her crime and so condemn her to death?'Enthralling... Tremain evokes Victorian London with visceral intensity in a gripping and deeply humane novel exploring themes of rejection, poverty, guilt and redemption' Observer

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Give yourself up. Whatever you've done. They'll find you. In the end.A man with no name staggers down a lonely stretch of road that cuts through the simmering veld of rural South Africa. He is exhausted and hungry yet dives for the long grass whenever cars approach. He is on the run. When a minister on his way to a new congregation offers help - at a price - the fugitive's desperation boils over. Stealing the minister's identity, he is successfully taken in by the township. But when a body is discovered in a nearby quarry, and the local police captain's suspicions grow, the hunt reignites with devastating consequences.'One of South Africa's great literary voices' Economist'Galgut's prose feels as if it's been fired through a crucible, burning away all the comfortable excess until only a hard, concentrated purity remains' Daily Telegraph

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Armistice Day, London, 1918. Fiercely independent Georgie is tired of being told what's best for her by men. When she defies her father's wishes by going out into the peace festivities, she tries to help a woman being attacked and encounters Patrick, a gallant, wounded ex-soldier looking for a new calling now that the fighting is done. But the war isn't over for everybody. Enemy forces have infiltrated the bureau and sent her father into hiding. And they are coming for her too. Georgie knows there's only one place where she'll be safe: Honeyfield. But there are traitors in the bureau and she doesn't know who she can trust.

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‘A cul-de-sac, a dead-end track,A sandbanked strand to sink a fleet,A bay, a bar, a strip, a trap, A wrecking ground, that’s Shingle Street.’Blake Morrison’s first two collections, Dark Glasses (1984) and The Ballad of a Yorkshire Ripper (1987) established him as one of our most inventive and accomplished contemporary poets.In his first full-length collection for nearly thirty years, Shingle Street sees a return to the form with which he started his career. Set along the Suffolk coast, the opening poems address a receding world – an eroding landscape, ‘abashed by the ocean’s passion’. But coastal life gives way to other, more dangerous, vistas: a wave unleashes a flood-tide of terror; a sequence of topical poems lays bare pressing political issues; while elsewhere portraits of the past bring forth the dear and the departed. Ardent and elegiac, and encompassing an impressive range of mood and method, this is a timely offering from a poet of distinct talents.

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'THRILLING...a terrific book, accomplished in its poised, imaginative storytelling and its vivid, sensual rendering of landscape and character, emotion and memory' The TimesIn a silent valley in southern France stands an isolated stone farmhouse, the Mas Lunel. Its owner is Aramon Lunel, an alcoholic haunted by his violent past. His sister, Audrun, alone in her bungalow within sight of the Mas Lunel, dreams of exacting retribution for the unspoken betrayals that have blighted her life. Into this closed world comes Anthony Verey, a wealthy but disillusioned antiques dealer from London seeking to remake his life in France. From the moment he arrives at the Mas Lunel, a frightening and unstoppable series of consequences is set in motion...

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FOR FANS OF PERSONS UNKNOWN AND ANGELA MARSONS, NO TURNING BACK IS A GRIPPING READ THAT HAS ENOUGH TWISTS AND TURNS TO KEEP READERS GUESSING UNTIL THE VERY END. Even perfect families have secrets . . .Orla and Conor Quinn are the perfect power couple: smart, successful and glamorous. But then the unthinkable happens. Their only son, Tom, is the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run. Detective Garda Cathy Connolly has just left Tom's parents when she is called to the discovery of another body, this time in Dillon's Park, not far from where Tom Quinn was found. What led shy student Lauren O'Reilly to apparently take her own life? She was a friend of Tom's and they both died on the same night - are their deaths connected and if so, how?As Cathy delves deeper, she uncovers links to the Dark Web and a catalogue of cold cases, realising that those involved each have their own reasons for hiding things from the police. But events are about to get a lot more frightening . . .

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HE DISAPPEARED FOR 15 YEARS...UNTIL THE DAY OF THE MURDER. *** THE INTERNATIONAL TOP TEN BESTSELLER***'Taut, beautifully observed...with an explosive finish.' PETER MAY'Original, compelling and highly recommended. S. R. White is the real deal.' CHRIS HAMMER'A fascinating case' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB PICKAfter a puzzling death in the wild bushlands of Australia, detective Dana Russo has just 12 hours to interrogate the prime suspect - a silent, inscrutable man found at the scene of the crime, who disappeared without trace 15 years earlier.But where has he been? Why won't he talk? And exactly how dangerous is he? Without conclusive evidence to prove his guilt, Dana faces a desperate race against time to persuade him to speak. But as each interview spirals with fevered intensity, Dana must reckon with her own traumatic past to reveal the shocking truth . . .Compulsive, atmospheric and stunningly accomplished, HERMIT introduces a thrilling new voice in Australian crime fiction, perfect for fans of Jane Harper's THE DRY and Chris Hammer's SCRUBLANDS.'It draws you in - and rewards with a truly powerful ending.' HEAT (Read of the week)'This slow-burn novel catches light' THE SUN'A dark and compulsive read' WOMAN & HOME

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The highly anticipated novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Pull of the Stars and Room'This is Donoghue at her strange, unsettling best.' - Maggie O'Farrell, author of Hamnet'Combines pressure-cooker intensity and radical isolation, to stunning effect.' – Margaret Atwood via TwitterIn 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 . . .One of The Times Books of the Year 2022One of Easons 'Favourite Book of the Year 2022'.The Irish Times 'Books to Look Out For in 2022'.Pre-order Learned By Heart, the dazzling new love story from Emma Donoghue.

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'The Queen of Crime is back!' CloserDon't miss the brand new novel from legendary author Martina Cole. If you want to survive in this world, there's one thing you should value above all else: LOYALTY.Dara Tailor has had to grow up fast. With a mother addicted to cocaine, Dara must look after her seven younger siblings, until social services split them up for ever.Grace Perry has led a sheltered life. Until her widowed mother is attacked and left for dead and Grace is taken into care.At Holly Brookes Children's Home, the two girls unite in the face of horrific abuse and form an unbreakable bond of loyalty.But when their loyalty is tested can they rely on each other to do the right thing?Friendship - it's all about trust.Don't miss the explosive new novel from the queen of crime Martina Cole.'She's a total one-off' Guardian'The stuff of legend . . . utterly compelling' Mirror'Superstar crime writer' This Morning'The undisputed Queen of crime writing' Erwin James'Her gripping plots pack a mean emotional punch' Mail on Sunday'One of the best fiction authors around . . . spectacular' Closer'Dark and dangerous' Sunday MirrorDue to health reasons, Martina Cole has chosen to collaborate with writer Jacqui Rose to finish her upcoming novel Loyalty.

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The international bestseller--now with a new preface by author John Kotter. Millions worldwide have read and embraced John Kotter's ideas on change management and leadership. From the ill-fated dot-com bubble to unprecedented M&A activity to scandal, greed, and ultimately, recession--we've learned that widespread and difficult change is no longer the exception. It's the rule. Now with a new preface, this refreshed edition of the global bestseller Leading Change is more relevant than ever. John Kotter's now-legendary eight-step process for managing change with positive results has become the foundation for leaders and organizations across the globe. By outlining the process every organization must go through to achieve its goals, and by identifying where and how even top performers derail during the change process, Kotter provides a practical resource for leaders and managers charged with making change initiatives work. Leading Change is widely recognized as his seminal work and is an important precursor to his newer ideas on acceleration published in Harvard Business Review. Needed more today than at any time in the past, this bestselling business book serves as both visionary guide and practical toolkit on how to approach the difficult yet crucial work of leading change in any type of organization. Reading this highly personal book is like spending a day with the world's foremost expert on business leadership. You're sure to walk away inspired--and armed with the tools you need to inspire others. Published by Harvard Business Review Press.

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WINNER of the Greenhouse Funny Prize; SHORTLISTED for the Sainsbury's Book Award and numerous regional awards, this hilarious series is adored by its readers!Our favourite pompous pigeon is BACK! And about to trade places with a pigeon prince, descended from Indian royalty.Dave Pigeon and his best friend Skipper are taking in the sights of London. Whilst pecking around the gates of the Royal Palace, looking for high-brow snacks to feast on, they meet Prince Raju Pigeon, one of the Queen's personal birds from the Royal Lofts. Raju is tired of royal life and longs to see life beyond the palace gates. Dave suggests they swap places for a short while! Raju will get to see how normal pigeon lives and Dave will be pampered in the Royal Lofts.Of course, this all goes to Dave's head and as he laps up the royal treatment becoming more unbearable than ever. But life in high society is not all it's cracked up to be . . .A very feathery prince and the pauper story, rich in diversity, packed full of gorgeous illustrations and giggle-until-you-wee jokes, perfect for emerging readers.'A hilarious new series.' Angels and Urchins'A really enjoyable read for children just moving into chapter books.' Books for Keeps'Readers will love this action packed story about friendship, bravery and the lengths a pigeon will go to to secure themselves a crumbly treat.' Reading Zone'I can't imagine any child not loving Dave and waiting excitedly for his next adventure.' Serendipity Reviews'Readers will love it as it is full of daring and bravery, and much backfiring of ridiculous schemes and much crossing out.' The School Librarian

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SUSAN SMITH is Senior Lecturer inFilm Studies at the University ofSunderland, UK. She is the authorof Voices in Film (in Close-Up 2,2007), The Musical: Race, Genderand Performance (2005), whichwas selected as a CHOICEOutstanding Academic Title in2006, and of Hitchcock: Suspense,Humour and Tone (2000).

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Why did so many early modern scientific authors dislike and distrust the printing press?While there is no denying the importance of the printing press to the scientific and medical advances of the early modern era, a closer look at authorial attitudes toward this technology refutes simplistic interpretations of how print was viewed at the time. Rather than embracing the press, scientific authors often disliked and distrusted it. In many cases, they sought to avoid putting their work into print altogether. In Loath to Print, Nicole Howard takes a fresh look at early modern printing technology from the perspective of the natural philosophers and physicians who relied on it to share ideas. She offers a new perspective on scientific publishing in the early modern period, one that turns the celebration of print on its head. Exploring both these scholars' attitudes and their strategies for navigating the publishing world, Howard argues that scientists had many concerns, including the potential for errors to be introduced into their works by printers, the prospect of having their work pirated, and most worrisome, the likelihood that their works would be misunderstood by an audience ill-prepared to negotiate the complexities of the ideas, particularly those that were mathematical or philosophical. Revealing how these concerns led authors in the sciences to develop strategies for controlling, circumventing, or altogether avoiding the broad readership that print afforded, Loath to Print explains how quickly a gap opened between those with scientific knowledge and a lay public—and how such a gap persists today. Scholars of the early modern period and the history of the book, as well as those interested in communication and technology studies, will find this an accessible and engaging look at the complexities of sharing scientific ideas in this rich period.

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The sequel to Bernice L. McFadden's incredible classic debut and the Richard and Judy 2021 Book Club pick, SugarIn This Bitter Earth, Sugar Lacey is on her way out of Bigelow, Arkansas, where she'd come to break with the past. With her worn leopard-print suitcase and her head held high, she walks past the prying eyes of its small-minded, cruel-hearted townsfolk, praying for the strength to keep going. She doesn't stop until she arrives at her childhood home in Short Junction. Here she learns the truth about her parentage: a terrible tale of unrequited love, of one man's enduring hatred, and of the black magic that has cursed generations of Lacey women. A powerfully realised novel that brings back the unforgettable characters from Sugar, McFadden's bestselling debut, This Bitter Earth is a testament to the ultimate triumph of the human spirit.Reader reviews for Sugar'Such an enjoyable read... beautifully written, raw and impactful''Riveting, heart-breaking''Very powerful, poignant''Beautifully written... brutal and moving... a must read book''Well-written with rich characters and many twists and turns''So descriptive yet easy to read, and it made me fall in love with all the characters'

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---------------------- 'So electrifyingly suspenseful and so brilliantly vivid, that I had to put it down to catch my breath at times - and I mean this as a compliment! There are so many beautiful details woven into this completely original concept exploring the visceral fears of motherhood, that any reader's heart will race, and then break, and then race again, from beginning to end.' Ashley AudrainLincoln is a good boy. At the age of four, he is curious, clever and well behaved. He does as his mum says and knows what the rules are.'The rules are different today. The rules are that we hide and do not let the man with the gun find us.'When an ordinary day at the zoo turns into a nightmare, Joan finds herself trapped with her beloved son. She must summon all her strength, find unexpected courage and protect Lincoln at all costs - even if it means crossing the line between right and wrong; between humanity and animal instinct.It's a line none of us would ever normally dream of crossing.But sometimes the rules are different.Previously published as Fierce Kingdom.'A page-turning, adrenaline-soaked read . . . an eloquent and meditative insight into motherhood and what it means, its many small trials and wonders.' Alison Flood, Observer

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This 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?

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PRE-ORDER PRECIPICE, THE THRILLING NEW NOVEL FROM ROBERT HARRIS, NOW - PUBLISHING AUGUST 2024'Harris is a master of pace and entertainment' Observer'Could scarcely be more of the moment' The TimesNothing 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

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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 she 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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Comet Street Kids reading books follow the adventures of Rav, Asha, Tess and Finn, four of the residents of Comet Street. There are 72 exciting stories in the series that children won't be able to put down. It’s World Book Day at school! Finn can’t wait, especially as his favourite author will be visiting the school. But when the day arrives, Finn is too nervous to speak to the author. Will he get another chance later in the day?Reading age: 6-7 years

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If you love the Bridgertons, wait until you discover the Blydons, the debut Regency romance trilogy by the author of the global phenomenon Bridgerton.

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The current focus on the theme of authorship in Medieval and Early Modern studies reopens questions of poetic agency and intent. Bringing into conversation several kinds of scholarship on medieval authorship, the essays in Author, Reader, Book examine interrelated questions raised by the relationship between an author and a reader, the relationships between authors and their antecedents, and the ways in which authorship interacts with the physical presentation of texts in books. The broad chronological range within this volume reveals the persistence of literary concerns that remain consistent through different periods, languages, and cultural contexts. Theoretical reflections, case studies from a wide variety of languages, examinations of devotional literature from figures such as Bishop Reginald Pecock, and analyses of works that are more secular in focus, including some by Chaucer and Christine de Pizan, come together in this volume to transcend linguistic and disciplinary boundaries.

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This book brings together critical essays on the role of the actor-author, spanning the period from the Renaissance to the present. It surveys the works of Dario Fo, De Filippo, and Bene, and casts light on a tradition which continues into Neapolitan and Sicilian theatre today.

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As a longstanding fan of bestselling author Jivan Childering, aspiring young novelist Jessica Lord is dismayed on encountering the man himself to find him aloof, arrogant and stand-offish. But, some months later, many thousands of miles away in Western Australia, Jessica's path is destined to cross with Jivan's once more - and she begins to see a different side to this talented yet reserved and private man. For his part, Jivan finds himself increasingly drawn to the unpretentious Jessica, and impressed by her single-minded determination to follow her dreams of becoming a successful writer. But following a bitter divorce, Jivan has vowed never to get romantically involved with a woman again. Can Jessica break down his emotional barriers?

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