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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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Whether you're buying, playing, gigging, recording or a complete beginner, this title covers everything from the basics a new player needs to hints and tips for experienced guitarists, and even how to successfully start a band. It also includes topics ranging from classic rock guitar sounds through to indie, punk and psychadelic.

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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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This fully updated and expanded edition is an ideal how-to book for soldiers wanting to attain rank in the service. Includes advice and proven techniques for improving duty performance and increasing promotion points, together with samples of forms and formats for applying for promotion and for appearing before promotion boards. Includes requirements for warrant officer and commissioned officer opportunities and methods for overcoming obstacles to promotion.

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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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In the modern world of networked digital media, authors must navigate many challenges. Most pressingly, the illegal downloading and streaming of copyright material on the internet deprives authors of royalties, and in some cases it has discouraged creativity or terminated careers. Exploring technology’s impact on the status and idea of authorship in today’s world, The Near-Death of the Author reveals the many obstacles facing contemporary authors. John Potts details how the online culture of remix and creative reuse operates in a post-authorship mode, with little regard for individual authorship. The book explores how developments in algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) have yielded novels, newspaper articles, musical works, films, and paintings without the need of human authors or artists. It also examines how these AI achievements have provoked questions regarding the authorship of new works, such as Does the author need to be human? And, more alarmingly, Is there even a need for human authors? Providing suggestions on how contemporary authors can endure in the world of data, the book ultimately concludes that network culture has provoked the near-death, but not the death, of the author.

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'Delicious tensions between parents and squabbles among their children seem so harmless, yet every one has the potential to start a devastating snowball of events. I couldn’t put this one down.' - Janice Hallet author of The AppealLooking to escape her old life, Nancy and her ten-year-old daughter Lara move to Ripton. A quiet, picturesque village in the rolling Derbyshire countryside, it seems like the perfect place to settle down.But when Nancy reaches the school gates, she learns that beneath the quaint village atmosphere is a minefield. And after her daughter clashes with her school friends, Nancy quickly finds herself outside the whispering circle of parents.As much as Nancy finds the playground politics absurd, they soon become impossible to ignore when Lara is accused of hurting another girl.Desperate to clear Lara's name, Nancy is about to learn just what lengths a parent will go to for their child . . .Wry, twisting and suspenseful, Michelle Frances tells a story of schoolyard sniping turning into something much uglier in The Playground, for fans of Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.**************PRAISE FOR THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR MICHELLE FRANCES'Michelle Frances is an author we're going to hear a great deal about' JILLY COOPER‘Brilliant (toxic) context. Loved the epistolary touches. Taut, dark, and seriously addictive.’ WILL DEAN‘I tore through the pages . . . A high-speed chase of a novel’ Louise Candlish‘Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint’ Daily Mail‘Toxic family relationships, sultry European settings and an intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust’ Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet

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A powerful new novel about grief and mourning from the acclaimed and prize-winning author of The Old DriftA BARACK OBAMA BOOK OF THE YEAR and NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARI don't want to tell you what happened. I want to tell you how it felt.Cassandra is twelve; her little brother Wayne is seven. One day, when they're alone together, there's an accident and Wayne is lost forever. Though his body is never recovered, their mother can't stop searching.As Cassandra grows older, she sees her brother everywhere: in cafes, aeroplane aisles, subway cars. But it can't be, of course. Or can it? And then one day, there's another accident, and she meets a man both mysterious and familiar, a man who shares her brother's name and who is also searching for someone...'In Namwali Serpell's hands, grief is a kind of possession. The Furrows is a piercing, sharply written novel about the conjuring power of loss' - RAVEN LEILANI, author of Luster

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A laugh-out-loud, read-aloud picture-book guide to the wildest and wackiest unicorns you can imagine, from the author of the Oi Frog and Friends series, Kes Gray, and illustrator of The Dinosaur that Pooped series, Garry Parsons.Dive into this delightfully silly unicorn Who's Who and get ready to discover:- spooky BOO!nicorns- polite AFTERYOUnicorns- floating BALLOONincorns- smelly POOnicorns- clumsy BUMPINTOnicorns- and so many more!This funny and surprising new take on the unicorn craze is jam-packed with joyful wordplay and hilarious illustrations. It's also a brilliantly inventive way to encourage children's creativity and imagination.*A fully illustrated version of Daisy and Gabby's story from the bestselling Daisy and the Trouble with Unicorns*

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'Brilliant' Bella The side-splitting new novel from the bestselling author The Women of Primrose Square, perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Mhairi McFarlane and Sophie Kinsella. 'You've got someone in your life driving you nuts?I'll get rid of them for you.'Meg Monroe is a Fixer.Got a:Dodgy ex?Errant employer?Clingy former friend?Meg, using the time-honoured arts of charm, manipulation and persuasion, can make them disappear.Forever.In-demand and devilishly discreet, Meg has a 100% success rate. That is, until a previously-disappeared (or so she thought) case turns up on her doorstep, threatening to bring her entire operation crumbling down.There is not a single case that Meg cannot fix. Well, until now . . .'An immensely talented writer'Sinéad Moriarty

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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 Be careful where you bury your secrets . . . Reluctant debutante Sawyer Taft joined Southern high society for one reason and one reason alone: to identify and locate her biological father. But the answers Sawyer found during her debutante year only left her with more questions and one potentially life-ruining secret. When her cousin Lily ropes her into joining a mysterious and elite secret society called the White Gloves, Sawyer soon discovers that someone in the group's ranks may have the answers she's looking for. Things are looking up . . . until Sawyer and the White Gloves make a disturbing discovery near the family's summer home - and uncover a twisted secret, decades in the making.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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'ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANTLY INVENTIVE WRITERS OF THIS, OR ANY, COUNTRY' INDEPENDENTWinner of the Mail on Sunday/John Llewellyn Rhys Prize 'Astonishingly accomplished'THE TIMES'Remarkable'OBSERVER'Gripping'NEW YORK TIMES'Fabulously atmospheric'GUARDIAN'Engrossing'DAILY MAILA magnificent achievement and an engrossing experience, David Mitchell's first novel announced the arrival of one of the most exciting writers of the twenty-first century.An apocalyptic cult member carries out a gas attack on a rush-hour metro, but what links him to a jazz buff in downtown Tokyo? Or to a Mongolian gangster, a woman on a holy mountain who talks to a tree, and a late night New York DJ?Set at the fugitive edges of Asia and Europe, Ghostwritten weaves together a host of characters, their interconnected destinies determined by the inescapable forces of cause and effect.PRAISE FOR DAVID MITCHELL'A thrilling and gifted writer'FINANCIAL TIMES'Dizzyingly, dazzlingly good'DAILY MAIL'Mitchell is, clearly, a genius'NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'An author of extraordinary ambition and skill'INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY'A superb storyteller'THE NEW YORKER

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From the author of The Accidental Stowaway, it's 1950s London and Caro Monday and her friends have become embroiled in a dangerous art heist!When Caro Monday's mother disappears on one of her jaunts, she has no choice but to go and stay with a miserable woman that she's never met. Not only that but she's told that her beloved rabbit, His Nibs, is not allowed to go with her.Luckily, Caro's not one for following rules. With her rabbit in hiding, and her wild behaviour getting her into trouble as soon as she walks through the door, Caro is only going to find herself in deeper water. In the lining of her suitcase is a small but extraordinary painting of a thrush . . . a painting that some dangerous art thieves are hunting down!Can Caro and her friends solve the mystery of the stolen songbird and find its owners before it's too late? Here ensues an exciting dash across London, with twists and turns as plentiful as the cobbled streets which Caro and her friends must navigate!

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With Artist as Author, Christa Noel Robbins provides the first extended study of authorship in mid-20th century abstract painting in the US. Taking a close look at this influential period of art history, Robbins describes how artists and critics used the medium of painting to advance their own claims about the role that they believed authorship should play in dictating the value, significance, and social impact of the art object. Robbins tracks the subject across two definitive periods: the “New York School” as it was consolidated in the 1950s and “Post Painterly Abstraction” in the 1960s. Through many deep dives into key artist archives, Robbins brings to the page the minds and voices of painters Arshile Gorky, Jack Tworkov, Helen Frankenthaler, Kenneth Noland, Sam Gilliam, and Agnes Martin along with those of critics such as Harold Rosenberg and Rosalind Krauss. While these are all important characters in the polemical histories of American modernism, this is the first time they are placed together in a single study and treated with equal measure, as peers participating in the shared late modernist moment.

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“A courageous novel, beautifully imagined and written.” —Elena Lappin, The Washington Post"De Cespedes' work has lost none of its subversive force”—The New York Times Book Review* "De Céspedes’s melancholy testament to a hidden life feels timeless and vital." —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)From the author of Forbidden Notebook, Alba de Céspedes, a richly told novel she called “the story of a great love and of a crime.”As she looks back on her life, Alessandra Corteggiani recalls her youth during the rise of fascism in Italy, the resistance, and the fall of Mussolini, the lives of the women in her family and her working-class neighborhood, rigorously committed to telling “her side of the story.” Alessandra witnesses her mother, an aspiring concert pianist, suffer from the inability to escape her oppressive marriage. Later, she is sent away to live with her father's relatives in the country, in the hope she’ll finally learn to submit herself to the patriarchal system and authority. But at the farm, Alessandra grows increasingly rebellious, conscious of the unjust treatment of generations of hardworking women in her family. When she refuses the marriage proposal from a neighboring farmer, she is sent back to Rome to tend to her ailing father.In Rome, Alessandra meets Francesco, a charismatic anti-fascist professor, who ostensibly admires and supports her sense of independence and justice. But she soon comes to recognize that even as she respects Francesco and is keen to participate in his struggle to reclaim their country from fascism, this respect is unrequited, and that her own beloved husband is ensnared by patriarchal conventions when it comes to their relationship. In these pages, De Céspedes delivers a breathtakingly accurate and timeless portrayal of the complexity of the female condition against the dramatic backdrop of WWII and the partisan uprising in Italy.

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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

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The side-splitting new novel form the bestselling author The Women of Primrose Square, perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Mhairi McFarlane and Sophie Kinsella. Meet Meg Monroe, the fixer. If you want to get rid of someone you call Meg. (No, not like that - this would be a very different book!)Using her brilliant intuition, people reading skills and with masterful manipulation Meg befriends her mark and tells them what they want to hear, using it to convince them to see the error of their ways. She's never once found a case she can't handle - affairs, clingy former-friends, useless employees and exes that can't take the hint. But when a blast from the past turns up on Meg's doorstep, will she get caught in her own web of lies?

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FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SNAP'A remarkable achievement' Independent'One of the leading names in crime fiction.' Stylist Magazine___The eight-year-old boy had vanished from the car and - as if by slick, sick magic - had been replaced by a note on the steering wheel:You don't love himAt the height of summer a dark shadow falls across Exmoor. Children are being stolen.There are no explanations, no ransom demands...and no hope.Policeman Jonas Holly faces a precarious journey into the warped mind of the kidnapper if he is to find them. But there are some who would say that Jonas is the last man to entrust with this job...___Readers love Finders Keepers:'Taught, tense and unputdownable' *****'An incredible page turner' *****'Carefully crafted, intricately plotted and a joy to read' *****

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The legend of Podkin One-Ear continues in this second Five Realms' adventure from the winner of the Blue Peter Best Story Award.The bard tiptoes out of his room, the crow-dream still echoing in his head, making him twitch at imaginary creaks of iron wings . . .The bard must leave Thornbury. It is not safe for him to stay. Rue, his new apprentice, travels with him - keen to learn his trade - and hear the next installment in the legend of Podkin One-Ear . . .Podkin and his fellow rabbits have been sheltering in Dark Hollow after their battle with Scramashank. Paz tends to the rabbits with sleeping sickness; Crom meets with the war council . . . Podkin has nothing to do! Frustrated, Podkin goes exploring and discovers an abandoned underground chamber. Armed with the Gift of Dark Hollow, Podkin learns to moonstride, and Paz is rewarded with a magical gift of her own . . .'A spellbinding story full of friendship, excitement and magic.' Guardian'Kieran Larwood's talent and his passion for his wonderful characters leap off every page.' David Long, author of Survivors'One of the best books I have ever read.' Cally Evans, age 10, Lovereading4kids

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What do you do when your perfect life spins out of control? A gripping psychological thriller from bestselling author Tony Parsons.'Hard to put down, I tore through it in two sittings. This tale of an illicit one-night stand with devastating consequences is a hugely enjoyable read.' ALEX MICHAELIDES'Bears comparison with his 2000 novel, Man and Boy ... Laced with humanity and the shadow of guilt, this is Parsons at his very best.' DAILY MAIL'Such a compelling read - and a brilliant depiction of both marriage and infidelity. There's unputdownable and there's walking-into-lamp-posts with the latest Tony Parsons in your hand.' CELIA WALDEN____________________________Tara Carver seems to have the perfect life. A loving mother and wife, and a business woman who runs her own company, she's the sort of person you'd want to live next door to, who might even become your best friend.But what sort of person is she really?Because in one night of madness, on a work trip far from home, she puts all this at risk. And suddenly her dream life becomes a living nightmare when the married man she spent one night with tells her he wants a serious relationship with her. And that he won't leave her or her precious family alone until she agrees.There seems to be only one way out.And it involves murder...____________________________'Emotionally powerful, beautifully written and observed, this is one to savour.' CARA HUNTER, author of Close to Home and All the Rage'Tony Parsons excels at presenting his narratives in the clearest possible prose while revealing the toughest of human emotions ... fast-moving and involving' LITERARY REVIEW'I can testify it is a real humdinger!' PIERS MORGAN'100% unputdownable. High on my list for a lockdown read so an ideal gift to send to your locked-down Valentines ... No gift like the gift of an up to the Insta moment page-turner' OLIVIA COLE'A roller-coaster read' BELLA

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The bewitching first novel from the bestselling author of THE IMMORTALISTS'Benjamin is a gifted writer, a creator of quiet asides and haunting images' Financial Times'Matches the subtle surrealism of a dream with the underpinnings of a thriller' Emma Straub'You wonder if here is a writer who is truly capable of anything' Daily MailSylvie and Gabe meet and fall in love at boarding school in Northern California when they are just teenagers. Their headmaster is the enigmatic and mysterious Dr Keller, a man obsessed with the idea that people's waking stress and trauma can be cured in their dreams. The young couple can't help but be drawn into his magnetic pull and slowly become involved in his research. Years later, Sylvie and Gabe are once again working on Dr Keller's experiments and Sylvie slowly begins to realise there is more both to her employer and her lover than meets the eye, and that the line between dreams and reality has become dangerously blurred.

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THE ICONIC AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLING PHENOMENON CRAZY RICH ASIANS RETURNS WITH THE GLITTERING TALE OF A YOUNG WOMAN WHO FINDS HERSELF TORN BETWEEN TWO MEN.'Your perfect summer read' Daily Mail'Delightful' Independent'Laugh-out-loud funny' Sunday MirrorWhen Lucie Tang Churchill meets George Zao at a lavish wedding in Capri, she can't stand him. She can't stand that he gallantly offers to trade hotel rooms with her so she can have a sea view, that he knows more about the island than she does, and worst of all, that he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins. What would her Mayflower-descended, Wall Street-wealthy family think of him? But years later, when Lucie is weekending with her fiancé in East Hampton, George unexpectedly appears and Lucie must decide - does she follow her head or her heart? A gloriously decadent homage to A Room with a View, Sex and Vanity is a glittering modern love story and a brilliantly funny comedy of manners set between two cultures.

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'A cracking good read' JESSIE KEANEThe must-read gangland crime novel from bestseller Roberta KraySHE'S BEEN BETRAYED . . .Judith Jonson has been a widow for five years, after the untimely death of her husband Dan. Then one day she sees a picture in the paper - the aftermath of a dramatic robbery in London's West End - and Judith can't believe her eyes. It's Dan, she'd stake her life on it. Or his life, rather.SHE WANTS REVENGE.Judith begins a hunt for the man she thought she married, and in amongst the lowlifes of the East End's underworld she finds more than she bargained for. But Judith had better be careful; the rule of law doesn't apply in Kellston. She's been deceived, but she doesn't want to end up dead . . .Full of the same danger and grit as it's London's setting, this is bestselling author Roberta Kray at the top of her game. Get ready for a KILLER read . . .Praise for ROBERTA KRAY:'Well into Martina Cole territory' Independent'Action, intrigue and a character-driven plot . . . sure to please any crime fiction fans' Woman'Gripping' Daily Express'Great writing, gripping story, loved it' Mandasue Heller

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Meet the Lakefront Billionaires . . .Get ready for another addictive romance from international bestselling author and TikTok sensation, Lauren AsherJulianIf I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muñoz would fan the flames with a smile.So, when she returns to Lake Wisteria, I fully intend to avoid the interior designer.At least until my meddling mother exploits my saviour complex.The faster I help Dahlia find her creative spark, the sooner she will leave town.But while I was busy getting rid of Dahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.What happens if I want her to stay?DahliaPeople say the devil has many faces, but I know only one.Julian Lopez - my childhood rival and family frenemy.I vow to steer clear of him while recovering from my broken engagement, but then the billionaire makes an irresistible offer.Renovate a historic house together and triple our profits.Our temporary truce becomes compromised as we face years' worth of denied attraction and mixed emotions.Giving into our desire is inevitable . . . but falling in love?That isn't part of the plan.'Lauren Asher is an expert at giving readers everything they could ever want in a romance book. It's impossible to avoid becoming addicted to the world she builds' Hannah Grace

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Branding the Beur Author focuses on the mainstream media promotion of literature written by the descendants of North African immigrants to France (often called beurs). These conversations between journalists and ‘beur’ authors delve into contemporary debates such as the explosion of racism in the 1980s and the purported role of Islam in French society in the 1990s. But the interests of journalists looking for sensational subject matter also heavily shape the promotion and reception of these novels: only the ‘beur’ authors who employ a realist style to write about the challenges faced by the North African immigrant population in France—and who engage on-air with French identity politics and immigration—receive multiple invitations to participate in interviews. Previous scholarship has taken a necessary first step by analyzing the social and political stakes of this literature (using labels such as ‘beur’ and/or ‘banlieue,’ to designate its urban, economically distressed setting), but the book argues that we must move beyond this approach because it reproduces the selection criteria deployed by the media that determine which books receive the most commercial and critical support. By demonstrating how minority-based literary labels such as ‘francophone’ and ‘postcolonial’ are always already defined by the socio-political context in which books are published and promoted, the book establishes that these labels are tautological and cannot reflect the thematic and stylistic richness of beur (and other minority) production in France.

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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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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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