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Headlong: A Novel
by Michael FraynShortlisted for the Man Booker Prize Headlong begins when Martin Clay, a young would-be art historian, believes he has discovered a missing masterpiece. The owner of the painting is oblivious to its potential and asks Martin to help him sell it, leaving Martin with the chance of a lifetime: if he could only separate the painter from its owner, he would be able to perform a great public service, to make his professional reputation, perhaps even rather a lot of money as well. But is the painting really what Martin believes it to be? As Martin is drawn further into this moral and intellectual labyrinth, events start to spiral out of control . . . Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, Whitbread Novel Award and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction, Headlong is an ingeniously comic thriller that follows a young philosophy lectuerer's obsessive race through the art world in search of an elusive masterpiece. Michael Frayn's other novels include Spies, which won the Whitbread Best Novel award, and Skios, which was longlisted for the Booker Prize.
Headmaster of Doom: Book 4 (Dark Lord #4)
by Jamie ThomsonDirk Lloyd, the Dark Lord trapped in the boy of a weedy schoolboy, returns in a darkly hilarious adventure set in the most ghoulish school you'll encounter this side of the Darklands ...Fourth in the brilliant series that began with the Roald Dahl Funny Prize-winning DARK LORD: THE TEENAGE YEARS, also chosen as one of the Sunday Times's 100 Modern Children Classics.Perfect for fans of Philip Reeve and David Walliams.
The Heart of the Dales
by Gervase PhinnGervase Phinn is back with his tales of life as a schools inspector in Yorkshire. His colourful cast of characters have now become firm favourites - the mostly mad staff at County Hall as well as the children themselves who find ways of embarrassing the school inspectors with innocent ease. We reconvene with Christine Bentley, head teacher of Winnery Nook School and now Gervase's wife and mother of their son, the well-named Mrs Savage and not forgetting the Queen of Clean – Connie. Gervase Phinn has an extraordinary talent to entertain, and the latest instalment to the Dale Series is heart-warming, wry and will make you laugh out loud.
Heart Songs
by null Annie ProulxA highly acclaimed collection of short stories set in the great outdoors of New England, by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of ‘The Shipping News’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’. Just outside town, beyond the drugstore and the diner, there's another world – a wilderness – waiting to be explored. On the high, wooded hillsides there are deer to be stalked; far upriver there are quiet pools of trout, and grouse to be shot and traplines to be laid for fur. In the far-flung settlements of New England, life revolves around hunting. Whether they are yuppies from the town who think that country life is improving or natives who know all too well that it isn't, the men and women of these stories are all hunting for something better – though getting by at all is hard enough. These are men and women who live, love and lose; men and women who fall apart and who pick up the pieces, who dream useless dreams and go on dreaming whatever the disappointments. Tough and tender and irresistibly humorous, this unforgettable book takes its reader on a trail through the great outdoors to the innermost places of the heart.
The Heartbreak Club
by Eva WoodsThe first rule of heartbreak club is - get your heart broken. That's all really. Caroline's heart broke when her husband took his own life. Josh's heart broke when his wife was killed in an accident.And somehow, talking to a group of strangers once a week doesn't seem to be helping either of them. Until Sylvia arrives. When she lost her own partner two years ago, she fell apart and had to put herself back together. Most of all she wished for the help of someone who'd been through it already. And now she's here to pass her handbook on to those who need it most. The problem is, following Sylvia's rules means looking to the future. And Caroline and Josh each need some answers from their past before they can even think about that...Praise for Eva Woods and her novels:'Uplifting' Independent'Life-affirming' Adele Parks'Smart and wise' Tasmina Perry'Touching and thought-provoking' Holly Miller, author of THE SIGHT OF YOU
Heartburn (Virago Modern Classics #656)
by Nora Ephron'I have bought more copies of this book to give to people, in a frenzy of enthusiasm, than any other . . . Heartburn is the perfect, bittersweet, sobbingly funny, all-too-true confessional novel' Nigella Lawson Seven months into her pregnancy, Rachel discovers that her husband is in love with another woman. The fact that this woman has a 'neck as long as an arm and a nose as long as a thumb' is no consolation. Food sometimes is, though, since Rachel is a cookery writer, and between trying to win Mark back and wishing him dead, she offers us some of her favourite recipes. Heartburn is a roller coaster of love, betrayal, loss and - most satisfyingly - revenge.This is Nora Ephron's (screenwriter of When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle) roman a clef: 'I always thought during the pain of the marriage that one day it would make a funny book,' she once said - And it is!Books included in the VMC 40th anniversary series include: Frost in May by Antonia White; The Collected Stories of Grace Paley; Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault; The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter; The Weather in the Streets by Rosamond Lehmann; Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith; The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West; Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; Heartburn by Nora Ephron; The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy; Memento Mori by Muriel Spark; A View of the Harbour by Elizabeth Taylor; and Faces in the Water by Janet Frame
Heartcross Castle (Love Heart Lane #7)
by Christie BarlowPreorder the next book in the heartwarming and bestselling Love Heart Lane series
Hearts and Bones: Love Songs for Late Youth
by Niamh Mulvey'Vivid, memorable and beautifully crafted’ - Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater'A brilliant collection, from a remarkable talent' - Joseph O'Connor, author of ShadowplayHearts and Bones is a book about relationships. It explores what love does to us, and how we survive it. A young woman learns to wield her power, leaving casualties in her wake, while a man from a small town finds solace in a strange new hobby. A watchful child feels a breaking point approach as her mother struggles to keep her life on track, and another daughter steps onto a stage while her family in the audience hope that she is strong enough now to take on the world. First-time lovers make mistakes, brothers and sisters try to forgive one another, and parents struggle and fail and struggle again. Teenage souls are swayed by euphoric faith in a higher power and then by devotion to desire, trapped between different notions of what might be true. Quiet revolutions happen in living rooms, on river banks, in packed pubs and empty churches, and years later we wonder why we ever did the things we did. Set between Ireland and London in the first two decades of this millennium, the stories in Hearts and Bones, Niamh Mulvey's debut collection, look at the changes that have torn through these times and ask who we are now that we’ve brought the old gods down. Witty, sharply observed and deeply moving, these ten stories announce an extraordinary new Irish literary talent.'Honest, daringly fresh and stunningly written, these stories cut right to the very essence of what it means to be young’ - Jan Carson, author of The Raptures
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now: My Difficult 80s
by Andrew Collins'Higher education comes at exactly the right time: in the twilight of your teens, you're just starting to coagulate as a human being, to pull away from parental influence and find your own feet. What better than three years in which to explore the inner you, establish a feasible worldview, and maybe get on Blockbusters.'After an idyllic provincial 1970s childhood, the 1980s took Andrew Collins to London, art school and the classic student experience. Crimping his hair, casting aside his socks and sporting fingerless gloves, he became Andy Kollins: purveyor of awful poetry; disciple of moany music, and wannabe political activist. What follows is a universal tale of trainee hedonism, girl trouble, wasted grants and begging letters to parents. A synth-soundtracked rite of passage that's often painfully funny, it traces one teenager's metamorphosis from sheltered suburban innocent to semi-mature metropolitan male through the pretensions and confusions of trying to stand alone for the first time in your own kung fu pumps in a big bad city.
Heaven, Texas: Number 2 in series (Chicago Stars Series #2)
by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsFormer sports star Bobby Denton has agreed to lend his fame and his name to a movie. But when he doesn't show up the film company sends straight-laced Gracie Snow to bring him to the set with surprising results.Despite his dazzling good looks and killer charm, Bobby has reservations about being a movie star - and no plans to cooperate with anyone from the studio, let alone shy little Gracie. But though she comes across as a wallflower, Bobby soon discovers Gracie is really a steel magnolia and the more time he spends in her company the more he finds himself drawn to this plain Jane with a heart of gold.Praise for Susan Elizabeth Phillips:'First Star I See Tonight is Susan Elizabeth Phillips at her best - funny, charming and un-put-downable' Susan Mallery'Fall into the addictive voice of Susan Elizabeth Phillips - compulsively readable and deeply satisfying!' Robyn Carr'I always laugh my head off when I read Susan Elizabeth Phillips' novels. She never fails to leave a smile on my face' Catherine Coulter'I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books. Her writing is infused with intense emotion, sharp characterization, subtle wit and a rare energy that is absolutely irresistible. When I open one of her books I know I'm in for an exhilarating ride. This is women's fiction at its best' Jayne Ann Krentz
Heaven Vs Reincarnation: The Cartoon Book
by DharmaHeaven is a metaphor for the womb, childhood and the past. A yearning to go back to the wonderful days of our childhood. A time of zero worries or responsibilities, loved ones watching over us, protecting us, giving us love and affection. We were fed, clothed, shielded from the perils of life, basically we got to live in a bubble. Reincarnation then, stands for life, adulthood and the future. We cannot turn the clock back, we cannot live in the past, running away from real life is not the answer. We MUST move out of the nest and face life head-on. The future life depicted in the Star Wars movies will become a reality one day but it won’t build itself. We must work, sacrifice, make the right choices sothat the future dream world will come true. Those who choose Reincarnation, real life over a fantasy retirement home in the sky, will enjoy the fruits of the coming future world! Author Dharma would love to hear your thoughts. You can contact him at: HeavenVsReincarnation@Yahoo.com
The Heavenly Ice Cream Shop: 'Possibly the best book I have ever read' Amazon reviewer
by Abby ClementsFor fans of Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay - a wonderful feel-good read from the author of Meet Me Under the Mistletoe.When Imogen and Anna unexpectedly inherit their grandmother Vivien's ice cream parlour, it turns both their lives upside-down. The Brighton shop is a seafront institution, but while it's big on charm it's critically low on customers. If the sisters don't turn things around quickly, their grandmother's legacy will disappear forever...Discover this feel-good bestseller set by the sea, perfect for fans of Jenny Oliver and Fiona Gibson. What readers are saying about Abby Clements: 'Deliciously romantic. A perfect summer read!' Miranda Dickinson'This sunshine tale of friendship, family and 99 Flakes was a pure delight from start to finish...Loved it' Victoria Fox'A summer read that is as heavenly as ice cream and leaves you hungry for more!' I Heart Books'Possibly the best book I have ever read.' Amazon reviewer
Hedgehog’s Balloon (A Percy the Park Keeper Story)
by Nick ButterworthA funny Percy the Park Keeper story from highly regarded, award-winning author and illustrator Nick Butterworth, creator of One Snowy Night.
The Hedonism Handbook: Mastering The Lost Arts Of Leisure And Pleasure
by Michael FlockerIn the age of Oprah, Dr. Phil, and countless other self-help disciplinarians, indulging in any kind of pleasurable pastime is on the brink of extinction. But it's not too late to revive those lost pleasures that make life worth living. The Hedonism Handbook can help put the three-martini lunch, the baguette with real butter, the deep tan, the unfiltered cigarette, or the simple act of lying in a hammock under the stars back within our grasp. A tongue-in-cheek, satirical guide to the "good" life, The Hedonism Handbook will help us reclaim it all.With his characteristic wit, author Michael Flocker combines humorous reviews of historical excesses, suggestions for everyday indulgences, lists of hedonistic icons with famous quotes and earnest warnings about the perils of structured living. Made up of ten worldly wise chapters arranged to form a journey for the reader-a path from the straight-and-narrow into wide-open fields of frivolity-The Hedonism Handbook will help readers master the lost arts of leisure and pleasure. It provides an entertaining, yet (if you're not careful), life-changing read.
The Hedonism Handbook: Mastering The Lost Arts Of Leisure And Pleasure
by Michael FlockerIn the age of Oprah, Dr. Phil, and countless other self-help disciplinarians, indulging in any kind of pleasurable pastime is on the brink of extinction. But it's not too late to revive those lost pleasures that make life worth living. The Hedonism Handbook can help put the three-martini lunch, the baguette with real butter, the deep tan, the unfiltered cigarette, or the simple act of lying in a hammock under the stars back within our grasp. A tongue-in-cheek, satirical guide to the "good" life, The Hedonism Handbook will help us reclaim it all.With his characteristic wit, author Michael Flocker combines humorous reviews of historical excesses, suggestions for everyday indulgences, lists of hedonistic icons with famous quotes and earnest warnings about the perils of structured living. Made up of ten worldly wise chapters arranged to form a journey for the reader-a path from the straight-and-narrow into wide-open fields of frivolity -- The Hedonism Handbook will help readers master the lost arts of leisure and pleasure. It provides an entertaining, yet (if you're not careful), life-changing read.
Hee-Haw Hooray! (Mudpuddle Farm)
by Michael MorpurgoJoin the fun on the farm! A brand new Mudpuddle Farm book from award-winning author Michael Morpurgo, hilariously illustrated throughout by Shoo Rayner, and perfect for readers of 5 and up.
An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire: a delightfully witty historical rom-com (A Lady's Guide)
by Manda CollinsFormer lovers become reluctant allies in this delightfully witty historical rom-com from the bestselling author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem - for fans of Evie Dunmore, Enola Holmes and Netflix's Bridgerton!England, 1866: Miss Caroline Hardcastle has finally found purpose in her life, bringing attention to insidious crimes against women. But her parents' unexpected return from the Continent jeopardizes Caro's hard-won freedom. They present her with an ultimatum: marry into a title . . . or else. Caro is confident that no gentleman would wed an on-the-shelf journalist, no matter how large her dowry is. But when a dear friend goes missing, Caro finds her best ally is also the nobleman she once dreamed of marrying.Ever since a devastating heartbreak in his younger years, Lord Valentine Thorn has stayed clear of the parson's trap. Only now, with the lineage in danger, does Val agree to find a bride - with the condition his heart remains unattached. But when his cousin becomes entangled in the disappearance of a young actress, Val finds the only one with any answers is also the only woman he ever dreamed of marrying. Despite their complicated history, Caro and Val reluctantly agree to an alliance, vowing to ignore the passion that still burns between them. Yet with danger growing nearer, can they move forward from the past - before death does them part?Praise for Manda Collins'Witty, intelligent, and hard to put down, you'll love A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem' Rachel Van Dyken'Manda Collins heats up the ballroom and writes romance to melt even the frostiest duke's heart' Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author'Utterly charming' Popsugar'Manda Collins is a delight! I read A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem waaay past my bedtime, absorbed by its spot-on period detail, the well-crafted characters, and, of course, the intriguing mystery. Brava!' Elizabeth Hoyt, New York Times bestselling author'Mystery, romance, and an indomitable heroine make for a brisk, compelling read' Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author'Manda Collins writes sexy and smart historical romance, with a big dash of fun' Vanessa Kelly, USA Today bestselling author'Sexy, thrilling, romantic . . . Manda Collins makes her Regency world a place any reader would want to dwell' Kieran Kramer, USA Today bestselling author
Heiress's Royal Baby Bombshell: Heiress's Royal Baby Bombshell Their Christmas Miracle Christmas With Her Secret Prince Her Festive Flirtation (The Cattaneos' Christmas Miracles #2)
by Jennifer FayeOne-night miracle for the Crown Prince!
Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest
by A. Lee MartinezWitness the epic battle of the cyclops!Visit the endangered dragon preserve! Please, no slaying.Solve the mystery of The Mystery Cottage, if you dare!Buy some knick knacks from The Fates! They might come in handy later.On a road trip across an enchanted America, Helen and Troy will discover all this and more. If the curse placed upon them by an ancient god doesn't kill them or the pack of reluctant orc assassins don't catch up to them, Helen and Troy might reach the end their journey in one piece, where they might just end up destroying the world. Or at least a state or two.A minotaur girl, an all-American boy, a three-legged dog, and a classic car are on the road to adventure, where every exit leads to adventure. Whether they like it or not.
Hell Breaks Loose (Skulduggery Pleasant)
by Derek LandyDiscover the world of Skulduggery Pleasant in this prequel to the bestselling series. So many enemies, so little time . . .
Hell Hound Curse (Sammy Feral's Diaries of Weird #3)
by Eleanor HawkenTo make some extra money for Feral Zoo, Sammy, Red and Donny decide to promote their cryptozoology business - investigating animals that don't exist. What could possibly go wrong? Everything! Hired to check out sightings of a ghost dog, the friends uncover the terrifying legend of the Hell Hound. Anyone who is seen by this terrible beast is struck with a death curse. So when Sammy's best friend Mark runs into the deadly dog, Sammy knows he doesn't have long to figure out how to save him!
Hell of a Book
by Jason Mott'More than lives up to its title' Charles YuMeet . . . wait, we don't actually know his name.What we do know about him is he's an author. He moves from airport to bookshop to chain hotel, on tour for his new bestseller HELL OF A BOOK. And, as people keep telling him, it's a hell of a book.Some of these people may or may not be real - because the other thing to know about him is he has, let's say, an overactive imagination...For example, only he can see The Kid: a young black boy, who may or may not be the young black boy on the news recently. The one who was shot by the police. The one who everyone is on the streets protesting about.Or he might be any of the others. He may be all of them, or none of them.That may or may not be important.He may even be our author telling us this story.And all of this may or may not be happening.Every. Single. Day.THIS HELL OF A WORLD NEEDS THIS HELL OF A BOOK'An extraordinary emotional roller coaster of a read - I tore through this profoundly moving novel in a day but have been thinking about it ever since.'Abi Daré, author of The Girl with the Louding Voice'Playful, searching, raw and necessary, this writing, this voice, this novel twisted me up and turned me inside out, dazzled me, surprised me and moved me.'Charles Yu, author of Interior Chinatown
The Hell of it All
by Charlie BrookerBrooker on the BNP Party Political Broadcast: 'Nick Griffin's first line is "Don't turn it off!", which in terms of opening gambits is about as enticing as hearing someone shout "Try not to be sick!" immediately prior to intercourse.'Brooker on Philip from The Apprentice: 'If it were legal or even possible to do so, he'd probably marry himself, then conduct a long-term affair with himself behind himself's back, eventually fathering nine children with himself, all of whom would walk and talk like him. And then he'd lock those mini-hims in a secret underground dungeon to have his sick way with his selves, undetected, for decades.'Brooker on Royal Ascot: 'Every year it's the same thing: a 200-year-old countess you've never heard of, who closely resembles a Cruella De Vil mannequin assembled entirely from heavily wrinkled scrotal tissue that's been soaked in tea for the past eight decades, attempts to draw attention away from her sagging neck - a droopy curtain of skin that hangs so low she has to repeatedly kick it out of her path as she crosses the royal compound - by balancing the millinery equivalent of Bilbao's Guggenheim museum on her head.'
Hello: The Autobiography
by Leslie PhillipsThe autobiography of a true national treasure, an actor who has featured in more British Number One box office smashes than anyone else.Leslie Phillips's story begins with a poverty-stricken childhood in north London, made all the worse when his father died when Leslie was just ten years old. Soon after, he began his acting career, and since then he has worked with all the greats, from Laurence Olivier to Steven Spielberg.Best known for his comic roles in the Carry On and Doctor series, he took the decision in later life to take on more serious roles in films such as Empire of the Sun, Out of Africa and Scandal, as well as performing in plays such as The Cherry Orchard.Packed with hilarious anecdotes, in this long-awaited autobiography he recalls some of the great characters he has worked with, and also highlights how different he is in real life from his onscreen persona as a bounder. It is a fascinating story, brilliantly told.