Magical mob rivalry, star-crossed ambition and the pursuit of perfection at any cost – set in a glittering, alternate, present-day Los Angeles. Red City is the dark and deadly adult debut from the bestselling author of the iconic Legend series - and perfect for fans of V. E. Schwab. Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation, an exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates who market it to the world’s elite in the form of sand – a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more. Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city – and the paths of their lives – will be irrevocably transformed. The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates’ brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off from opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war. Praise for Marie Lu ‘Marie Lu always delivers’ – Leigh Bardugo, author of Ninth House and Six of Crows ‘Marie Lu is magic’ – Tahereh Mafi, author of Shatter Me

Red City

This Christmas, the hunters become the hunted… When four trail hunters go missing in the fells of Cumbria on Christmas Eve, the race is on to find them before nightfall – when the temperature plummets. After hours of searching, the first body is found… Not frozen in the snow, but brutally murdered and bearing a warning: the real hunt has begun. As a snowstorm descends, three lives hang in the balance. But can the killer be caught before the trail goes cold? From the master of Christmas crime comes a thriller that will chill you to the bone this Winter, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Clare Mackintosh and anyone who prefers their mince pies with a side of murder. Readers are gripped by The Night Before Christmas:‘This is by far the best book I've read all year. Top marks for storyline, pace and setting. Alex Pine always delivers a cracking Christmas treat. As far as I'm concerned the festive season would no longer be the same without a dose of Christmas crime in Cumbria!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Such a breath of wintery fresh air to the thriller genre.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is the kind of book where you say just one more chapter, and before you know it, you have finished it.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was desperate to get into this … I was not one bit disappointed. It was fast paced and exciting. I found it hard to put it down.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I raced through it this weekend. Such a smart idea: twisty, warped, credible, brilliantly plotted and compelling. Deserves to be such a hit.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved this festive crime thriller. Gorgeous Lake District setting but with a very dark storyline. Excellent characters and fast paced.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fast paced storyline with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing how it will all come together.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Definitely worth reading on a cold night, maybe as the snow falls outside.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DI James Walker series

The Night Before Christmas

‘HELP! I am addicted to this series! Unputdownable’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Alex Pine has done it again! Another excellent crime thriller… I was hooked from the first page. Read it – you won’t be disappointed’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely gripping… I was on the edge of my seat’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Christmas has arrived in Cumbria, and wedding bells are ringing. But an ice-cold killer is waiting in the fells… As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, DI James Walker receives a phone call that puts paid to his Christmas break. During the wedding of the year at a lakeside hotel, the bride’s sister has vanished. When Rachel left the wedding breakfast before her speech, newly-wed Libby was furious. But as the night went on with no sign of her maid-of-honour, Libby started to realise something was very, very wrong… Before the wedding night is out, the lake is being searched for a body. Something old, something new. One guest is a killer. The question is: who? The most chilling crime thriller you’ll read this winter, perfect for fans of Catherine Cooper’s The Chalet and Simon McCleave’s The Snowdonia Killings – and anyone who prefers their mince pies with a side of murder. Readers love DI James Walker: ‘A real page turner… I am now a firm follower of DI James Walker’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fast-paced gripping read with plenty of twists and turns. This series just gets better and better!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I was totally hooked’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Impossible to put down’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Winter Killer

THE TOP TWENTY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘A brilliant new story-teller has arrived’ ERIN KELLY ‘A read-in-one-sitting thriller’ LUCY CLARKE ‘Chilling, devious’ JANICE HALLETT ‘Glorious escapism with a murderous twist’ TAMMY COHEN They thought it was perfect. They were wrong… A glamorous chateau Aura and Nick don’t talk about what happened in England. They’ve bought a chateau in France to make a fresh start, and their kids need them to stay together – whatever it costs. A couple on the brink The expat community is welcoming, but when a neighbour is murdered at a lavish party, Aura and Nick don’t know who to trust. A secret that is bound to come out… Someone knows exactly why they really came to the chateau. And someone is going to give them what they deserve. The Sunday Times bestseller is back with a rollercoaster read, perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware. ‘A read-in-one-sitting thriller’ LUCY CLARKE, author of THE CASTAWAYS ‘Chilling, devious’ JANICE HALLETT, author of THE APPEAL ‘The definition of unputdownable’ SINEAD CROWLEY ‘Hot on the heels of her debut thriller, Cooper has crafted yet another gripping page-turner that kept me second guessing myself until the very end’ Karin Nordin Praise for Catherine Cooper: ‘Pure adrenaline’ Erin Kelly ‘Agatha Christie with glamour’ Sunday Times Style ‘Intense and claustrophobic’ Heat The Chalet was a Sunday Times No.5 bestseller for w/e 28/11/20

The Chateau

Things No One Taught Us About Love is a concise audiobook that distils the ideas found in Vex King’s Closer to Love, reworked and presented in the warm, relatable style of his No. 1 bestseller Good Vibes, Good, Life. This extraordinary audiobook is for anyone looking to harness the power of the universe, and their own self-understanding, to manifest stronger, deeper relationships. Bestselling author of Good Vibes, Good Life, Vex King is back with a life-changing guide to strengthening your relationships by learning to love yourself, and understanding the true nature of love. Many of us expect romantic love to solve our problems and validate our worth. This burden strains modern relationships. Partners become frustrated when unable to meet each other’s idealized and impossible demands. Broken dreams of a life-long romance can leave people feeling incomplete and hopping from one partner to another. It’s no wonder we struggle, given that society fails to teach us about the true nature of love. We’ve been misled into thinking love is external – somewhere out there – rather than a force within us. Vex King dismantles the myths and misconceptions surrounding love and relationships. Packed with personal stories, expert advice and inspirational messages, Things No One Taught Us About Love will help you understand how you love, create healthy habits, set boundaries that work for you, and heal unprocessed emotion and trauma. 'A long-term relationship will die and be reborn a thousand times. It doesn’t matter how long you are with someone, but how willing you are to stay open to the new versions of them (and yourself) that are certain to arise' – Vex King 'A must read if you are seeking to elevate your relationships and your life' – Yung Pueblo, New York Times bestselling author of Clarity & Connection and Lighter

The Good Vibes Trilogy

Things No One Taught Us About Love

The first fall of snow can be fatal…A year has passed since DI James Walker cracked his biggest case yet, and he’s hoping for peace and quiet this festive season. But across the fells, a local farmer returns home on Christmas Eve to find footsteps in the fresh snow that lead down to his unused basement – and no footsteps leading away. Days later, his body is found, alongside those of his wife and daughter. Without a neighbour for miles, there are no witnesses and little evidence. And the crime scene has strange echoes of another terrible murder committed at the farmhouse, twenty years earlier… James knows that to catch this killer, he needs to solve a case that has long since gone cold… Perfect for fans of smash-hit TV series Whitehouse Farm, Simon McCleave’s The Snowdonia Killings and Catherine Cooper’s The Chalet. Readers love The Killer in the Snow: ‘I loved this book! It is dark, gritty and thrilling … It is fast-paced and has you hooked from the first few pages. I devoured this book in two sittings.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Dang! Now this was one heck of a story! If you want suspense, thrills and chills, then this is your book!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A chilling page turner’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW! This book had me hooked from the first page, I didn’t want to put it down and this was one of the twistiest and most complicated murder cases I’ve ever read about.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another fantastic book from Alex Pine!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved this book and enjoyed every minute of it. There were so many twists, turns and surprises on just about every page.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘DI James Walker is fast becoming a favourite of mine along with Alex Pine being one of my top authors.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Killer in the Snow

Winner of The Gilpin Hotel Prize for Fiction 2023Eyes down to find a killer who’s playing to win… An irresistible slice of murder and mystery – there’s a killer on the loose in the Lake District, and the members of the Penrith Bingo Club have decided they’re the ones to catch the culprit… Jason Brazel is an out of work journalist who lives in Penrith with his family and mother-in-law, Amita. She knows everyone and everything that’s going on in this corner of the Lakes. So when it’s discovered that Madeline Frobisher, one of Amita’s fellow regulars at the bingo club has died, found by the postman outside her crumbling country home close to Ullswater Lake, she senses immediately this is no accident. The trouble is, no one else seems to take her suspicions seriously. That is, until she enlists the help of her friends at the Penrith Bingo Club. Dismissed by many as eccentric, over the hill or out of touch, it turns out that it’s unlucky for some that these amateur sleuths are on the case…

The Bingo Hall Detectives

Growing, growing, gone… Penrith, in the heart of the Lake District, is not the kind of place you can easily vanish. Certainly not when the members of the Penrith Bingo Club are trying to track you down. But even stalwart sleuth, Amita Khatri, and her son in law, Jason, are foxed this time when a local woman tells them her husband, a mild-mannered academic has gone missing. And he’s not the only person to disappear. Soon Amita, Jason, and irascible retired copper, Frank, are searching for more people – and some missing money to boot. From the veg patches of Penrith to the shores of Ullswater, as Jason and Amita comb the Cumbrian countryside for clues, they soon realise they’ve stumbled a case where planting the evidence takes on a whole new meaning. And unless they can unearth some answers soon, they might be the next people to disappear…

The Garden Club Murders

‘I came for the crime and stayed for the romance’ – Kat Ailes, author of The Expectant Detectives It’s murder-cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case . . . Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in Erin Dunn’s He’s To Die For – the spicy, sparkling queer romance/murder mystery. He's the detective. He's the suspect. And their chemistry is . . . to die for. Detective Rav Trivedi is a rising star in the NYPD homicide squad: Ivy League education, British charm, and a solve rate that's off the charts. He's got his career all mapped out, until he's assigned the high-profile murder of a record executive. His lead suspect? A ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and zero alibi. Rav's vow: no distractions. But as he digs deeper, he realises his number-one suspect is so much more than just criminally handsome. He's charming, complex, and utterly captivating. When matters of the heart collide with matters of the law, will Rav follow the clues, or his undeniable, dangerous desire? Praise for this crime-solving, heart-stealing sensation: ‘Sweet, sexy and satisfying’ – Alicia Thompson, bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers ‘A fun, sexy mix of mystery and romance. Hot, hot, hot!’ – Michelle Chouinard, author of The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco ‘A twisty plot that will keep you guessing to the end, and enough steam to power a sauna’ – Jenny Elder Moke, author of She Doesn’t Have A Clue ‘A romp and a romance wrapped in the intrigue of a rock-solid crime plot. You’ll love it’ – Michael Craft, award-winning author of the Dante & Jazz Mysteries ‘An absolute joyride with a spectacular cast of characters!’ – Hannah Morrissey, author of Hello, Transcriber ‘Mixes glitz and grittiness with an irresistible romance’ – Amanda Sellet, author of Hate To Fake It To You

He's To Die For

A sizzling beach read thriller with an ending readers are calling 'jaw-dropping'…'A stone cold tale of secrets, lies and betrayal unfolds on the holiday from hell – 2024’s suitcase essential.' Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal ‘A thrilling page-turner set against a stunning Thai backdrop where everyone has secrets and with a killer twist – loved it.’ Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet 'I raced through The Trip – thrilling and fabulous. A summer thriller you won't want to put down.' Lauren North, author of The Teacher's Secret 'A stunningly brilliant book. The Trip is sun-drenched suspense that demands to be read in one breathless sitting.' Matthew Blake, author of Anna O The perfect holiday. The perfect crime.Four friends on the holiday of a lifetime. Until a vicious murder shatters their paradise. Four friends who'd do anything for each other, until now. Only one of them committed a crime. But all four know how to keep a secret. And they're all guilty of something… Readers love The Trip!‘A terrific thriller set on an island with a bunch of friends and one of them could be the killer – what more could you ask for in a book? Loved this!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This was such a fantastic gripping read it pulled me in from the first page until the very last … Excellent writing from start to finish and what a finish it was – such a jaw-dropping ending’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Yet another brilliant novel by this author. I am a big fan' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Awesome book! I can’t get enough of these beach vacation thrillers. Great suspense. Great ending!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I loved the twist and was desperate to know the "secret"… Fantastic' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Trip

There’s a fine art to murder…Hal Mulberry has long dreamt of owning the iconic painting, Buttermere at Dawn. And now the entrepreneur has got his hands on it, he’s determined to bring it back to the Lakes where it belongs and put it on show, turning Penrith Village Hall into a cultural hotspot – with the painting at its heart. Journalist Jason Brazel is delighted to get the exclusive. Even if his mother in law, Amita, thinks he’s making a fuss about an ugly piece of modern art. But when Amita uncovers a theory that the painting is cursed, she wonders just what Hal is bringing to their door: hex, hoax or dirty-deal? While the great and the good gather for the unveiling, someone’s got murder on their mind. And it’s up to Jason and Amita to find who is trying to put people out of the picture … permanently.

The Village Hall Vendetta

Lights, camera, murderIn the Lake District, someone’s laying on a deadly welcome… The cast and crew of a popular TV crime drama are shooting in the Lake District – but behind the scenes, relationships are as tense as on-screen. The director’s reputation proceeds him, the two lead stars are feuding and rumours swirl. Meanwhile the locals are enjoying the filming – Amita Kahtri and her friends from Penrith Bingo Club are becoming social media stars with their behind the scenes pictures from filming – although her son-in-law, Jason is taking it all with a pinch of salt. But when on-screen slaughter gets swapped for real-life murder at the concert hall where the TV drama is based, and the genuine police are as baffled as the TV detectives, it falls to the locals to search for the truth. It seems like a taste of fame can be deadly – but what happens when a killer’s plots are wilder than anything the writers can dream up?

The Concert Hall Killer

Fetter was raised to kill, honed as a knife to cut down his sainted father. This gave him plenty to talk about in therapy. He walked among invisible powers: devils and anti-gods that mock the mortal form. He learned a lethal catechism, lost his shadow, and gained a habit for secrecy. After a blood-soaked childhood, Fetter escaped his rural hometown for the big city, and fell into a broader world where divine destinies are a dime a dozen. Everything in Luriat is more than it seems. Group therapy is recruitment for a revolutionary cadre. Junk email hints at the arrival of a god. Every door is laden with potential, and once closed may never open again. The city is scattered with Bright Doors, looming portals through which a cold wind blows. In this unknowable metropolis, Fetter will discover what kind of man he is, and his discovery will rewrite the world.

The Saint of Bright Doors

It’s the latest Brilliant Blockbuster from bestselling Baddiel! A non-stop thrill-ride adventure that will have readers young and old racing to the finishing line.The Taylor TurboChaser is a road-trip rollercoaster… with a twist. At its heart is the unforgettable Amy Taylor. Amy loves cars, and dreams of being a driver. But there’s a major catch: her slow old wheelchair with its broken wheel. When Amy finally gets a new electric one, it’s exciting… at first. But standard engines only have so much power. And that’s where Rahul comes in – Amy’s best friend and genius inventor. Soon Rahul turns a wheelchair into… a supercar! And so the Taylor TurboChaser is born. But when it all goes suddenly wrong Amy is going to have to hit the road – and drive…

The Taylor TurboChaser

Thrilling adventures and hilarious capers from three brilliant children’s authors in one audiobook collection. THAT TIME I GOT KIDNAPPED When fourteen-year-old Jacob misses his connecting flight in Chicago, he tries to complete his journey to LA by Greyhound bus. But on board he meets American teenager Jennifer, who is carrying a mysterious package and being chased by an enigmatic pursuer known only as ‘the Cowboy’… And she needs a partner in crime. The unlikely pair soon find themselves on the road-trip of a lifetime – a funny, filmic, page-turning adventure. THE KID WHO CAME FROM SPACE A small village in the wilds of Northumberland is rocked by the disappearance of twelve-year-old Tammy. Only her twin brother, Ethan, knows she is safe – and the extraordinary truth of where she is. It is a secret he must keep, or risk never seeing her again. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to give up. A remarkable story of sibling connection, friendship and interstellar adventure. THE TAYLOR TURBOCHASER The Taylor TurboChaser is a road-trip rollercoaster… with a twist. At its heart is the unforgettable Amy Taylor. Amy loves cars, and dreams of being a driver. But there’s a major catch: her slow old wheelchair with its broken wheel. When Amy finally gets a new electric one, it’s exciting… at first. But standard engines only have so much power. And that’s where Rahul comes in – Amy’s best friend and genius inventor. Soon Rahul turns a wheelchair into… a supercar! And so the Taylor TurboChaser is born. But when it all goes suddenly wrong Amy is going to have to hit the road – and drive…

On the Road: Stories to Make a Journey Fly By

**The Sunday Times Top 5 bestseller**Longlisted for the CWA New Blood Award Four friends. One luxury getaway. The perfect murder.‘Pure adrenaline’ ERIN KELLY ‘An intense thriller’ HEAT ‘Agatha Christie meets the glamour of après-ski’ SUNDAY TIMES French Alps, 1998 Two young men ski into a blizzard… but only one returns. 20 years later Four people connected to the missing man find themselves in that same resort. Each has a secret. Two may have blood on their hands. One is a killer-in-waiting. Someone knows what really happened that day. And somebody will pay. An exciting new debut for anyone who loves Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and C.L. Taylor ‘An intense, claustrophobic thriller’ Heat magazine ‘A brilliant book with a twist you won’t see coming’ Bella magazine ‘A great, pacy read fans of Lucy Foley will love’ Fabulous magaazine ‘Atmospheric and suspenseful’ Woman’s Weekly ‘A fast-paced and easy-to-read thriller, with a gorgeously escapist setting’ Best magazine ‘I was gripped from start to finish’ Cass Green ‘Chilling and atmospheric’ Roz Watkins ‘Thrilling – I could feel the icy chill blowing through the pages’ Michelle Frances ‘Cleverly plotted’ Allie Reynolds ‘The perfect book to take a stay-cation with!’ Suzy K Quinn

The Chalet

From million-copy bestselling author David Baddiel comes a laugh-out-loud and inspiring new adventure for all readers of 8 and up that is ahead of its time – 1,001 years ahead, to be precise… The year is 3020. Pip@256X#YY.3_7 is lonely and bored: she goes to virtual school on her G-Glasses, she only has a talking cat and parrot to hang out with, and she can’t even leave her LivingSpace due to the extreme heat and floods outside. Until the day that Pip explores a glowing ring in a lab and finds herself in a warehouse, in 2019. Where she meets boy-inventor Rahul – who is also lonely and bored. Together, Rahul and Pip are no longer lonely. But they have a whole load of new problems, including hiding talking animals from Rahul’s parents, and finding a way back to the future. Plus – just maybe – saving the world… Future Friend is a terrifically entertaining time-slip adventure that combines action, laugh-out-loud humour and the importance of friendship, in a story that asks the question – what would happen if your best friend came from the future?

Future Friend

From one of India’s finest writers, thinkers and commentators, a memoir of a love affair with cricket.As a fan, player, writer, scholar, controversialist and administrator, Ram Guha has spent a life with cricket. In this book, Guha offers both a brilliantly charming memoir and a charter of the life of cricket in India. He traces the game across every level at which it is played: school, college, club, state and country. He offers vivid portraits of local heroes, provincial icons and international stars. Following the narrative of his life intertwined and in love with the sport, Guha captures the magic of bat and ball that has ensnared billions.

The Commonwealth of Cricket

A joyful love story set against the backdrop of lockdown – perfect for fans of The FlatshareDo you believe in love before first sight? Lockdown is putting Sophia’s life on pause – just as she planned to put herself out there and meet someone. When the first clap for the keyworkers rings out around her courtyard, she’s moved to tears for all kinds of reasons. Jack is used to living life to the fullest. He’s going stir-crazy after just days isolating. Until the night he hears a woman crying from the balcony under his. He strikes up a conversation with the stranger and puts a smile on her face. Soon their balcony meetings are the highlight of Jack and Sophia’s days. But even as they grow closer together, they’re always kept apart. Can they fall in love during a lockdown? ‘Relatable and uplifting’ OK! Magazine ‘A beautifully warm, touching, heart-lifting tale of love in crazy times. I was rooting for Jack and Sophia’ Fiona Gibson, author of When Life Gives You Lemons ‘Beautifully written, Love in Lockdown is a lesson in how love can succeed against the odds’ Sue Moorcroft, author of Christmas Wishes ‘A true love story for our time. Skilfully crafted, entertaining, tender and utterly credible. It’s uplifting and I loved every word’ Judy Leigh, author of A Grand Old Time ‘Wonderful … A heartwarming dose of romance that will lift your spirits’ Bella ‘I have never laughed and cried so much, and I truly hope this is made into a movie … truly magical and will stay with me for a lifetime’ ***** NetGalley Review

Love in Lockdown

‘An urgent manifesto for collective healing.’ David Lammy MP This landmark book tackles a deceptively simple idea: the more we spend time with people unlike ourselves, doing things together, the more understanding, tolerant, and even friendly we become. Combining fresh analysis with a wealth of fascinating examples, Jon Yates demonstrates the ways in which our societies have become disconnected, so that most of us spend less and less time with people who are different — as defined by age, race, or class, earning power or education. By answering a series of surprising questions, Yates reveals a set of truths that will change the way you think about yourself and those around you. What unites the England football team, the iPod and Singapore? How did a city that funded its schools the least become the best place to grow up poor? How did Silicon Valley come from nowhere to dominate the tech industry? How did a village of Italian-Americans become incredibly healthy while smoking cigars, drinking red wine and never exercising? And why is talking to our friends about politics the worst thing we can do for our democracy? Fractured is ultimately an optimistic book, showing convincingly how great people are when they're united in diversity. It argues that the pandemic has created an unprecedented opportunity for us to come together. So we must forge a new ‘Common Life’ – a set of shared practises and institutions — that can strengthen the glue that bonds our societies, in all their diversity. For the health of our democracy, our society, and our economy, the time to act is now.

Fractured

Around the world in 22 murders…LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 CWA SHORT STORY DAGGER AWARD‘22 hugely engaging and eloquent crime stories from around the world … the plots sizzle and evoke a variety of emotions. The Perfect Crime comes with a massive thumbs up from me and marches straight in to sit as a LoveReading Star Book.’ LoveReading MURDERBLACKMAILREVENGEFrom Lagos to Mexico City, Australia to the Caribbean, Toronto to Los Angeles, Darjeeling to rural New Zealand, London to New York – twenty-two bestselling crime writers from diverse cultures come together from across the world in a razor sharp and deliciously sinister collection of crime stories. Featuring Oyinkan Braithwaite, Abir Mukherjee, S.A. Cosby, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, J.P. Pomare, Sheena Kamal, Vaseem Khan, Sulari Gentill, Nelson George, Rachel Howzell Hall, John Vercher, Sanjida Kay, Amer Anwar, Henry Chang, Nadine Matheson, Mike Phillips, Ausma Zehanat Khan, Felicia Yap, Thomas King, Imran Mahmood, David Heska Wanbli Weiden and Walter Mosley. ‘An absolute delight! The Perfect Crime is the most original, and captivating, short fiction anthology to come along in ages… this book is a one-sitting read.’ JEFFERY DEAVER, author of The Bone Collector and The Midnight Lock ‘A collection of crime writers from diverse cultural backgrounds, united by the quality of their compelling stories. A hugely welcome and long-overdue anthology’ MARK BILLINGHAM, no. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller

The Perfect Crime

Three brilliantly funny stories from the bestselling author David Baddiel. THE PERSON CONTROLLER Fred and Ellie are twins. But not identical (because that's impossible for a boy and a girl). They do like all the same things, though. Especially video games. Which they are very good at. They aren't that good, however, at much else – like, for example, football, or dealing with the school bullies. Then, they meet the Mystery Man, who sends them a video game controller, which doesn't look like any other controller they've ever seen. And it doesn't control any of their usual games. When the twins find out what it does control, though, it seems like the answer to all their problems. And the key to all their wildest dreams. At least it seems like that… BIRTHDAY BOY This is the story of Sam Green, who really, really, really loves birthdays. He loves the special breakfasts in bed. The presents. The themed parties. Blowing out the candles on his cake. Everything. He is so excited about his 11th birthday, in fact, that he wishes it was his birthday every day. So, at first, it’s quite exciting when his birthday happens again the next morning. And again. And again. And again… But it’s not long before things start to go wrong. Soon, disaster strikes, threatening something Sam loves even more than birthdays. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for… FUTURE FRIEND The year is 3020. Pip@256X#YY.3_7 is lonely and bored: she goes to virtual school on her G-Glasses, she only has a talking cat and parrot to hang out with, and she can’t even leave her LivingSpace due to the extreme heat and floods outside. Until the day that Pip explores a glowing ring in a lab and finds herself in a warehouse, in 2019. Where she meets boy-inventor Rahul – who is also lonely and bored. Together, Rahul and Pip are no longer lonely. But they have a whole load of new problems, including hiding talking animals from Rahul’s parents, and finding a way back to the future. Plus – just maybe – saving the world…

Brilliant Bestsellers by Baddiel Vol. 2 (3-book Audio Collection)

A classic collection of stories by P.L Travers, Penelope Lively, Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen, Alexander McCall Smith and others, specially chosen for young readers of around seven by children’s book expert, Julia Eccleshare. Mary Poppins takes Jane and Michael on a gravity-defying tea party on the ceiling; Meet the boy who rescues a beached dolphin: Can the barber keep the secret of the Rajah’s big ears? These classic stories are wonderful to share and enjoy with your child at any time of the year, or would make the perfect birthday gift.

Stories for 7 Year Olds

A classic collection of tales for young readers of about five, featuring beloved characters and lively stories by Michael Bond, Jill Barklem, Elizabeth Laird and others, chosen by children’s book expert, Julia Eccleshare. Paddington Bear tries to buy a birthday present, the animals of Brambly Hedge set off to the seaside; A greedy queen insists on having the biggest tree in the world, but will Cinderella get to go to the ball? These classic stories are wonderful to share and enjoy with your child at any time of the year, or would make the perfect birthday gift.

Stories for 5 Year Olds

A classic collection of tales to tell children of about four, featuring beloved characters and lively stories chosen by children’s book expert, Julia Eccleshare Paddington Bear has a magical moment, the animals of Brambly Hedge are struggling at the dusty mill: Lara’s godmother sorts out a noisy lion and Rapunzel is rescued from the tower… These classic stories are wonderful to share and enjoy with your child at any time of the year, or would make the perfect birthday gift.

Stories for 4 Year Olds

A classic collection of tales for young readers of about six, featuring beloved characters and lively stories by P.L. Travers, Jill Barklem, Michael Morpurgo and others, chosen by children’s book expert, Julia Eccleshare. The Banks family are searching for a nanny; Macaw the parrot helps out at the fish and chip shop and a stonecutter dreams of becoming an emperor… These classic stories are wonderful to share and enjoy with your child at any time of the year, or would make the perfect birthday gift.

Stories for 6 Year Olds

1914, Fiji: Sergeant Akal Singh would rather be anywhere than this tropical paradise - or, as he calls it, 'this godforsaken island'. After a promising start to his police career in Hong Kong, Akal has been sent to the far-flung colony of Fiji as punishment for a humiliating professional mistake. Lonely and embarrassed, he dreams of solving a big case, thereby redeeming himself and gaining permission to leave. Otherwise, he fears he will be stuck in Fiji for ever. When an indentured Indian woman goes missing from a sugarcane plantation and Fiji's newspapers scream 'kidnapping', the inspector-general reluctantly assigns Akal the case, giving him strict instructions to view this investigation as nothing more than cursory. But as soon as Akal arrives on the plantation, he identifies several troubling inconsistencies in the plantation owners' stories, and it seems there is more to this disappearance than meets the eye . . .

A Disappearance in Fiji

This charming urban fantasy is what you'd have if Terry Pratchett wrote The Good Place, following two agents of love ensnared in a plot to bring down the natural order of the world. Perfect for fans of Jodi Taylor, Garth Nix's 'Booksellers' series and Assistant to the Villain. 'This is the perfect book. It's joyful and funny and sad and flamboyant: everything I always went to Terry Pratchett for' NATASHA PULLEY 'The perfect balance of fast paced and fun ... It hit me in the heart with a gold arrow!' ROSE BLACK, author of Til Death Do Us Bard Not everything is down to Fate but, when it comes to love, the right people must collide to keep the world running to plan. Immortal cupids, known as Apollo agents, spend their afterlife matching up pre-destined couples to sign off their daily quota. Love cynic, Erron Grover, and hopeless romantic, Casey Hart, are two such agents based in London. They live an afterlife of luxury until several of their assignments result in a bizarre series of deaths. Under heavy suspicion of involvement, their blossoming relationship begins to fray, but far worse, the unplanned deaths start to cause the very fabric of Fate to unravel. Faced with the collapse of civilisation, far too many geese and a few questionable soul reapers, the two men are forced to go on the run to solve the murders and save the world ... along with their favourite jazz bar. Tropes: > Grumpy x Sunshine > M/M Friends to Romance > High Stakes (Good vs Evil) > Larger-Than-Life Threat

The Afterlife Agency Series

Acts of Cupidity

As the world becomes ever more unequal, people become ever more 'disposable'. Today, governments systematically exclude sections of their populations from society through heavy-handed policing. But it doesn't always go to plan. William I. Robinson exposes the nature and dynamics of this out-of-control system, arguing for the urgency of creating a movement capable of overthrowing it. The global police state uses a variety of ingenious methods of control, including mass incarceration, police violence, US-led wars, the persecution of immigrants and refugees, and the repression of environmental activists. Movements have emerged to combat the increasing militarization, surveillance and social cleansing; however many of them appeal to a moral sense of social justice rather than addressing its root - global capitalism. Using shocking data which reveals how far capitalism has become a system of repression, Robinson argues that the emerging megacities of the world are becoming the battlegrounds where the excluded and the oppressed face off against the global police state. “For the last twenty years, William Robinson has been one of the most important analysts of global capitalism and the dynamics of globalization. In this new work, Robinson turns his attention to the emergence of a 21st century "global police state" that has developed as a corollary to growing inequality, climate collapse, and intensifying migration movements of the dispossessed. As Robinson warns, with great deprivation comes great repression, policing and potentially war. Robinson writes pointedly and with urgency for a broad audience with an interest in mobilizing for a just world” KEEANGA-YAMAHTTA TAYLOR, Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University “Karl Marx aspired to a world in which our animal needs would be satisfied and our human needs could be addressed. It is a realistic possibility now, as William Robinson outlines - or the alternative that is taking shape before our eyes: a "global police state" controlled by narrowly concentrated capital with "surplus humanity" left to survive somehow on its own. The choice is in our hands. There could hardly be a more compelling one” NOAM CHOMSKY, Institute Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) “Robinson gives powerful theoretical coherence to everyone's fear that the fascism is being reborn, but adds the important twist that repression itself has grown into an essential engine of accumulation” MIKE DAVIS, author of 'Planet of Slums' and co-author of Set the Night on Fire: Los Angeles in the Sixties

The Global Police State

Joyful, defiant and dazzling, this is the story of Rafi Aziz – a Northern boy dreaming of his name up in lights. It's 1981 in the suburbs of Blackburn and, as Rafi’s mother reminds him daily, the family moved here from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But Rafi longs to follow his own path. Flamboyant, dramatic and musically gifted, he wants to be a Bollywood star. Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend’s wedding. He has everything he ever wanted: starring roles in musical theatre, the perfect boyfriend and freedom from expectation. But returning to Blackburn is the ultimate test: can he show his true self to his community? Navigating family and identity from boyhood to adulthood, as well as the changing eras of ABBA, skinheads and urbanisation, Rafi must follow his heart to achieve his dreams.

Northern Boy

The Body is a dazzling collection of fiction from Hanif Kureishi, beginning with a novella that delves into the concept of identity, and its root in our physical being. Adam is a middle-aged playwright who accepts a tempting offer to have his mind transported into a younger body for six months. Youth restored, he embarks on an odyssey of physical hedonism, but must then face the dire consequences when he is loath to relinquish his new body . . .

The Body

Brought to you by Penguin. ‘Imagine a football team which measures its success only on the basis of the goals it scores and doesn’t count the goals it concedes. That football team could be losing right through without recognizing it…’ For as long as they have existed, our economic models have served us an incomplete picture. The models and metrics tells us that our economies are healthy because they are growing. However, this doesn't account for the fact that our growth is driven by a resource that we take for free and treat as infinite: nature. For centuries we have been using it as if it were both, but we know now, more than ever, that our demand on the natural world is unsustainable. It's no longer sufficient to only see part of the picture; it's time that our economic models show us the whole thing. In On Natural Capital, renowned Cambridge economist Sir Partha Dasgupta lays out a seminal and groundbreaking new approach to economics. Challenging everything that has come before, he asks, what if we were to put a value on nature just as we value everything else? An urgent call to transform the focus and structures of global economics, On Natural Capital is a bold and groundbreaking book that could, truly, change everything. 'the most important person you've never heard of' - The New York Times 'Partha Dasgupta provides the compass we urgently need… by bringing economics and ecology together, we can help save the natural world at what may be the last minute – and in doing so, save ourselves.’ - David Attenborough 'This is the best book in economics for a general reader since Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations.' - Paul R Ehrlich © Partha Dasgupta 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

On Natural Capital

A classic collection of stories by Michael Rosen, Alexander McCall Smith, Michael Morpurgo and others, specially chosen for young readers of around eight by children’s book expert, Julia Eccleshare. Mary Poppins takes Jane and Michael on a topsy-turvy day; a boy watches over a beautiful swan… These classic stories are wonderful to share and enjoy with your child at any time of the year, or would make the perfect birthday gift.

Stories for 8 Year Olds

Brought to you by Penguin. She will breathe a new empire into life – but all worlds can escape their creator… In the wake of an unimportant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms, a nine-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for a goddess, who tells her that she will be instrumental in the rise of a great city called Bisnaga, ‘victory city’. Over the next two hundred and fifty years, Pampa Kampana’s life becomes deeply interwoven with Bisnaga’s as she attempts to make good on the task that the goddess set for her: to give women equal agency in a patriarchal world. But all stories have a way of getting away from their creator, and Bisnaga is no exception. ‘Full of adventure… A celebration of the power of storytelling’ GUARDIAN ‘Mesmerising’ ELIF SHAFAK, author of The Island of Missing Trees ‘A total pleasure to read’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘One of the planet’s greatest writers’ EVENING STANDARD ‘A triumph… Enthralling’ I © Salman Rushdie 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023

Victory City

Brought to you by Penguin. Today, burnout and depression are at record levels, driven by a combination of intense workplace competition, the comparative world of social media, the quest for elite credentials, and helicopter parenting. Society continually broadcasts the need to want more, and that we have to be perfect to get it. Why is this a trap, and how can we escape it? Gathering a wide range of contemporary evidence, acclaimed professor at the London School of Economics Thomas Curran calls for both a mindset shift and broader, societal change. He explores the paradoxical effects of perfectionism on everything from performance to social and financial inequality, and shows what we can do as individuals to resist the modern-day pressure to be perfect - and how we can create a culture that celebrates the joys of imperfection. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the soul-crushing need to compete for more or to be the best, The Perfection Trap is for you. Learn to prioritise what's important, meet the world where it is and strive for purpose instead of more by embracing the power of 'good enough' in your life. 'Thomas Curran is the world's leading expert on perfectionism, and he's written the definitive book on why it's rising, how it wreaks havoc on our lives, and what we can do to stop it. If you've ever found yourself fearing failure, ruminating about mistakes, or just feeling that you aren't good enough, this is a must read' Adam Grant 'A fascinating and panoramic analysis of perfectionism in modern capitalist societies' Grace Blakeley ©2023 Thomas Curran (P)2023 Penguin Audio

The Perfection Trap

Brought to you by Penguin. Over the last three centuries, the West rose to dominate the planet. Then, suddenly, around the turn of the millennium, history reversed. Faced with economic stagnation and internal political division, the West has found itself in freefall. This is not the first time the global order has witnessed such a dramatic rise and fall. The Roman Empire followed a similar arc from dizzying power to disintegration - a fact that is more than a strange historical coincidence. In Why Empires Fall, historian Peter Heather and political economist John Rapley use this Roman past to think anew about the contemporary West, its state of crisis, and what paths we could take out of it. In this exceptional, transformative intervention, Heather and Rapley explore the uncanny parallels - and productive differences - between the two cases, moving beyond the familiar tropes of invading barbarians and civilizational decay to learn new lessons from ancient history. From 399 to 1999, the life cycles of empires, they argue, sow the seeds of their inevitable destruction. The era of the West has reached its own end - so what comes next? ©2023 John Rapley & Peter Heather (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Why Empires Fall

Brought to you by Penguin. A radical retelling of the history of science that challenges the Eurocentric narrative. We are told that modern science was invented in Europe, the product of great minds like Nicolaus Copernicus, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. But this is wrong. Science is not, and has never been, a uniquely European endeavour. Copernicus relied on mathematical techniques borrowed from Arabic and Persian texts. When Newton set out the laws of motion, he relied on astronomical observations made in Asia and Africa. When Darwin was writing On the Origin of Species, he consulted a sixteenth-century Chinese encyclopaedia. And when Einstein was studying quantum mechanics, he was inspired by the Bengali physicist, Satyendra Nath Bose. Horizons pushes beyond Europe, exploring the ways in which scientists from Africa, America, Asia and the Pacific fit into the history of science, and arguing that it is best understood as a story of global cultural exchange. Challenging both the existing narrative and our perceptions of revered individuals, above all this is a celebration of the work of scientists neglected by history. Among many others, we meet Graman Kwasi, the seventeenth-century African botanist who discovered a new cure for malaria, Hantaro Nagaoka, the nineteenth-century Japanese scientist who first described the structure of the atom, and Zhao Zhongyao, the twentieth-century Chinese physicist who discovered antimatter (but whose American colleague received the Nobel prize). Scientists today are quick to recognise the international nature of their work. In this ambitious and revisionist history, James Poskett reveals that this tradition goes back much further than we think. © James Poskett 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Horizons

Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by Sid Sagar. This definitive recording includes an introduction by John Brockington and Mary Brockington. Warrior-prince Rama is about to be crowned Young King, when he hears the devastating news that his father, King of Ayodhya, has been tricked into banishing him to the forest. His devoted wife Sita insists on accompanying him in exile, but the evil ten-headed lord Ravana has fallen deeply in love with the beautiful princess and steals her away. Aided by Hanuman, mighty captain of the monkeys, Rama sets out across the world to find her and destroy Ravana in a deadly battle. Rama the Steadfast was composed in the oral tradition in about the fifth century BC and has been retold over the generations ever since. With its fantastical characters ranging from monsters to apes, a very human hero and its profound moral purpose, it is one of the greatest of all Indian tales. (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Rama the Steadfast

Brought to you by Penguin. Based on his experiences as a policeman in Burma, George Orwell's first novel presents a devastating picture of British colonial rule Burmese Days describes corruption and imperial bigotry in a society where, 'after all, natives were natives'. When Flory, a white timber merchant, befriends Indian Dr Veraswami, he defies this orthodoxy. The doctor is in danger: U Po Kyin, a corrupt magistrate, is plotting his downfall. The only thing that can save him is membership of the all-white Club, and Flory can help. Flory's life is changed further by the arrival of beautiful Elizabeth Lackersteen from Paris, who offers an escape from loneliness and the 'lie' of colonial life. (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Burmese Days

Brought to you by Penguin. If old age was thought of as an evening, ending in midnight oblivion, they were well into the eleventh hour. Two quarrelsome old men in Chennai, India, experience private tragedy against the backdrop of national calamity. Revisiting the Bombay neighbourhood of Midnight's Children, a magical musician is unhappily married to a multibillionaire. In an English university college, an undead academic asks a lonely student to avenge his former tormentor. These five dazzling works of fiction move between the three countries that Salman Rushdie has called home – India, England and America – and explore what it means to approach the eleventh hour of life. They are the reckoning with mortality that we all must one day make, and speak deeply to what the author has come from and through. Do we accommodate ourselves to death, or rail against it? How can we bid farewell to the places that we have made home? How do we achieve fulfilment with our lives if we don't know the end of our own stories? The Eleventh Hour ponders life and death, legacy and identity with the penetrating insight and boundless imagination that have made Salman Rushdie one of the most celebrated writers of our time. ‘More than 40 years after Midnight's Children, there is still nobody who spins a yarn quite like Salman Rushdie’ Spectator ‘Rushdie has not just enlarged literature’s capacities, he has expanded the world’s imaginative possibilities’ The Times ‘Salman Rushdie is a genius’ A.M. Homes © Salman Rushdie 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

The Eleventh Hour

Brought to you by Puffin. This is the story of the British empire for readers aged 9+, told through the monumental journeys that shaped it - by award-winning, bestselling author of Empireland, Empireworld and Stolen History Sathnam Sanghera. The British empire is the biggest thing we ever did as a country. Bigger than winning both World Wars, bigger than winning any number of World Cups in any number of sports, bigger than inventing James Bond, Peppa Pig and Lord of the Rings combined. Yet, we don’t talk about it much. And it's barely taught in schools. But how do we even begin to tell this massive story? In his second children's book on the British empire, Satham Sanghera tells us all about the empire through the epic and monumental journeys that shaped it. From the rebellious pirate queen who sailed the seas on perilous adventures, to the tragic true story of Pocahontas, and Gandhi's extraordinary Salt March, this collection of 10 journeys takes readers on a voyage through Britain's imperial history, and shows how it continues to impact the entire world today. © Sathnam Sanghera 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Journeys of Empire

Immerse yourself in stories of these useful plants, from herb gardens to remote wildernesses. Herbs have been used by humans throughout history - for cooking, medicine, rituals, and more. They are also a huge part of the modern world, from gardening, food, and cosmetics to medicines fighting diseases such as malaria. With expert knowledge, The Herb Book takes a close-up look at a wide range of herbs from around the world, showcasing their botanical characteristics, medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary properties and uses, and cultural impact on the lives of humans. Featuring key scientific facts along with historical and mythological stories, this book provides a rich blend of information on these extraordinary plants and their role in our world. © 2023 DK © 2023 DK Audio

The Herb Book

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