Little, Brown Audio

From the multi award-winning Claire North comes the second book in a trilogy of stories retelling of the classic Greek myth of Penelope. It's time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale . . . 'CLAIRE NORTH BRINGS A POWERFUL, FRESH AND UNFLINCHING VOICE TO ANCIENT MYTH' Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne From the author of the critically acclaimed Ithaca - A Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Year - comes an exquisite and gripping new tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. On the isle of Ithaca, Queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband, Odysseus, sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace - but this is shattered by the arrival of Orestes, king of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra. Orestes's hands are stained with his mother's blood. Not so long ago, the son of Agamemnon took Queen Clytemnestra's life on Ithaca's sands. Now, racked with guilt, he is slowly losing his mind. Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the Furies circle him. His uncle, Menelaus, the battle-hungry king of Sparta, longs for Orestes's throne - and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims. Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope fights to keep war from Ithaca's shores. Her only allies are Elektra and Helen of Troy, Menelaus's enigmatic wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own. Each woman has a secret. And their secrets will shape the world. Praise for the Songs of Penelope series: 'Darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking' Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne 'Richly poetic . . . This is an impassioned plea for the lost, disenfranchised queens of ancient Greece, a love letter to the silenced women of history' Booklist 'Penelope is proving to be an outstanding epic hero in her own right. A sensational retelling' Elodie Harper, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf Den 'Everything I've wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice - this is an absolute masterpiece' Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin 'Conjures up a world in which women, abandoned by their men, must weave their own destinies' The Times 'Claire North has set a new standard for Ancient Greek retellings. Absolutely sublime' Hannah Lynn, author of Athena's Child The Songs of Penelope series: Ithaca House of Odysseus The Last Song of Penelope

The Imagination Muscle is the story of our greatest gift - the imagination. 'Beautiful, moving, profoundly imaginative in itself - this book is as entertaining as it is relevant and practical' ALAIN DE BOTTON 'Anyone who has an imagination - that is, everyone - should read this book' EDWARD ENNINFUL 'An extraordinary book - an elaborate cabinet of curiosities' SPECTATOR For some, the imagination is a luxury in the modern age; something which is by turns elusive, difficult to employ and better left to others. But what is it to imagine exactly? How do we go about it, and why is it so important that we imagine for ourselves? In this insightful and life-affirming book, Albert Read puts the imagination back at the forefront of our lives. Not merely a nebulous concept reserved for artists and creatives, it is a muscle - an essential faculty of the mind to be trained and developed over a lifetime. It is boundless in its potential, infinitely rewarding and central to human achievement. Spanning pre-historic times through to the twenty-first century, The Imagination Muscle explores the genesis of ideas - from Thomas Edison's serial embracing of failure to Jane Jacobs' vision of how we should build cities together; from Steve Jobs' approach to office design to the Japanese concept of Ma. Touching on art, music, film, literature, science and entrepreneurship, this book examines how the imagination has evolved - in shape, power and pace - through the millennia. Albert Read reveals how we can harness the imagination in our day-to-day lives and why, in the new Age of Technology, it is more pressing than ever that we do so. Discover where to find ideas, how to foster skill in observation and connection, and how to be more attentive to the fluxes of our own minds. After all, as Read expertly outlines, the imagination is our supreme gift, our biggest opportunity, our greatest source of fulfilment and our most vital asset for the future.

"Lush, engrossing and full of mystery and dark magic" (BookPage), Labyrinth's Heart is the thrilling conclusion to M. A. Carrick's Rook & Rose trilogy, in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord become reluctant allies in the quest to save their city from a dangerous ancient magic. May you see the face and not the mask. Ren came to Nadežra with a plan. She would pose as the long-lost daughter of the noble house Traementis. She would secure a fortune for herself and her sister. And she would vanish without a backward glance. She ought to have known that in the city of dreams, nothing is ever so simple. Now, she is Ren, con-artist and thief. But she is also Renata, the celebrated Traementis heir. She is Arenza, the mysterious pattern-reader and political rebel. And she is the Black Rose, a vigilante who fights alongside the legendary Rook. Even with the help of Grey Serrado and Derossi Vargo, it is too many masks for one person to wear. And as the dark magic the three of them helped unleash builds to storm that could tear the very fabric of the city apart, it's only a matter of time before one of the masks slips-and everything comes crashing down around them. 'The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose' Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne 'The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping' Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars 'The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive--I was unable to put it down' Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter 'An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!' Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower 'For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay' Booklist (starred review) 'Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world.' S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

A personal, vivid snapshot of drag culture in 1950s New York, showing readers how modern drag culture was born through first-hand letters, photographs and lively research from incredible historians. With an introduction from RuPaul's Drag Race winner Sasha Velour Their greatest act of resistance was simply existing In the 1950s, as now, queer people were attracted to the Big Apple because they were able to find work as drag performers and female impersonators in a small number of Lower East Side clubs. Decades before Stonewall, they occupied the margins of society, determined to live as they pleased, despite of the attentions of the police. Sometimes reduced to stealing to get their costumes, these girls were unstoppable, fearless and fabulous. When a cache of their letters were discovered, these individuals were given a voice where they had traditionally been silenced. The letters they wrote bear witness to a time when gay community was hard to find. Blending social, political and cultural history with memoir, this book is an unforgettable and deeply moving encounter with a generation of incredible survivors and a necessary account of how modern drag culture was born. A note on our narrator: Tony Casey - The Established, Shanda Leer - takes inspiration from queer icons like Oscar Wilde, Lily Savage, and Carol Burnett, and has developed his career and artistry thanks to the paths laid out by queer people and performers as those captured in these powerful letters.

The reckoning is coming... In an isolated house by Dugort pier a body is found. DS Lucy Golden is shocked to discover that the victim, Sandra Byrne, is a sister of one of her old school friends. To further complicate matters, Ben Lively, one of Lucy's colleagues, is the chief suspect. Lucy must put aside her bias in order to uncover the truth. But the deeper she digs into Sandra's life, the more the past starts to unravel and the less she seems to know. How do you solve a murder when all you have are lies? As Lucy desperately tries to sort out what is true from what is not, Rob, her ex-husband and ex-con, makes a reappearance. And when the reckoning for past mistakes finally arrives, nothing is what it seems. Praise for Martina Murphy 'The Branded pulls you straight into the story, snares you, and won't let you escape until you turn the last page' Patricia Gibney 'A novel that raises the bar for crime procedurals. . . artful, measured and gripping' Shots Magazine 'A twisty mystery, a moody setting and a troubled cop on a tricky case. What more could you want?' Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Read by Cassandra Campbell. Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting team, husband and wife Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, take us on a journey through Africa and Asia to meet an extraordinary array of exceptional women struggling against terrible circumstances. More girls have been killed in the last fifty years, precisely because they are girls, than men were killed in all the wars of the twentieth century combined. More girls are killed in this routine 'gendercide' in any one decade than people were slaughtered in all the genocides of the twentieth century. In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth, it was totalitarianism. In the twenty-first, Kristof and WuDunn demonstrate, it will be the struggle for gender equality in the developing world. Fierce, moral, pragmatic, full of amazing stories of courage and inspiration, HALF THE SKY is essential reading for every global citizen.

WELCOME TO NIGHT CITY. THE CITY OF DREAMS. IF IT HASN'T CHANGED YOU YET, IT WILL . . . AND IF IT DOESN'T KILL YOU, YOU MIGHT COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE AS A LIVING LEGEND. In neon-drenched Night City, a ragtag group of strangers have just pulled off a heist, robbing a convoy transporting a mysterious container belonging to Militech. The only thing the group has in common is that they were blackmailed into participating in the heist - and they have no idea just how far their mysterious employer's reach goes, or the purpose of the artifact they stole. This newly formed gang - composed of a veteran turned renegade, a sleeper agent for Militech, a computer nerd, a therapist, a ripperdoc, and a techie - must learn how to overcome their differences and work together, lest their secrets be unveiled before they can pull off the next deadly heist. Set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077, one of the bestselling video games of recent years, this electrifying novel from acclaimed Polish SF writer Rafal Kosik follows a group of strangers as they discover that the dangers of Night City are all too real.

The third novel in the Ashmore Castle series, perfect for fans of DOWNTON ABBEY, from the author of the hugely successful MORLAND DYNASTY novels Behind the doors of the magnificent Ashmore Castle, secrets are waiting to be uncovered . . . England, 1903. Giles, the Earl of Stainton, has fled from his stifling duties to resume his research in Egypt, leaving behind his wife Kitty, and his infant son. Kitty, still reeling from Giles' sudden departure, struggles to keep spirits high in the castle and establish herself as the true mistress of the house, an impossible task given how many secrets the inhabitants are hiding from her... The Earl's younger sisters, Rachel and Alice, are both pursuing forbidden romances, and his brother Richard begins a new business venture, spurred on by his clandestine lover. And below stairs, a shocking crime sends distrust rippling through the staff, more so when one of their own is accused. Kitty must draw on her strength to keep the castle from crumbling around her, but with her marriage to Giles left uncertain, and a surprise of her own to conceal, can she ever take her rightful place as true head of her household? The third novel in the Ashmore Castle historical family drama series, filled with heartbreak, romance and intriguing secrets waiting to be uncovered. The perfect read for fans of Downton Abbey, Bridgerton and rich period dramas.

McMafia meets Narcos in a searing true crime tale of the dark side of globalisation set in the US, Italy, Colombia and the Middle East. *** CONTAINS AN EXLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR *** 'As breathless, complex and on-the-edge suspenseful as the finest thriller fiction - but it's all real, which makes it truly extraordinary' Lee Child 'McMafia for the new age' Catherine Belton, author of Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then took on the West 'Compelling, visceral and highly readable' Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Moneyland 'This astonishing and cinematic rollercoaster of a debut will bring Miles Johnson's talent into the brilliant light. Delivered with trademark verve and precision, it achieves that rare and precious thing that is the goal of all great reporting: it reveals the world to itself' Alex Perry, author of The Good Mothers 'Miles has used his extensive Italian contacts to get a fully-fleshed out story in the Mafia section; likewise with the Hezbollah characters. He has interviewed over 100 people for the book, including many hours with Jack Kelly, the DEA investigator and hero of the book, which gives us an intimate look at a man dedicated to catching bad guys at the expense of his personal life' Dan McCrum, author of Money Men A compulsive true crime thriller about modern-day international drugs trafficking, terrorism and geopolitical intrigue following an investigation driven by one DEA agent, Jack Kelly. Three very different men battle to control their destinies as they hurtle through the hall of mirrors of the global shadow economy. Jack Kelly, a veteran US Drug Enforcement Administration agent, tasked with following a trail of dirty money across continents from a top-secret investigative unit based in Virginia. Salvatore Pititto is an ambitious Mafia capo working on a vast cocaine shipment who becomes unexpectedly pulled into an arms-smuggling conspiracy. Mustafa Badreddine is a ghost-like master terrorist wanted by governments across the world who has been secretly dispatched to Syria for his final mission. Each man, born in radically different circumstances in the 1960s, is in his own way grappling with the powerful and unstoppable forces that shape the world around us; forces which topple governments, send refugees fleeing across borders, and put guns in the hands of mercenaries and militias. Each has devoted his whole life to an institution-the DEA, the Mafia and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah-and each will eventually be destroyed or betrayed by the thing they believe in the most. Set during 2015 and 2016, as the global order began to implode under the pressures of the Syrian civil war and the European refugee crisis, CHASING SHADOWS looks back over the historical conflicts, events and personal histories that have shaped the lives of these three men. It's a book that shows the betrayals, the disillusionment and the violence as Jack Kelly hunts down his targets.

***The brand new, unmissable John Corey novel from America's Greatest Living Thriller Writer.*** 'Bottom line, if a man is known by his enemies, I'm one helluva guy.' Former anti-terrorist cop John Corey is NYU - New York Unemployed - and watching his back, ever more convinced his past will soon catch up with him. Then a new opportunity comes calling, and with it, plenty of trouble . . . A series of bodies has been found along a beach close to his home and he can no longer deny that a serial killer is on the loose, and no one seems able to find the culprit. Is the failure to find the perpetrator a result of the department's oversight? Is it due to the fact the victims are prostitutes? Or is it something darker? Could the killer be someone on the inside? John Corey must root out friend and foe in this dazzling thriller, which features his trademark snark, matched by brilliant investigative skills, and the masterful plot twists that are a signature of the American thriller legend Nelson DeMille.

Million-copy bestselling author Kate Ellis returns with the brand new book in the DI Wesley Peterson crime series. 'A beguiling author who interweaves past and present' THE TIMES November. With the tourist season well and truly over in South Devon, Detective Inspector Wesley Peterson is looking forward to a quieter month in the CID. But when a man is shot dead on Bonfire Night, he finds he has a disturbing murder case on his hands. The body of Patrick North was found in woodland connected to Nesbaraton Hall, a grand estate dating back to the eighteenth century. North worked for the Smithson family who now own the estate. The family are away on holiday, however when an anonymous letter threatening to abduct the Smithson son is uncovered, Wesley fears North's death might have been collateral damage in a kidnap plot. Meanwhile, archaeologist Dr Neil Watson discovers a hidden grotto on land that was once part of the Nesbaraton estate. Evidence of past rituals and the shocking discovery of a skeleton raise questions about strange occurrences, past and present, on the land. Then, just when Wesley's team seem to be making progress in their investigation, a resident of the nearby village is killed in a near-identical shooting to North's. A race is on to find the ruthless killer, before they strike again . . . Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering Kate Ellis's DI Wesley Peterson novels for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner if you love reading Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths. Praise for Kate Ellis . . . 'Clever plotting hides a powerful story of loss, malice and deception' Ann Cleeves 'Haunting' Independent 'The chilling plot will keep you spooked and thrilled to the end' Closer 'Unputdownable' Bookseller 'A fine storyteller, weaving the past and present in a way that makes you want to read on' Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Read by Cynthia Farrell, Inés del Castillo, Deacon Lee, Jessica Marie Garcia, Harry Shum Jr., Lee Osorio, Stephanie Németh-Parker, Adriana Sananes, Kimberly Woods, Tim Paige, Jennifer Aquino, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett. The first audio original from author duo Christina Lauren, a full-cast sequel to their New York Times bestseller The Unhoneymooners. A perfectionist maid of honour and a carefree, surfer-bro best man team up to plan a wedding and end up finding a spark of their own in the first audio original from author duo Christina Lauren, a full-cast sequel to their New York Times bestseller The Unhoneymooners. Ami is determined to break the Torres family wedding curse. Her own disaster of a reception ended with all the guests getting food poisoning, and she left her cheating husband soon after. But even though she's still processing her own divorce, Ami won't let her twin sister Olive's day be anything but perfect. Olive may think she wants a private ceremony in Maui, where she and her fiancé Ethan first fell in love, but Ami knows better and secretly flies the whole Torres family out to surprise the couple. Now she and her meticulously organized binder have less than two weeks to get everything together for the big day, thousands of miles from home. Enter Brody, Ethan's best man, who happens to be living in Maui and insists on helping with the preparations. His playfully elaborate schemes and happy-go-lucky attitude are the last thing Ami needs. When sparks start to fly, could it derail all her carefully laid plans? Equal parts hilarious and swoon-worthy, this full-cast production is your ticket to the ultimate destination wedding, bringing to life both a captivating couple and an unforgettable family. The Honeymoon Crashers is Christina Lauren at their charming, hilarious best. ................... 'Sexy, swoony, heartfelt' Library Journal (starred review) 'Funny, angst-y, and extremely sexy' Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Find out why readers LOVE Christina Lauren . . . 'Pure, irresistible magic from start to finish' EMILY HENRY 'Witty and downright hilarious . . . a perfect feel-good romantic comedy' HELEN HOANG 'Pure joy' SALLY THORNE 'Writing duo Christina Lauren are my go-to when I'm feeling sad' BETH O'LEARY 'What a joyful, warm, touching book! This is the book to read if you want to smile so hard your face hurts' JASMINE GUILLORY

THE LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL TO THE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP OF KABUL, THE BESTSELLER THAT CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS WORLDWIDE Kabul, August 2021 Sunny Tedder is back in her beloved coffee shop. After eight years away, she's thrilled to reunite with her Kabul 'family': Yazmina now runs a pair of women's shelters from the old cafe, and dreams of a bright future for her two young daughters. Her sister Layla has become an outspoken women's rights activist and, thanks to social media, is quite the celebrity. Kat, Sunny's friend from America, is wrapping up her year-long stay in the land of her birth, but is facing some unfinished business. And finally there's elderly den mother Halajan, whose secret new hobby is itself an act of rebellion. Then the US troops begin to withdraw - and the women watch in horror as the Taliban advance on the capital at ferocious speed... Set against the terrifying fall of Kabul in 2021, Deborah Rodriguez concludes her bestselling Little Coffee Shop trilogy with a heart-stopping story of resilience, courage and, most importantly, hope. Praise for Deborah Rodriguez 'Eye-opening and uplifting' - Grazia 'Restores belief in humanity' - Daily Telegraph 'Heart-warming' - Cosmopolitan 'Beguiling' - Woman 'Captivating and addictive' - Take a Break 'Full of heart and intelligence' - Look Magazine

A story about compromise, living in the moment and letting go of that picture-perfect vision future for something real. DEALBREAKERS will make you laugh, sigh and reminisce about every crappy date you ever went on. 'Clever, fun and refreshing, with a string of unforgettable characters' - Helly Acton 'Lauren Forsythe is a bright new talent' - Laura Jane Williams ---- Life at thirty-two is not at all what Marina Spicer had expected. And to top it off, she is absolutely tired of wasting time dating men who never seem to be a good match. Frustrated, she creates Dealbreakers, an anonymous app where women review how men stack up to their internet profiles. Her high standards have served her well at work, so why not in love? Enter Lucas Kennedy. Marina's charming Irish co-worker and newest nemesis. When the two are paired on a project to test out date ideas, ultimately determining which of them will be promoted, Marina takes a peek at Dealbreakers, hoping to dig up some dirt. But not only is Lucas the most annoying human on the planet, he also has the most dealbreakers listed on the app . . . ever. As they argue their way through each 'date', Marina finds herself having more fun than she's had in years. And when their attraction becomes too strong to resist, Marina struggles not to break some of her own rules. After all, if the Dealbreakers say he's Mr. Wrong, he can't possibly be Mr. Right . . . can he?

A lush, unputdownable novel about the legendary Cleopatra. Discover the woman behind the myth, in this epic and opulent novel, perfect for fans of Jennifer Saint, Madeline Miller, Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir. ................... A young queen. Consecrated at birth as a royal goddess, Cleopatra learns early on from her father's experience that to rule means to fight. Politically astute, her deep love for Egypt means she'll do everything in her power to retain its autonomy from the all-devouring Romans. A great emperor. Julius Caesar is a legendary warrior whose might helped secure the Egyptian throne for Cleopatra's father. Years later, when he encounters the now Queen of Egypt, it is more than a meeting of rulers - it is a meeting of souls. Together they could have ruled the world. In Julius, Cleopatra finds the first person who challenges and respects her fiercely brilliant mind, who understands her duty and shares her passionate nature. Their union, forged in conflict, seems unbreakable, but are the bonds binding them to their countries even stronger? Yet in a choice between love and duty, only one can win.

THE NEW THRILLER FROM THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER They say the camera never lies. But on this show, you can't trust anything you see. Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they've signed up for. Each of these strangers has a secret. If another player can guess the truth, they won't just be eliminated - they'll be exposed live on air. The stakes are higher than they'd ever imagined, and they're trapped. The disappearance of a contestant wasn't supposed to be part of the drama. Detective Ffion Morgan has to put aside what she's watched on screen, and find out who these people really are - knowing she can't trust any of them. And when a murderer strikes, Ffion knows every one of her suspects has an alibi . . . and a secret worth killing for. 'Twisty and clever. Another deeply enjoyable mystery from a talented storyteller' KARIN SLAUGHTER 'Great fun - clever plot, engaging characters and smart, sharp writing' SHARI LAPENA 'A brilliantly plotted whodunnit' SARAH PEARSE 'Fearless, fiery and funny DC Ffion Morgan is fast becoming my new favourite cop' T.M. LOGAN 'Dark, devilish, witty and wonderful. Filled with humour and heart' CHRIS WHITAKER 'Packed with suspects, twists and turns, A Game of Lies is Clare Mackintosh at her best' ALEX MICHAELIDES 'Wickedly fun and smartly plotted - a joy from beginning to end' LUCY CLARKE 'A clever plot, a glorious setting, engaging characters and buckets of tension' BA PARIS 'A taut whodunnit that will keep you guessing' JANE FALLON 'Superbly plotted and written, but the characters set this above most crime series' JO CALLAGHAN 'Ffion is the sparky bilingual cop you didn't know you needed . . . Another hit!' LIZ NUGENT If you love A Game of Lies, don't miss Ffion Morgan in The Last Party - available now!

New York Times bestselling author Jillian Lauren's personal, shocking account of confronting serial killer Samuel Little - and the untold stories of his victims. 'Fearless and fierce ... transcends a crime story to be a story that threatens social order' - Michael Connelly 'Bewitching . . . a tale of horror that is also humane and self-aware' - Jennifer Egan 'Wildly original... true crime fans will find this a unique and disturbing thrill ride' - Publishers Weekly 'Blending gruesome forensic details with tender domestic moments . . . a panoramic tale of America's worst serial killer' - Daily Telegraph Jillian Lauren set out to research a serial killer for a novel. Instead, she put one at the centre of her life. Months of exchanging letters with Samuel Little in prison landed her a face-to-face meeting - and the trust of a monster. In the hours of harrowing interviews that followed, Little confessed to the murders of ninety-three women, making him America's most proli­fic serial killer. As the investigations escalated, the disturbing relationship took its toll on Lauren, both psychologically and legally - but she couldn't stop. Conversations with a psychopath, intertwined with intensely personal experience and the stories of those killed told for the ­first time, result in an unforgettable true crime account. Behold the Monster is a journey into a mind and murderer that shocked the world, but one that ultimately lifts the lives of the victims with such grace that we cannot look away.

An unconventional, unexpectedly funny, brutally honest memoir about infertility, pregnancy and motherhood 'You and your partner want a baby. But your two bodies can't make a baby together.' If you want a baby but your body says otherwise - If you don't know the polite way to say thank you for the sperm - If you're waiting for the sound of a brand-new heartbeat - If you know it takes a village to raise a baby but have no idea who should be doing what - If you're lurching between bliss and bewilderment - If you don't fit the shape of what you've been told a mother should be - Reach for The Unfamiliar and don't let go. Moving and immersive, and written with wisdom, disarming humour and raw honesty, The Unfamiliar casts a fresh eye on motherhood and challenges our assumptions about pregnancy, gender roles, queer identity and what it means to be a parent. 'Cold, hard, raw writing that somehow sets your heart on fire' LAURA DOCKRILL 'Fierce, honest, beautifully written... A marvel' PRAGYA AGARWAL 'Kirsty Logan writes with bright wit and wonder - I read this book in awe' DOIREANN NÍ GHRÍOFA 'Wonderful... Luminous writing captures the uncertainty, the fear, the sheer physicality of love' MARIANNE LEVY

From two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead comes the thrilling and entertaining sequel to HARLEM SHUFFLE. ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE SUMMER BY OPRAH DAILY, NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, TIME, NPR, LOS ANGELES TIMES, ESSENCE AND MORE 'Whether in high literary form or entertaining, page-turner mode, the man is simply incapable of writing a bad book' IAN WILLIAMS, GUARDIAN 'A dazzling treatise . . . gleefully detonates its satire upon this world while getting to the heart of the place and its people' NEW YORK TIMES 'Crook Manifesto gave me something I had missed in recent reading: joy' TELEGRAPH 'A masterpiece' PEOPLE MAGAZINE From two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead comes the thrilling and entertaining sequel to Harlem Shuffle 1971, New York City. Trash piles up on the streets, crime is at an all-time high, the city is going bankrupt, and a shooting war has broken out between the NYPD and the Black Liberation Army. Furniture store owner and ex-fence Ray Carney is trying to keep his head down, his business up and his life straight. But then he needs Jackson 5 tickets for his daughter May and he decides to hit up an old police contact, who wants favours in return. For Ray, staying out of the game gets a lot more complicated - and deadly. 1973. The old ways are being overthrown by the thriving counterculture, but Pepper, Carney's enduringly violent partner in crime, is a constant. In these difficult times, Pepper takes on a side gig doing security on a Blaxploitation shoot in Harlem, finding himself in a world of Hollywood stars and celebrity drug dealers, in addition to the usual cast of hustlers, mobsters and hit men. These adversaries underestimate the seasoned crook - to their regret. 1976. Harlem is burning, while the country gears up for the Bicentennial. Carney is trying to come up with a celebratory July 4th advertisement he can actually live with, while his wife Elizabeth is campaigning for her childhood friend, rising politician Alexander Oakes. When a fire seriously injures one of Carney's tenants, he enlists Pepper to look into who may be behind it, navigating a crumbling metropolis run by the shady, the violent and the utterly corrupt. In scalpel-sharp prose and with unnerving clarity and wit, Colson Whitehead writes about a city that runs on cronyism, threats, ego, ambition, incompetence and even, sometimes, pride. Crook Manifesto is a kaleidoscopic portrait of Harlem, and a searching portrait of how families work in the face of chaos and hostility. 'Funny, effortlessly streetwise, and criminally pleasurable to read it's also politically enlightening and quietly incendiary' BIG ISSUE 'When he moves into a new genre, he keeps the bones but does his own decorating' WASHINGTON POST

Return to Avalon Bay with the third book in New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy's addictive and romantic series College student Cassie Soul hasn't spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Now that her grandmother is selling the boardwalk hotel that's been in their family for five decades, Cassie returns to the quaint beach town, excited to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday . . . and maybe find herself a summer fling. She's ready for breathless, heart-pounding passion. And on her first night in town, she finds the perfect candidate: Tate Bartlett, Avalon Bay's fun-loving golden boy. Tate, sailing instructor and lovable player, is no stranger to flings. In fact, he's always down for a good time. But . . . maybe not this time? The moment he meets Cassie, he knows she's not the girl you play games with, and the last thing he wants to do is risk breaking her heart. So, despite his attraction to her, he turns her down. But that awkward hiccup doesn't stop a friendship from developing between the two. Tate even helps Cassie find that fling she's so set on finding. Only it isn't long before he's wondering if he made a huge mistake. Cassie is gorgeous, hilarious, and, frankly, the coolest person he's ever met. He can't deny it anymore: he wants that fling now. Big-time. And maybe even something more. As Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, they're about to discover that their situation is the least complicated part of this equation. Because Avalon Bay is full of secrets-and their relationship might not survive when one secret in particular comes to light. Why readers love Avalon Bay: 'Delicious, complicated and drama-filled. . . I read it in one sitting, and you will, too' L. J. Shen, USA Today bestselling author 'A deliciously sexy story with a wallop of emotions that sneaks up on you' Vi Keeland, No.1 New York Times bestselling author 'Elle Kennedy delivers another sexy and addictive read, and my latest personal favourite from her!' Tijan, New York Times bestselling author 'With plenty of steam alongside the youthful romance, this winsome story about following one's heart will especially appeal to hopeless romantics' Publishers Weekly