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Bodies: The 'It Girl' Book of the Year
by Christine Anne FoleyYou were everything I ever wanted. Johnny was my first. I was seventeen and I was only brave enough to talk to him after I'd had three vodkas. He was only brave enough to kiss me when no-one else was around. Dave was different. We didn't go out or see friends. We were each other's world. Dave was all I needed. We were toxic before it became fashionable. Kyle was my best friend. And that was the problem. Or at least that's what he said was the problem. Because friends can hook up but they can't date.Adam was meant to be some harmless fun. I met him in a hotel and he was wearing an Adidas tracksuit. Casual but cute. He was anything but harmless.And then I met You.And things went from bad to worse.Readers are OBSESSED with Bodies:'Raw, dark and unflinching' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'Such a powerful read and one I couldn't put down' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'Loved, loved, loved it [...] I don't want to spoil the story - go and read it for yourself' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader reviewSpeaks the truth of [...] how it is to be a woman in a man's world' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'A hate letter to the type of men who make it their life's mission to damage, use and abuse women' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'Heartbreaking, dark and thrilling in equal measures' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review
The Bone Hunters: 'An engrossing tale of a woman striving for the recognition she deserves' SUNDAY TIMES
by Joanne Burn'An engrossing tale of a woman striving for the recognition she deserves in the face of male indifference and betrayal' SUNDAY TIMES 'Best historical fiction for February 2024'THE ESSEX SERPENT MEETS AMMONITE IN THE STUNNING HISTORICAL NOVEL EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT:'Singular and astonishing . . . I've never met a character quite like Ada' ANNIE GARTHWAITE'The Bone Hunters has cemented Joanne Burn's place as one of my favourite writers' SONIA VELTON'Joanne Burn is fast becoming my go-to historical fiction writer' EMMA CARROLL'The Bone Hunters is that rare combination . . . beautifully written but also a gripping page-turner' LAURA SHEPPERSON________In 1824, Lyme Regis is as tumultuous as the sea that surrounds it. When twenty-four-year-old Ada Winters - poor, peculiar and brilliant - uncovers a set of unusual fossils on the cliffs, she believes she has found the answer to her scientific frustrations and her family's financial struggles. Meanwhile, Doctor Edwin Moyle has come to Dorset in search of the discovery that will place him amongst the greatest geologists of the age. What he finds instead is a strange young woman who seems to hold the key to everything he desires. But what is the creature that Ada and Edwin seek to unearth? And will it lead them to greatness, or destruction?________'Delicate and beautiful, I loved it' POLLY CROSBY'An extraordinary book . . . I fell in love with Ada from the first page' ELIZABETH LEE'A beautifully written tale of obsession, friendship, betrayal, ambition and love' ROZ WATKINS'So beautifully and brilliantly written. Every word dripped with atmosphere' CAROLE MATTHEWS
The Book of Secrets: The dark and dazzling new book from the bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl!
by Anna MazzolaThe thrilling and unputdownable new novel from bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl, Anna Mazzola!'Vividly alive with menace, magic, and mystery' ESSIE FOX'A vivid and atmospheric historical adventure' DAILY MAIL'A writer of great variety and inventiveness. A haunting, complex work' THE TIMES Rome, 1659.Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth.To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out. Stefano's investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished...The Book of Secrets is inspired by real events that took place in 17th century Italy.Praise for The Book of Secrets:'Exceptional. Anna Mazzola's finest work yet' ELODIE HARPER'Dark, viscerally-atmospheric and richly-imagined' TAMMY COHEN'Utterly compelling, brilliant and rage-inducing' CAROLINE LEA'Deeply unsettling in all the best ways. Absolutely loved it!' JAMES OSWALD'Compelling and brilliantly atmospheric' ANDREW TAYLOR'Rich and satisfying... another superb historical thriller from Anna Mazzola' CAROLINE GREEN'A hugely entertaining read but also an important one in an era when women's rights are being called into question. Magnificent' LIZ NUGENT'A fascinating, evocative, darkly beautiful story. A compelling tale of female strength & ancient knowledge'HELEN FIELDS'A powerful, perceptive page turner. Feminist historical fiction that is chillingly timely. Bravo!'D V BISHOP'I couldn't put it down. A spectacular insight into life for women in 17th century Rome. I adored it' JULIE OWEN-MOYLAN'A tense and pacy historical thriller that fans of Robert Harris will love. I inhaled this book' TARIQ ASHKANANI'Elegant and compelling writing from an author at the peak of her powers' AJ WEST'A compulsive deep-thinking read, with a message for modern times' CATE QUINN'Passages so lyrical I read them twice. Compelling and poignant. Stunning' RACHEL WOLF'Captivating, haunting and so beautifully wrought' FREYA BERRY'Meticulously researched, beautifully constructed and jam-packed with tension!' REBECCA NETLEY
The Burial Plot: The bewitching, seductive new gothic thriller from the author of The Doll Factory
by Elizabeth MacnealShe wants him. He'll take everything.'I genuinely could not put this down' Stacey Halls'A tour de force of a gothic thriller. I devoured it' Gillian McAllister'Taut, propulsive, beautifully done' Susan Stokes-ChapmanFrom Elizabeth Macneal, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory, The Burial Plot is a spellbinding Gothic thriller about murder and manipulation. London, 1839. With the cemeteries full and money to be made in death, tricksters Crawford and Bonnie survive on wicked schemes and ill-gotten coin. But one blistering evening, their fortunes flip. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.Crawford secures her a position as lady’s maid in a grand house on the Thames. As Bonnie comes to understand the family – the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself – she begins to question what secrets are lying behind the house’s paper-thin walls and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning.Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . .
Butcher
by null Joyce Carol OatesFrom one of our most accomplished storytellers, an extraordinary and arresting novel about a women’s asylum in the nineteenth century, and a terrifying doctor who wants to change the world. In this harrowing story based on authentic historical documents, we follow the career of Dr. Silas Weir, “Father of Gyno-Psychiatry,” as he ascends from professional anonymity to national renown. Humiliated by a procedure gone terribly wrong, Weir is forced to take a position at the New Jersey Asylum for Female Lunatics, where he reigns. There, he is allowed to continue his practice, unchecked for decades, making a name for himself by focusing on women who have been neglected by the state—women he subjects to the most grotesque modes of experimentation. As he begins to establish himself as a pioneer of nineteenth-century surgery, Weir’s ambition is fueled by his obsessive fascination with a young Irish indentured servant named Brigit, who becomes not only Weir’s primary experimental subject, but also the agent of his destruction. Narrated by Silas Weir’s eldest son, who has repudiated his father’s brutal legacy, Butcher is a unique blend of fiction and fact, a nightmare voyage through the darkest regions of the American psyche conjoined, in its startling conclusion, with unexpected romance. Once again, Joyce Carol Oates has written a spellbinding novel confirming her position as one of our celebrated American visionaries of the imagination. ‘Simply the most consistently inventive, brilliant, curious and creative writer going, as far as I’m concerned’ Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl 'A master storyteller' The Times
The City of Stardust: an enchanting, escapist and magical debut (The City of Stardust)
by Georgia SummersCurses are made to be broken.'ENTHRALLING TO THE LAST PAGE' SHELLEY PARKER-CHANFilled with magic, stardust, and a shockingly dark heart, this is a stunning standalone fantasy perfect for fans of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Starless Sea and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.For centuries, Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor is a woman named Penelope, who never ages, never grows sick - and never forgives a debt. Ten years ago, Violet Everly's mother left to break the curse, and never returned. Now Violet must find her mother, or she will be taken in her place. Her hunt leads her into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods, and monsters bent on revenge. And into the path of Penelope's quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted - and yet to whom she finds herself undeniably drawn. Tied to a very literal deadline, Violet will travel to the edges of the world to find her mother and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began . . .AUTHORS LOVE THE CITY OF STARDUST'A starry tale of curses, gods and scholars that glitters with magic. Beautifully spellbinding' M.A. KUZNIAR'A spellbinding and mesmerising tale intricately crafted with writing that glitters. The City of Stardust is like reading V. E. Schwab for the first time' BEA FITZGERALD'A Gaiman-esque world of scheming scholars and soul-stealing gods . . . Memorable and accomplished' LUCY HOLLAND'Utterly mesmerising' A. Y. CHAO'A compelling story full of magic, curses, keys, and stories . . . Readers who loved The Starless Sea or The Ten Thousand Doors of January will also love this darkly magical book' KAT HOWARD'A dark, gorgeous tale of curses, gods and monsters, with the love and loyalty of family at its heart' SANGU MANDANNAREADERS LOVE THE CITY OF STARDUST'Reminiscent of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern. Knowing this is a debut work floored me as - for me - this is as near a perfect book as you can get' Netgalley - 5 star review'I inhaled The City of Stardust in one day. Books, libraries, quests, strange worlds, a doomed love, betrayal, abandonment, courage, sacrifice - this book has it all' Netgalley - 5 star review'I truly loved this book, I devoured it' Netgalley - 5 star review'Wow! I so loved this book, I resented having to put it down to go to sleep, it was so gripping' Netgalley - 5 star review
Court of Wanderers: the highly anticipated sequel to the action-packed dark fantasy SILVER UNDER NIGHTFALL! (Silver Under Nightfall)
by Rin ChupecoThe highly anticipated sequel to the action-packed dark fantasy SILVER UNDER NIGHTFALL! Perfect for fans of CASTLEVANIA and Jay Kristoff's EMPIRE OF A VAMPIRE!Bound by fate, united by darkness.Vampire hunter Remy Pendergast and his unexpected vampiric royal companions, Lord Zidan Malekh and Lady Xiaodan Song, are on the road through the kingdom of Aluria again after a hard-won battle against the formidable Night Empress. Xiaodan, severely injured and powerless, causes the trio to seek refuge at the mysterious Court of Wanderers. Meanwhile, Remy must confront his strange dreams of the Night Empress, a woman he has long suspected to be his own mother. As family secrets unravel, Remy must face a heart-wrenching choice between his parents' legacies and his own destiny. Disguised as Malek and Xiaodan's human familiar, Remy navigates the vampire courts and a series of gruesome murders. All while the trio's unbreakable bond is tested as they unlock new, formidable powers, each revelation exacting a new devastating toll. The cost of power may prove too high in this thrilling tale of love, betrayal, and supernatural warfare.'Sharp, thrilling, and action-packed, with a hell of a bite'K. S. Villoso
Creepy Creations (Dread Wood)
by Jennifer KillickThe brand new World Book Day adventure and must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spooky Crater Lake. Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps.
The Crooked Oak Mysteries (The Crooked Oak Mysteries #5)
by Dan SmithA meteorite harbouring an alien lifeform crashes to Earth with horrifying consequences in this gruesome and gripping tale from master of creepy sci-fi Dan Smith.
Crow Moon: The atmospheric, chilling debut thriller that everyone is talking about … first in an addictive, enthralling series (A Martha Strangeways Investigation #1)
by Suzy AspleyFirst in a series: A Martha Strangeways InvestigationAn investigative reporter gives up her job when her young twins are killed in a fire, but when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager, she’s thrust into a chilling investigation that will leave no one unscathed…Strathban, Scotland. A village steeped in folklore and impenetrable mists and a horrifying mystery…Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire. Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, she carries their teeth in a matchbox wherever she goes...But her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back... When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows. As darkness descends on the village of Strathban, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha…Both a nerve-shattering, enthralling and atmospheric thriller and a moving tale of grief and psychological damage, Crow Moon is a staggeringly accomplished debut and the start of an addictive, unforgettable series.
A Cruel Twist of Fate
by H. F. AskwithAnd Then There Were None meets The Inheritance Games, with a heavy dash of The Woman in Black, in this gloriously gothic YA mystery-thriller.When eighteen-year-old Helena is sent to be a governess at Archfall Manor - a beautiful but crumbling manor house, perched at the edge of a causeway in the North Sea - she feels confident she will know how to deal with the esteemed but eccentric Cauldwell family who own it. But it quickly becomes clear that the Cauldwells are hiding more than Helena could ever have dreamed of.A series of sinister events come to a head with a gruesome death - swiftly followed by another. Worse still, with the path back to the mainland cut off by a terrible storm, and no way to get help, suspicions and paranoia quickly run rampant.But the Cauldwells aren't the only ones keeping secrets. Helena has some very important ones of her own - and soon she begins to wonder whether dark powers beyond her control might be forcing her to twist the fate of the family - and her own destiny - forever.Praise for A Dark Inheritance: "A powerful, heart-racing story of family, fate, and writing your own destiny. Intricately plotted and luminously written - I loved it" Laura Steven, author of The Society for Soulless Girls
The Dawn of the Cursed Queen: The latest sizzling, dark romantasy book in the Gods & Monsters series! (Gods and Monsters #3)
by Amber V. NicoleSAMKIEL AND DIANNA RETURN'A wicked ride from beginning to heart shattering end. Leaving me literally screaming for more. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to get more our morally corrupt heroine who you can't help but root for, along with the giggle inducing banter between her and the heroic god Samkiel' HANNAH NICOLE MAERHER_________________________WHERE THERE ARE GODS, THERE ARE ALSO MONSTERS . . .Ask her what she ripped from the very heavens.And then ask her if she cares.Betrayed and bloodied, The Hand has failed. After a desperate battle, Nismera, the Goddess of War, now rules the realms as the last remnants of Samkiel's power spill across the sky.Desperate to keep Samkiel safe after almost losing him, Dianna is willing to give up everything to protect him, even if that means sacrificing their relationship itself. But that's not a risk Samkiel is willing to take, even as the stakes grow ever higher.The one true king is poised to return, but when the dust settles, who will truly rule? Don't miss the first two books in this series, THE BOOK OF AZRAEL and THE THRONE OF BROKEN GODS, and Book 4 coming soon!_________________________'Amber's series breaks the rules in the best way. Her main character is strong, capable, and unapologetically powerful. There is no damsel here. This story is filled with fast-paced action, an in-depth world, and a romance that goes from simmer to boil. If you like romantasy, read this!' RAVEN KENNEDY'Once in a while I read a series that reminds me of just why I love enemies to lovers, slow burn, and morally grey characters so much. Gods and Monsters is that series. This is perfection. Amber Nicole's Dianna is the FMC of my soul' NISHA J. TULI⭐ Readers can't get enough of Samkiel and Dianna! ⭐'This was a wild ride that kept me on my toes, broke my heart thouroghly and made me cry so much, a story of mourning and love. I can't wait for book 3' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'An emotional rollercoaster . . . I honestly wish I could read these books again and again for the first time. And I need to mention the stunning writing- it's hard to make an almost 900 page book feel so epic and to flow as easily as it does, but Amber does it so incredibly well. I'm just so blown away by everything in this series . . . I'm SO excited for the next book and can't wait to be back in this world!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'The Throne of Broken Gods shattered me into little tiny pieces, I am fully broken but I absolutely loved every second of it. I cried so much and felt so many emotions that I have never felt before . . . My only question is when is the third book coming out? . . . This was a brilliant, perfect and extraordinary book, that I'm going to recommend to everyone, because everyone needs to read this miracle!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I cannot say enough positive things about this book . . . Amber Nicole is a freaking genius . . . Dianna is one of the best FMCS ever written and the journey she goes on if phenomenal . . . This book was everything! . . . I say I consumed this masterpiece but really it consumed me!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This sequel was everything I could have wished for and more. . . . Amber's worldbuilding is utter perfection. The intricate plot, world, history- amazing!! The multiple POV's, the back stories we get and views of the events of the first book... these were EVERYTHING! This book gets ALL the love, stars, whatever because it utterly deserves it!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Down Among the Dead: A Rose Gifford Book (Rose Gifford series #3)
by C S GreenThe gripping new thriller from C.S. Green – featuring Detective Rose Gifford
Empire of the Damned (Empire of the Vampire #2)
by Jay KristoffThe highly anticipated sequel to the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE 'Bloody brilliant'V.E. Schwab ‘A ripping read’Joe Abercrombie
Epidemic Cinema: The Rise of a Genre (Routledge Advances in Film Studies)
by Julia EcheverríaThis book examines the recent trend in global cinema to feature infectious disease. As the global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic materialised the anxieties and discourses of world risk that had long been portrayed in popular media, the book provides a novel definition of the epidemic film genre and offers a systematic look into the narrative and stylistic conventions that characterise it. Epidemic Cinema traces the evolution of the genre from its early cinematic origins to establish the founding principles of a genre standing at the crossroads between science-fiction and horror. It draws on close textual analysis to show how the pandemic reified one of the central predicaments of epidemic narratives: the constant tension existing between free-floating phenomena and the impulse to control and resist such phenomena, ultimately epitomised by the trope of the border. Showing how infectious diseases offer a rich allegorical frame which cinema uses to articulate timely anxieties of growingly invisible and deterritorialised risks, the author presents the prevalence of contagion in popular culture as a symptom of this growingly viral and virus-ridden context, both in its most literal and metaphorical sense. This insightful study will interest students and scholars of film studies, global cinema, science-fiction, horror, popular culture and genre theory.
Epidemic Cinema: The Rise of a Genre (Routledge Advances in Film Studies)
by Julia EcheverríaThis book examines the recent trend in global cinema to feature infectious disease. As the global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic materialised the anxieties and discourses of world risk that had long been portrayed in popular media, the book provides a novel definition of the epidemic film genre and offers a systematic look into the narrative and stylistic conventions that characterise it. Epidemic Cinema traces the evolution of the genre from its early cinematic origins to establish the founding principles of a genre standing at the crossroads between science-fiction and horror. It draws on close textual analysis to show how the pandemic reified one of the central predicaments of epidemic narratives: the constant tension existing between free-floating phenomena and the impulse to control and resist such phenomena, ultimately epitomised by the trope of the border. Showing how infectious diseases offer a rich allegorical frame which cinema uses to articulate timely anxieties of growingly invisible and deterritorialised risks, the author presents the prevalence of contagion in popular culture as a symptom of this growingly viral and virus-ridden context, both in its most literal and metaphorical sense. This insightful study will interest students and scholars of film studies, global cinema, science-fiction, horror, popular culture and genre theory.
Extinction: a blockbuster thriller about the dangers of genetic engineering perfect for fans of Jurassic Park
by Douglas PrestonAn epic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston, perfect for fans of Michael Crichton. Extinction explores the very real effort to resurrect the woolly mammoth and other extinct megafauna from the Pleistocene Age.Erebus Resort, occupying a magnificent hundred-thousand acre valley deep in the Colorado Rockies, offers guests the experience of viewing woolly mammoths, Irish Elk, and giant ground sloths in their native habitat, brought back from extinction through the magic of genetic manipulation. When a billionaire's son and his new wife are kidnapped and murdered in the Erebus back country by what is assumed to be a gang of eco-terrorists, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frances Cash partners with county sheriff James Colcord to track down the perpetrators.As killings mount and the valley is evacuated, Cash and Colcord must confront an ancient, intelligent, and malevolent presence at Erebus, bent not on resurrection... but extinction.Reviews for Extinction'A creepy and creative variation on Jurassic Park... as smart and spine-chilling as the best of Michael Crichton.' Publishers WeeklyA thriller as breathlessly riveting as you would expect from a genre master like Douglas Preston, but much more too: it's meaty and thought-provoking, and tells us a lot about our distant past - and our immediate future. Spectacular!' Lee Child'One of the most heart-stopping, terrifying climaxes of any novel I've read in recent years. Preston ingeniously combines real-life science and technology into his novels, and Extinction brings it all together in a thriller that's truly thrilling!' Tess Gerritsen'Preston is a master storyteller. I'm still thinking about Extinction which is both entertaining and frightening, every page like a tasty treat. You have to read this!' Steve Berry
Faebound
by Saara El-ArifiFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of THE FINAL STRIFE, comes an enchanting new trilogy.
Fervour
by Toby Lloyd'Intriguing, propulsive and profoundly disturbing, this is a fearless look into the dark heart of family politics from a naturally gifted storyteller'JONATHAN COE'A suspenseful debut novel that propels the reader deep into the heart of an idiosyncratic family'OBSERVER'Remarkable . . . a work of real poignancy'DAILY MAIL'Extraordinary. . . A tremendous debut from a strikingly talented new writer'KIRKUS (starred review)'Gripping and powerful . . . Fans of Isaac Bashevis Singer and Stephen King alike will thrill to this superb modern folk tale'PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)'In this debut that explores identity, faith, and folklore . . . the dynamics are acutely observed, the characters vividly realised, and the escalating drama has the hypnotic, chilling effect of a horror film'BOOKSELLER (Editor's Choice)THE ROSENTHALS ARE NOT LIKE OTHER FAMILIESHannah and Eric are devout Jews living in North London with their three children and Eric's father Yosef, a Holocaust survivor. Both intellectually gifted and deeply unconventional, the Rosenthals believe in the literal truth of the Old Testament and in the presence of God (and evil) in daily life.As Hannah prepares to publish a sensationalist account of Yosef's years in war-torn Europe - unearthing a terrible secret from his time in the camps- Elsie, her perfect daughter, starts to come undone. And then, in the wake of Yosef's death, she disappears. When she returns, just as mysteriously as she left, she is altered in disturbing ways.Witnessing the complete transformation of her daughter, Hannah begins to suspect that Elsie has delved too deep into the labyrinths of Jewish mysticism and got lost among shadows. But for Elsie's brother Tovyah, a brilliant but reclusive student at Oxford, the truth is much simpler: his sister is the product of a dysfunctional family, obsessed with empty rituals and unbridled ambition.But who is right? And how can they stop the darkness from engulfing Elsie forever?
The Fiction of Dread: Dystopia, Monstrosity, and Apocalypse
by Dr Robert T. Tally Jr.A history and examination of dystopia and angst in popular culture that speaks to our current climate of dread.At the dawn of the 20th century, a wide-ranging utopianism dominated popular and intellectual cultures throughout Europe and America. However, in the aftermathof the World Wars, with such canonical examples as Brave New World and Nineteen-Eighty-Four, dystopia emerged as a dominant genre, in literature and in social thought. The continuing presence and eventual dominance of dystopian themes in popular culture-e.g., dismal authoritarian future states, sinister global conspiracies, post-apocalyptic landscapes, a proliferation of horrific monsters, and end-of-the-world fantasies-have confirmed the degree to which the 21st is also a dystopian century.Drawing on literature as varied as H.G. Wells's The Time Machine, Neil Gaiman's American Gods, and Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, and on TV and film such as The Walking Dead, Black Mirror, and The Last of Us, Robert T. Tally Jr. explores the landscape of angst created by the monstrous accumulation of dystopian material. The Fiction of Dread provides an innovative reading of contemporary culture and offers an alternative vision for critical theory and practice at a moment when, as has been famously observed, it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.
First Lie Wins: The deviously addictive MUST-READ debut thriller for 2024
by Ashley ElstonYou meet a stranger at a party. She looks like you. Even has your name. What does she want? And how far would you go to protect it?'The best cat and mouse suspense I've read. I'm still breathless' LISA GARDNER'I devoured it. Absolutely brilliant' HEIDI PERKS'Unexpected and pacy. A brilliant central character' HARRIET TYCE'A clever, high-stakes now-you-see-me-now-you-don't thriller' A J FINN'An absolute CRACKER of a book' RACHEL ABBOTT** MAJOR TV SERIES OF FIRST LIE WINS IN DEVELOPMENT **-----Everything she is about to tell them is a lie...Evie Porter has everything a girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a picket fence, a fun group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn't exist. First comes the identity. Once she's given a name and location by her employer, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it.Then the mark: Ryan Sumner.The last piece of the puzzle is the job. For Evie, this job feels different. Ryan has gotten under her skin and she's started to picture another kind of life for herself - one where her boss doesn't pull the strings. But Evie can't make any mistakes. Because the one thing she's worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to - her real identity - just walked right into this town. A woman, who looks just like her, has stolen her name - and she wants more. As Evie's past begins to catch up with her, can she stay one step ahead to save her future?'Clever, twisty, and suspenseful. Kept me on my toes right up to the end' DIANE CHAMBERLAIN'Gripping. I loved every minute' MARY KUBICA'Smart, fast-paced and twisty... kept me on the edge of my seat' MEGAN MIRANDA'Will consume you... I devoured it' JULIE CLARK'The most suspenseful game of deception I've ever read. Brilliant' ELLE COSIMANO'Outstanding! An ingenious cat and mouse thriller' WENDY WALKER'A suspenseful, taut page-turner. Impossible to put down' MEGAN SHEPHERDReal readers are enthralled by this electrifying thriller:'This book consumed a whole 24 hours of my life' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Suspense fans rejoice - this is phenomenal' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Heartpounding . . . Definitely one of the best books this year' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'OMG I was immediately sucked in' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Absolute perfection' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A thrill ride from start to finish' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Kept me guessing until the end' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Twisty and engaging' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Had me on the edge of my seat' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Fright Bite (Dread Wood #5)
by Jennifer KillickThe brand new must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spooky Crater Lake. Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps.
The Gathering: from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man and The Burning Girls
by C. J. Tudor'An incredibly exciting novel, tightly plotted and brilliantly tense, with an atmosphere you could eat with a spoon' STUART TURTON 'A cracking read and such assured writing. She just gets better and better!' SARAH PINBOROUGH ---WELCOME TO DEADHART. ALASKA. POPULATION 673. LIVING. In a small Alaskan town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and the blood drained from his body. The brutality of the murder of chillingly echoes a killing from twenty-five years ago.Out-of-state detective Barbara Atkins is brought in to assist the sheriff, Jensen Tucker, who investigated the original case. However, the inhabitants of Deadhart believe they know who is responsible: one of the nearby vampyr colony who live in an old mining settlement deep in the mountains. Barbara is under pressure to authorize a cull of the entire colony. But the evidence doesn’t stack up, people are lying, and the more Barbara and Tucker delve into Deadhart’s history, the darker the secrets they uncover. As the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, another teenager goes missing and body parts are found. Time is running out for Barbara and Tucker to find the truth.Are they hunting a cold-blooded murderer, or a bloodthirsty monster? And which is more dangerous? ---'Tudor slays with this brilliantly imaginative take on the vampire genre. This genre is tailor made for her. It's as if it’s her own invention. There's nothing she can't turn her hand to. Fangbloodytastic' JOHN MARRS 'CJ Tudor is a genius. The Gathering kept me on the edge of my seat to the very last page. A tour de force!' AVA GLASS Praise for C. J. Tudor:'Some writers have it, and some don't. C. J. Tudor has it big time' Lee Child'C. J. Tudor is terrific. I can't wait to see what she does next' Harlan Coben'Britain's female Stephen King' Daily Mail'So menacing and claustrophobic. Ice cold and darkly bloody. I loved it. Bravo, C.J. Tudor, you are the Queen of Horror' Louise Swanson 'A peerless blend of thriller and horror, with darkness and danger pouring from every page. Powered through it in twenty-four hours' Robert Rutherford 'A truly terrifying, ice-cold chiller from the master of macabre. C.J. Tudor should be on everyone's must-read list' Chris Whitaker
The Girl Who Wasn't There
by Jacqueline Wilson'And we're going to live here, happily ever after, just like a fairy tale.'When Dad tells Luna and her little sister Aurora that they're moving to live in a real tower, it's almost like they've stepped inside a fairytale.But everything is not as magical as it first seems. The tower needs patching up, Dad still doesn't have a job and they're not even allowed in the room up at the very top.When it's time to start at their new school, Luna quickly finds a friend, but six-year-old Aurora absolutely hates the children in her class. She prefers to spend her time with her imaginary friend Tansy. Aurora's make-belief life causes problems for them all - and it seems like Aurora really believes Tansy exists...Is there really a curse on the tower - and will Luna be able to break it?A spine-tingling tale from the bestselling Jacqueline Wilson.