“At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist….A book I could not put down.” —Ann Patchett “Mary Renault lives again!” declares Emma Donoghue, author of Room, referring to The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller’s thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War. A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.

The Song of Achilles

The Bestselling Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick 'One of the greatest storytellers of our time' – Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Soon to be a major motion picture, Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale has captured the hearts of millions of readers becoming a number one bestseller across the world. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the endurance of women. 'I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be known' This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II, when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime. ‘A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival’ – Kate Morton, author of Homecoming ‘Movingly written and plotted with the heartless skill of a Greek tragedy, you’ll keep turning the pages until the last racking sob’ – Daily Mail ‘I loved The Nightingale . . . great characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel?’ – Isabel Allende, bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea ‘A griping tale of family, love, grief and forgiveness’ – Sunday Express The Nightingale has sold more than 4 million copies globally, TIME, February 2021

The Nightingale

Read by Julia Whelan, including an Author's Note read by Kristin, revealing her inspiration for telling the women's heroic stories, which had been either forgotten or entirely overlooked. From the worldwide bestselling author of The Four Winds, The Nightingale and Firefly Lane (a Number One series on Netflix), The Women is a story of devastating loss and epic love. 'Astonishing. Compelling. Powerful' – Delia Owens, bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing 'Stuns with sacrifice. Uplifts with heroism' – Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry ‘Powerful’ – Matt Haig, bestselling author of The Midnight Library An instant Sunday Times bestseller and soon to be a major motion picture! ‘Women can be heroes, too’. When twenty-year-old nursing student, Frances “Frankie” McGrath, hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on California’s idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the young men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed America. Frankie will also discover the true value of female friendship and the heartbreak that love can cause. Listeners love The Women: 'The sure touch of Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan transforms Kristin Hannah's absorbing novel about Vietnam War combat nurses into an addictive listen' - AudioFile 'It honours ALL women: those who have fought for their rights and freedoms, those who have been overlooked and underappreciated, those who have been forgotten by families and society' 'I’ve been looking forward to this book’s release for months' 'Kristin Hannah has done it again' The Women was a Sunday Times bestseller from 17.2.24-13.4.24

The Women

'Truly extraordinary books are rare, and this is one of them' – Roddy Doyle 'His [Dominic Hofman] performance is terrific: variously wry, poignant and thoughtful as he imbues Jim with the humanity and agency denied to him by Twain' – The Guardian, Audiobook of the Week James is a profound and ferociously funny novel from one of our greatest living writers, Percival Everett. The Sunday Times Bestseller Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction Shortlisted for the Booker Prize Finalist for the Orwell Prize for Fiction The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he flees to nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town. So begins a dangerous and transcendent journey along the Mississippi River, towards the elusive promise of the free states and beyond. As James and Huck navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise. And together, the unlikely pair embark on the most life-changing odyssey of them all . . . A 'Book of the Year' in The Observer, The Times & Sunday Times, The Guardian, Daily Mail, Daily Express, The Spectator, New Statesman, Independent, TLS, The Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, i newspaper, The Economist, The Irish Times, The New York Times, TIME and The New Yorker 'Who should read this book? Every single person in the country' – Ann Patchett 'Scorchingly funny and action-packed' – The Sunday Times, 'Books of the Year' 'This may be Everett's best book yet' – Bonnie Garmus 'Playful and viciously comic' – The Telegraph, 'Books of the Year' 'My favourite novel this year' – Salman Rushdie

James

From the critically acclaimed, bestselling author of Weyward: FOUR SISTERS, SEPARATED BY HISTORY, BOUND BY THE SEA 'Beautiful and magnificent' Jennifer Saint, author of ARIADNE 'A profoundly moving and rich historical story wrapped up in a contemporary murder mystery’ ROSIE ANDREWS, author of THE LEVIATHAN When Lucy arrives at her sister’s house in a wild panic, she doesn’t find the solace she’s desperately seeking – only an abandoned house, in a town steeped in mystery. As Lucy searches for her sister, instead she uncovers tales of missing men. Stories of women drowned just off the coast two hundred years before. Rumours of their voices on the waves. Can the voices lead Lucy to her sister – or are they trying to pull them both under? 'I can't wait to see what Emilia Hart writes next' Kate Morton READERS ARE SAYING… ‘This book is a beauty. A real hidden gem. Beautifully woven storytelling’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I devoured this book in a few days, desperate to get the next piece of the puzzle’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘There are few reads that leave me completely speechless and this is one of them’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘A truly captivating book’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Emilia Hart's book 'The Sirens' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2025-02-17.

The Sirens

The Seven Sisters is the story that began it all. An epic tale of love and loss, it tells the stories of the D’Aplièse sisters, all adopted as babies by the enigmatic billionaire they affectionately call Pa Salt. Read by Tuppence Middleton (Thirty Days in Paris, The Doll Factory). This is Maia’s story. When Pa Salt dies suddenly, the bereaved sisters gather together at their childhood home, a spectacular secluded castle on the shores of Lake Geneva. Each of them is handed a tantalising clue to their heritage and Maia finds herself on a journey across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Eighty years earlier, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for her to marry into the aristocracy. But Izabela longs for adventure, and convinces him to allow her to first travel to Paris. In the heady, vibrant streets of the city, Izabela meets an ambitious young sculptor, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again. What links these two young women? In the beautiful city of Rio, will Maia find the answers she needs to understand who she truly is? The Seven Sisters is the first book in the spellbinding Seven Sisters series, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation. It is followed by The Storm Sister. 'A brilliant page-turner just soaked in glamour and romance' – Daily Mail Praise for the Seven Sisters: 'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun 'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party 'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening Post Five-Star Fan Reviews: 'Absolutely incredible' 'Totally addictive' 'Ideal for when you need to escape'

The Seven Sisters

THE FIERCEST, MOST POWERFUL RETELLING OF 2025: A STORY OF AMBITION, FEMALE OPPRESSION AND UNSTOPPABLE HUNGER . . . 'Rich and daring. This is everything I dream of in a novel' Ava Reid 'A beguiling feast of a novel' Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb 'I LOVED it' Taylor Jenkins Reid 'Phenomenal' Samantha Shannon FOR WHAT DO YOU HUNGER . . . ? Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage the relationship has soured, and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry's ambitions take them from London to the Peak District, to the remote, imposing Nethershaw estate, where he plans to host a hunting party. Lenore must work to restore the crumbling house and ready it for Henry's guests - their future depends on it. But as the couple travel through the bleak countryside, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore's life. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night, Carmilla who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger . . . As the day of the hunt draws closer, Lenore begins to unravel, questioning the role she has been playing all these years. Torn between regaining her husband's affection and the cravings Carmilla has awakened, soon Lenore will uncover a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk . . . Set against the violent wilderness of the Peaks and the uncontrolled appetite of the Industrial Revolution, HUNGERSTONE is a compulsive sapphic reworking of CARMILLA, the book that inspired DRACULA: a captivating story of appetite and desire. Everyone is devouring HUNGERSTONE . . . 'An extraordinary book' Jennifer Saint 'Hungerstone grabbed me body and soul' Anya Bergman 'Ravenous, righteous and utterly sublime' Bea Fitzgerald 'Intoxicating and vivid . . . Sensual and vicious' Hannah Kaner 'A true feast for all the senses' Cosmopolitan 'A beguiling and spellbinding story of female repression and appetite' Heat 'A fabulous Gothic feast of a novel' Elodie Harper

Hungerstone

Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott's most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War. It is no secret that Alcott based Little Women on her own early life. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, hobnobbed with such eminent male authors as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with "woman's work," including sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a domestic servant. But she soon discovered she could make more money writing. Little Women brought her lasting fame and fortune, and far from being the "girl's book" her publisher requested, it explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.

World Classics

Little Women

'Compelling, evocative, heart-wrenching and beautifully written. Highly recommended.' - Fiona Valpy, author of The Storyteller of Casablanca Being a woman was her only crime. Scottish Highlands, 1727. In the aftermath of a tragic fire that kills her father, Aila and her mother, Janet, move to the remote parish of Loth, north-west of Inverness. Blending in does not come easily to the women: Aila was badly burned in the fire and left with visible injuries, while her mother struggles to maintain her grip on reality. When a temporary minister is appointed in the area, rather than welcome the two women, he develops a strange curiosity for them that sets them even further apart from the community. Then arrives a motley troupe of travelling entertainers from Edinburgh, led by the charismatic but mysterious Jack. It is just the distraction Janet, and particularly Aila, needs: for the first time in a long while, their lives are filling with joy and friendship, and a kind of hope Aila hasn't known since her father's death. But in this small community, faith is more powerful than truth, and whispers more dangerous even than fire. Haunting and deeply moving, The Last Witch of Scotland is a story of love, loyalty and sacrifice, inspired by the true story of the last person to be executed for witchcraft in Britain. Perfect for fans of Outlander, The Mercies and The Witches of Vardo, or for anyone with an interest in the history of witchcraft, late renaissance Scotland and Highland history.

The Last Witch of Scotland

* SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 BOOKER PRIZE * * WINNER OF THE NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION * * WINNER OF THE 2025 WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION * Shortlisted for the 2025 Dylan Thomas Prize and Aspen Words Literary Prize • A Best Book of 2024: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Time, The Economist, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), Kirkus Reviews, The Independent, BookPage, The Sunday Times (London) “Remarkable…Compelling…Fine and taut…Indelible.” —The New York Times • “Moving, unnerving, and deeply sexy.” —Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with the Pearl Earring • “A brilliant debut, as multi-faceted as a gem.” —Kirkus Reviews A “razor-sharp, perfectly plotted” (The Sunday Times, London) tale of desire, suspicion, and obsession between two women staying in the same house in the Dutch countryside during the summer of 1961—a powerful exploration of the legacy of WWII and the darker parts of our collective past. A house is a precious thing... It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother’s country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be—led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel’s doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season. Eva is Isabel’s antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn’t. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house—a spoon, a knife, a bowl—Isabel’s suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel’s paranoia gives way to infatuation, leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva—nor the house in which they live—are what they seem. Mysterious, sophisticated, sensual, and infused with intrigue, atmosphere, and sex, The Safekeep is “a brave and thrilling debut about facing up to the truth of history, and to one’s own desires” (The Guardian).

The Safekeep

Beautifully read by Kristin Atherton. A spellbinding, muligenerational story set between the 1950s and the present, The Butterfly Room is an enchanting tale of heartbreaking secrets from Lucinda Riley, international bestselling author of the Seven Sisters series. 'Captivating . . . poignant yet uplifting' – Woman's Own Posy Montague is approaching her seventieth birthday. Still living in her beautiful Suffolk family home, Admiral House, she is surrounded by memories of her idyllic childhood catching butterflies with her beloved father, and of raising her own children. But Posy knows she must make an agonizing decision. Despite the memories the house holds, and the exquisite garden she has spent twenty-five years creating, the house is crumbling around her, and Posy knows the time has come to sell it. Then a face appears from the past – Freddie, her first love, who abandoned her and left her heartbroken fifty years ago. Already struggling to cope with her son’s inept business dealings, and the sudden reappearance of her younger son after ten years in Australia, Posy is reluctant to trust in Freddie’s renewed affection. And, unbeknown to Posy, Freddie has a devastating secret to reveal . . . 'A perfect beach read' – Daily Mail 'Prepare to be intrigued, moved to tears and ultimately uplifted' – Lancashire Evening Post

The Butterfly Room

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child -- not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power -- the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus. But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.

Circe

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER An absorbing historical fantasy, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan reimagines the rise to power of the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor. ‘This audacious, brilliant debut is a vivid, original reimagining . . . immersive storytelling at its finest’ – Daily Mail 'Magnificent in every way. War, desire, vengeance, politics – Shelley Parker-Chan has perfectly measured each ingredient' – Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree ‘A thoroughly engrossing read with a fabulous, tragic-trickster protagonist' – Megan Campisi, author of Sin Eater ‘A dazzling new world of fate, war, love and betrayal’ – Zen Cho, author of Black Water Sister In a famine-stricken village on a dusty plain, a seer shows two children their fates. For a family’s eighth-born son, there’s greatness. For the second daughter, nothing. In 1345, China lies restless under harsh Mongol rule. And when a bandit raid wipes out their home, the two children must somehow survive. Zhu Chongba despairs and gives in. But the girl resolves to overcome her destiny. So she takes her dead brother’s identity and begins her journey. Can Zhu escape what’s written in the stars, as rebellion sweeps the land? Or can she claim her brother’s greatness – and rise as high as she can dream? This is a glorious tale of love, loss, betrayal and triumph by a powerful new voice. ‘As brilliant as Circe . . . a deft and dazzling triumph’ – Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne ‘Epic, tragic and gorgeous’ – Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January She Who Became the Sun is a reimagining of the rise to power of Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu was the peasant rebel who expelled the Mongols, unified China under native rule, and became the founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

The Radiant Emperor

She Who Became the Sun

WINNER OF THE 2015 PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR FICTION A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II

All The Light We Cannot See

After more than two years on the bestseller lists, Khaled Hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel of enormous contemporary relevance. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan's last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them. Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heartwrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

From 1960s Italy to present-day Ireland, Ripeness is a haunting, luminous tale of love, grief, and the lifelong search for where we truly belong, from Sarah Moss, bestselling author of Summerwater. 'Moss makes every moment count' - The Sunday Times 'The achievement of a lifetime' - Jessie Burton 'A book of lasting pleasures' - Eleanor Catton 'A powerful and beautifully written story of family, friendship and identity' - Guardian Just out of school and teetering on the brink of adulthood, Edith is sent alone to rural Italy. Her task is simple: support her sister Lydia, a brilliant but brittle ballet dancer, through the final weeks of her pregnancy. Once the child is born, she is to make a phone call that will change all of their lives forever. Decades later, Edith is living a contented life in Ireland, happily divorced and unexpectedly free. But when her friend Méabh receives a call from a stranger claiming to be her brother, everything shifts. As Méabh confronts a history she never knew she had, Edith is pulled back into the long-buried story of the baby she once held, and lost. 'Tender and rueful . . . Sarah Moss is a marvel of insight and eloquence' - Emma Donoghue 'One of our greatest living writers' - Katherine May, author of Wintering Praise for Sarah Moss: 'Throws much contemporary writing into the shade' - Hilary Mantel ‘One of our very best contemporary novelists’ - Independent 'A brilliant mind' - The Guardian 'Moss has quietly been putting out some of the most interesting and carefully sculpted novels of recent years' - Financial Times 'One of the finest contemporary writers working in Britain today' - Stylist 'Is Sarah Moss the best British writer never nominated for the Booker?' - Daily Mail 'Nothing escapes her sly humour and brilliant touch' - Jessie Burton 'The most brilliant writer. She deserves to win all the prizes' - Joanna Trollope

Ripeness

This audiobook is read by Justin Avoth and Sophie Roberts, and includes an Historical Note read by the author, Laura Shepherd-Robinson. This edition also features an audio-exclusive Q&A between Laura and Justin. 'An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection' – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal The Art of a Lie is a beguiling cat-and-mouse thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Square of Sevens, Laura Shepherd-Robinson. That’s the trouble with stories, especially the ones you write for yourself. Sometimes you think they've ended, when they've barely begun . . . London, 1749. Following the murder of her husband in a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to keep her head above water. The Punchbowl and Pineapple, her confectionary shop on Piccadilly, is barely turning a profit, and her suppliers are conspiring to put her out of business. So when she learns that her husband had a large sum of money in his bank account that she knew nothing about, the surprise is extremely welcome. And when William Devereux, a friend of her late husband, tells her about a new Italian delicacy called “iced cream”, Hannah believes it might transform the fortunes of her shop. But her husband’s unexpected windfall attracts the attention of author-turned-magistrate Henry Fielding, who suspects the money was illicitly acquired. Unless Hannah can prove otherwise, her inheritance will be confiscated. As she and Devereux work to uncover the secrets of her husband’s double life, their friendship opens Hannah to speculation and gossip, locking her into a battle of wits more devastating than anything, even her husband’s murder. 'Fiendishly clever and completely gripping . . . I loved it' – Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things 'This book has it all. Masterful' – Abir Mukherjee, bestselling author of Hunted '[Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don’t say that lightly' – Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange 'Historical crime fiction doesn’t get any better than this' – Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Shadows of London 'Captivating, compelling, and so, so clever' – Jo Callaghan, bestselling author of In The Blink of An Eye

The Art of a Lie

'Utterly captivating. An engrossing, propulsive novel' Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites 'A gorgeously written, at times fantastical and deeply immersive novel' Molly Aitken, author of Bright I Burn Two women. An extraordinary power. An explosive bond. In a time of revolution, their fates will lie in the turn of a card . . . It is the early days of the French Revolution and, on the streets of Paris, terror reigns. Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand is a young woman with an extraordinary power - through her tarot cards, she can commune with the dead, revolutionaries and the aristocracy alike seeking her out to divine their fortunes. Lenormand is loyal to Marie Antoinette and the dauphin of France, but she has seen the queen's fate in the cards and must take care that it doesn't become her own. Then, one fateful day, she comes across Cait, a scullery maid from Ireland who has travelled to Paris for love. Cait has powers too - she can read people's pasts as Lenormand reads their futures. The two young women share an electrifying connection, drawn to each other's abilities. But Cait is hiding something. What will she do - and who will she betray - to bring revolution to the shores of her beloved Ireland too? Inspired by the astonishing true story of Marie-Anne Adelaide Lenormand, The Tarot Reader of Versailles is a sweeping, powerful novel where allegiances, betrayals and even fate itself can be forged or broken by the turn of a card . . . *Selected as a Bookseller pick of the month* 'Readers who like their historical fiction laced with fantastical elements will enjoy this spirited tale' The Times '[A] propulsive epic in the company of two extraordinary women' Daily Mail 'A complex, epic and engrossing tale' Caroline Lea, author of Love, Sex & Frankenstein 'I was totally swept up in this epic story of fate and betrayal, love and intrigue. Every twist left me reeling' Danielle Giles, author of Mere 'Thrilling, compelling and beautifully-woven' Aoife Fitzpatrick, author of The Red Bird Sings 'Feminist, fantastical and flawlessly imagined' Natasha Solomons 'Lush, lyrical and utterly captivating' Kim Curran, author of The Morrigan

The Tarot Reader of Versailles

The final novel in The Seven Sisters series is here. Narrated by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton. Spanning a lifetime of love and loss, crossing borders and oceans, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, co-authored by her son Harry Whittaker, draws Lucinda Riley's saga to its stunning, unforgettable conclusion. Maia, Ally, Star, CeCe, Tiggy, Electra and their long-lost missing sister are gathered together for the first time, on board the Titan, to say a final goodbye to the enigmatic father they loved so dearly. He has entrusted each of them with a clue to their past. But for every truth revealed another question emerges. How did Pa Salt amass his fortune? Why did he choose to adopt the sisters and why were they chosen from such different parts of the world? Have the answers been there all along, if only they had known where to find them? The sisters must confront the idea that their adored father was someone they barely knew – and, even more shockingly, that his long-buried secrets may still echo through the generations today. In this epic conclusion to the Seven Sisters series, everything will be revealed. Tuppence Middleton returns to complete the sisters' story alongside Richard Armitage as Pa Salt.

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • READ BY MERYL STREEP “Patchett leads us to a truth that feels like life rather than literature.”—The Guardian In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America’s finest writers. In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew. Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.

Tom Lake

From the Scottish Highlands and Spain, to South America and New York, The Moon Sister is the fifth epic story in the Seven Sisters series by the number one bestseller Lucinda Riley. A spellbinding story of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation. Tiggy D’Aplièse, in her mid-twenties, learns that her father – Pa Salt, an elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from around the globe – has died. Trusting her instincts, Tiggy moves to the remote wilds of Scotland and takes a job doing what she loves: caring for animals. Working on the vast and isolated Kinnaird estate, she is employed by the enigmatic and troubled laird, Charlie Kinnaird. Her decision alters her future irrevocably when she meets Chilly, an elderly gypsy man who has lived for years on the estate. He tells her not only that she possesses a sixth sense, passed down from her ancestors, but that it was foretold long ago that he should send her back home to Granada, Spain . . . In the shadow of the magnificent Alhambra, Tiggy discovers her connection to the fabled gypsy community of Sacromonte, who were forced to flee their homes during the civil war, and to ‘La Candela’ – the greatest flamenco dancer of her generation. Tiggy follows the trail back to her own exciting but complex past. And, under the watchful eye of a gifted gypsy bruja, she begins to embrace her own talent for healing. But when fate takes a hand, Tiggy must decide whether to stay with her new-found family or return to Kinnaird, and Charlie . . . The epic, multi-million selling series continues with The Sun Sister. 'Lucinda Riley at the top of her game: a magical storyteller who creates characters we fall in love with and who stay with us long after we finish reading.’ – Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Hunting Party Praise for the Seven Sisters: 'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun 'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening Post Five-Star Reader Reviews: 'Absolutely incredible' 'Totally addictive' 'Ideal for when you need to escape'

The Moon Sister

The spellbinding series continues. Following the bestselling The Seven Sisters, The Storm Sister is the second book in Lucinda Riley's epic saga of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the Seven Sisters constellation. Read by Hattie Morahan (The Burning Chambers, Girl with a Pearl Earring) Ally D'Aplièse, in her early thirties, is about to compete in one of the world's most perilous yacht races when she hears the news of her adoptive father's sudden, mysterious death. Rushing back to meet her five sisters at their family home, she discovers that her father – an elusive billionaire affectionately known to his daughters as Pa Salt – has left each of them a tantalizing clue to their true heritage. Ally recently embarked on a deeply passionate love affair that will change her destiny forever. But with her life now turned upside down, Ally decides to leave the open seas and follow the trail that her father left her, leading to the icy beauty of Norway . . . There, Ally begins to discover her roots – and how her story is inextricably bound to that of a young unknown singer, Anna Landvik, who lived there over a hundred years before, and sang in the first performance of Grieg's iconic music set to Ibsen's play 'Peer Gynt'. As Ally learns more about Anna, she also begins to question who her father, Pa Salt, really was. And she begins to wonder: why is their seventh sister missing? The epic, multi-million selling series continues with The Shadow Sister. 'A brilliant page-turner just soaked in glamour and romance' – Daily Mail Praise for the Seven Sisters: 'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun 'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party 'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening Post Five-Star Reader Reviews: 'Absolutely incredible' 'Totally addictive' 'Ideal for when you need to escape'

The Storm Sister

'One of the greatest storytellers of our time' Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing 'A story of love, family, unbreakable bonds, bravery and hope' Christy Lefteri, author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo The Four Winds, an instant New York Times number one bestseller and Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, is a deeply moving story about the strength and resilience of women and the bond between mother and daughter, by the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah. She will discover the best of herself in the worst of times . . . Texas, 1934. Elsa Martinelli had finally found the life she’d yearned for. A family, a home and a livelihood on a farm on the Great Plains. But when drought threatens all she and her community hold dear, Elsa’s world is shattered to the winds. Fearful of the future, when Elsa wakes to find her husband has fled, she is forced to make the most agonizing decision of her life. Fight for the land she loves or take her beloved children, Loreda and Ant, west to California in search of a better life. Will it be the land of milk and honey? Or will their experience challenge every ounce of strength they possess? From the overriding love of a mother for her child, the value of female friendship and the ability to love again – against all odds – Elsa’s incredible journey is a story of survival, hope and what we do for the ones we love. 'A classic storyteller, The Four Winds sees her at the top of her game' Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library **** What readers love about The Four Winds: ‘Everyone should read this book. This is the new American classic’ ‘It will break your heart and bring you to tears. It will also be one of the best books you read all year!’ ‘This is historical fiction at its best: compelling, compassionate, enraging and courageous. I absolutely loved this book!’ ‘Gripping and captivating . . . heartbreaking and inspiring’ ‘We fall in love with a warrior who finds her power and strength, surrounded by love. Beautiful’ ‘BRAVO to the author, this is her best work yet’

The Four Winds

Following on from the bestselling The Seven Sisters and The Storm Sister, The Shadow Sister is the third book in Lucinda Riley's spellbinding series of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the Seven Sisters constellation. Read by Fiona Button (This Is Not a Pity Memoir, Your Word Or Mine) Star D'Aplièse, in her late twenties, is at a crossroads in her life after the sudden death of her beloved father – the elusive billionaire, named Pa Salt by his six daughters, all adopted by him from the four corners of the world. He has left each of them a clue to their true heritage, but Star – the most enigmatic of the sisters – is hesitant to step out of the safety of the close relationship she shares with her sister CeCe. In desperation, she decides to follow the first clue she has been left, which leads her to an antiquarian bookshop in London, and the start of a whole new world . . . A hundred years earlier, headstrong and independent Flora MacNichol vows she will never marry. She is happy and secure in her home in the Lake District, living close to her idol, Beatrix Potter. But, when machinations outside of her control lead her to the London home of one of Edwardian society's most notorious players, Flora is pulled between passionate love and duty to her family. But she finds herself a pawn in a game – the rules of which are only known to others – until a meeting with a mysterious gentleman unveils the answers that Flora has been searching for her whole life . . . As Star learns more of Flora's incredible journey, she too goes on a voyage of discovery, finally stepping out of the shadow of her sister and opening herself up to the possibility of love. The epic, multi-million selling series continues with The Pearl Sister. 'Absolutely impossible to put down! The Seven Sisters books just keep getting better and better' - Tracy Rees, author of Amy Snow Praise for the Seven Sisters: 'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun 'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party 'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening Post Five-Star Reader Reviews: 'Absolutely incredible' 'Totally addictive' 'Ideal for when you need to escape'

The Shadow Sister

A Stunning Novel of Hope and Redemption Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable and beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara -- a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him. The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship and betrayal, and about the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of fathers over sons -- their love, their sacrifices, and their lies. Written against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But through the devastation, Khaled Hosseini offers hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows us for redemption.

The Kite Runner

'Wonderful. A fresh and lively take on a well-known tale' The Times 'Richly drawn . . . There's pomp and splendour in Solomons' sensuous tale, which is lush with exquisite places, heady scents, gold and glory, but . . .also the harsh reality of death and bloody betrayal' Daily Mail From the international bestselling author comes an unmissable new retelling of the life of one of the most captivating and misrepresented female figures in history. Cleopatra, Egyptian Princess, grows up the favoured daughter of the Pharoah, hiding amongst the scrolls in the great library of Alexandria with her beloved slave Charmian, longing for the chance one day to write her own story. Then when her father dies, willing that Cleopatra rule with her selfish brother Ptolemy, danger stirs. As the young Egyptian Queen sails the Nile to greet her people, he plots to destroy her and take the throne for himself. But while Ptolemy has the power of Egypt behind him, Cleopatra has her wits. And when the great Caesar arrives from Rome, she realises he could be the key to her salvation - though courting this powerful man could cost her everything. Can Cleopatra save her life, her throne, her beloved Egypt and finally command her own history? A powerful, unmissable new retelling, this is a captivating story of female power and vulnerability, of love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal. It's time to meet the real Cleopatra. 'Vibrant and enthralling. A glorious retelling of one of the most misrepresented female figures in history' Platinum magazine 'The fabled Egyptian queen bursts into fierce and complex life' Caroline Lea 'Vivid and compelling' Anya Bergman 'Shows us the true Cleopatra in all of her pride and glory' Luna McNamara 'As glorious and enthralling as its heroine' Naomi Kelsey 'A dazzling tale writhing with tension like a desert snake' Rachel Louise Driscol 'Thrilling. . . brings the ancient world vividly to life' Cathryn Kemp 'Solomons breathes life into the myth. Gripping' Elizabeth Lee READER REVIEWS ***** "I was absolutely bewitched" ***** "This book was both intimate and refreshing, vivid. I felt both the sticky heat of Egypt, and the cool breeze of the Queen's apartments at night." ***** "10/10 a much needed exploration into one of the most infamous women in ancient history" ***** "It shows her not so much as the beautiful seductress we see in other stories but clever and young ruler, and later mother. I liked seeing her grow as a person and ruler, but what I enjoyed most was her relationship with her slave and companion, it added a vulnerable side to her character that we rarely see." ***** "Solomon's gift is to immerse you in an immediately believable world and to connect you with character from the start. I found myself constantly wanting to check details reading Cleopatra, fascinated by the woman coming alive before me." ***** "I raced through the final section, heart wrung for the women whose story is forgotten in the plays. Just brilliant!" , heart wrung for the women whose story is forgotten in the plays. Just brilliant!"

Cleopatra

Journey to the plains of Central Australia in The Pearl Sister, the fourth book in the number one bestselling Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley. A spellbinding story of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation. CeCe D’Aplièse has never felt she fitted in anywhere. Following the sudden death of her adoptive father – an elusive billionaire affectionately known to his daughters as Pa Salt – she finds herself at breaking point. In desperation, CeCe decides to follow the clues to her past left to her by her father: a black-and-white photograph from 1906 and the name of a female pioneer, Kitty McBride, the daughter of a clergyman who left her rigid life in Scotland to forge a new path in Australia. On her way to Sydney, CeCe visits the stunning beaches of Krabi, Thailand. There she meets the mysterious Ace, a man as lonely as she is, a man with a secret to hide . . . When CeCe finally reaches the searing heat of the Red Centre of Australia, something deep within her awakens. Could this wild, vast continent offer CeCe something she never thought possible: a sense of belonging, and a home? The epic, multi-million selling series continues with The Moon Sister. 'Delicious reading' - Daily Mail Praise for the Seven Sisters: 'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun 'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party 'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening Post Five-Star Reader Reviews: 'Absolutely incredible' 'Totally addictive' 'Ideal for when you need to escape'

The Pearl Sister

Brooklyn: the iconic classic. Read by the star of the Oscar and BAFTA-nominated film adaptation, Saoirse Ronan. The classic novel that inspired the major motion picture. The prequel to Colm Tóibín's bestselling novel, Long Island. In a small town in 1950s Ireland Eilis Lacey is one among many women of her generation who cannot find work at home. So, when a job is offered in America, she knows she must leave. Arriving, alone, at a noisy boarding house in Brooklyn, Eilis can only be reminded of what she has left behind. She is far from home - and homesick. And just as she begins to find a new way of living, and the possibility of companionship, Eilis receives tragic news which sends her back to Ireland. There she will be confronted by a terrible dilemma - between love and happiness in the land where she belongs and the promises she must keep on the far side of the ocean. 'With this elating and humane novel, Colm Tóibín has produced a masterwork' – Sunday Times 'The most compelling and moving portrait of a young woman I have read in a long time' – Zoë Heller, Guardian 'Magnificent' – Sunday Telegraph

Brooklyn

A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of twelfth-century England, The Pillars of the Earth is Ken Follett's classic historical masterpiece. A MASON WITH A DREAM 1135 and civil war, famine and religious strife abound. With his family on the verge of starvation, mason Tom Builder dreams of the day that he can use his talents to create and build a cathedral like no other. A MONK WITH A BURNING MISSION Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, is resourceful, but with money scarce he knows that for his town to survive it must find a way to thrive, and so he makes the decision to build within it the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known. A WORLD OF HIGH IDEALS AND SAVAGE CRUELTY As Tom and Philip meet so begins an epic tale of ambition, anarchy and absolute power. In a world beset by strife and enemies that would thwart their plans, they will stop at nothing to achieve their ambitions in a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother . . . The Pillars of the Earth is the first in The Kingsbridge Novels series, followed by World Without End and A Column of Fire. More than 175 million copies sold worldwide. Published in over eighty territories and thirty-seven languages. The international No. 1 bestselling phenomenon returns.

The Kingsbridge Novels

The Pillars of the Earth

'A soaring coming-of-age novel.' - THE OBSERVER 'Completely fierce, unmistakably feminist, and subversively funny. When Women Were Dragons brings the heat to misogyny with glorious imagination and talon-sharp prose.' - Bonnie Garmus, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY In a world where girls and women are taught to be quiet, the dragons inside them are about to be set free ... In this timely and timeless speculative novel, set in 1950s America, Kelly Barnhill exposes a world that wants to keep girls and women small - and examines what happens when they rise up. Alex Green is four years old when she first sees a dragon. In her next-door neighbour's garden, in the spot where the old lady usually sits, is a huge dragon, an astonished expression on its face before it opens its wings and soars away across the rooftops. And Alex doesn't see the little old lady after that. No one mentions her. It's as if she's never existed. Then Alex's mother disappears, and reappears a week later, one quiet Tuesday, with no explanation whatsoever as to where she has been. But she is a ghostly shadow of her former self, and with scars across her body - wide, deep burns, as though she had been attacked by a monster who breathed fire. Alex, growing from young girl to fiercely independent teenager, is desperate for answers, but doesn't get any. Whether anyone likes it or not, the Mass Dragoning is coming. And nothing will be the same after that. Everything is about to change, forever. And when it does, this, too, will be unmentionable... Perfect for fans of THE HANDMAID'S TALE, VOX, and THE POWER.

When Women Were Dragons

Set in an alternative Edwardian England, this is a comedy of manners, manor houses, and hedge mazes: including a magic-infused murder mystery and a delightful queer romance. 'Lush historical fantasy . . . A delightful book, with richly developed characters' – New York Times ‘Mystery! Magic! Murder! . . . This book is a confection, both marvellous and light’ – Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January For fans of Georgette Heyer or Julia Quinn's Bridgerton, who'd like to welcome magic into their lives . . . Young baronet Robin Blyth thought he was taking up a minor governmental post. However, he's actually been appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society. If it weren’t for this administrative error, he’d never have discovered the incredible magic underlying his world. Cursed by mysterious attackers and plagued by visions, Robin becomes determined to drag answers from his missing predecessor – but he’ll need the help of Edwin Courcey, his hostile magical-society counterpart. Unwillingly thrown together, Robin and Edwin will discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles. The Binding meets Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in debut author Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light. Continue the thrilling series with A Restless Truth. ‘A dazzling debut’ – Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun ‘Prepare to fall in love with the gorgeous Edwardian setting, the sizzling character dynamics, and the murderous enchanted hedge maze’ – Emily Tesh, author of Silver in the Wood ‘An absolute delight . . . If you ever wished Downton Abbey was sharper-edged and full of magic, this is the book for you’ – Kat Howard, author of An Unkindness of Magicians

The Last Binding

A Marvellous Light

Set in Southwest England in the late 1800s, Sense and Sensibility follows the lives of the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne. When inheritance money from their father does not fall their way, the sisters and their mother must move in with distant relatives. Settling in at Barton Park, the Dashwood sisters discover a new life, filled with new acquaintances and different suitors. From these new encounters, their lives are forever changed through a series of love, romance, and heartbreaks. Ultimately the sisters must choose between sense and sensibility while uncovering secrets about their potential suitors and the wealth-inspired motives the society holds.

Sense and Sensibility

“Sarah Penner transported me to the sea-swept cliffs of Positano and introduced me to characters I’ll never forget. A magical read!” —Emilia Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Weyward Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse… Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work? As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever… Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.

The Amalfi Curse

'A gorgeous, wildly seductive novel, shimmering with intelligence, humour and joy' - Sarah Waters Longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize In 1838 Frédéric Chopin, George Sand and her children travel to a monastery in Mallorca. They are there to create and to convalesce, to live a simple life after the wildness of their Paris days. Witness to this tumultuous arrival is Blanca, the ghost of a teenage girl who has been at the monastery for over three hundred years. Blanca’s was a life cut short and she is outraged. Having lived in a world full, according to her mother, of ‘beautiful men’, she has found that in death it is the women she falls for, their beauty she cannot turn away from, and it is the women and girls who, over her centuries in the village and at the monastery, she has sought to protect from the attentions of men with what little power she has. And then George Sand arrives, this beautiful woman in a man’s clothes, and Blanca is in love. But the rest of the village is suspicious of the newcomers, and as winter sets in, as George tries to keep her family and herself from falling apart, as Chopin writes prelude after prelude in despair on his tuneless piano, their stay looks likely to end in disaster . . . Heady with the delicious scent of the Mediterranean, richly witty, and utterly compulsive, Briefly, A Delicious Life is a story about convention and breaking convention, about love – yearning, secret, forbidden, unrequited – and about men and women and the cruelty they mete out to one another. 'Exquisite' - New York Times 'Deeply enjoyable' - Telegraph 'Electrifyingly beautiful, exhilaratingly clever . . . sensual, original, intelligent and brimming with love' - Imogen Hermes Gowar

Briefly, A Delicious Life

Heart-breaking - a tale of love and survival amidst the horrors of Auschwitz Human - the real story behind one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust - the blue numbers tattooed on prisoners' arms Inspirational - the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances Unforgettable - a story untold for over seventy years is finally shared Life-affirming - one man's determination to survive and live a full life with the woman he loved Fully verified - Lale Sokolov's background and story has been fact-checked against all available documentary evidence The Story The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews who survived Auschwitz. When Lale, given the job of tattooing the prisoners, saw Gita waiting in line, it was love at first sight. In that moment he determined to keep them both alive. This is a story of hope and of courage.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF DYMOCKS BOOK OF THE YEAR A GUARDIAN BEST BOOK OF 2021 A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK WINNER OF THE INWORDS LITERARY AWARD ‘Sheer joy' Graham Norton ‘Utterly beautiful … filled with hope’ Joanna Cannon, author of Three Things About Elsie ’A gorgeous, generous story of kind hearts and kindred spirits’ Daily Mirror From the author of When God was a Rabbit and Tin Man, Still Life is a big-hearted story of the families we forge and the friendships that make us. 1944, Italy. As bombs fall around them, two strangers meet in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa and share an extraordinary evening. Ulysses Temper is a young British soldier, Evelyn Skinner a 64-year-old art historian living life on her own terms. She has come to salvage paintings from the wreckage of war and relive memories of her youth when her heart was stolen by an Italian maid in a particular room with a view. Ulysses’ chance encounter with Evelyn will transform his life – and all those who love him back home in London – forever. Uplifting, sweeping and full of unforgettable characters, Still Life is a novel about beauty, love, family and friendship. ‘THE most beautiful book … it will stay with me a long time’ Sara Cox, BBC Two’s Between the Covers ‘Extraordinary . . . my book of the year’ Liz Nugent, author of Our Little Cruelties ‘Moving, wise, poetic and funny’ Daily Mail ‘Winman’s pages teem with boisterous, exuberant life’ Sunday Times Sunday Times bestseller 09/06/2021

Still Life

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023 This audio edition is read by the author, Natalie Haynes. In Stone Blind, the instant Sunday Times bestseller, Natalie Haynes brings the infamous Medusa to life as you have never seen her before. 'Natalie Haynes energizes the melodrama of ancient Greek gods with a divine level of storyteller’s flair...Listeners who enjoy transformative retellings of Greek myths will find much to relish in this production.' - AudioFile 'Witty, gripping, ruthless' – Margaret Atwood via Twitter 'Beautiful and moving' – Neil Gaiman ‘So to mortal men, we are monsters. Because of our flight, our strength. They fear us, so they call us monsters’ Medusa is the sole mortal in a family of gods. Growing up with her Gorgon sisters, she begins to realize that she is the only one who experiences change, the only one who can be hurt. When Poseidon commits an unforgiveable act against Medusa in the temple of Athene, the goddess takes her revenge where she can: on his victim. Medusa is changed forever – writhing snakes for hair and her gaze now turns any living creature to stone. She can look at nothing without destroying it. Desperate to protect her beloved sisters, Medusa condemns herself to a life of shadows. Until Perseus embarks upon a quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .

Stone Blind

NATIONAL BESTSELLER An NPR Best Book of the Year “Gorgeous.... With her trademark passion, wit, and fierce feminism, Natalie Haynes gives much-needed voice to the silenced women of the Trojan War.”—Madeline Miller, author of Circe Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, a gorgeous retelling of the Trojan War from the perspectives of the many women involved in its causes and consequences—for fans of Madeline Miller. This is the women’s war, just as much as it is the men’s. They have waited long enough for their turn . . . This was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of them all . . . In the middle of the night, a woman wakes to find her beloved city engulfed in flames. Ten seemingly endless years of conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans are over. Troy has fallen. From the Trojan women whose fates now lie in the hands of the Greeks, to the Amazon princess who fought Achilles on their behalf, to Penelope awaiting the return of Odysseus, to the three goddesses whose feud started it all, these are the stories of the women whose lives, loves, and rivalries were forever altered by this long and tragic war. A woman’s epic, powerfully imbued with new life, A Thousand Ships puts the women, girls and goddesses at the center of the Western world’s great tale ever told.

A Thousand Ships

The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era. Washington, D.C., 1950 Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, an all-female boarding house in the heart of the US capital, where secrets hide behind respectable facades. But when the mysterious Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbours – a poised English beauty, a policeman’s daughter, a frustrated female baseball star, and a rabidly pro-McCarthy typist – into an unlikely friendship. Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their troubled lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. And when a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst? Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test. 'This powerful, unforgettable historical romance is for fans of Mary Anna Evans's Justine Byrne series and stories with strong women characters' Starred Library Journal Review 'Compulsively readable, The Briar Club will find eager readers in those who love woman-led historical fiction with rich, appealing characters' Starred Booklist Review 'Blending suspense with themes of class struggle and female empowerment, this is a thrilling addition to Quinn's repertoire’ Glamour Magazine

The Briar Club

A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK The New York Times ‘Best Books of the Year (So Far)' A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in a deeply moving novel of love, faith and survival, for readers of Jessie Burton’s The Miniaturist and Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See ‘This made me cry on an airplane but it was worth it! A luscious, rich and moving novel, a beautiful, careful and profound book about survival and hope’ Alice Winn, bestselling author of In Memoriam ‘An extraordinary book that reads like a thriller, written with the care of the most delicate psychological and historical fiction’ Vogue ‘Best Books of 2025’ ‘A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history’ Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister's Keeper In sixteenth-century France, as the heiress to an aristocratic fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of privilege. Then she is orphaned, and her enigmatic and volatile guardian squanders her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to the new French colonies of North America. Isolated and afraid, Marguerite befriends her guardian’s servant and the two develop an intense attraction. But when their relationship is discovered, they are brutally punished, abandoned on a small island with no hope for rescue. From a childhood dressed in gowns with laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she had never before needed… Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola tells the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.

Isola

Agatha Christie’s most exotic murder mystery, read by Hercule Poirot himself, David Suchet. The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful. A girl who had everything… until she lost her life. Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: ‘I’d like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.’ Yet in this exotic setting nothing was ever quite what it seemed…

Death on the Nile

A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK 'As heart-wrenching as it is achingly beautiful' Sadeqa Johnson, author of The House of Eve 'Heartbreaking and life affirming' Adrienne Brodeur, author of Little Monsters 'Courage, friendship, loyalty, hardship, love – this novel has everything' Mary Beth Keane, Ask Again, Yes From the author of The Stationery Shop of Tehran, a heartfelt, epic new novel of friendship, betrayal and redemption set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran. In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation. Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming 'lion women.' But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives. Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences. Praise for Marjan Kamali ‘Evocative, devastating, and hauntingly beautiful’ Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light ‘A beautifully immersive tale’ Jasmin Darznik, author of The Good Daughter and Song of a Captive Bird ‘At once masterfully plotted, beautifully written, and populated by characters who are arresting, lovable and so real’ Elinor Lipman, author of Turpentine Lane ‘A sweeping romantic tale of thwarted love’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Enchanting’ My Weekly

The Lion Women of Tehran

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.` So opens Jane Austens second novel Pride and Prejudice, which was first published in 1813. It follows the story of Mr and Mrs Bennet and their five single daughters. The whole town is set aflutter by the arrival of prosperous Mr Bingley and his friend Mr Darcy, and as the prejudice of the latter hurts the pride of headstrong Elizabeth Bennet, friendship, love, and strife enfold. Perhaps the most beloved of all of Austens work, Pride and Prejudice has been adapted numerous times, including in the 1995 BBC mini-series featuring Colin Firth as Mr Darcy, and the 2005 movie adaption by Joe Wright with Keira Knightley in the role of Elizabeth Bennet. Jane Austen (1775-1817) is one of the most beloved British writers of all time. During her short life she published six novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, that are all considered as literary classics today. Her writing is full of sharp observations on the society in which she evolved, as well as ripe with timeless irony, and a solid dose of humour. She has created immortal characters that have inspired countless authors, novels, and movies such as Bridget Jones and Clueless.

Svenska Ljud Classica

Pride and Prejudice

‘Simply the most consistently inventive, brilliant, curious and creative writer going’ GILLIAN FLYNN 'Gripping … Bravura storytelling' VOGUE 'A blood-soaked, gothic nightmare' FINANCIAL TIMES From one of our most accomplished storytellers, an extraordinary and arresting novel about a nineteenth-century women's asylum, and a terrifying doctor who wants to change the world. Humiliated by a procedure gone terribly wrong, Dr Silas Weir is forced to take a position at the New Jersey Asylum for Female Lunatics. There, his work focuses on women who have been neglected by the state – women he subjects to grotesque modes of experimentation. Based on authentic historical documents, Butcher is a nightmare voyage through the darkest regions of the American psyche. 'A ghastly and harrowing page-turner' STEPHEN KING, via X 'A triumph of style and brio’FINANCIAL TIMES 'Terrifying' FLAUNT 'Vividly and compellingly-drawn' iNEWS

Butcher

JUNE 2025 REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK In this dazzling debut novel, a young reclusive coder unearths the story of a lost Shanghai pencil company and a legacy of magic, espionage and family secrets that will alter the path of her life forever. ‘Wildly inventive … Allison King is a talent to watch’ LIZ MOORE 'Marvellous!' GISH JEN 'A beautiful ode to the warmth of family connection' RAY NAYLER 'A stunning debut … had me smiling through my tears' FONDA LEE Monica Tsai spends most days on her computer coding for a program that seeks to connect strangers online. A self-confessed recluse, she finds herself escaping into a digital world, counting the days until she can return home to her beloved grandparents. They are now in their nineties, and she worries about them – especially her grandmother Yun whose memory has begun to fade. Monica has become intent on tracking down her grandmother Yun’s long-lost cousin, Meng, before it’s too late. In her search, Monica connects with a young woman archivist who presents her with a single pencil that holds a clue to a hidden family history. Through this discovery Monica comes to learn of her grandmother’s years in Shanghai, working at the Phoenix Pencil Company. As WWII raged outside their door, Yun and Meng came into a power unique to the women in their family: the ability to reclaim stories from the pencils they were written with. But when government officials uncovered their secret ability, they were both forced into a life of espionage, betraying other people’s stories to survive. These shocking revelations set Monica on a path that will change all their lives in ways she can scarcely imagine. At once a sweeping family epic and a powerful love story with deep emotional resonance, Allison King’s brilliantly inventive debut novel pushes us to question how well we really know our own stories and the many beguiling ways they can connect our lives. 'An impressive juggling act of voices that made me feel like I was in on a secret … a rare novel' SEQUOIA NAGAMATSU

The Phoenix Pencil Company

From Lucinda Riley, the beloved author of the Seven Sisters series, The Love Letter is a thrilling adventure of secrets, lies and unforgettable twists. 'Travel back to 90s London with this expose of dark secrets . . . twists galore' – Best Magazine Keeping secrets is a dangerous game . . . 1995, London. Sir James Harrison was one of the greatest actors of his generation. But, when he passes away, he leaves behind more than just a heartbroken family. He leaves a secret so shocking, so devastating that it could rock the English establishment to its very core . . . Joanna Haslam is an ambitious young journalist, assigned to cover the legendary actor’s funeral. The great and the good of the celebrity world are there. But Joanna stumbles on something dark beneath the glamour: the mention of a letter Sir James left behind, the contents of which have been desperately concealed for over seventy years. As Joanna peels back the veil of lies that has shrouded this secret, she realizes that there are other forces at work – forces that would prevent her from discovering the truth. And they’ll stop at nothing to reach the letter before she does . . . 'Masterful storytelling . . . a full-throttle escapist adventure' – Lancashire Evening Post This title was originally published as Seeing Double. It is available in the US as The Royal Secret.

The Love Letter

'Love, passion, drama, violence, menace and peril, and characters you fall in love with!’ – Santa Montefiore, author of Shadows in the Moonlight The mystery of St Kilda's residents are all revealed in the epic conclusion to Karen Swan's historical series set in Scotland. Jayne Ferguson has always been a keeper of secrets, most especially her own . . . If there’s one thing Jayne Ferguson has learnt in her life, it’s that every blessing comes with a curse. She married the most handsome man on the isle of St Kilda - but he’s a bully. She inherited her mother’s gift of second sight - but only ever foresees her fellow islanders’ deaths. She has learnt to keep to herself, treading in the shadows and shirking the highs for fear of the lows. When a needless death strikes at the heart of her home, Jayne’s bad marriage becomes worse and she finds solace with an unlikely friend. Glimmers of happiness tantalise her, though there’s no possibility for anything more, especially once word comes of St Kilda’s evacuation. But as the day draws near, tensions on the island rise. Secrets are being forced to the surface, passions and enmities erupting with equal violence. A man is killed, as Jayne knew he would be, and her closest friends Effie, Mhairi and Flora are each implicated. On the mainland, the villagers scatter into new lives, hoping distance means refuge. But then Jayne has another of her dreams and she knows the past isn’t done with them yet. The Midnight Secret is the fourth and final book in Karen Swan's sweeping, bestselling Wild Isles series, following on from The Last Summer, The Stolen Hours and The Lost Lover.

The Wild Isle series

The Midnight Secret

'Spellbinding' ELIF SHAFAK 'Ingenious' THE TIMES, Book of the Year 'Sparkling'OBSERVER 'A triumph' PHILIP PULLMAN 'As finely wrought as a dazzling Murano bead' INDEPENDENT 'Meticulously researched and evoking the beauty of the Venice lagoon’ PHILIPPA GREGORY ‘A spectacular feat, crafted by a maestra at the top of her game’ SPECTATOR FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRINGVenice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives perfecting. In secret, Orsola Rosso learns to craft glass. As a woman, she must flout convention to save her family from ruin. We follow her through hundreds of years of war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss. Skipping like a stone across the centuries, The Glassmaker is a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as glass.

The Glassmaker

From the author of the Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley, The Midnight Rose spans four generations and sweeps from the glittering palaces of the great maharajas of India to the majestic stately homes of England, following the extraordinary life of a girl, Anahita Chavan, from 1911 to the present day . . . Read by Aysha Kala (The Appeal, The God of Small Things) 'A captivating read from Lucinda Riley. Ideal for a book club' – Daily Mail A lifelong passion. An endless search. At the height of the British Raj, eleven-year-old Anahita, from a noble but impoverished family, forms a lifelong friendship with the headstrong Princess Indira, the privileged daughter of rich Indian royalty. Becoming the princess's official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of the Great War. There, she meets the young Donald Astbury – reluctant heir to the magnificent, remote Astbury Estate – and his scheming mother. Eighty years later, Rebecca Bradley, a young American film star, has the world at her feet. But when her turbulent relationship with her equally famous boyfriend takes an unexpected turn, she's relieved that her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, will take her away from the glare of publicity to the wilds of Dartmoor in England. Shortly after filming begins at the now-crumbling Astbury Hall, Ari Malik, Anahita's great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his family's past. What he and Rebecca discover begins to unravel the dark secrets that haunt the Astbury dynasty . . . Shortlisted for the Epic Romantic Novel of the Year in the Romantic Novelists' Association Books Awards

The Midnight Rose

As read on BBC Radio 4 A Sunday Times Best Book of 2025 An Observer Best Debut of 2025 'Compassionate, lyrical and full of devilment' - Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses 'A joy . . . vivid, loving and genuinely funny' The Sunday Times 'I didn't want it to ever end' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things In 1973 on the west coast of Ireland, a baby is found abandoned on the beach. Who is he? Where is he from? What changes will he bring? Ambrose, a local fisherman, is far more interested in who he will become and – with a curious community looking on – takes the baby home and adopts him. But for Declan, the baby’s new brother, this arrival is surely bad news. Rivalries can be decades in the making . . . Set over twenty years, Garrett Carr’s The Boy from the Sea is about a restless boy trying to find his place in the world, and a town caught in the storm of a rapidly approaching future. Readers love The Boy from the Sea: 'Left me feeling warm and satisfied when I finished it and I’ve thought about it daily since then' ***** 'Books are meant to change you, to shape you, and to heal you, and The Boy from the Sea does all those things' ***** 'You feel like you’re right there in the village' ***** 'Stunning. I found myself waking up at 5am because I was desperate to read more' ***** 'Felt like I was stepping off life's treadmill and immersing myself in another world' *****

The Boy from the Sea

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Historical Novels

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Historical Novels

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