1717 Books
The Universe Versus Alex Woods (2013) is the debut novel by Gavin Extence. The book won the Waterstones Eleven award, and was nominated for the National Book Awards.
Young Tom French is found dead, lying in a marsh on the Norfolk coast, with his head bashed in and his binoculars still around his neck. One of the best birders in England, Tom put the village of Rushy on the birdwatching map. Everyone liked him. Or did they? George Palmer-Jones, an elderly birdwatcher, decides to look into the crime. He finds mixed feelings aplenty, but remains baffled by a deed that could have been motivated by thwarted love, pure envy, or something else altogether. But as he and his fellow birders pursue rumors of rare sightings, George -- with help from his lovely wife, Molly -- gradually discovers the true markings of a killer. Now all he has to do is prove it . . . before the killer strikes again.
Is Italian really the language of love? A new class of students hopes to find out. Anna's recently been told the father she's never met is Italian. Now she's baking focaccia, whipping up tiramisu and swotting up on her vocabulary, determined to make it to Italy so she can find him in person. Catherine's husband has walked out on her, and she's trying to pick up the pieces of her life. But she'll need courage as well as friends when she discovers his deception runs even deeper than infidelity. Sophie is the teacher of the class, who'd much rather be back in sunny Sorrento. She can't wait to escape the tensions at home and go travelling again. But sometimes life - and love - can surprise you when you least expect it. As the evening class gets underway, friendships form and secrets from Italy begin to emerge. With love affairs blossoming in the most unlikely places, and hard decisions to face, it's going to be a year that Anna, Catherine and Sophie will never forget.