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A A Gill

Andrew Swanston read law at Cambridge, but was inspired to write by his lifelong interest in early modern history. His Thomas Hill novels – The King’s Spy, The King’s Exile and The King’s Return – are set against the backdrops of the English Civil War, Cromwell’s Commonwealth and the early Restoration respectively. He is also the author of Waterloo: The Bravest Man and Beautiful Star and Other Stories. His first historical thriller set during the reign of Elizabeth I – Incendium (published in paperback as The Incendium Plot) – introduced readers to the academic, lawyer and intelligencer Dr Christopher Radcliff, whose adventures continue in Chaos. Andrew Swanston lives in Surrey.

A D Swanston

A E Langsford

A G Hopkins

A. J. BAIME is the New York Times best-selling author of The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War and Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans. Both books are in development for major motion pictures. Baime is a longtime regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Popular Science, and Men’s Journal. He lives in Granite Bay, California. Visit him at facebook.com/ajbaime and trumanbook.com.

A J Baime

A J Jacobs

A J P Taylor

Anthony James Pollard is a British medieval historian, specialising in the fifteenth century and in particular the Wars of the Roses. A leading authority in the field, he is profesor emeritus of Teesside University. His books include North-Eastern England during the Wars of the Roses, Richard III and the Princes in theTower, Imagining Robin Hood: the Late Medieval Stories in Historical Context and Warwick the kingmaker: Politics, Power and Fame.

A J Pollard

A J Rochester

A K Benjamin is a clinical neuropsychologist and the author of Let Me Not Be Mad: A Story of Unravelling Minds.

A K Benjamin

A. L. Berridge read English at Oxford, and taught for ten years before moving into television, where her production credits range from period drama and thrillers to long-running soaps. She has written two previous novels, Top Ten besteller Honour and the Sword and In the Name of the King. Into the Valley of Death is her third novel.

A L Berridge

Alison Gaylin's first job was as a reporter for a celebrity tabloid, which sparked a lifelong interest in writing about people committing despicable acts. More than a decade later, she wrote and published her Edgar-nominated first novel, HIDE YOUR EYES. 
 
She's since published nine more books, including the USA Today and international bestselling Brenna Spector suspense series, which has been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony and Thriller awards and won the Shamus award. 
 
She lives in upstate New York with her husband, daughter, cat and dog.

A L Gaylin

A Maxwell-Hyslop

A McArthur

A P Wavell

A.S. Webb is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of Chaos, the first instalment of The Dark Pantheon Trilogy. She is inspired by stories rooted in history and mythology, that push the boundaries of imagination and urge us to reflect on what it means to be human.

A S Webb

A. A. Dhand is the author of six previous novels, and has been shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger Award. His DI Harry Virdee novels are currently being adapted for TV by the BBC. He was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired all his novels. For more information about A. A. Dhand and his books, follow him on X @aadhand, and on Instagram @aa_dhand.

A. A. Dhand

A. A. Gill

A. A. Milne

A. Anatoli

A. B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland's folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th century France.

A. B. Poranek

A. Bradley

Professor A. C. Grayling is Principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. He has written and edited over thirty books on philosophy, history, science and current affairs. For several years he wrote columns for the Guardian newspaper and The Times and was the chairman of the 2014 Man Booker Prize.

A. C. Grayling

A.D. Miller is the author of Snowdrops, The Earl of Petticoat Lane and The Faithful Couple. Snowdrops was a bestseller and was shortlisted for many prizes including the Man Booker and the CWA Gold Dagger. It was translated into 25 languages. As Moscow Correspondent of The Economist A.D. Miller has travelled across the former Soviet Union and covered the Orange Revolution in Ukraine; he is now the magazine’s Culture Editor based in London. 
 
admillerbooks.com

A. D. Miller

A. E. Ellis

A. E. W. Mason

A. Humphreys

A. Igoni Barrett was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 1979 and lives in Lagos. He is a winner of the 2005 BBC World Service short story competition, the recipient of a Chinua Achebe Center Fellowship, a Norman Mailer Center Fellowship, and a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency. His short story collection, Love is Power, or Something Like That, was published in 2013. In 2014 he was named on the Africa39 list of sub-Saharan African writers under 40. Blackass is his first novel.

A. Igoni Barrett

The short life of A.J.A. Symons (1900-41) was described by his biographer as an intricate and largely harmless confidence trick. His many interests included the collection of musical boxes and rare books as well as the study and practice of forgery; they left him time to edit an anthology of Edwardian verse and compose studies of H.M. Stanley and other notable figures. He is remembered for The Quest for Corvo, one of the most remarkable biographies ever written, and for co-founding the Wine and Food Society.

A. J. A. Symons

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Danielle L. Jensen

A shield maiden fights to break the shackles of prophecy - and to overcome betrayal of the man who broke her heart - in this searing conclusion to the Norse-inspired fantasy romance duology that began with the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling A Fate Inked in Blood. 
 
 
With the secret of her divine heritage revealed, Freya finds herself on a path that could see thousands of lives lost to the magic in her blood. Desperate to avoid this dark fate, she risks an alliance with Skaland's greatest enemy to seek answers from the seer who foretold her future - the same seer who sent Bjorn to kill her. 
 
While Freya still seethes with rage over Bjorn's betrayal, the blood oaths that bind her demand that she keep him close as she hunts for a way to avert the looming war. Her magic draws her to the front lines of an old enmity, embroiling her with Nordeland's Unfated - children of the gods who serve the king she was raised to fear. The same king who, unlike Bjorn, is now willing to fight at her back. For despite the desire that burns hot between Bjorn and Freya, his growing distrust of her chosen path threatens to drag them further apart. 
 
As war approaches, gods and mortals must choose their weapons. Yet the fiercest battle will be the one Freya wages within herself. With the magic of two goddesses burning in her veins, she must weave the threads of destiny to decide her own fate: Will she be the shield that protects her people or the curse that destroys them?

A Curse Carved in Bone

Emily Rath

James Corbin, Viscount Finchley, has two goals: guarantee his brother George gets married, and ensure his best friend Burke does not... at least not to the gorgon that is Lady Olivia Rutledge. 
 
Burke is fully onboard with this plan. Together with their friend Renley, the gentlemen concoct an elaborate ruse designed to set Burke free from his matrimonial snare. 
 
George is finally engaged, but as the day of his wedding approaches, secrets from their past emerge, threatening each of their futures. Can James survive his brother's debauchery? Can Burke survive the social politics threatening to confine him? Can Renley… survive? 
 
Rosalie Harrow, a young lady without family, fortune, or title, tears through their lives with plans of her own: save Burke from the altar, save Renley from the ghosts that haunt him, and save James from himself. 
 
For love of Rosalie, the gentlemen must prove willing to try anything, risk anything, and be anything she needs.

His Grace, The Duke

Rosalie Harrow is unmarried, near destitute and faces two choices: snag a wealthy gentleman or take a position as a governess. But headstrong Rosalie sees both futures as a kind of cage. 
 
When Rosalie receives an invitation to Alcott Hall, she believes she’s there to meet the Dowager Duchess of Norland, the mysterious childhood friend of her late mother. Instead, Rosalie is thrust in the middle of a house party of eligible high society ladies all desperate to win the hand of the new, conveniently single duke. 
 
And then there’s the other gentlemen… 
 
Lord James is the duke’s younger brother. 
 
Lieutenant Renley is begrudgingly searching for a bride. 
 
And the tempestuous Mr. Burke, who irks Rosalie to no end. 
 
The clock is ticking until the Michaelmas Ball, when the duke will announce his bride. Marriage is a trap and Rosalie will not be easily snared…but that doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy the chase while it lasts.

Beautiful Things

Donna Douglas

A heartbreaking story of love and forgiveness in The Nightingale Daughters series from Sunday Times bestselling author Donna Douglas. Perfect for fans of Call the Midwife! 
_______________ 
 
London's East End, 1940: a frightened young woman gives birth to a tiny baby. Clearly alone, she refuses to hold the child: she can’t let herself bond with the baby she must give up. But sometime in the night, a terrifying air raid forces the maternity unit to evacuate, and in the chaos, mother and baby are separated… 
 
Eighteen years later, student nurse Amy begins her career at the Nightingale Hospital. Finally away from the unhappy confines of home, she finds a friend and mentor in Sister Elizabeth Clyde. But Elizabeth is hiding a secret – one that could change both of their lives, forever… 
 
Will past mistakes destroy two families, or can love finally put an end to heartbreak? 
 
Readers love Donna Douglas: 
 
'Loved every second of this book!' 5* reader review 
 
'First class reading as always from Donna Douglas' 5* reader review 
 
'Just wonderful' 5* reader review 
 
'I have read all the Nightingale books twice!' 5* reader review

A Nurse’s Secret

Jojo Moyes

England, late 1930s, and Alice Wright makes an impulsive decision to marry wealthy American Bennett Van. But stuffy Baileyville, Kentucky, where her husband favours his work and overbearing father, is not what she had hoped for. Then she meets Margery O'Hare, troublesome daughter of a notorious felon. Margery's on a mission to spread the wonder of books and she needs Alice's help. Trekking through mountain forests under big open skies, Alice, Margery and their fellow sisters of the trail discover freedom and friendship. But when the town turns against them, will their belief in one another and the written word be enough to save them?

The Giver of Stars

Gracie Hart

York, 1940 
 
World War Two has arrived for the girls of the Rowntrees factory, and with rationing crippling the country, chocolate production has been driven to a bare minimum. It's all change for the Freeman sisters when the Rowntrees factory is turned over to making munitions. 
 
Molly is put on the fuse and detonator line, soon becoming skilled at her work despite the dangers. Rose copes with husband Ned&rsquo;s absence with the RAF by relishing her position on the Board. And Annie joins the Land Army, billeted to a pig farm in Lancashire. 
 
Despite the heartache and worry, nothing will stop the Freeman sisters from doing all they can for their 
men and country.

The Chocolate Box Girls at War

Lily Fielding

1876. Life is happy for ten-year-old Rebecca Wheeler in the small fishing village of St. Leonard's Cove. Until one day a violent storm strikes and her father and older brothers are lost at sea. 
 
Destitute, Rebecca and her mother Lydia make their way to Dartmouth. Lydia is relieved when a man named Mickey Fox seemingly takes pity on them and offers her work and lodgings… but is horrified to discover that the work is in a brothel, and there’s no way to back out now. 
 
While conditions in the brothel are harsh, Rebecca and Lydia soon find a sort of family among the women who work there. But when things turn violent, it falls on Lydia’s new friends to devise a plan to help Rebecca escape… 
 
Alone and hunted by Mickey, Rebecca must make her own way in the world. With her family gone, will she ever find a place she truly belongs?

A Locket Full of Hope

Imani Erriu

You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose. 
 
In a world ruled by the Stars, cruel and merciless gods, Elara has been cursed by fate. 
 
A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both. 
 
Yet when the Star of Wrath and War descends to hunt Elara, the neighbouring kingdom sees an opportunity to take her from her home, the Kingdom of Night, to Helios, Kingdom of Light. Where she strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince. 
 
There, Elara is forced to either let Prince Lorenzo train her into a weapon worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars, or to accept her fate. 
 
But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light – and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins. 
 
And with it all, the undeniable, star-crossed pull between them...

Heavenly Bodies

Trisha Ashley

A lost journal. A long-buried secret. A story waiting to be told. 
 
Cleo Finch has loved gothic literature all her life. She’s spent years researching and writing her thesis on the works of one gothic novelist in particular, Orlando Browne, and is determined to prove that Browne was the pen name of a female author, Alys Weston. 
 
But as her best friend Tris never fails to remind her, she still hasn’t succeeded in finding concrete evidence that proves this to be true. 
 
That is, until Cleo’s Uncle Ambrose gifts her Alys’ very own diary. 
 
As Cleo begins deciphering Alys' daily entries, she finds herself utterly absorbed by Alys' vivid descriptions - particularly of the rakish Lord Rayven - and the challenges Alys faced trying to keep Orlando’s true identity a secret. 
 
And so, newly inspired, Cleo sets aside her thesis to pen a gothic novel of her own . . .

The Book of Lost Stories

Iris Costello

How far will they go to find their story? 
 
When Alexis meets Maeve – a reclusive woman in her eighties – they feel an unexpected and beautiful kinship. Alexis is embracing nomad life after burning out as a big-shot editor. And Maeve is mourning her glory days as a bestselling author. 
 
Their friendship inspires Maeve to write again. Her last novel pours out of her - a story of love and heartbreak, centred around a bookshop in 1950s Paris. 
 
But the line between fact and fiction is as fine as a whisper, and the novel unfurls a long-buried mystery, one that has haunted Maeve’s existence. 
 
And will reverberate into the lives of both women, decades later…

The Paris Bookshop Secret

Katie Fforde

Felicity has moved to London for three reasons: to improve her English, do a secretarial course and meet new friends. 
 
Then Oliver steps into her life, the most fascinating man she has ever met. A man who lives on a barge, and whose hobbies include mudlarking for hidden treasures along the river Thames. 
 
Soon Felicity finds herself captivated by him, mudlarking with alongside him all while pursuing her dreams of becoming an artist - she’s rapidly falling for him. 
 
But will Felicity’s heart find its home in London?

From London With Love

Lesley Eames

They won't let the war stop them from finding happiness... 
 
Naomi is upset to find a nasty, anonymous letter land on her doorstep. Who could’ve sent something like this? Naomi, Bert and the Churchwood bookshop organising team are determined to figure out who it is sending her these poison pen letters. Because it must be someone they know… 
 
Ruby is preparing for her wedding to Kenny. But for some reason, she can’t figure out why she isn’t excited. Can she get to the root of her feelings and enjoy her special day? 
 
Suki has fallen in love, with a handsome but unlikely suitor. Can she convince him she’s ready for love? Or will she be forced to accept rejection?

Wedding Bells at the Wartime Bookshop

Fiona Schneider

Stella Penhallam needs a miracle. So, when her estranged great-aunt’s journal lands on her desk, Stella knows that the missing pages hold the answers she seeks so she begins to re-trace the footsteps of the past. 
 
In 1939, as war breaks out across Europe, Iris Penhallam vows to save her friends trapped in Mussolini’s Italy. As a perfumer, she travels to Italy on the Orient Express under the guise of creating five exotic scents with her partner, Alessandro. 
 
But when Iris’s heart becomes intertwined with her mission, she pays the ultimate price to save the man she loves. A secret she will keep for a lifetime. 
 
As Stella discovers what Iris lost, she’s determined to uncover the truth of the perfumer's secret...

The Perfumer's Secret

Stephen Fry

Troy has fallen. After 10 years of war, the Greeks make their way back to their own lands – but what homes now await them? Agamemnon must return to his wife Clytemnestra, who has been nursing her rage since he sacrificed their daughter to the gods for a favourable wind. Her revenge will know no bounds. 
 
Meanwhile, Odysseus has angered the god Poseidon and he is cursed to wander the seas, facing angry monsters and possessive demi-gods as he attempts to return to Ithaca and his patient, clever wife Penelope.

Odyssey

Jessica Anthony

From 'one of our most thrilling and singular innovators on the page' (Laura Van Den Berg), a tightly wound, consuming tale about a 1950s American housewife, for fans of Jennifer Egan, Jonathan Franzen and Taffy Brodesser-Akner 
 
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 2024 
A Barnes & Noble BEST BOOK of 2024 
 
'Clever, moving and unexpected. A brilliantly deft and subtle story.' - Emma Healey, author of Elizabeth is Missing 
 
--- 
 
A warm Sunday in November 1957. As Sputnik 2 orbits the earth, carrying Laika, the doomed Soviet dog, a couple begin their day. 
 
Virgil Beckett, an insurance salesman, isn’t particularly happy in his job but he fulfils the role, playing golf with the partners, drinking in the bar, chasing the women. Kathleen Beckett, once a promising tennis champion, with a key shot up her sleeve called ‘The Most’, is now a mother and homemaker. 
 
Somehow these two, who have been together since college, have fallen into the roles expected of them – the prescribed suburban dream they have been sold as something to covet, something that will fulfil their lives. But on this unseasonably warm, early November Sunday, Kathleen wakes up and decides that she will not be accompanying her family to church. 
 
No, she feels like a swim. 
 
She unearths her old, red bathing suit and descends into the apartment complex pool no other resident uses. And she doesn’t want to come out… 
 
___ 
 
Praise for Jessica Anthony's ENTER THE AARDVARK 
 
'A truly fresh piece of art' Percival Everett 
 
'Fresh, witty, smart' Kate Atkinson 
 
'Highly inventive' Joshua Ferris 
 
'A writer possessed of mind-bending talents' Heidi Julavits

The Most

Katie Lumsden

1841. Mr Montgomery Hurst is getting married. To the great consternation of Wickenshire, he is not marrying the daughter of an earl, but an impoverished widow with three children, whom nobody has ever heard of. Society is both appalled and intrigued. Nobody is more curious than Mr Ashpoint, a wealthy local brewer, who had thought Mr Hurst might choose his daughter, Amelia, as his bride. Only, Amelia has no interest in marrying Mr Hurst - or indeed marrying at all. Mr Hurst's marriage kicks off a series of events, as it becomes clear his business is everyone's but his own...

The Trouble With Mrs Montgomery Hurst

Lianne Dillsworth

Some secrets are best left in the dark... A gothic mystery with an immersive setting and strong heroine at its heart 
_________________ 
 
London, 1833 
 
Doctress Hester Reeves has been offered a life-changing commission. 
 
But it comes at a price. She must leave behind her husband and their canal-side home in Kings Cross and move to Tall Trees – a dark and foreboding house in Fitzrovia. 
 
If Hester can cure the ailing health of its owner, Gervaise Cherville, she will receive payment that will bring her everything she could dream of. 
 
But on arriving at Tall Trees, Hester quickly discovers that an even bigger task awaits her. Now she must unearth secrets that have lain hidden for decades – including one that will leave Hester’s own life forever changed… 
___________________________ 
 
Praise for House of Shades: 
 
'A wonderful, gothic mystery with the most engaging heroine in Hester Reeves. . . Lianne Dillsworth has woven a complex, moving story, asking questions which still resonate deeply today’ Elodie Harper 
 
'Intensely moving, compulsively readable and beautifully written. Hester is a wonderful protagonist. I thoroughly enjoyed it' Rosie Andrews 
 
'Gripping, heart-breaking and brilliantly told. Hester Reeves is fresh and relatable – I felt every twist and turn of her story and was rooting for her from the get-go' Lucy Barker 
 
'I loved this original and compelling tale of intrigue, quest and retribution... one not to be missed' Mary Chamberlain 
 
‘A gripping Gothic tale that weaves a page-turning plot together with blazing social commentary and a protagonist, Hester, who leaps off the page' Louise Hare 
 
'A cracking read and a deft (and timely) unpicking of complex questions around atonement and accountability. Wildly refreshing and full of heart' Hester Musson 
 
Praise for Lianne Dillsworth: 
 
'A fascinating, empowering story of a young woman's search for identity and justice in Victorian London' Jenifer Saint 
 
'Dillsworth is a class act' Woman & Home 
 
'Highly recommended for anyone who loves mystery, drama and Victorian London' Louise Hare 
 
'Memorable' Sunday Times

House of Shades

Leigh Bardugo

AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
&lsquo;A richly imagined, intricate tale of magic and intrigue&rsquo; DEBORAH HARKNESS, #1 bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches 
 
&lsquo;Riveting&hellip; Leigh Bardugo's characters are so three dimensional you want to reach through the page&rsquo; DIANA GABALDON, #1 bestselling author of Outlander 
 
&lsquo;A wonderful, transporting ride through history&hellip; a deeply romantic novel&rsquo; KATHERINE ARDEN, bestselling author of The Bear and The Nightingale 
 
----- 
 
FATE CAN BE CHANGED. 
CURSES CAN BE BROKEN. 
 
In a shabby house in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil. But when her scheming mistress discovers her scullion is hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to win over the royal court. 
 
Determined to seize this chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of power-hungry nobility, desperate kings, holy men and seers, where the lines between magic, science and fraud blur. With the pyres of the Inquisition burning, she must use every bit of her wit and resilience to win fame and hide the truth of her ancestry &ndash; even if that means enlisting the help of an embittered immortal familiar, whose own secrets could cost her everything. 
 
From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a bewitching novel, brimming with peril in a world where a woman&rsquo;s ambition can prove deadly. 
 
----- 
 
PRAISE FOR LEIGH BARDUGO'S BOOKS 
 
&lsquo;Reading Bardugo is an immersive, sensual experience... One can&rsquo;t help sinking into Luzia and Santángel&rsquo;s world and wishing never to leave&rsquo; THE NEW YORK TIMES 
 
&lsquo;A compelling, well-researched and vividly written tale of magic and desire&rsquo; 
THE GUARDIAN 
 
&lsquo;The Familiar feels distinct from similar tales ? including Bardugo&rsquo;s own ? because it explores a brutal and shameful real-life history... Bardugo brilliantly explores the wavy line between the supernatural and the divine&rsquo; 
WASHINGTON POST 
 
'A pacy read with electric prose' 
INDEPENDENT on Six of Crows 
 
'Impossible to put down' 
STEPHEN KING, on Ninth House

The Familiar

India Holton

Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magic disasters. Nothing fazes her—except her own personal disaster, that is: Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves. 
 
They’ve been estranged since their wedding day, but that hasn’t stopped Grabriel from stoically pining for her. 
 
When magic erupts in a small Welsh village, threatening catastrophe for the rest of England, Elodie and Gabriel are accidentally both assigned to the case. With the fate of the country in their hands, they must come together as a team in the face of perilous conditions like .... only one bed. But this is easier said than done. After all, there’s no navigational guide for the geography of the heart.

The Geographer's Map to Romance

Raven Kennedy

One king caged my body. 
 
Another has caged my mind. 
 
War has broken out between Annwyn and Orea, though that&rsquo;s not the only battle being waged. 
 
There&rsquo;s a fight inside me, and it&rsquo;s one I&rsquo;m determined to win, no matter how much they try to strip me down and hollow me out. 
 
Yet they&rsquo;ve forgotten one thing. The ancient magic of the pair bond. One can never truly be lost when two souls are already bound. 
 
Because Slade and I? We are connected by more than just fated magic, and we will always find each other.

Goldfinch

‘THE must-read fantasy’ Jennifer L. Armentrout, author of From Blood and Ash 
 
'Your newest fantasy obsession.' Kerri Maniscalco, author of Kingdom of the Wicked 
 
'Danielle L. Jensen at her best. A delicious fantasy romance that was completely unputdownable!' Katee Robert, author of Neon Gods 
IF YOU LIKE SARAH J. MAAS, YOU’LL LOVE DANIELLE JENSEN 
-------- 
 
A sizzling fantasy romance from the No.1 Sunday Times bestseller & TikTok sensation Danielle Jensen, perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas & A Court of Thorns and Roses. 
Trapped in an unwanted marriage, Freya dreams of becoming a warrior – and of putting an axe in her controlling husband’s back.But those dreams become a nightmare when he makes a deal with their fanatical ruler, and she’s forced into a fight to the death. To survive, she must reveal her deepest secret: she possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood and magic that will unite their nation beneath the one who controls her fate.Believing he’s destined to be king, the ruler binds Freya with a blood oath and orders his fierce but charming son to train her to fight, to control her magic . . . and to make sure no one lays a hand on her.But the greatest test of all may be resisting her forbidden attraction to the son of her enemy. 
------- 
 
***** 'One of the best books I've read this year' 
 
***** 'Everything about this novel is sheer perfection' 
 
***** 'I flew through this book from start to finish' 
 
***** 'I NEED THE SEQUEL MORE THAN I NEED MY NEXT BREATH' 
 
***** 'I ate this book up' 
 
***** 'I am OBSESSED guys!' 
 
***** 'Danielle really outdid herself with this one!!'

A Fate Inked in Blood

Libby Ashworth

Kitty Cavanah has been fighting for her children ever since they left Dublin in 1848. 
 
Their life in Ireland feels like a lifetime ago, and now, settled in Blackburn Kitty continues to fight for a better future for her family. 
 
With her daughter, Agnes, settled and married, Kitty must focus on her youngest children and their dream of making it across the sea to America, and a better life. 
 
She may only have a few shillings to her name, but Kitty never gives up on fighting for her a better future for her family, and working her way up in the mills of Blackburn could be the making of her fortune.

The Widow’s Shillings

The fifth brilliantly heart-warming novel in the Wartime Bookshop series, perfect for fans of Maisie Thomas and Elaine Everest. 
 
Victoria is astonished when she discovers an abandoned newborn baby on her doorstep, along with a note begging her to 'take care of little Rose'. Who is the mother? Victoria, Naomi and the Churchwood bookshop organising team set about trying to identify her, concerned for her welfare and hoping to give her a chance to reclaim her baby. 
 
As they piece together the heartbreaking story, all sorts of surprises emerge. But they can't keep the baby a secret for long: can they reunite the little family before the authorities take Rose away?

A Foundling at the Wartime Bookshop

Carmella Lowkis

'Wonderfully vivid and compelling ... A real page turner' Elodie Harper, author of The Temple of Fortuna 
 
'An evocative gothic tale where nothing is quite what it seems' Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora 
 
'A sparkling gothic debut ... reminded me of Sarah Waters' Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl 
 
** SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWN ** 
 
GOOD SISTER. BAD SISTER. ONE LAST CON. 
 
Paris, 1866. When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house-call from Charlotte Mothe, the sister she disowned, she fears her shady past as a spirit medium has caught up with her. But with their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his bills, Sylvie is persuaded into one last con. 
 
Their marks are the de Jacquinots: dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are haunted by their great aunt, brutally murdered during the French Revolution. 
 
Sylvie and Charlotte will need to deploy every trick to terrify the family out of their gold – until they experience inexplicable horrors themselves. 
 
The sisters start to question if they really are at the mercy of a vengeful spirit. And what other deep, dark secrets threaten to come to light...? 
 
Through twists and turns, Spitting Gold blends propulsive historical mystery with a captivating sapphic romance. 
 
'A tale of two sisters filled with spooky spirits, queer love, and high suspense' Heat

Spitting Gold

Joanna Toye

New stories are being written at The Little Penguin Bookshop… 
 
Carrie Anderson’s business selling books at her local train station is thriving and, with her beloved Mike returned from war, everything feels as though it is falling into place. That is, until Mike is sent to Washington as a liaison between Britain and America. 
 
When her twin brother, Johnnie, a fighter pilot, is injured, and her bookstall falls on hard times, Carrie misses the sage advice and comfort of Mike more than ever. 
 
Bolstered by her supportive station community, can Carrie battle through this challenging new chapter and reach the happy ending she deserves? 
 
Praise for Joanna Toye: 
 
'Romance, nostalgia, family, and books! The Little Penguin Bookshop has it all' Elaine Everest 
'Endearing characters [...] wartime loves, laughter and heartbreak' Annie Murray 
'A charming heroine, a dashing hero and books! I loved it!' Lesley Eames 
'An uplifting wartime saga with family at its heart' Tracy Baines 
'Meticulously researched and beautifully written' Helen Yendall

A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop

Maggie Campbell

1929. Holcombe Hall, Lancashire 
 
Parlour maid Florrie Bickerstaff has always endured the quick temper of Lady Charlotte, calmly navigated the formidable housekeeper, Bertha and avoided the officious butler, Mr Arkwright. But it’s all been worth it for the attention of Sir Richard. 
 
He has shown Florrie nothing but kindness, and her heart can’t help but lift when he enters the room. But she is a mere parlour maid and he a successful tycoon. 
 
When the house is in need of a new housekeeper, Florrie discovers she was not as invisible as she first thought. As she rises to the challenge of her new role, Sir Richard finds many an excuse to spend time with her and the rules of upstairs and downstairs swiftly blur...

The Housekeeper of Holcombe Hall

James Holland

A Times 2024 Best Summer Read 
 
The village of Alvesdon has been home to the Castells for generations. But the year is 1939 and the peace and tranquillity there is about to be shattered once more by the stormclouds of war in Europe. As three generations of the family gather, they must all face the prospect of their lives being transformed beyond recognition the moment Britain declares war on Germany. 
 
When the inevitable happens and Britain finds itself at war, the younger members of the family and farm workers are called up to fight and those who remain must battle to keep the home fires burning and the farm afloat. The gentle certainties of rural life are replaced by the urgent clamour of war, in the air, at sea and on land, where events unfold with dizzying rapidity and unexpected consequences. 
 
Stretching from the glorious summer of 1939 to the Battle of Britain the following year, acclaimed historian James Holland paints a compelling and immersive fictional portrait of how the war changed everything. For one family and for a community, their way of life can never really be the same again…

Alvesdon

Mimi Matthews

A silver-haired equestrienne and a charismatic artist turn a scandalous bargain into a vibrant portrait of love. 
 
Stella Hobhouse is a brilliant rider, stalwart friend, skilled sketch artist&mdash;and completely overlooked. Her outmodish gray hair makes her invisible to London society. Combined with her brother&rsquo;s pious restrictions and her dwindling inheritance, Stella is on the verge of a lifetime marooned in Derbyshire as a spinster. Unless she does something drastic&hellip;like posing for a daring new style of portrait by the only man who&rsquo;s ever really seen her. 
 
Aspiring painter Edward &ldquo;Teddy&rdquo; Hayes knows true beauty when he sees it. He would never ask Stella to risk her reputation as an artist&rsquo;s model but in the five years since a virulent bout of scarlet fever left him partially paralyzed, Teddy has learned to heed good fortune when he finds it. He&rsquo;ll do anything to persuade his muse to pose for him, even if he must offer her a marriage of convenience. 
 
After all, though Teddy has yearned to trace Stella&rsquo;s luminous beauty on canvas since their chance meeting, her heart is what he truly aches to capture&hellip;.

The Muse of Maiden Lane

Catherine Cookson

At fifteen years old, Gail Blenheim is the truly the apple of her father, Harry's, eye. Sweet, mild-mannered, with the promise to grow into a true beauty, she'll always bring her father joy, which is something he'll never take for granted. 
 
But Gail knows that her father is unhappy. Stuck under his odious father-in-law's thumb and resigned to a near-loveless marriage, Gail can see that he feels trapped. 
 
But when Harry lets his loneliness get the better of him at a Christmas party, he sparks a scandal with such far-reaching repercussions that he may lose everything, including his own daughter. But Gail's devotion for her father is stronger than he realises and she refuses to give up on the man she's looked up to for her whole life. 
 
Can a daughter's love save her father from ruin?

A Scandal at Christmas

Kirsty Dougal

The Sanctuary Lane Animal Hospital is up and running, and proving a huge success. For Ruby Archer, this is a dream come true – and her blossoming romance with a handsome local boy is the icing on the cake. 
 
But this is wartime, and things change in the blink of an eye. When tragedy shatters Ruby’s world, suddenly she is at odds with everyone - even her new sweetheart. And when disaster strikes, endangering the hospital's future, she is not sure who to trust. 
 
With the festive season fast approaching, Ruby desperately needs a miracle. But where can she turn in troubled war times? And is there time to find out what really matters in time for Christmas?

A Christmas Miracle on Sanctuary Lane

The year is 1Q84. This is the real world, there is no doubt about that. But in this world, there are two moons in the sky. Discover the 1Q84 Trilogy by Haruki Murakami.

1Q84

365 Days of Art

A BBC Christmas

A Black Book Thriller

A Box Full of Murders

A Cal Leandros Novel

A Christmas Mystery

The intelligent and capable police commissioner Guido Brunetti confronts crime in and around his home town of Venice.

A Commissario Brunetti Mystery

A DC Smith / Kings Lake Investigation Series

A Daisy Story

Chronicling the lives of over three hundred characters, unrivalled for its scope and humour, this is a unique evocation of life in twentieth-century England.

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