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The Love Lottery: a comic tale of lessons in life, love, dating and the odd samosa party
by Raj DhaliwalIn our fast-paced digital age, never has finding the one felt more like playing the lottery. If anyone knows about the cruelty and chaos of dating in the 21st century it’s Raj Dhaliwal; accountant by day, hopeless romantic by night. By his own admission, Raj is a tax wizard but a clumsy disaster area when it comes to matters of the heart. This book charts his misadventures in the art of looking for love in an age when a man’s best intentions can be coldly dismissed by a swipe to the left. The Love Lottery: a comic tale of lessons in life, love, dating and the odd samosa party explores the emotional rollercoaster of dating, charting the epic excitement and anticipation, highs, lows and disappointments of our ever optimistic search for romance. As a British-born Indian gent, Raj compares and contrasts the social and cultural distinctions between his family, his friends and the women he meets on the dating scene; a route to romance that’s littered with speed dating, online dating and feverish matchmaking, in this funny and heart-warming book. As self-appointed United Nations Love Ambassador, Raj has made it his mission to date the weird and the wonderful in the pursuit of lasting love. Want to play The Love Lottery? Then read on.
At The Dark Hour
by John WilsonA loving a air is destroyed by the Blitz on London. Julia ends her relationship with Adam. Her concern is for her children and that, if she is divorced, she will lose them. What is the nature of love? Does it have gradations? Love, and it’s textures, lie at the heart of this story. Love is where you find it. And sometimes it ambushes you. And, often, it is hidden.
The Old You
by Louise VossNail-bitingly modern domestic noirA tense, Hitchcockian psychological thrillerLouise Voss returns with her darkest, most chilling, novel yet…Lynn Naismith gave up the job she loved when she married Ed, the love of her life, but it was worth it for the happy years they enjoyed together. Now, ten years on, Ed has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and things start to happen; things more sinister than missing keys and lost words. As some memories are forgotten, others, long buried, begin to surface … and Lynn’s perfect world begins to crumble.But is it Ed’s mind playing tricks, or hers…?‘The slow reveals and hints at the darkness to come make it impossible to put down’ Sarah Pinborough‘A cracking page-turner that sucks you straight into the dark heart of human behaviour’ Marnie Riches‘Completely gripping’ Cass Green‘Twists, turns and stabs you in the heart. It deserves to be huge’ Martyn Waites‘A brilliant tale of deception with a twist that took my breath away’ Mark Edwards‘I was guessing right to the end’ Katerina Diamond‘Brilliantly unsettling’ Jane Casey‘Cleverly plotted and beautifully executed’ Susi Holliday‘Poignant, clever and terrifically tense’ William Shaw‘A must-read for all psychological thriller fans’ Steph Broadribb‘A twisty, thrilling read with engaging and complex characters!’ Sarah Ward‘Kept me up way past my bedtime … really original and compelling’ Howard Linskey‘Filled with jaw-dropping revelations’ Off-the-Shelf Books‘Cleverly woven and atmospheric’ Liz Loves Books‘Exceptionally clever, intriguing and mysterious … this is how a psychological crime thriller should be written’ Random Things through My Letterbox‘Gripping and twisty’ Mel McGrath‘Ingeniously plotted and totally addictive‘ Paddy Magrane‘A disturbing, brilliant tale of lies and psychological manipulation’ Kate Rhodes’Tense, super-twisty and well-written’ Amanda Jennings’Left me in awe, and lost for words’ Steph’s Book Blog’A masterclass in how to write an accomplished, clever and slick domestic noir – characters that are believable, secrets that are merely hinted at and twists that are genuinely jaw-dropping without being absurd. This is a meticulously plotted book that doesn’t put a foot wrong as it tiptoes its way through a marriage that is put under strain by an illness when its perfect veneer is cracked’ Beverley Has Read
Absolution (Claymore Straker #4)
by Paul E. HardistyIt’s 1997, and eight months since vigilante justice-seeker Claymore Straker fled South Africa after his explosive testimony to Desmond Tutu’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.In Paris, Rania LaTour, Claymore’s former lover, comes home to find that her son and her husband, a celebrated human rights lawyer, have disappeared.On an isolated island off the coast of East Africa, the family that Clay has befriended is murdered as he watches.So begins the fourth instalment in the Claymore Straker series, a breakneck journey through the darkest reaches of the human soul, as Clay and Rain fight to uncover the mystery behind the disappearances and murders, and find those responsible.Relentlessly pursued by those who want them dead, they must work together to uncover the truth, and to find a way to survive in a world gone mad.At times brutal, often lyrical, but always gripping, Absolution is a thriller that will leave you breathless and questioning the very basis of how we live and why we love.‘A trenchant and engaging thriller that unravels this mysterious land in cool, precise sentences’ Stav Sherez, Catholic Herald‘This is a remarkably well-written, sophisticated novel in which the people and places, as well as frequent scenes of violent action, all come alive on the page...’ Literary Review‘Gripping and exciting … the quality of Hardisty’s writing and the underlying truth of his plots sets this above many other thrillers’ West Australian‘Searing … at times achieves the level of genuine poetry’ Publishers Weekly‘A stormer of a thriller - vividly written, utterly tropical, totally gripping’ Peter James‘Beautifully written, blisteringly authentic, heart-stoppingly tense and unusually moving’ Paul Johnston‘The plot burns through petrol, with multiple twists and turns’ Vicky Newham‘A solid, meaty thriller – Hardisty is a fine writer and Straker is a great lead character’ Lee Child‘A fast-paced action thriller, beautifully written’ Tim Marshall, author of Prisoners of Geography
Fault Lines
by Doug JohnstoneBrilliantly constructed speculative crime fictionA classic whodunitDark psychological suspenseDoug Johnstone returns with his most explosive and original thriller yet…A little lie … a seismic secret … and the cracks are beginning to show…In a reimagined contemporary Edinburgh, where a tectonic fault has opened up to produce a new volcano in the Firth of Forth, and where tremors are an everyday occurrence, volcanologist Surtsey makes a shocking discovery. On a clandestine trip to new volcanic island The Inch, to meet Tom, her lover and her boss, she finds his lifeless body, and makes the fatal decision to keep their affair, and her discovery, a secret. Desperate to know how he died, but also terrified she’ll be exposed, Surtsey’s life quickly spirals into a nightmare when someone makes contact – someone who claims to know what she’s done…‘A cracking and highly original thriller’ Mark Billingham‘You don’t read Fault Lines so much as you white-knuckle your way through its twists and turns’ Megan Abbott‘A superb, highly original psychological chiller’ Steve Cavanagh‘Richly characterised, beautifully crafted, this is a book that you truly inhabit’ Emma Kavanagh ‘Scotland’s truest exponent of noir’ Chris Brookmyre'A subtly off-kilter speculative thriller that builds to a truly explosive ending’ Eva Dolan‘A pacey, gripping read’ Louise Voss‘Sexy, fearless and addictive’ Helen FitzGerald‘Johnstone weaves his compelling and original tale with great skill and elegance from the gripping beginning to a tense and explosive ending' Amanda Jennings‘Brilliantly unputdownable’ Martyn Waites‘Superb’ Luca Veste‘Blending powerful imagination and plotting, this is the work of a writer at the top of his game’ Stuart Neville‘Plays with every single emotion’ Susi Holliday‘This had me hooked from the first page’ Cass Green‘Poignant, gripping and packed with seismic shocks’ Paddy Magrane‘Incisive, intelligent and imaginative’ Michael J. Malone‘I was completely swept away’ Caroline Mitchell‘Hits you lie a seismic shock’ Douglas Skelton‘Grabs you by the throat in the first chapter’ Neil Broadfoot‘A highly imaginative, hauntingly beautiful and genuinely clever whodunnit’ Liz Loves Books‘His best book yet! I simply devoured this fast-paced, explosive thriller’ Portobello Book Blog‘An explosive thriller’ Daily Record’I read the book in one sitting, turning the pages as fast as my reading speed would allow’ Off-the-Shelf Books’Filled with edge-of-your-seat moments, heartbreak, and the possibilities that can spiral from telling a lie’ What Jess Reads
Do No Harm
by L. V. HayTill death do us part…After leaving her marriage to jealous, possessive oncologist Maxwell, Lily and her six-year-old son have a second chance at happiness with headteacher Sebastian. Kind but vulnerable, Sebastian is the polar opposite of Maxwell, and the perfect match for Lily. After a whirlwind romance, they marry, and that’s when things start to go wrong…Maxwell returns to the scene, determined to win back his family, and events soon spiral out of control. Lily and Sebastian find themselves not only fighting for their relationship, but also their lives…Chilling, dark and terrifying, Do No Harm is a taut psychological thriller and a study of obsession, from one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction.‘Well written, engrossing and brilliantly unique’ Heat‘Prepare to be surprised’ Closer‘A claustrophobic and complex read’ Culture Fly‘Sharp, confident writing’ Peter James‘Wonderfully layered and gripping’ Jendella Benson‘I couldn’t put it down’ Paula Daly‘Propulsive, inventively and purely addictive’ Crime by the Book ‘Intense and pacy’ Mari Hannah ‘Wrong-foots you in ALL the best ways’ Caz Frear ‘Original, daring and emotionally truthful’ Paul Burston‘Slick and compulsive’ Random Things through My Letterbox ‘Crackles with tension’ Karen Dionne ‘A contemporary thriller with a heart of darkness’ Live and Deadly ‘Dark, compelling, twisted, thought-provoking and emotional’ Chapter in My Life
Overkill (Sam Shephard #1)
by Vanda Symon‘A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist’ Kate MosseWhen the body of a young mother is found washed up on the banks of the Mataura River, a small rural community is rocked by her tragic suicide. But all is not what it seems.Sam Shephard, sole-charge police constable in Mataura, soon discovers the death was no suicide and has to face the realisation that there is a killer in town. To complicate the situation, the murdered woman was the wife of her former lover. When Sam finds herself on the list of suspects and suspended from duty, she must cast aside her personal feelings and take matters into her own hands.To find the murderer … and clear her name.A taut, atmospheric and page-turning thriller, Overkill marks the start of an unputdownable and unforgettable series from one of New Zealand’s finest crime writers.‘Vanda Symon is part of a new wave of Kiwi crime writers … her talent for creating well-rounded characters permeates throughout’ Crimewatch
The Lion Tamer Who Lost
by Louise BeechShortlisted for the Sapere Books ‘Most Popular Romantic Fiction’ Award at the 2019 RNA AwardsLonglisted for the Polari PrizeA heartbreaking, breathtakingly beautiful love story with an unforgettable tragedy at its heart, from the critically acclaimed, award-winning author of Maria in the Moon and Call Me Star Girl‘Beech eloquently conveys their feelings and longings and sets atmospheric, vividly drawn scenes that transport the reader from grey and damp England to the searing heat of the lion reserve …The Lion Tamer Who Lost will touch the most hardhearted of readers with its persuasive, well-drawn and memorable characters’ Daily Express'A devastating, tender and powerful story love story, beautifully and bravely told. You will lose your heart to this book. I adored it’ Miranda DickinsonBe careful what you wish for…Long ago, Andrew made a childhood wish, and kept it in a silver box. When it finally comes true, he wishes he hadn’t…Long ago, Ben made a promise and he had a dream: to travel to Africa to volunteer at a lion reserve. When he finally makes it, it isn’t for the reasons he imagined…Ben and Andrew keep meeting in unexpected places, and the intense relationship that develops seems to be guided by fate. Or is it? What if the very thing that draws them together is tainted by past secrets that threaten everything?A dark, consuming drama that shifts from Zimbabwe to England, and then back into the past, The Lion Tamer Who Lost is also a devastatingly beautiful love story, with a tragic heart…‘A stirring novel, beautifully written, reminiscent of the early work of Maggie O’Farrell’ Irish Times‘Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will love it’ Red Magazine‘An excruciatingly passionate love story… In its surprising turns and lovely particulars … A beautiful text’ Foreword Reviews‘This book really got under my skin as a beautiful portrait of love, loss and longing’ Irish Sunday Independent'An incredible, poignant piece of work. Louise Beech had cemented her place as one of Britain’s finest modern storytellers’ John Marrs'A beautiful, honest and tender love story that I won’t forget for a long time …Their love had me trapped in its spell, their tragic moments had me sobbing like a baby … A triumph’ Fionnuala Kearney‘A beautifully crafted book’ Carol Lovekin‘Louise Beech has totally blown me away with her storytelling’ Madeleine Black‘I adored this beautiful and inspiring book’ Kate Furnivall‘Already one of my favourites of 2018’ LoveReading‘Storytelling at its finest. Louise Beech is a beguiling wordsmith. Prepare to be hooked’ Amanda Prowse‘Digs deep emotionally, but is funny and feel-good, too’ Fiona Mitchell‘A stunning and very brave book’ Gill Paul‘The setting alone makes this book worth a read’ S. E. Lynes‘Heartfelt and wry’ Ruth Dugdall‘Louise Beech is a natural-born storyteller with an elegance about her writing that never fails to move me’ Michael J. Malone‘There are times when you finish reading a book and know that part of it will stay with you always. This will be one of those books’ Claire Allan‘It put me in mind of John Irving. It’s that feeling of being in the hands of a master storyteller and just trusting him or her so completely’ Laura Pearson’Vivid, passionate and exquisitely told, this love story will live on in my heart for a very long time to come. A poignant, surprising and all-consuming read’ Katie Marsh
After He Died
by Michael MaloneWhen a strange woman slips a note into grieving widow Paula’s pocket at her husband’s funeral, everything suggests that he was not all that he seemed … A devastatingly moving, explosive psychological thriller from the international bestselling author of A Suitable Lie.‘Disturbing but compulsive … I loved it’ Martina Cole'Bristling with unease, this is domestic noir at its very darkest, twisting the marriage thriller into a new and troubling shape' Eva Dolan‘Vivid, visceral and compulsive’ Ian Rankin_________________You need to know who your husband really was…When Paula Gadd’s husband of almost thirty years dies, just days away from the seventh anniversary of their son, Christopher’s death, her world falls apart. Grieving and bereft, she is stunned when a young woman approaches her at the funeral service, and slips something into her pocket. A note suggesting that Paula’s husband was not all that he seemed…When the two women eventually meet, a series of revelations challenges everything Paula thought she knew, and it becomes immediately clear that both women’s lives are in very real danger.Both a dark, twisty slice of domestic noir and taut, explosive psychological thriller, After He Died is also a chilling reminder that the people we trust the most can harbour the deadliest secrets…_________________Praise for Michael J. Malone‘Gripping and suspenseful fare that reinforces Malone’s renown for producing psychological thrillers’ Herald Scotland'It’s a tough high-wire act, balancing believability with surprise, but the author pulls it off with aplomb. Excellent stuff’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue‘Michael J Malone has portrayed this beautifully and managed to get the balance just right … A well-paced, excellent read’ Promoting Crime‘After he Died is a fantastic read packed with engaging characters and a compelling narrative’ CrimeSquad‘An explosive tale, one that takes hold, bites, and doesn’t let go’ LoveReading‘A stark, gripping storyline’ Scots‘A fine, page-turning thriller’ Daily Mail‘Original, engrossing and scary’ The Times‘Brilliantly creepy’ Daily Record‘Genuinely shocking’ Crime by the Book‘Delightfully disturbing’ Chapter in My Life‘Michael Malone has a way of telling a story that just leaves you more than a little disturbed yet breathless with admiration’ Live & Deadly‘Enthralling, wonderful, intense, full of suspense and twists that had my head in a spin! Crime Book Junkie‘Michael J. Malone is quickly making his way up my list of favourite authors’ Always Trust in Books
Trap (Reykjavik Noir #2)
by Lilja SigurdardóttirHigh-stakes jeopardy presides when young mother is forced into smuggling cocaine, in a dark and original, nail-bitingly fast-paced thriller from one of the queens of Icelandic Noir…‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermid‘Tense and pacey, this intriguing mix of white-collar and white-powder crime could certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, but I would suggest reading its excellent predecessor, Snare, first’ Laura Wilson, GuardianHappily settled in Florida, Sonja believes she’s finally escaped the trap set by unscrupulous drug lords. But when her son Tomas is taken, she’s back to square one … and Iceland.Her lover, Agla, is awaiting sentencing for financial misconduct after the banking crash, and Sonja refuses to see her. And that’s not all … Agla owes money to some extremely powerful men, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it back.With her former nemesis, customs officer Bragi, on her side, Sonja puts her own plan into motion, to bring down the drug barons and her scheming ex-husband, and get Tomas back safely. But things aren’t as straightforward as they seem, and Sonja finds herself caught in the centre of a trap that will put all of their lives at risk…Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Trap is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’ Marcel Berlins, The Times‘With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride … Stylish, taut and compelling’ Jon Coates, Daily Express‘Pacey and tense, Trap is full of delicious carnage that could translate well to the screen’ New Zealand Listener‘This is a searing portrait of the less salubrious parts of the Icelandic psyche as well as a riveting thriller’ Sunday Express‘Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns’ The Times Crime Club'Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy ... a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting’ Liz Robinson, LoveReading‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books‘Sigurdardottir provides a skillful combination of Nordic noir, hardboiled financial thriller and high-octane narco drama, filled with sympathetic characters that you can’t help identifying with even as they break the law’ Crime Fiction Lover‘The action is fast, helped by the short chapters switching us from one set of characters to another, the villains ruthless, and the undercover world of Iceland vividly evoked. A treat for fans’ Promoting Crime‘Smart, ambitious and hugely satisfying’ Eva Dolan‘An enthralling tale of love and crime’ Michael Ridpath‘Zips along with tension building and building’ James Oswald'An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm’ Alexandra Sokoloff‘Compelling … this is prime binge-reading’ Booklist‘The suspenseful Trap takes full advantage of its fresh setting and is a worthy addition to the icy-cold crime genre popularized by Scandinavian noir novels’ Foreword Reviews
Good Samaritans (Detective Sergeant Pace Series #1)
by Will CarverShortlisted for Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers’ AwardsLonglisted for the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize THRILLER OF THE YEAR in GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH AND DAILY EXPRESS‘Totally addictive. Like Fight Club, only darker’ S.J. Watson‘I loved this book. Dark and at times almost comical, a great blend of crime thriller and the darkest imaginable domestic noir’ Sarah PinboroughDark, deviant and disturbing domestic noir … one of the most entrancing, sophisticated and page-turning psychological thrillers of the year…One crossed wire, three dead bodies and six bottles of bleach…Seth Beauman can’t sleep. He stays up late, calling strangers from his phonebook, hoping to make a connection, while his wife, Maeve, sleeps upstairs. A crossed wire finds a suicidal Hadley Serf on the phone to Seth, thinking she is talking to The Samaritans.But a seemingly harmless, late-night hobby turns into something more for Seth and for Hadley, and soon their late-night talks are turning into day-time meet-ups. And then this dysfunctional love story turns into something altogether darker, when Seth brings Hadley home…And someone is watching…Dark, sexy, dangerous and wildly readable, Good Samaritans marks the scorching return of one of crime fiction’s most exceptional voices.‘So dark, so cool’ Lisa Howells, Heat Magazine‘Will Carver’s invigoratingly nasty novel … is a bleak vision of life: not the whole truth of it, thank god, but true enough to impart to the reader the thrill of genuine discomfort, presented with the chilly conviction of Simenon’s most unflinching romans dues and just as horribly addictive’ Jake Kerridge, The Telegraph‘Carver weaves these strands together for an unsettling but compelling mixture of the banal, the horrific and, at times, the near-comic, wrong-footing the reader at every turn’ Laura Wilson, Guardian‘In this frantic read in sheer overdrive, Carver appeals to the worst voyeur in all of us and delivers the goods with a punch and a fiendish sense of pace and dark humour … my type of noir’ Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time‘Must Read!’ Daily Express‘Beautiful, gripping and disturbing in equal measure, a postcard from the razor’s edge of the connected world we live in’ Kevin Wignall‘Possibly the most interesting and original writer in the crime-fiction genre, and I've loved his books for years. Good Samaritans is his best to date – dark, slick, gripping, and impossible to put down. You'll be sucked in from the first page’ Luca Veste‘Oh My God, Good Samaritans is amazing. I’m a little in love with your writing Will Carver’ Helen FitzGerald, Author of The Cry‘Sick … in the best possible way. Will Carver delivers a delicious slice of noir that will have you reeling’ Michael J. Malone‘If you’re looking for a genuinely creepy thriller, checkout Good Samaritans… completely enthralled’ Margaret B Madden‘Dark, edgy, disturbing, shocking and sexy. It’s also highly original and one of the best thrillers of the year … You need to read this book’ Michael Wood’A twisted, devious thriller’ Nick Quantrill'A dark and addictive novel that felt deliciously sexy to read, like I should read it where no one could see’ Louise Beech‘A pitch dark, highly original, thrilling novel. If you’re a fan of Fight Club, you’ll love this’ Tom Wood‘A provocative, heady, unique, challenging read and it is absolutely blimmin wonderful!’ LoveReading
Cage (Reykjavik Noir #3)
by Lilja SigurdardottirDrugs, smuggling, big money and political intrigue in Iceland rally with love, passion, murder and betrayal until the winner takes all … in the masterful, explosive conclusion to the award-winning Reykjavík Noir trilogy…***Guardian Book of the Year***‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermid‘One of the darkest and most compelling series in modern crime fiction … Tackling topical issues, the book will tell you a great deal about why the world’s in the state it is, while never neglecting its duty to entertain’ Sunday Express ‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’ The Times_________________The prison doors slam shut behind Agla, when her sentence ends, but her lover Sonja is not there to meet her.As a group of foreign businessmen tries to draw Agla into an ingenious fraud that stretches from Iceland around the world, Agla and her former nemesis, María find the stakes being raised at a terrifying speed.Ruthless drug baron Ingimar will stop at nothing to protect his empire, but he has no idea about the powder keg he is sitting on in his own home.At the same time, a deadly threat to Sonya and her family brings her from London back to Iceland, where she needs to settle scores with longstanding adversaries if she wants to stay alive._________________‘Cage is the muted and more credible conclusion to a wayward, but diverting trilogy that began with Snare (2017) and continued with Trap (2018) — ironic titles for essentially escapist fiction … Compassion beats complexity every time’ The Times‘In keeping with a lot of Icelandic fiction, Cage is written in a clean, understated style, the author letting the reader put together the emotional beats and plot developments. Smart writing with a strongly beating heart’ Big Issue‘Deftly plotted though and with a forensic attention to the technicalities of stock exchange manipulations and drug running techniques’ Crime Time‘With shocks and surprises in store, and that oh so satisfying end, Cage provoked, chilled, and thrilled me’ LoveReading‘A novel about survival, about scheming, it’s about self-preservation and about clinging to a vestige of decency in a screwed up world. Superbly translated by Quentin Bates, who knows the language, the country, the people and crime writing intimately. Cage is a pacy thriller; you will find yourself invested in the story’ New Books Magazine‘An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm, as desperate, resourceful, profoundly lovable characters scheme against impossible odds’ Alexandra Sokoloff‘Clear your diary. As soon as you begin reading … you won’t be able to stop until the final page’ Michael Wood‘Zips along, with tension building and building … thoroughly recommend’ James Oswald‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books
The Lingering
by SJI HollidayA twisty, chilling psychological thriller cum gothic ghost story set in a Victorian psychiatric home with a disturbing history, and someone set on revenge…LONGLISTED for the Guardian’s Not the Booker PrizeNumber One Bestseller in Ebook’Cements Holliday’s position as one of the most gifted and entertaining psychological thriller writers in the business’ Steve Cavanagh‘Saunters from creepy to genuinely terrifying … I was completely unable to put it down’ Elizabeth Haynes‘In the new wave of gothic novels, The Lingering is a stand-out triumph’ Eva Dolan‘An atmospheric chiller of a book … reminiscent of early James Herbert’ Fiona CumminsMarried couple Jack and Ali Gardiner move to a self-sufficient commune in the English Fens, desperate for fresh start. The local village is known for the witches who once resided there and Rosalind House, where the commune has been established, is a former psychiatric home, with a disturbing history.When Jack and Ali arrive, a chain of unexpected and unexplained events is set off, and it becomes clear that they are not all that they seem. As the residents become twitchy, and the villagers suspicious, events from the past come back to haunt them, and someone is seeking retribution…At once an unnerving mystery, a chilling thriller and a dark and superbly wrought ghost story, The Lingering is an exceptionally plotted, terrifying and tantalisingly twisted novel by one of the most exciting authors in the genre.'Utterly beguiling and darkly sinister, this superb Gothic ghost tale is a brilliantly crafted rug puller’ Lisa Howells, Heat Magazine‘A wonderful cross-over novel that ranges from taut psychological chiller to supernatural suspense … Nail-biting stuff, superbly executed’ Sunday Times‘Readers will find this contemporary gothic tale hard to put down’ Publishers Weekly‘A thrilling, chilling, shocking tale, perfect if you take delight in an icy shiver scuttling down your spine’ LoveReading‘Brilliantly chilling and perfectly paced’ Anna Mazzola‘One of the most original ghost stories I have ever read’ Cass Green‘Like Stephen King meets Thomas Harris’ Derek Farrell‘A serious spine-chiller from an exceptional talent’ Chris Whitaker‘Tense and chilling, with a creeping sense of unease’ Neil Broadfoot‘Perfectly paced and guaranteed to cause you sleepless nights for all the right reasons. Fans of Susan Hill and Andrew Taylor, take note’ David Mark‘Creepy, unsettling and all-consuming’ Jenny Blackhurst‘Spooky, compelling and chilling’ Jane Isaac‘Eerie and unsettling, with a bittersweet beauty’ Fergus McNeill‘Unnerved me right from the start’ June Taylor’A perfect winter read’ Lisa Gray‘An unsettling tale of haunting … that lingers in the mind’ Mason Cross‘A relentlessly unnerving mystery – like shuffling footsteps from a long-locked attic’ Matt Wesolowski‘Gets under your skin and stays there’ Quentin Bates‘The story is at the same time a locked room mystery, a chilling thriller and a dark and complex ghost story which has been described as both creepy and chilling’ Mystery People
Deep Dirty Truth (Lori Anderson #3)
by Steph BroadribbSingle-mother Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson returns in another nail-biting, high-voltage read. When Lori is kidnapped, and her family threatened, she has 48 hours to save them … or lose everything…‘A real cracker’ Mark Billingham‘My kind of book’ Lee Child‘Like Midnight Run, but much darker … really, really good’ Ian RankinA price on her head. A secret worth dying for. 48 hours to expose the truth…Single-mother bounty-hunter Lori Anderson finally has her family back together, but her new-found happiness is shattered when she’s snatched by the Miami Mob – and they want her dead. Rather than a bullet, they offer her a job: find the Mob’s ‘numbers man’ who’s in protective custody after being forced to turn federal witness against them. If Lori succeeds, they’ll wipe the slate clean and the price on her head – and those of her family – will be removed. If she fails, they die.With North due in court in 48 hours, Lori sets off across Florida, racing against the clock to find him and save her family. Only in this race the prize is more deadly – and the secret she shares with JT more dangerous – than she ever could have imagined.In this race only the winner gets out alive…‘Lori thinks with viper-like speed, speaks with strength and acts from her gut. Steph Broadribb has constructed a thoroughly believable world full of substantial yet flawed characters. I quite simply love this series, I leap in with total faith and just let myself go. Deep Dirty Truth is a thrilling, assertive and energetic read’ LoveReading'Sharp, thrilling and one hell of a ride. This series just gets better and better!’ Chris Whitaker‘Brilliant and pacey’ Steve Cavanagh‘Perfect for fans of Lee Child and Janet Evanovich’ Alex Caan‘Broadribb’s writing is fresh and vivid, crackling with life … an impressive thriller, the kind of book that comfortably sits alongside seasoned pros’ Crime Watch‘Fresh, fast and zinging with energy’ Sunday Mirror‘Romping entertainment that moves faster than a bullet’ Sunday Express‘Stylish with an original take on the lone wolf/bounty hunter theme. This is a novel alive with tension and intriguing twists. … There’s a good deal of wit at the expense of the complacent, anachronistic, loud mouthed quick-fisted mobsters. Just a whole hell of a lot of fun’ New Books Magazine‘This is every bit as lively an outing for Broadribb’s heroine as its predecessor, and the pace is satisfyingly unrelenting’ Barry Forshaw’s Book of the Month, CrimeTime‘Fast-faced, page-turning thriller … It is so refreshing to read a thriller with a female central character. Especially when that female is as all-round compelling as Lori Anderson’ CrimeSquad‘Nerve-wracking and so fast-paced you won’t have time to even stop and breathe … a totally cracking book three’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews‘A compelling and thrilling read, with a kickass protagonist readers are going to love’ By-the-Letter Book Reviews‘With a heroine who jumps off the page and a fantastic supporting cast, this series is a sure-fire winner for anyone with a pulse’ SJI Holliday‘Fast and furious … a book you genuinely can’t put down’ TripFiction‘The best one yet’ Ginger Nut‘A tightly plotted, breathlessly paced, action packed, character driven novel that reads like the best blockbuster action movies’ Beardy Book Blogger‘Addictive, fun, bang on the money from first page to last!’ Liz Loves Books‘Superb’ Hair Past a Freckle
The Ringmaster (Sam Shephard #2)
by Vanda SymonThe heart-stoppingly tense next instalment in the richly atmospheric, page-turning and international bestselling Sam Shephard series … for fans of The Dry‘Finally, UK readers get to discover New Zealand’s own Queen of Crime. Vanda Symon is a big talent and everything she writes is fast, intelligent and utterly gripping. In Sam Shephard, Symon has created a compelling series lead, and her treatment of small-town New Zealand is superbly atmospheric. This one’s a cracker’ Liam McIlvanney‘Vanda Symon is part of a new wave of Kiwi crime writers … her talent for creating well-rounded characters permeates throughout’ Crimewatch‘It is Symon’s copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer’s real achievement’ Barry Forshaw, The GuardianDeath is stalking the South Island of New ZealandMarginalised by previous antics, Sam Shephard, is on the bottom rung of detective training in Dunedin, and her boss makes sure she knows it. She gets involved in her first homicide investigation, when a university student is murdered in the Botanic Gardens, and Sam soon discovers this is not an isolated incident. There is a chilling prospect of a predator loose in Dunedin, and a very strong possibility that the deaths are linked to a visiting circus…Determined to find out who’s running the show, and to prove herself, Sam throws herself into an investigation that can have only one ending…Rich with atmosphere, humour and a dark, shocking plot, The Ringmaster marks the return of passionate, headstrong police officer, Sam Shephard, in the next instalment of Vanda Symon’s bestselling series.‘MUST HAVE’ Daily Express‘A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist’ Kate Mosse‘Antipodean-set crime is riding high thanks to the likes of Jane Harper and fans of The Dry will also like Vanda Symons’ Red Magazine‘One of the best in this genre that I’ve read in years’ Trena Marshall, Waikato Times‘A rollicking good read’ Kim Knight, Sunday Star Times‘Lively evocation of small-town life, with a plot that grabs the reader’s attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn’t let go’ The Times‘The Ringmaster is an absolute beauty of a read, well-written, absorbing, and extremely enjoyable’ LoveReading‘The Ringmaster wowed me with its twisty journey, weaving various threads together, right through the shocking, and surprising, ending. This gripping series is a definite ‘must read’ for me – and for anyone else who loves entertaining, humorous crime fiction with plenty of heart’ Off-the-Shelf Books‘This would be a brilliant holiday read, so if you’re looking for a book to read on the beach, I can highly recommend this one’ Segnalibro‘Atmospheric, gripping and incredibly satisfying; my only problem is that I read it too quickly and now have to wait for the next instalment!’ Random Things Through My Letterbox‘With taut writing and brilliantly developed characters, this is turning into a must-read crime series. I, for one, can’t wait to read more. Roll on book three’ Hooked From Page One
Breakers
by Doug JohnstoneA pulsatingly tense psychological thriller and a breathtakingly brutal, beautiful and deeply moving story of a good kid in the wrong family, from one of Scotland’s finest crime writers.SHORTLISTED for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year***BOOK OF THE YEAR in SCOTSMAN***‘It’s a lovely, sad tale, beautifully told and full of understanding’ The Times‘The most powerful and moving book from Johnstone yet – a calling card that no-one can ignore’ Scotsman‘A cracking story, great characters … it’s also about something and really addresses the “whys” of crime’ Mark Billingham‘This may be Doug Johnstone’s best book yet. An unsparing yet sympathetic depiction of Edinburgh’s ignored underclass, with terrific characterisation. Tense, pacey, filmic’ Ian Rankin________________________________There are two sides to every family…Seventeen-year-old Tyler lives in one of Edinburgh’s most deprived areas. Coerced into robbing rich people’s homes by his bullying older siblings, he’s also trying to care for his little sister and his drug-addict mum.On a job, his brother Barry stabs a homeowner and leaves her for dead, but that’s just the beginning of their nightmare, because the woman is the wife of Edinburgh’s biggest crime lord, Deke Holt.With the police and the Holts closing in, and his shattered family in devastating danger, Tyler meets posh girl Flick in another stranger’s house, and he thinks she may just be his salvation … unless he drags her down too._________________‘It’s as psychologically rich as it is harrowing. I’ve come to expect nothing less from Doug Johnstone, one of the genre’s premiere writers’ Megan Abbott‘Breakers again shows that Doug Johnstone is a noir heavyweight and a master of gritty realism. This may be his finest novel yet’ Willy Vlautin‘Doug Johnstone is for me the perfect free-range writer, respectful of conventions but never bound by them, never hemmed-in. Each book is a different world, each book something new in this world’ James Sallis‘Bloody brilliant … This is premier league crime writing’ Martyn Waites‘A tough, gritty and effective ride into the dark side of Edinburgh’ Douglas Skelton‘Pacy, harrowing and occasionally brutal …had me in tears at the end…’ Paddy Magrane‘The tale is both horrifying and uplifting, and one of those books I looked forward to picking up each time I had a moment to read … I hope it does as well as it deserves to’ James Oswald ‘Oh. My. God. This was sooo good. Read it in two days. Gripping, dark, fast, but still somehow full of heart’ Louise Beech‘A brooding, intensely dark thriller with a defiant beating heart. Evocative, heartbreaking and hopeful – the power of the human spirit to shine in the most desperate place … STUNNING’ Miranda Dickinson
In the Absence of Miracles
by Michael J. MaloneA young man discovers a family secret that turns his world upside down in this dark, emotive, shocking psychological thriller by number-one bestselling author Michael J. Malone‘A tense, immersive thriller that kept me guessing’ Ian Rankin‘Malone is the master of twists, turns and the unexpected, with the skill to keep things grounded. So much so, that the reader can picture themselves in the very circumstances described. Superb storytelling from a master of his craft’ Herald Scotland‘Beautiful, lyrical prose takes the reader through a perfectly constructed, often harrowing tale’ Denzil Meyrick_________________John Docherty’s mother has just been taken into a nursing home following a massive stroke and she’s unlikely to be able to live independently again.With no other option than to sell the family home, John sets about packing up everything in the house. In sifting through the detritus of his family’s past he’s forced to revisit, and revise his childhood.For in a box, in the attic, he finds undeniable truth that he had a brother who disappeared when he himself was only a toddler. A brother no one ever mentioned. A brother he knew absolutely nothing about. A discovery that sets John on a journey from which he may never recover.For sometimes in that space where memory should reside there is nothing but silence, smoke and ash. And in the absence of truth, in the absence of a miracle, we turn to prayer. And to violence._________________Shocking, chilling and heartbreakingly emotive, In the Absence of Miracles is domestic noir at its most powerful, and a sensitively wrought portrait of a family whose shameful lies hide the very darkest of secrets.‘With each turn of the page, a more shocking detail is revealed and some of the people John thought might help him are not who they seem … The domestic noir tale is one that many families will be able to relate to … There is barely enough time to catch your’ Scotsman‘Challenging and emotional, In the Absence of Miracles enthrals as it corkscrews to a shocking, yet ultimately rewarding end’ LoveReading‘Malone’s latest is an unsettling, multi-layered and expertly paced domestic noir drama that delves into one family’s dark secrets, shame and lies’ CultureFly‘Malone is a poet, there are wonderful lyrical passages here and very skilful storytelling. Some issues are not spoken about enough, Malone raises a couple of those issues and sensitively but realistically addresses them…’ New Books Magazine‘Engrossing, hard-hitting – even shocking – with a light poetic frosting. Another superb read!’ Douglas Skelton‘A chilling tale of secrets, lies and the ultimate betrayal’ Theresa Talbot‘Emotional. Brave. Dark. Raw. Utterly beautiful’ Louise Beech’A breathtakingly good book; powerful yet tender and an emotional master class in how to write about harrowing and difficult issues. An absolute must-read’ Hair Past a Freckle‘A dark, harrowing and destructive read, yet it is also a compelling, emotive, poignant and relatable story’ The Writing Garnet‘Domestic noir at its darkest’ Books, Life & Everything‘A very emotional and devastating read … I felt richer for having read it’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews
The Last Stage
by Louise VossA reclusive musician’s hiding place is discovered, forcing her to confront her traumatic past … and someone seeking vengeance. A dark and riveting psychological thriller from number-one bestselling author Louise Voss‘Superb, like an episode of Midsomer Murders written by Gillian Flynn’ Mark Edwards‘Such a great concept. Enthrallingly gripping – and those twists! A must read’ Angela ClarkeAt the peak of her career as lead singer of a legendary 1980s indie band, Meredith Vincent was driven off the international stage by a horrific incident. Now living a quiet existence in a cottage on the grounds of an old stately home, she has put her past behind her and come to terms with her new life.When a body is found in the manicured gardens of her home, and a series of inexplicable and unsettling events begins to occur, it becomes clear that someone is watching, someone who knows who she is … Someone who wants vengeance.And this is only the beginning…A dark, riveting and chilling psychological thriller, The Last Stage is also a study of secrets and obsessions, where innocent acts can have the most terrifying consequences.‘I’ve been a fan of Louise Voss for years and I honestly think THE LAST STAGE is her best yet. A superb read’ Cass Green‘Twists, turns and stabs you in the heart. It deserves to be huge’ Martyn WaitesPRAISE FOR LOUISE VOSS‘An expert piece of contrivance’ Publishers Weekly‘Brilliantly unsettling’ Jane Casey‘Ingeniously plotted and totally addictive’ Paddy Magrane‘I was guessing right to the end’ Katarina Diamond‘A compelling descent into darkness’ Ed James‘A cracking page-turner that sucks you straight into the dark heart of human behaviour. I couldn’t put it down!’ Marnie Riches‘A tense, super-twisty, well-written page-turner … Fab read’ Amanda Jennings‘Poignant, clever and terrifically tense’ William Shaw, author of The Birdwatcher‘A highly entertaining, thoroughly enjoyable and gripping read’ LoveReading
The Lori Anderson Bounty Hunter Series (Lori Anderson #0)
by Steph BroadribbGet the first four books in the breathtakingly fast-paced, both hard-boiled and heart-breaking Lori Anderson series in one GREAT-VALUE box set.Single mum and part-time Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson is no super-hero, but she’s skilled, smart and fiercely determined … and she’ll stop at nothing when her family is threatened. An electric, action-packed, blisteringly authentic series of thrillers by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.‘A real cracker’ Mark Billingham‘My kind of book’ Lee Child‘Like Midnight Run, but much darker … really, really good’ Ian RankinDeep Down Dead (Book One)Lori Anderson manages to keep her career as a part-time bounty-hunter separate from her role as single mother to nine-year-old Dakota, who suffers from leukaemia. But when the hospital bills start to rack up, she has no choice but to take her daughter along on a job that will make her a fast buck. And that’s when things start to go wrong. The heart-wrenching, explosive first instalment in the nail-biting, bestselling Lori Anderson series.Deep Blue Trouble (Book Two)With her lover, JT, behind bars and heading for death row, single-mother Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson takes on an off-the-books job that could threaten everything… Breathlessly paced and bursting with high-voltage action and edge-of-your-seat jeopardy, Deep Blue Trouble is the unmissable next instalment of the Lori Anderson series, featuring one of the most memorable and fearless female characters in crime fiction.Deep Dirty Truth (Book Three)Single-mother Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson returns in another nail-biting, high-voltage read. When Lori is kidnapped, and her family threatened, she has 48 hours to save them … or lose everything. In this race, only the winner gets out alive. The breathtaking, breakneck third instalment in the addictive Lori Anderson series.Deep Dark Night (Book Four)Fearless but vulnerable Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson travels to Chicago to trap the head of a notorious crime family, in a high-stakes, nail-biting mission that sees her trapped in one of the city’s tallest buildings during a blackout… The fourth, breathtaking instalment in the nerve-shattering Lori Anderson series.Praise for the Lori Anderson seriesShortlisted for:**The Kathy Reichs Award for Fearless Female Character****The Cat Amongst the Pigeons Award for Most Exceptional Debut****FINALIST IN THE INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARDS FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL**‘Fast-paced, engaging and hugely entertaining’ Simon Toyne‘Deft and assured’ Chris Whitaker‘Brilliant and pacey’ Steve Cavanagh‘A hell of a thriller’ Mason Cross‘If you love romantic suspense, you’ll love this ride’ Alexandra Sokoloff‘Suspense, action, romance, danger and a plot that will keep you reading into the wee small hours’ Lisa Gray‘One of my favourite debut novels for a long, long time’ Luca Veste‘A gritty debut that will appeal to Sue Grafton fans’ Caroline Green‘Crazy good … full-tilt action and a brilliant cast of characters’ Yrsa Sigurđardóttir‘The pace moves at breakneck speed … simply one of the best debut novels I have ever read’ Angela Marsons‘This is romping entertainment that moves faster than a bullet’ Sunday Express ‘Lively’ Sunday Times‘Fresh, fast and zinging with energy’ Sunday Mirror
The Claymore Straker Vigilante Series (Claymore Straker #0)
by Paul E. HardistyGet all four books in the nerve-shredding, exhilarating, high-octane Claymore Straker series, in one GREAT-VALUE Box Set.Claymore Straker escapes his violent past to become a vigilante with a powerful social conscience, seeking justice in a succession of perilous encounters, life-threatening battles and challenging journeys. An action-packed, tense and unrelenting series of political/environmental thrillers by one of the world’s most renowned environmental scientists.‘A stormer of a thriller – vividly written, utterly tropical, totally gripping’ Peter James‘Hardisty is a fine writer and Straker is a great lead character’ Lee Child‘A fast-paced action thriller, beautifully written’ Tim MarshallThe Abrupt Physics of Dying (Book One)When he is hijacked by Islamic terrorists, an oil company engineer is forced to investigate a mysterious illness afflicting a small Yemen village … with shocking results. A stunning debut thriller and first in the addictive, eye-opening Claymore Straker series.The Evolution of Fear (Book Two)Vigilante justice-seeker Claymore Straker is on the run, with a price on his head. Wanted by the CIA for acts of terrorism he did not commit, his best friend has just been murdered and Rania, the woman he loves, has disappeared. He begins a terrifying search that will have unimaginable consequences…Reconciliation for the Dead (Book Three)Vigilante justice-seeker Claymore Straker returns to South Africa to testify to Desmond Tutu’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, recounting the horrifying events that led to his exile, years earlier. The explosive, thought-provoking, searingly emotive third instalment in the critically acclaimed Claymore Straker series…Absolution (Book Four)When vigilante justice-seeker Claymore Straker is witness to the murders of a family he has befriended, and his lover’s husband and son disappear, his investigations take him to the darkest places he could ever have imagined. The stunning final instalment in the gripping, frighteningly realistic Claymore Straker series.Praise for the Claymore Straker series**Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger****Telegraph and Guardian BOOK of the YEAR**‘A page-turning adventure that grabs you from the first page and won’t let go’ Edward Wilson'A forceful novel by a writer not afraid of weighty issues’ Maxim Jakubowski‘Beautifully written, blisteringly authentic, heart-stoppingly tense and unusually moving’ Paul Johnston'Just occasionally, a book comes along to restore your faith in a genre and Paul Hardisty's The Abrupt Physics of Dying does this in spades' The Times‘Laces the thrills and spills with enough moral indignation to give the book heft … excellent’ Telegraph‘This is a remarkably well-written, sophisticated novel in which the people and places, as well as frequent scenes of violent action, all come alive on the page...’ Literary Review‘Searing … at times achieves the level of genuine poetry’ Publishers Weekly STARRED review‘A trenchant and engaging thriller that unravels this mysterious land in cool, precise sentences’ Stav Sherez, Catholic Herald‘Gripping and exciting … the quality of Hardisty’s writing and the underlying truth of his plots sets this above many other thrillers’ West Australian
A Dark Matter (The Skelfs #1)
by Doug JohnstoneThree generations of women from the Skelfs family take over the family funeral home and PI businesses in the first book of a taut, gripping page-turning and darkly funny new series.‘An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones’ Herald Scotland‘Gripping and blackly humorous’ Observer‘I was addicted from the first page; gripping, gritty and darkly funny as hell’ Erin Kelly‘A Dark Matter showcases a writer at the peak of his powers, except that with every book, Doug Johnstone just gets better’ Val McDermid_________________Meet the Skelfs: well-known Edinburgh family, proprietors of a long-established funeral-home business, and private investigators…When patriarch Jim dies, it’s left to his wife Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah to take charge of both businesses, kicking off an unexpected series of events.Dorothy discovers mysterious payments to another woman, suggesting that Jim wasn’t the husband she thought he was. Hannah’s best friend Mel has vanished from university, and the simple adultery case that Jenny takes on leads to something stranger and far darker than any of them could have imagined.As the women struggle to come to terms with their grief, and the demands of the business threaten to overwhelm them, secrets from the past emerge, which change everything…A compelling, tense and shocking thriller and a darkly funny and warm portrait of a family in turmoil, A Dark Matter introduces a cast of unforgettable characters, marking the start of an addictive new series._________________‘A fiendish mystery that is also deeply moving and laced with suitably dark humour … set to be one of the books of the year’ Mark Billingham'Emotionally complex, richly layered and darkly funny. An addictive blend of Case Histories and Six Feet Under’ Chris Brookmyre‘This dark but touching thriller makes for a thoroughly enjoyable slice of Edinburgh noir’ Mary Paulson-Ellis‘This enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief, as the three tough but tender main characters pick up the pieces and carry on: more, please’ Guardian‘A tense ride … strong, believable characters’ Kerry Hudson, Big Issue‘They are all wonderful characters: flawed, funny, brave — and well set up for a series. I wouldn’t call him cosy, but there’s warmth to Johnstone’s writing’ Sunday Times
Pondweed
by Lisa BlowerA love story in the slow lane about loss and getting lost—two childhood sweethearts take a trip via pints, ponds and pitstops to find their future on a road less travelled from Stoke-on-Trent to WalesApparently, we spend almost two weeks of our life completely lost. If you add up all the times you take a wrong turn or find yourself somewhere you don’t want to be, it equates to fourteen days of essentially being missing.One Monday afternoon, around three o’clock, pond supplies salesman Selwyn Robby arrives home towing the Toogood Aquatics exhibition caravan and orders his like-wife, Imogen ‘Ginny’ Dare, to get into the car. He’s taking her on a little holiday, he says. To Wales. So begins their road trip west, via blasts from Selwyn’s past, and a fortnight’s journey of self-discovery for them both. But it’s a fishy business towing this caravan, with its saucy mermaid curtains and fully stocked bar, and Ginny must untangle the pondweed to get to the bottom of it, even it does mean unearthing her own murky past to find out.
You, Me & the Sea
by Elizabeth Haynes'Immersive and affecting…utter bliss.’ —Marian KeyesCompelling, moving and teeming with feral desire: Elizabeth Haynes's new novel is an intoxicating story of love and redemption, set on a wild and windswept Scottish island.Rachel is at crisis point. A series of disastrous decisions has left her with no job, no home, and no faith in herself. But an unexpected job offer takes her to a remote Scottish island, and it feels like a chance to recover and mend her battered self-esteem.The island’s other inhabitants are less than welcoming. Fraser Sutherland is a taciturn loner who is not happy about sharing his lighthouse – or his precious coffee beans – and Lefty, his unofficial assistant, is a scrawny, scared lad who isn’t supposed to be there at all.Homesick and out of her depth, Rachel is sure she’s made another huge mistake. But, as spring turns to summer, the wild beauty of the island begins to captivate her soul.
A More Perfect Union
by Tammye Huf'A riveting love story across the challenges of race and poverty… Huf’s delicate blend of passion and compassion is compelling, impressive and never sentimental.’ —Andrea StuartA forbidden relationship. A love affair forged in secrecy. A couple facing betrayal at every turn...Henry O’Toole sails to America in 1848 to escape poverty and famine in Ireland, only to find anti-Irish prejudice awaiting him. Determined never to starve again, he changes his surname to Taylor and heads south to Virginia, seeking work as a travelling blacksmith on the prosperous plantations.Sarah is a slave. Torn from her family and sold to Jubilee Plantation, she must navigate the hierarchy of her fellow slaves, the whims of her white masters, and now the attentions of the mysterious blacksmith.Fellow slave Maple oversees the big house with bitterness and bile, and knows that a white man’s attention spells trouble. Given to her half-sister as a wedding present by their white father, she is set on being reunited with her husband and daughter, at any cost.Based on the true story of the author’s great-great-grandparents, and brilliantly reimagined, this is an epic tale of love and courage, desperation and determination.
The Day I Fell Off My Island
by Yvonne Bailey-Smith'Striking…an unforgettable cast of characters you’d expect to find in the grandest work of fiction.'—Candice Carty-Williams‘Juggling laughter and tears with every page, this remarkable journey of discovery tells of one young woman’s captivating search for self in a new and challenging environment.’—Margaret Busby‘Brims with the pleasure of a story well-told, and with the command of a writer who is comfortable moving between the many registers of Jamaican English.’—Kwame Dawes‘Beautiful, evocative and powerfully engaging. I loved this book.’—Francesca MartinezIt’s 1969 and Erna Mullings has just arrived in London from Jamaica.Finding herself in a strange country, with a mother she barely recognises and a stepfather she despises, Erna is homesick, lost and lonely. But her life is about to change irrevocably.A story of reluctant immigration and the relationship between children and the people who parent them, The Day I Fell Off My Island is engrossing, courageous and psychologically insightful. Yvonne Bailey-Smith writes with great warmth and humanity as she explores estrangement, transition and, ultimately, the triumph of resilience and hope.