menu

1704 Books

A Winter Flame

by Milly Johnson

A heartwarming and hilarious novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author ‘The feeling you get when you read a Milly Johnson book should be bottled and made available on the NHS’ Debbie Johnson Tis the season to be jolly… But can Eve find happiness through the frost? Eve has never liked Christmas. So when her adored elderly aunt dies, the last thing she is expecting is to be left a theme park in her will. A theme park with a Christmas theme … And that's not the only catch. Her aunt's will stipulates that Eve must run the park with a mysterious partner, the exotically named Jacques Glace. Who is this Jacques, and why did Aunt Evelyn name him in her will? But Eve isn't going to back down from a challenge. She's determined to make a success of Winterworld, no matter what. Can she overcome her dislike of Christmas, and can Jacques melt her frozen heart at last? Praise for Milly Johnson: 'Every time you discover a new Milly book, it’s like finding a pot of gold' heat 'A glorious, heartfelt novel' Rowan Coleman ‘Absolutely loved it. Milly's writing is like getting a big hug with just the right amount of bite underneath. I was rooting for Bonnie from the start' Jane Fallon ‘Bursting with warmth and joie de vivre’ Jill Mansell ‘Warm, optimistic and romantic’ Katie Fforde

The Hidden Beach

by Karen Swan

Secrets, betrayal and shocking revelations await in Sweden’s stunning holiday islands . . . The Hidden Beach is the addictive page-turner by bestselling author, Karen Swan. Two’s a love story. Three’s a crowd. In Stockholm’s oldest quarter, Bell Everhurst loves her job working as a nanny for the rich and charming Hanna and Max Mogert, caring for their three children. But one morning, everything changes. A woman from a clinic Bell has never heard of asks her to pass on the message that Hanna’s husband is awake. But the man isn’t Max. As the truth about Hanna’s past is revealed, the consequences are devastating. As the family heads off to spend their summer on Sweden’s idyllic islands, will Bell be caught in the crossfire? ‘Deliciously glamorous, irresistibly romantic!’ - Hello! Enjoy more of Karen Swan's captivating seasonal novels: The Greek Escape and The Rome Affair.

Vanished

by Lynda La Plante

KILLERS DON'T JUST DISAPPEAR . . . The unmissable brand new thriller from the Queen of Crime Drama, Lynda La Plante - now available in hardback, eBook and audiobook. ______________________ When an eccentric widow claims she is being stalked by her former lodger, Detective Jack Warr is the only person who believes her wild claims. Days later, she is found brutally murdered in her home. When the investigation uncovers an international drugs operation on the widow's property, the case grows even more complex. And as the hunt for the widow's lodger hits dead end after dead end, it seems that the prime suspect has vanished without a trace. To find answers, Jack must decide how far is he willing to go - and what he is willing to risk - in his search for justice. Because if he crosses the line of the law, one wrong move could cost him everything . . . __________________ PRAISE FOR LYNDA LA PLANTE: 'DC Jack Warr is clearly destined for higher things, and I look forward to following his progress' - PETER ROBINSON, No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the DCI Banks series 'A compelling, clever plot with a brilliant cast of diverse characters. Utterly riveting' - RACHEL ABBOTT, million-selling author of ONLY THE INNOCENT 'Lynda La Plante practically invented the thriller' - KARIN SLAUGHTER

The Wedding Pact

by Isla Gordon

Would you marry a stranger to live the life of your dreams? 'A fun and refreshing read! I couldn't put it down!' HEIDI SWAIN 'The best book I've read in 2021. I LOVED it, it made me smile so much. Fresh, funny and utterly wonderful' HOLLY MARTIN 'Original, funny and so, so romantic, The Wedding Pact is a breath of fresh air that you should add to your summer reading list immediately' CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN August Anderson needs somewhere to live. Dumped by her boyfriend who would rather be alone than move in with her, she has almost given up on happiness. Until she notices that the beautiful Georgian townhouse she's long admired (ahem, *obsessed over*) is looking for a new tenant, and suddenly it seems like things might be looking up . . . There's just one catch - the traditional, buttoned-up landlord is only willing to rent to a stable, married couple and August, quite frankly, is neither. Competition for the house is fierce and August knows she'll have to come up with a plan or risk losing her last shot at her happy ending. Enter Flynn, the handsome, charming and somewhat unsuspecting gentleman who August accidentally spills her coffee over. Flynn is new to the area and is looking for somewhere to live, and August thinks she knows just the place, but only if he's willing to tell a little white lie . . . The perfect feel-good summer read from reader favourite Lisa Dickenson, writing as Isla Gordon. Perfect for fans of Heidi Swain, Sarah Morgan and Anna Bell Praise for ISLA GORDON: 'Heart-warming and full of hope. I loved it' HEIDI SWAIN 'The most beautiful, heart-warming story. Gorgeously cosy, uplifting . . . utterly lovely book' HOLLY MARTIN 'Sunday afternoon bliss!' FABULOUS magazine

The Unwilling

by John Hart

THE INSTANT BESTSELLER “We the unwilling, led by the unqualified to kill the unfortunate, die for the ungrateful.” —Unknown Soldier Set in the South at the height of the Vietnam War, The Unwilling combines crime, suspense and searing glimpses into the human mind and soul in New York Times bestselling author John Hart's singular style. Gibby's older brothers have already been to war. One died there. The other came back misunderstood and hard, a decorated killer now freshly released from a three-year stint in prison. Jason won't speak of the war or of his time behind bars, but he wants a relationship with the younger brother he hasn't known for years. Determined to make that connection, he coaxes Gibby into a day at the lake: long hours of sunshine and whisky and older women. But the day turns ugly when the four encounter a prison transfer bus on a stretch of empty road. Beautiful but drunk, one of the women taunts the prisoners, leading to a riot on the bus. The woman finds it funny in the moment, but is savagely murdered soon after. Given his violent history, suspicion turns first to Jason; but when the second woman is kidnapped, the police suspect Gibby, too. Determined to prove Jason innocent, Gibby must avoid the cops and dive deep into his brother's hidden life, a dark world of heroin, guns and outlaw motorcycle gangs. What he discovers there is a truth more disturbing than he could have imagined: not just the identity of the killer and the reasons for Tyra's murder, but the forces that shaped his brother in Vietnam, the reason he was framed, and why the most dangerous man alive wants him back in prison. This is crime fiction at its most raw, an exploration of family and the past, of prison and war and the indelible marks they leave.

Broken Souls

by Patricia Gibney

‘She shivered, though the kitchen was warm. Icicles of foreboding trickled down her spine. With trembling hands she whipped back her hair at the nape of her neck. As she turned away from the window, she missed the shadow passing by.’ One dark winter’s morning, bride-to-be Cara Dunne is found hanging in her home, dressed in her wedding dress, with a lock of hair removed. Detective Lottie Parker is first on the scene. Looking at Cara’s bruised and battered body, she wonders who could have hated her enough to kill her at the happiest time of her life. The case takes a darker turn that afternoon with another shocking discovery – the broken body of a second young woman, pushed from the roof of the hospital where she worked. Fiona Heffernan was also due to be married, and her body is clad in a wedding dress, a lock of her hair cut off. The killings seem so personal that Lottie is convinced the girls have been killed by someone they knew. When she goes to break the news to Fiona’s family, she’s on the alert for anything suspicious. But then she makes a discovery that causes her blood to run cold – Fiona’s eight-year-old daughter Lily didn’t return home from her dance recital that afternoon. Terrified that Lily will be the next victim of a twisted and dangerous individual, Lottie takes the case into her own hands, risking her life when she comes face-to-face with the killer… If you love Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine, you’ll be hooked by this heart-stopping thriller from Patricia Gibney. Broken Souls will keep you guessing until the very last page! Read what everybody is saying about Broken Souls: ‘Brilliant as always and totally addictive and I loved it!!... This is a thrill a minute police procedural that just doesn’t let up, so many twists and lots going on it really is unputdownable but that comes as no surprise as every book in this series has been a 5 star read … Patricia Gibney as always writes a superb story never letting up on the action and once more providing us another 5 star read and highly recommended. ‘ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I have to say I got very excited when I saw book 7 was out in the Detective Lottie Parker series, it’s no secret that I love these books… How much can one woman take… Another great police procedural twisty mystery to get your teeth into, I cannot fault these books ever, it has it all… Murder, love drama, family dramas…. How Lottie Parker is still a sane woman is beyond me!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I am a huge huge fan of Patricia Gibney. I feel like I’ve known Lottie Parker for years and I’m rooting for her… I loved this book. The perfect continuation of her story. So many twists and turns… no clue where the book is heading until the end. This is my all-time favourite series… if you haven’t read Patricia yet you’re in for a treat as you have 7 books to read. Highly recommend!!!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I am a big fan of this series so was delighted to get an ARC of this book. As always there is a good balance between the personal life of the main characters and the crimes they are investigating… I really enjoyed this book and look forward avidly to the next one.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read what everyone is saying about Patricia Gibney: ‘AMAZING, BRILLIANT, THE BEST BOOK I'VE READ IN A LONG LONG TIME!!! It's not often I've been left speechless after reading a book but this time I was!!!… From the very start I was gripped and couldn't put it down!!!… If I could have given it ten stars I would have!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Line to Kill

by Anthony Horowitz

'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times ***BY THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MOONFLOWER MURDERS*** 'The murders are elaborate, the clues opaque and the mystery seemingly unsolvable, until Hawthorne steps in with customary aplomb and explains all. As a mystery, this book is immensely satisfying. But as a meta-story - an extravagant, knowing satire ... knowing send-up of the author himself; and a homage to the Golden Age of mystery - it is pure delight.' NEW YORK TIMES Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and the writer Anthony Horowitz have been invited to a literary festival on the island of Alderney to talk about their new book. Very soon they discover that dark forces are at work. Alderney is in turmoil over a planned power line that will cut through it, desecrating a war cemetery and turning neighbour against neighbour. And the visiting authors seem to be harbouring any number of unpleasant secrets. When the festival's wealthy sponsor is found brutally murdered, Alderney goes into lockdown and Hawthorne knows he doesn't have to look too far for suspects. There's no escape. The killer is still on the island. And there's about to be a second death . . . _____________________________________________________________ 'This is crime fiction as dazzling entertainment' SUNDAY TIMES 'Witty, wry, clever, a fabulous detective story and perfect summer reading' KATE MOSSE 'Funny, intriguing, thrilling and thought-provoking: a marvellous mystery' ADAM HAMDY 'A golden-age whodunnit on steroids' KIRKUS REVIEWS 'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' SHARI LAPENA

Small Things Like These

by Claire Keegan

THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FOSTER, ANTARCTICA AND WALK THE BLUE FIELDS 'A single one of Keegan's grounded, powerful sentences can contain volumes of social history. Every word is the right word in the right place, and the effect is resonant and deeply moving.' Hilary Mantel 'This is a tale of courage and compassion, of good sons and vulnerable young mothers. Absolutely beautiful.' Douglas Stuart 'Marvellous-exact and icy and loving all at once.' Sarah Moss 'A haunting, hopeful masterpiece.' Sinéad Gleeson It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him - and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church. The long-awaited new work from the author of Foster, Small Things Like These is an unforgettable story of hope, quiet heroism and tenderness. 'Astonishing. Claire Keegan makes her moments real - and then she makes them matter.' Colm Tóibín 'A true gift of a book. a sublime Chekhovian shock.' Andrew O'Hagan 'A moral tale that is unsentimental and deeply affecting, because true and right.' David Hayden

The Other Half of Augusta Hope

by Joanna Glen

Shortlisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award ‘A therapeutic dose of high-strength emotion’ GUARDIAN

Dictator

by Robert Harris

‘Laws are silent in times of war.’ Cicero There was a time when Cicero held Caesar’s life in the palm of his hand. But now Caesar is the dominant figure and Cicero’s life is in ruins. Exiled, separated from his wife and children, his possessions confiscated, his life constantly in danger, Cicero is tormented by the knowledge that he has sacrificed power for the sake of his principles. His comeback requires wit, skill and courage – and for a brief and glorious period, the legendary orator is once more the supreme senator in Rome. But politics is never static and no statesman, however cunning, can safeguard against the ambition and corruption of others. Riveting and tumultuous, DICTATOR encompasses some of the most epic events in human history yet is also an intimate portrait of a brilliant, flawed, frequently fearful yet ultimately brave man – a hero for his time and for ours. This is an unforgettable tour de force from a master storyteller.