RRP £6.99
Daisy Waugh’s refreshing tale of a glamorous urbanite’s struggle to come to terms with life running a crumbling country-house hotel is a joy.’ - CHOICE
RRP 5.99
Jean Le Viste, a fifteenth-century nobleman close to the King, hires an artist to design six tapestries celebrating his rising status at Court. Nicolas des Innocents overcomes his surprise at being offered this commission when he catches sight of his patron's daughter, Claude. His pursuit of her pulls him into the web of fragile relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, lovers and servants.
It was a revolutionary design.
In Brussels, renowned weaver Georges de la Chapelle takes on the biggest challenge of his career. Never before has he attempted a work that puts so much at stake. Sucked into a world of temptation and seduction, he and his family are consumed by the project and by their dealings with the rogue painter from Paris.
The results changed all their lives.
'Tracy Chevalier gives the kiss of life to the historical novel.’ - Independent
Reviews
'A beautifully written tale, I could not put it downan exquisite, moving and convincing story, drawing realistic and rounded characters who each tell their aspect of the tale. The theme of the five senses is woven into the plot so cleverly that our perception of the novel is sharpenedThis is not just a novel about the creation of a work of art, but a tale of ambition, lust, betrayal and heartbreaka compelling and enormously enjoyable work.' - Evening Standard
The Lady and the Unicorn will perhaps eclipse Pearl Earring. - Guardian
After six long years the Second World War is finally finished. Rationing may remain, but hopes and dreams are in good supply.
At Rowangarth, deep in the Yorkshire countryside, there is more good news for the Sutton family and wedding preparations are underway. Lyndis Carmichael has finally won the heart of Drew Sutton, the man she has secretly cherished for years. Still, Lyndis has doubts. Haunted by the memory of Drew's fiance Kitty killed during the Blitz she wonders if she can ever take her place in Drew's heart, and if she truly belongs in the close-knit Sutton clan.
And other ghosts still linger. Keth Purvis, back from France after a high-risk mission, is compelled to return overseas to search for the young girl who saved his life, Drew's mother has yet to reveal the shocking truth of his father's identity, and Tatiana wonders if she will ever meet her long-lost half-sister.
With the country struggling to get back on its feet, can the Sutton family make peace with its past?
'A story of passion, faith and class in Yorkshire. Unforgettable characters.' - Daily Express
'A poignant, powerful saga that will stay in your memory long after you've read it.' - Woman and Home
Inside Germany, a boy struggles with his destiny in the Hitler Youth. Nicolai is a reluctant warrior. Despite the comfort of his Hamburg home, he comes to feel that he is a stranger in his own land. As war steals their youth away, both Ilse and Nicolai search for love in a time of terror. Subtle in its depiction of people and worlds now vanished, this epic novel of occupation and war powerfully evokes the battles behind enemy lines, those of home and of heart.
An intensely moving story. - Daily Telegraph
Breathlessly suspenseful.... Charlesworth uses two apparent oppositesa timid, sensitive Nazi boy, a bold, red-headed Jewish girlas a way of exploring what good people have in common and how innocents learn to be decent in a world swarming with evil. She moves her story through fast, terrifying intricacies of plot: journeys, battles, smuggled papers, love affairs, carefully calculated loyalties, heroic sacrifices and endless duplicity . . . Charlesworths greatest success is to show how these children grow into morally mature adults, learning about treachery not just by seeing it around them, but by making difficult and sometimes terrible choices themselves . . . Engrossing. - Polly Shulman, New York Times Book Review
Tender, shocking and beautifully written, The Childrens War marks Monique Charlesworth as a major talent. - Image
RRP £7.99
It is this vast archipelago of islands that provides the setting for Amitav Ghoshs new novel. In the Sundarbans the tides reach more than 100 miles inland and every day thousands of hectares of forest disappear only to re-emerge hours later. Dense as the mangrove forests are, from a human point of view it is only a little less barren than a desert. There is a terrible, vengeful beauty here, a place teeming with crocodiles, snakes, sharks and man-eating tigers. This is the only place on earth where man is more often prey than predator.
And it is into this terrain that an eccentric, wealthy Scotsman named Daniel Hamilton tried to create a utopian society, of all races and religions, and conquer the might of the Sundarbans. In January 2001, a small ship arrives to conduct an ecological survey of this vast but little-known environment, and the scientists on board begin to trace the journeys of the descendants of this society.
'An exceptional writer.' - Peter Matthieson
A novelist of dazzling ingenuity' - San Francisco Chronicle
'A distinctive voice, polished and profound' - Times Literary Supplement
'An absorbing story of a world in transition, brought to life through characters who love and suffer with equal intensity.' - JM Coetzee
In the brutal summer heat Falcn starts to dismantle the obscure life of Rafael Vega only to receive threats from the Russian mafia who have begun operating in the city. His investigation into Vega's neighbours uncovers a creative American couple with a destructive past and the misery of a famous actor whose only son is in prison for an appalling crime.
Within days two further suicides follow one of them a senior policeman and a forest fire rages through the hills above Seville obliterating all in its path. Falcn must now sweat out the truth, which will reveal that everything is connected and there is one more secret in the black heart of Vega's life.
'Robert Wilson's plotting is intricate, his detective endearingly human, Seville a captivating venue. This is crime fiction of high order' - Marcel Berlins, The Times
'Robert Wilson's fiction grows darker, deeper, more adamantly original. His seventh novel - nominally a thriller - turns the format inside out, extending its reach, tuning up the language, reinventing its anatomy. It is crime writing at its very best, but it is also something more. It observes no limits, it begs no pardon. It excites, it surprises and it satisfies. High praise but Wilson really is this good.' - Philip Oakes, Literary Review
A dead girl lies on a blood-soaked mattress, her limbs spread in a parody of ecstasy. The scene matches a series of murders which ended when irrefutable forensic evidence secured the conviction of one Derek Tyler. But Tyler's been locked up in a mental institution for two years, barely speaking a word except to say that 'the Voice' told him to do it.
Top criminal psychologist Dr Tony Hill is prepared to think the unthinkable this is not a copycat murder but something much stranger. While DCI Carol Jordan and her team mount a desperate and dangerous undercover police operation to trap the murderer, Hill heads towards a terrifying face-off with one of the most perverse killers he has ever encountered...
One of McDermid's finest, which is saying a lot' Marcel Berlins - The Times
'Val McDermid is an intelligent, supremely talented novelist and with this latest tale, she is writing at the height of her power Allan Laing' - Glasgow Herald
'Complex, combative and nuanced' - Barry Forshaw, Express
For Claire, a secretary from Staten Island who takes the ferry each morning into Manhattan, it’s spent working 9 to 5 at a law firm, listening to her friend’s disastrous love life and reading romantic novels, desperately wishing that her life could be as full of excitement as the heroines featured.
The only highlight is catching an occasional glimpse of devastingly sexy law partner Michael. Until the day Michael offers her the chance of a trip to London all expenses paid.
When Claire sets foot on British soil she falls head over heels in love – with a country. From red double-deckers to afternoon tea, she’s finally found her home. Friends, family and even Michael are abandoned as she rents a room and sets out to make a whole new life as an American in London. But she reckons without the obstructive efforts of a very strait laced Englishman.
‘If you're after escapism, it doesn't come more enchanting than this.’ - Daily Mail
A gorgeous witty story It's Sex and the City and more.’ - Australian Woman's Day
'Goldsmith's characters are wilful, robust, amusing and delightfully credible' - Mail on Sunday
Carol French is lured by the promise of a get-together through oldschooltie.com, and it’s better than just old school friends it’s the old sixth-form drama group that twenty years ago took ‘Macbeth’ on tour. A tour that was dramatic in more ways than one, and Carol has carried a torch for the leading actor ever since. Not that it has stopped her marrying, having kids, divorcing but that memory just won’t go away. Now she is about to be brought face to face with the adolescent love god himself, except now he’s nearly forty.
Old loves, lusts and rivalries are waiting in the wings in this marvellously warm tale from top talent Gemma Fox.
Reviews:
‘This book will get you in the mood for hot summer romance.’ - The Sun
She's never heard of the world's most fashionable magazine, or its feared and fawned-over editor, Miranda Priestly. But she's going to be Miranda's assistant, a job millions of girls would die for. A year later, she knows altogether too much:
That it's a sacking offence to wear anything lower than a three-inch heel to work. But that there's always a fresh pair of Manolos for you in the accessories cupboard. That Miranda believes Hermes scarves are disposable, and you must keep a life-time supply on hand at all times.
That eight stone is fat. That you can charge cars, manicures, anything at all to the Runway account, but you must never, ever, leave your desk, or let Miranda's coffee get cold.
And that at 3 a.m. on a Sunday, when your boyfriend's dumping you because you're always at work, and your best friend's just been arrested, if Miranda phones, you jump.
Most of all, Andrea knows that Miranda is a monster who makes Cruella de Vil look like a fluffy bunny. But also that this is her big break, and it's going to be worth it in the end.
Isn't it?
‘This little gem mixes Sex and the City charm with dry New York wit.’ - REAL
‘Sassy, insightful and sooo Sex and The City, you'll be rushing to the bookshop for your copy like it's a half price Prada sale.’ - COMPANY
‘Not since the heyday of Sex and the City has a story so caught the imagination of ladies who lunch.’ - HARPERS & QUEEN
‘The most fun we've had in ages.’ - HEAT
This is the diary of Nancy Chan, busy career girl, in her thirties, newly engaged and trying to balance job and romance. But Nancy is a high-class call girl, a fact her banker fiance, Matt does not know (he thinks she’s a copy editor) and Nancy wants to keep it that way.
With one foot in the bedrooms of her rich and demanding clients and one in the world of her fiancé and his family, Nancy demonstrates, in her inimitable fashion, that if you know the dance, you can keep those two worlds from colliding. At least for a while.
This wonderfully intelligent, sexually frank, rollicking novel gives us fresh insight into the machinations and politics of being an expensive call girl in the modern world. Quan pulls no punches, gives no apologies, and has written one of the best and most honest books yet on the topic.
'Bridget Jones with attitude' - Guardian
'Chock-full of bad-girl secrets... tantalizing' - Cosmopolitan
'Unexpectedly wise, observant and best of all - fun' - Los Angeles Times
'A new perspective on the world's oldest profession' - Honey
This is Jean-Pio's childhood: crisscrossing Europe, sandwiched between his two brothers on the back seat. Travelling to his grandfather's house deep in the French countryside, he's on the brink of discovering a secret that will change him forever. In the midst of his chaotic, wonderful family, Jean-Pio must save himself from drowning in panic, as if learning to breathe in water...
A remarkable portrait of a family under pressure, rather like a photograph album: crammed with rich and vivid detail. The Water-breather teems with delightful incident and a number of enjoyable minor characters An assured and moving debut. - Gerard Woodward, Guardian
Faccinis clean style and lack of mawkishness make for a convincing portrayal of the workings of a childs mind and a truthful and affecting read. - Daily Mail
'A beautifully written, haunting meditation on innocence. An uncanny recreation of the insect-eye of childhood.' - TLS
'Intelligent, observant Ben Faccini does an excellent job of a very difficult thing, writing from the perspective of an eight year old. Magical.' - Observerr
'Totally original and mesmerising Faccini is a brilliant writer and not a sentence in this wonderful book seems out of place.' - Literary Review
A strange expedition into the border zone between love and anguish, a brilliant and poetic intermingling of memories and dreams. - Lisa St Aubin de Teran
RRP 6.99
Catherine Shaw made the impossible choice between her children and her career. At work she could handle the deadlines, the pressure and the endless demands without pausing for breath. So why is she finding it so hard to coax a truculent toddler into pyjamas and remember which stuffed toy is the one called Duncan? Under pressure to be the perfect wife and mother, yet feeling that she is failing at both, Catherine begins to search for new meaning in her life.
Trapped in their marriage, their lives and their lies, Andrew and Catherine begin to realise that the answer to all their problems could be right in front of them. Wonderful You is a touching, witty and hopeful story about change, reconciliation and realising that everything you want might be everything you already have.
a thoughtful, funny and ultimately devastating tale. - Mirror
humorous and diverting - The Times
A comical and entertaining cautionary tale. - Cosmopolitan
Fiddleford is a beautiful village deep in the West Country, but the tiny school is heading for ruin and unless Fanny can transform it, it will be closed for ever.
Locked in a feud with one mother, and stalked by Geraldine and Clive, the pushy Londoners from the Old Rectory, and Kitty, the predatory children's author, Fanny needs all her brilliance to survive. She's a great teacher, and the villagers all claim to be behind her. But are they really? Before long the entire village is at war...
Fanny finds she has fallen in love with her village and country life and together with Louis, her deliciously handsome best friend, and Solomon Creasey, an attractive but crooked art dealer, she vows to surprise her critics.
'A witty and romantic read' - Company
'Sparkling fun' - Heat
'Full of laugh-out-loud funny bits' - New Woman
She's at the top of her profession, but Jo's social life is as much a game of survival as her work. This is London in 2001, where if you call your boyfriend on his mobile, you have to disguise your number or he won't pick up – he's always expecting someone more important to ring. Where your best friends think nothing of canceling at the last minute, ten times in a row. Where commitment is a 'penciled option on mutual time'. Where flexibility is the new etiquette that disguises plain rudeness. And success at work is everything.
So it's more than a little inconvenient when Jo falls for a gorgeous singer, an upper-class dropout with an unreasonable attachment to old-fashioned, human values. What is she thinking of, and how on earth will she explain him to her friends?
In Daisy Waugh's sparkling satirical novel two worlds collide in a delightfully and hilariously messy fashion - but will true love prevail?
A hilarious, witty comedy of modern manners.' - Adele Parks author of Game Over and Playing Away.
Funny and worth a read - Company
refreshingly sharp and witty social satire pacey, unabashedly reactionary fable, and the authors astute observations are fleshed by plenty of insider know-how - Daily Mail
funny, cynical, and genuinely knowing about media London the most superbly reactionary fable - Evening Standard
wicked modern satire - Daily Express
RRP £5.99
So shes the most unlikely candidate to present a quirky new quiz show. But her boss, Tom, see that her quickwittedness and her knack for general knowledge makes her the ideal choice.
Its the chance of a lifetime and when old flame Luke turns up out of the blue, Lauras sisters think also its time for Laura to move on and lay to rest the memory of her husband, Nick.
But dating Luke again is a step back in time and spells trouble. Luke is every bit as attractive as when he broke her heart. His wit and charm not to mention his talent for trivia captivate her once again. But this time around hes got a 6-year-old daughter in tow as well as an ex-wife whose behaviour is less than charming.
As Laura questions whether to gamble everything on a past love, she must also face up to the unexpected truth about Nick and the life she thought she once knew
A charming, funny and unpredictable read. - Company
'A charming comedy that'll reel you in from the first page.' - Company
Funny, charming, upbeat and unputdownable.' - Marian Keyes
'She'll make you laugh out loud and tug your heartstrings.' - Hello
RRP £10.99
or so Miranda Sweet believes. As an animal behaviourist, she can get inside the heads of deluded Dalmatians and introverted iguanas, but she cant work out why the men in her life behave so badly. Animals are braver kinder and a lot more reliable. So Mirandas given up on love to open her own clinic and work her magic on neurotic pets and their grateful owners.
But can she keep the whole male species at bay for ever? Her best friend, Daisy, an incurably romantic wedding-planner, doesnt think so. When a delicious photographer comes into her life, even Miranda starts to wonder if shes been a bit hasty. But, just when shes letting her guard down, her past starts to catch up with her. Now, she has to face up to her own behaviour, which hasnt always been as sweet as shed like to pretend
A superior confectionone of Wolff's talents is inventing central characters that the reader can identify withWolff's writing quirks are charming. - INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
A charming comedy that'll reel you in from the first page. - COMPANY
Wolff has a light touch and a slick prose style that makes this story flow effortlessly. - MARIE CLAIRE
This novel is so good because its funny, tender and true. - CLOSER
'A hilarious novel' - JONATHAN SALE, Independent
More likely to get murdered than married, according to gleeful media reports, Katie resigns herself to the fact there's no sex in the city and heads for the hills - or the Scottish highlands, to be precise.
Despite the fact she's never been a girl for wellies - and Fairlish is in the middle of nowhere - the tiny town does have one major draw: men. Lots of them.
But while Katie relishes the chance to do battle with armies of admirers, she's not reckoned on going head to head with her grumpy new boss, Harry, shadowy developers intent on destroying the beautiful countryside and Mrs McClockerty, the least suitable hotelier since Norman Bates.
At least there's the local eye-candy to distract her, including gorgeous newshound Iain. But he is at loggerheads with Harry, and Harry despises her. Life in the country might not be one big roll in the hay but can Katie ever turn her back on the delights of Fairlish and return to city life?
‘Funny, touching and a little bit rude, Jenny Colgan's talents are well showcased as she tries to answer the age-old questions: sheep or shopping?’ - She
‘Colgan's witty and original style...makes it a stand-out read.’ - Heat
‘full of warmth and humour’ - Marie Claire
‘Full of laughs and lipgloss - brilliant.’ - Company
'Snappy and wickedly entertaining.' - You
‘Funny stuff.’ - Heat
‘Funny, magical and moving.’ - Time Out
‘A sharp, witty love story.’ - Observer
'Colgan is on top form with her latest outrageous romp' - Cosmopolitan
'Jenny Colgan is one of the leaders of the pack - Fast-paced, funny, poignant and well-observed' - Daily Mail
Gwyneth Morgan loves her job. And she's good at it - she's never faced a challenge she can't handle - until she meets Arthur Pendleton and his motley crew.
Gwyneth sets Arthur a challenge that makes his heart sink. His team can't even find their own desks, let alone win a prestigious competition.
Pitted against his ex-girlfriend, as well as his love rival and deadly enemy, Arthur is forced to break the law and overcome massive obstacles as he embarks on his quest to achieve the impossible – and maybe, just maybe, win the heart of the enchanting Gwyneth.
As Gwyneth learns some surprising revelations about the man she'd once considered just an inept colleague, she's forced to reconsider. Is it possible that Arthur is her knight in shining armour?
‘It comes as no surprise to learn that Jenny Colgan once wanted to be a stand-up comedienne. She has a genuine ability to make people laugh...’ - DAILY EXPRESS
‘Hilarious reading…a shrew and entertaining romantic comedy.’ - OBSERVER
‘Funny, magical and moving.’ - TIME OUT
‘A sharp, witty love story.’ - OBSERVER
With the humour and warmth that have made her previous books bestsellers, she expertly transforms Arthur Pendleton's bid to make his home the new European City of Culture (and sweep ice-cool Gwyneth off her feet at the same time) into a delicious comedy. Will melt even the hardest of hearts.' - RED
‘hugely entertaining and very funny.’ - COSMOPOLITAN
‘Colgan’s witty book perfectly captures the frustrations and petty vexations of office life.’ - SHE
Nicole, Virginia, Hope and Sam all think they do. Hope will still be slogging it out as a working mum, snatching quality time with her children, and trying not to burn her husband, Matt's, dinner.
Her sister, Sam, is going to be climbing to the very top as boss of a record label, turning heads and having her photo emblazoned on the business pages as the toughest, most brilliant music mogul around.
Wild child Nicole reckons she'll still be partying with the girls, possibly snogging a guy here or there, and trying not to get fired for using the office phone to organize her social life.
And grandmother Virginia will be affectionately teasing her beloved husband, Bill, for spending too much time on the golf course and not enough walking the dog or cutting the grass.
But what if fate has other plans for them?
Suddenly life threatens to change beyond recognition for the four women, and they each have to look deep inside themselves to find out what they really want if they are to survive the turmoil ahead. And they will discover that a sense of belonging, a loving family and good friends make all the difference.
'Kelly dramatises her story with plenty of sparky humour' - The Times
'Down-to-earth and insightful, her novels are as compelling as Big Brother' - Andrea Henry, The Mirror
What's the secret of the fabulous Miller girls?
Everyone says that they lead charmed lives: beautiful, brilliant Stella, effortlessly juggling career and single-motherhood; witty TV writer, Tara, and dreamy, artistic Holly. Perhaps it comes from their calm, elegant mother, Rose, the centre of the family and adored wife of Hugh. Now, with Hugh and Rose married for forty years, their perfect daughters and their friends in the Irish country town of Kinvarra are looking forward to a celebration.
But as plans are made for the party of the decade, the secret heartaches the four women have kept hidden, even from each other, begin to emerge. Are any of them strong enough to deal with the truth about themselves and their golden lives?
The carefully structured narrative culminates in a powerfully insightful and ultimately moving denouement. - CHOICE
Told with Kellys trademark warmth and wit, this novel will have you pinned to your deckchair. - Woman and Home
'Kelly has earned her place on the bestseller lists with her sharp understanding of behaviour, and this splendid women's read will keep her there. The feel-good factor is a particularly endearing trait, spreading warmth and a satisfying conclusion.' - Publishing News, September 2002
'A compulsive read' - Woman's Weekly
Totally believable - Rosamunde Pilcher
'A humorous look at the nature of fame.' - Reading Evening Post
'A very funny, witty novel.' - Herald Express, Devon
