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The darkly thrilling follow-up to Blood Like Mine - a New York Times Best Horror Book and CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger-shortlisted novel. 'Neville might well be Stephen King's rightful heir' WILL DEANYOU WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOUR FAMILY. EVEN IF THEY ARE MONSTERS. Rebecca Carter is back from the dead. Lost, terrified and ravenous, she has only one thought: find her daughter. Monica is alone in the wild, hunting what she can. Then two strange brothers find her. They call her Moonflower. They promise to keep her safe. But Jacob and Willard Hendry are not what they seem. They know all about dying and disappearing - and unlike Monica, they chose what they became. Now Rebecca must follow their bloody trail west before they turn her daughter into something even worse. But she is not the only one hunting them. FBI agent Sarah McGrath is close behind, desperate for answers after the death of her partner. And what she uncovers will drag them all deeper into the dark. A brutal, beautiful horror thriller about hunger, survival and the monstrous pull of family - perfect for readers of C. J. Tudor and Stephen King.  READERS LOVE STUART NEVILLE’S BLOOD TRILOGY‘Intense, ingenious and one of my favourite books of the year so far. Possibly even better than the first book’‘I raced through this book and am now eagerly awaiting the next one’‘Pacy, exciting and sometimes brutal material with a real heart to it’‘Neville has himself another winner here’

A little girl is missing... and the only way to save her is to play a killer's twisted game. One August afternoon, eight-year-old Grace Lennard vanishes into thin air. Rushing to the scene, Detective Kim Stone finds a chilling piece of evidence: the heart bracelet belonging to Melody Jones - a little girl stolen from a playground exactly twenty-five years ago. Hours before, Steven Harte walked into Halesowen police station and claimed he could lead Kim to Melody. And he told her she'd have a more urgent problem to deal with first. Now Kim must do what he says if she's to find Grace alive. With only twenty-four hours before she must release him, can Kim uncover the truth among Steven's lies, find Melody and save Grace? Or will more innocent lives be los? n edge-of-your-seat thriller that will leave your heart in your mouth. You will be totally hooked on the utterly addictive, number one, multi-million-copy bestselling Detective Kim Stone series. See what everyone is saying about Stolen Ones:'OMG what a page turner. Heartbreaking, chilling and utterly compulsive... Hooked from the first to the last page, constantly holding my breath.' NetGalley reviewer, ?'OMFG... Nail-biting, thrilling, and riveting... deliciously satisfying.' NetGalley reviewer, ?'Wow... a cracker of a book... I just loved this... was hooked right from the start... brilliant... had me totally immersed.' Goodreads reviewer, ?'Incredible. I knew I would be hooked but this exceeded my expectations... had me shaking my head and saying WTF... Absolutely loved every moment.' Goodreads reviewer, ?'Wow - what a brilliant page-turner... had me hooked from the first chapter and kept me invested throughout.' NetGalley reviewer, ?'Gripped me so deeply... I am 100% addicted... read within 24 hours. Kim Stone is my idol... Totally compelling, addictive.' ?'Had me devouring this story long into the night... brilliant... I was completely hooked.' NetGalley reviewer, ?'I absolutely loved... pulls you in straight away and doesn't let you go until the last page.' Goodreads reviewer, ?'Genius... utterly compelling... will have you gripped to the end... comes with the mother of all twists!' NetGalley reviewer, ?'Loved loved loved it!... I could not put this down.' NetGalley reviewer, ?'I've not spoken to my husband in three days as this was far more important... perfect. Clear your diary.' Goodreads reviewer, ?

‘Hell is round the corner in My Only Boy, its skilfully imagined near-future, far-right Britain all too believable. But what I admire most is the way its grand sweep is studded with small human moments: brilliantly noticed instances of the ways we want and yearn and love’ Chris Power, author of A Lonely ManThe sensational new novel from the highly-acclaimed author of Dreamland: a once-in-a-lifetime love storyIt is Elle’s job to manage disasters. But lately things have started to spin out of control. At work, the latest catastrophe has been live-streamed to the nation. A shock election sees an extreme-right coalition storm to power. Then, on a night so hot it feels like London’s pavements are melting, she meets Ed. Elle and Ed are not meant to be drawn to each other. Elle has only ever been attracted to women, and Ed, billed as ‘the great gay novelist of our times’, is about to release his first book. But something inexplicable sparks between them. Can the unexpected attraction they feel last when it presents such a profound challenge to their identity? And as the country fractures and the heat rises, how will they choose between the people they’ve known themselves to be – and the people they are willing to become. Both an unforgettable love story and a state-of-the-nation thriller, My Only Boy asks universal questions about desire, complicity, and what happens when your sense of self collapses along with the world around you. 'Only Rosa Rankin-Gee could write so wonderfully about the imminent implosion of everything we'd ever dreamed of, while two unlikely lovers find joy in a broken world. Golden' Justin Myers, author of The Glorious Dead‘Completely original... this book charmed, provoked, and unsettled me in equal measure. Read it’ Maggie Millner, author of Couplets: A Love Story' I can’t stop thinking about it’ Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party ‘I devoured this book. Rosa Rankin-Gee is a master at creating near future worlds with a simmering political back drop, pierced through with laughs and a love story that feels at once epic and beautiful and also completely universal’ Kayleigh Llewellyn, Bafta Award-winning creator of In My Skin‘A moving, complex love story set in an all-too-plausible far-right future of intolerance, decline and precarity. Rankin-Gee has a fine ear for the dialogues of London and the humour that makes people fall in love, stay humane and make all the wrong (and right) decisions. Nuanced, alive, anxious, energetic, elegiac and thoughtful.’ Paul Holden, author of The Fraud‘Rosa is hilarious and prescient, an incredible writer who's able to make your heart leap both with anxiety for our collective human future and anticipation for the possibilities of new love’ Nafkote Tamirat, author of The Parking Lot Attendant ‘My Only Boy is utterly compelling; it is somehow impossible to put down.… No-one else is writing quite like this - urgent, essential and against all odds, hopeful’ Laura Kay, author of Wild Things‘With crackling prose, Rosa Rankin-Gee has crafted a novel that is both a cautionary tale about the rise of fascism, and a queer love story turned on its head. It will leave you asking: What would you do to save the ones you love? Buckle up for one hell of a ride.’ Grace Flahive, author of Palm Meridian‘Gripping, immersive and exquisitely written, My Only Boy is one of those books that will live with you long after you’ve turned the final page’ Indyana Schneider, author of 28 Questions'A terrifyingly poignant yet oddly heart-warming tale for our time. So richly layered I wanted to savour it, but I couldn't help but race greedily through. What a triumph!' Natasha Bell, author of This Nowhere PlacePraise for Dreamland ‘A beautiful book: thought-provoking, eerily prescient and very witty.’ Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half'Water courses through its pages, as rising sea levels heighten inequalities, buoy populist politicians and wash away every certainty of civilisation. But there’s al

The third in the Dark Fates series, featuring a love triangle between Ares, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus. Bonds once formed can never be broken, but after lifetimes of pain and heartache, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, is determined to find a way. Shackled in a millennia-long love triangle between Hephaestus, God of the Forge, and Ares, God of War, the toll on their ravaged hearts is too much for any of them to bear. Aphrodite makes the choice to leave them both and break the cycle. When a dire battle leaves Aphrodite Bond-sick, a death sentence for Olympians, Hephaestus and Ares rush to her aid. Sworn enemies, the gods are thrust into a series of trials meant to shatter them. But they are determined to save her, even if that means working and living together. As animosities collide, unexpected emotions emerge, the boundaries between love and hate blurring as they attempt to forge a new path, together. Of Forges & Fury, the third in this dark romantasy series, grapples with love and war in a dizzying dance of passion and conflict. Rich bonus content includes: A playlistA guide to the deities of the Dark Fates seriesAnd more!

The most complete and comprehensive dinosaur encyclopedia ever! Love dinosaurs? Then this book is for you! Inside, you'll find favourites, like the fierce T-rex and the gentle Brontosaurus, plus more recent dinosaur discoveries, like the Anzu, Kosmoceratops, and Yi. Every dino profile is colourfully illustrated and features descriptions of when they roamed the Earth, how they lived, what they ate, and more. There are more than 600 dinos featured in all, including 10 profiles of recently discovered dinosaurs and new entries in the Dino Dictionary. Reports from palaeontologists present the latest news and insights from the field.

'The perfect cozy small town escape … It is sweet, a little spicy, and full of heart' ? 'A beautiful read … Look forward to much more from this author' ? Available to pre-order now, this spicy, grumpy v sunshine, small-town romance is perfect for fans of Laurie Gilmore and Tessa Bailey! Will love brew in Honey Springs? Willow Davis has everything she should want. An impressive corporate job, a beautiful Seattle apartment, and an even more beautiful boyfriend to go alongside it. But when a quarter-life crisis hits and everything begins to fall apart, there's only one place she wants to go. Up to the mountains and to the small town of Honey Springs, where she's determined to lean into self-care and bring her love of matcha lattes with her. Lucas Dawson is still running his family business. The grumpy, gritty and gorgeous diner owner's heart seems impenetrable, even when Willow, his warm-as-sunshine childhood best friend, returns to town. But what is Lucas hiding … and why can Willow feel their bond stirring up more than just old memories? Readers LOVE The Perfect Matcha: 'Whether you love or hate matcha, this small-town cosy read will warm you like a hot drink’ Laura Carter 'Loved the storyline and the characters. Will definitely be reading more by this author' ? 'A quick read that still manages to feel warm and meaningful. The small-town setting adds a cozy charm to the story and really enhances the sense of community and nostalgia. Overall, it’s a sweet, heartwarming romance' ?

How an ancient land became a great democracy. Longlisted for Best Non Fiction in the Indie Book Awards 2026 'Tony Abbott should be congratulated ... This history of Australia is vivid, readable, provocative' Geoffrey Blainey, historian'I think it's very good' Tom Holland, historianAustralia is one of the world's great success stories: a land long hidden from outsiders, chosen as a convict dumping ground, where - since 1788 - people from many backgrounds have built one of the freest, fairest and most prosperous countries on earth. By the standards of a harsher time, the early governors tried to respect the original inhabitants and to encourage the convict outcasts of the British Isles to make a new start to a better life. This Indigenous heritage, British foundation and immigrant character have shaped the land of the 'fair go' especially for those willing to 'have a go'. It's not perfect, even now, yet mostly we have a history to be proud of. Within a century of settlement, Australia had not only the world's highest standard of living but had become a global pioneer for democratic freedoms such as the secret ballot, the payment of MPs and voting rights for women. A country largely created by settlement and negotiation has evolved from 'White Australia' at the time of federation into one of the world's most colour-blind societies and has managed the transition from an old 'Anglo' identity to a civic patriotism based on an overriding commitment to Australia and its values. This book is intended to give anyone interested - as every Australian should be - an account of our past that's positive, while not oblivious to our mistakes and imperfections as a nation. If to be an Australian is still to have won the lottery of life, the history that's produced us is surely something to savour. Now a major TV documentary available to stream at Sky News Australia. PRAISE'Tony Abbott's book is inspired by love of country, yet he comes to grip with our flaws. This is a fresh, powerful, highly readable single-volume history of Australia that deserves a wide audience' Paul Kelly, editor-at-large, The Australian'Scholarly researched, scrupulously fair-minded and very engagingly written, this is big narrative history at its best. It explains why Australia is such a wonderfully unique place, and why history is all the better when written by those who themselves helped make it' - Andrew Roberts, author, Churchill: Walking with Destiny'Not quite the "white armband" version of history I was expecting in the first half, nor a "Liberal Party highlights package" in the second half. I enjoyed reading it' - Peter FitzSimons, author, KokodaThis is an immensely readable account of how - as I frequently call it - the "Australian Achievement" has been built' - Hon John Howard OM AC, former prime minister of Australia'Tony Abbott's latest book is a powerful antidote to the poison of little and bad history ... we have much to be thankful for and to build on' Hon John Anderson AC, former deputy prime minister of Australia and leader of the National Party'The former prime minister has done a good job with Australia: A History' Frank Bongiorno, historian'if you have a serious interest in Australian history, the book will go on your shelves' Hon Kim Beazley AC, former deputy prime minister of Australia'Tony Abbott has written with reverence and richness, bringing our nation's past, although both painful and proud, to life with striking clarity' Nova Peris OAM OLY, first Aboriginal-Australian Olympic gold medallist and former Labor senator'This book is a compelling reminder of our inheritance, which gives us a reason to be proud of who we are and the country we've become' - Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, federal senator for Northern Territory'Tony Abbott brings history to life in a way that is both enlightening and deeply engaging' Brett Lee, former Australian international cricketer'This book helps us rediscover our past with honesty and respect, so we can better

'A magnificent novel' Belinda McKeon, author of Solace and Tender'Truly unforgettable' Fíona Scarlett, author of Boys Don't Cry'Everything I love in a novel' Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious ThingsA heart-swelling beauty of a debut novel of love, trauma and found family - perfect for fans of Chris Whitaker, Liz Moore and Marilynne Robinson. 'Little Maude Rowe sits in the crick, her pockets heavy with gold, the blood on her face turned to powdered rust . . .'In a remote valley in Idaho in 1981, a man, a woman and three children stop running to wash the blood from their hands and bodies. They are the few survivors of a terrible tragedy. Their only choice now is, somehow, to become a family. Five years earlier, Opal and her husband James arrive in the small mining community of Silver Valley, drawn by promises of fortune and independence. There they meet Baron Rowe, the charismatic visionary who controls the community with an iron fist. Baron's son Denny has spent his life trying, and failing, to live up to Baron's expectations, and to protect his little sister Maude from their father's excesses. Soon, a tragic accident will change all their lives. And five years later, change will come again at the barrel of a gun . . . *A winner of the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2024*

Illustrated throughout, this uncovers the hundreds of British and French warships in the Dunkirk evacuation, whose actions have been overshadowed by the fame of the ‘Little Ships’. In this book, naval historian Angus Konstam examines the backbone of the Dunkirk evacuation fleet: the warships of the Royal Navy and French Navy that were ordered into action to rescue the British Expeditionary Force. Nearly 50 destroyers, an anti-aircraft cruiser, and more than 200 MTBs, minesweepers, trawlers, and other small warships were involved, as many as could be spared without recklessly endangering naval strength. He highlights the lack of decent anti-aircraft defences available to the Allies in 1940, and shows how improvised weaponry were used to help fend off the Stukas. Dunkirk was the first naval operation of World War II to be carried out under sustained air attack, and nearly a fifth of the destroyers and a quarter of the smaller vessels were sunk, with more badly damaged. Illustrated with archive photos, profiles illustrating the range of both British and French warships involved, and dramatic original artwork, this studies the naval side of the greatest evacuation of World War II.

Young children will have fun learning to write the alphabet with this eco-friendly wipe-clean activity book in the bestselling See, Touch, Feel series from Priddy Books!Funny rhymes, simple directions and helpful dashed lines to trace make See, Touch, Feel Skills for School: ABC an ideal introduction to writing for kids. A dry erase pen is embedded into the design of the book in an eco-friendly way, ensuring the book and pen stay together! Kids can trace their letters, then wipe the page clean and try again, for hours of educational fun. Little fans of See, Touch, Feel books will be proud to 'graduate' to this learn-to-write ABC book. Also available to help get a head start: See, Touch, Feel Skills for School Pen Control

A romance of convenience between two college women soon becomes the real thing.Shy Miwa has always dreamed of finding love, but living in small-town Japan made finding the right match difficult—especially since she likes girls! Even going away to college didn’t seem to help, until one day her outgoing classmate Saeko suggests they might as well start dating each other since it’s not like either of them has other options.Real life is coming at Saeko and Miwa hard as they prepare for their upcoming graduation and the accompanying stress of looking for a job. Miwa’s glad her relationship with Saeko has finally healed, but the more time they spend together, the more she realizes friendship isn’t the only thing she wants. Trouble is, Saeko doesn’t seem interested in anything else! Final volume!

WRITTEN WITH SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ANN CUSACKGenerations of abuse. A murdered mother. A daughter determined to get justice. Growing up as one of eight children with drug abusers for parents, Tara has no choice but to learn to be self-reliant from a young age. Despite her mother’s negligence, Tara remains fiercely loyal to her, even more so when she discovers the terrible sexual abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of her own father. But when the same predator turns his attention to six-year-old Tara, a horrifying spiral begins and history repeats itself. Her mother stayed silent and Tara keeps her own abuse and pain a secret too. Until one day an unimaginable tragedy changes everything. Tara knows she can rely only on herself. Can she finally get justice for both of them?

The stunning new novel from the Booker Prize-winning, Sunday Times-bestselling author of SHUGGIE BAIN and YOUNG MUNGO.An Oprah's Book Club pick'This summer's bestseller' - The Times'This book is special' - Colm Tóibín'Passionate, liberating, and gorgeous' - Min Jin Lee 'Brilliant and rare' - Ann Patchett'A masterpiece' - Elaine Feeney'A fierce, glorious sting of a novel' - Lauren GroffOut of money and with little to show for his art school education, John-Calum Macleod takes the ferry home to the island of Harris to find that not much has changed except for him. In the windswept croft where he grew up, Cal resumes his old life, caught between the two poles of his childhood: his father John, a sheep farmer, weaver, and pillar of their local Presbyterian church, and his Glaswegian grandmother Ella, who has kept a faltering peace with her son-in-law for decades. While Cal wonders if any lonely men might be found on the barren hillsides of home, John is dismayed by his son’s long hair and how he seems unwilling to be Saved. As the seasons pass, everything is poised to change as the threads holding together the fragile community become increasingly entangled. John of John is the heartbreaking story of a young man’s return home and how the bonds of family life are torn by the weight of expectation. It confirms Douglas Stuart as one of the great British writers at work today.

Perfect for fans of Creepy Pair of Underwear, this wolfish picture book romp follows a kid who finds himself in a hairy situation when he dons a pair of not-so-normal undies under the light of the full moon. Do not, under any circumstances, Or for any reason, Wear this underwear under the full moon. Do you understand? Get ready to howl with laughter as one rule-breaking, underwear-loving kid transforms into a—gasp!—UNDERWEARWOLF! Now he’s on an unforgettable nighttime adventure that may or may not include furry paws, sharp claws, uncomfortable wedgies, and an honest-to-goodness wild wolfpack! No butts about it—this is one read-aloud that’ll blow your undies off!

The most honest, outrageous and joyous running book you'll read… Alison Stankard is a Running Wanker. But it didn’t happen overnight. A few morning stumbles around the block in a bid to become pert-bottomed somehow turned into something else: 5ks, 10ks, marathons and even ultra marathons. Then one day, whilst looking at her lack of toenails, embarrassingly large collection of training shoes and buffs, it dawned on her: she had become a Running Wanker. Some people can go out for an occasional run and not obsess over every little detail. They might not think to take a photo of their hill sprints to post on social media or be able to recite their splits from the race that got them a PB to anybody who’ll listen. All impossible if you’re a true Running W*nker. There are a lot of books about running. Serious books with marathon plans, advice on nutrition and injury prevention. This book isn’t that. It’s a sweary, honest celebration of all the things that Running W*nkers new and old get up to: sh*tting in bushes, going down the stairs on your arse because your legs won’t bend the day after a marathon, lying about how much trainers cost and plotting how to rig the London Marathon ballot. The question is: are you a Running W*nker too?

'Vera Gedroits was a true medical heroine: outrageous, intrepid and devoted to saving lives. Miranda Seymour’s genius as a story teller brings this astonishing woman blazing back to life. I shall never forget her' LADY ANTONIA FRASER 'Miranda Seymour has written a wonderful and unputdownable book about an astonishing woman' MEL GIEDROYC Vera Gedroits was a towering, sweet-faced lesbian princess, an ardent supporter of workers’ rights who regularly performed true medical miracles of surgery. On one occasion, she even frogmarched an inquisitive Rasputin out of a ward for wounded officers. While working for César Roux at the world’s best known medical institute in Lausanne, Vera became the world’s first woman surgeon. Off the back of this, she was appointed by the doomed Tsarina to teach the women of the Romanov family how to be nurses. In 1919, Vera was sent to Kyiv, where her hospital reforms, innovative work and academic papers crowned an extraordinary career. During the troubled 1920s, in times of extreme danger, she completed a remarkable series of memoirs. The princess-surgeon’s prose, including a startling candid account of her early years as a revolutionary factory doctor, has been compared to that of Pasternak. Some years later, Vera and her widowed lover Countess Maria Nirod were seized in the middle of the night and taken away at gunpoint during the Soviet purge of scientific intellectuals. Their whereabouts for the next few months were never disclosed. Vera’s pension was cancelled. The hospital and institute were closed. Living in extreme poverty, Vera died two years later of uterine cancer. She was just 61. The princess’s name was removed from official Soviet medical records; her tremendous contribution to medicine and the radical improvements to wartime surgery she pioneered as the first female battlefield surgeon have remained unacknowledged to this day. Now, Miranda Seymour uncovers the riveting story of a daring and brilliant woman who chose to make Ukraine her homeland, someone adored by her friends and patients and whose achievements as an administrator and bold reformer invite comparisons to Florence Nightingale. ‘The extraordinary story of an extraordinary woman, whose unprecedented career as a surgeon, and also as a writer, made her a participant in every aspect of late Tsarist and early Soviet history, and at every level of Russian society … Miranda Seymour tells her story with compelling passion and the most extraordinarily wide understanding of the history and politics, the medicine and literature of the times. A remarkable book’ MICHAEL FRAYN

Don't miss this heart-stopping drama from the nation's favourite storyteller! Will the sleeping shadows of a family’s past torment a new generation? Twenty years ago, an unspeakable crime tore Jack’s family apart. An evil that consumed his mother and ripped him away from everything and everyone he knew. Now Jack has worked hard to make a new life for himself. But nothing can keep him sheltered from the nightmares of his past, and he becomes increasingly disturbed by the dark intentions hiding behind his eldest daughter’s smile. Is there a mystery at the heart of his family threatening them in the present? Can he save the people he loves before it’s too late? *No Angel was first published as No Heaven, No Hell by Josephine Cox writing as Jane Brindle

'Kay is a genius. I've read him all my life and am always inspired by his work' BRANDON SANDERSONA sweeping new novel of love and war that brilliantly evokes the drama and turbulence of medieval France from the internationally bestselling author of Tigana, All the Seas of the World, and A Brightness Long Ago. Thierry Villar is a well-known - even notorious - tavern poet, intimately familiar with the rogues and shadows of that world, but not at all with courts and power. He is an unlikely person, despite his quickness, to be swept into the deadly contests of ambitious royals, assassins, and invading armies. But he is indeed drawn into all these things on a savagely cold night in his beloved city of Orane. And so Thierry must use all the intelligence and charm he can muster as power struggles merge with a decades-long war to bring his country to the brink of destruction. As he does, he meets his poetic equal in an aristocratic woman and is drawn to more than one unsettling person with a connection to the world beyond this one. He also crosses paths with an extraordinary young woman driven by voices within to try to heal the ailing king - and help his forces in war. A wide and varied set of people from all walks of life take their places in the rich tapestry of this story. Both sweeping and intimate, Written on the Dark is an elegant tour de force about power and ambition playing out amid the equally intense human need for art and beauty, and memories to be left behind. PRAISE FOR GUY GAVRIEL KAY'S NOVELS'Tragic, stirring, romantic, meticulous, comic, rueful, worldly-wise, and written in the intimate, deceptively nonchalant voice of a storyteller offering up his great gift' MICHAEL CHABON'Kay is a genius. I've read him all my life and am always inspired by his work' BRANDON SANDERSON'A wonderful talent. He tells stories in an invented world that is so rich in historical echoes that I found myself smiling with pleasure as I heard the echoes, while engrossed in the story. Warmly recommended' EDWARD RUTHERFORD'History and fantasy rarely come together as gracefully or readably as they do in the novels of Guy Gavriel Kay' THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD'By making the familiar ever so slightly strange, Guy Gavriel Kay breathes new life into historical fantasy. Beautifully faceted, jewel-like scenes carry us beyond the doublets and daggers to create an emotionally charged, high-stakes world of love and hate, threat and reward' DAILY MAIL'An immersive reading experience; readers will taste the dust in their mouths, see the high seas from the deck of a merchant ship, feel the bustle of the city market. What results is necessary sustenance for the starving reader. A masterpiece from a master of the craft' BOOKLIST'Gorgeous, generous, humane and deeply aware of the intricacies of human desire and attachment, All the Seas of the World is another masterpiece from Kay' JAMES BRADLEY'I came away from it with spirits lifted and a smile on my face, whilst feeling a wistful sense of regret that the reading experience was over. You can't ask more from a book than that' PARSEC

‘Private Inquiries is a must-read – a riveting mythbuster, with its revelations of the real histories of women PIs.’ – Val McDermidThe female private detective has been a staple of popular culture for over 150 years, from Victorian lady sleuths to ‘busy-body spinsters’ and gun-toting modern PIs. But what about the real-life women behind these fictional tales? Dismissed as ‘Mrs Sherlock Holmes’ or amateurish Miss Marples, mocked as private dicks or honey trappers, they have been investigating crime since the mid-nineteenth century – everything from theft and fraud to romance scams and murder. In Private Inquiries, Caitlin Davies traces the history of the UK’s female investigators, uncovering the truth about their lives and careers from the 1850s to the present day. Women like Victorian private inquiry agent Antonia Moser, the first woman to open her own agency; Annette Kerner, who ran the Mayfair Detective Agency on Baker Street in the 1940s; and Liverpool sleuth Zena Scott-Archer, who became the first woman president of the World Association of Detectives. Caitlin also follows in the footsteps of her subjects, undertaking a professional qualification to become a Private Investigator, and meeting modern PIs to find out the reality behind the fictional image. Female investigators are on the rise in the UK – and despite the industry’s sleazy reputation, nearly a third of new trainees are women. After a century of undercover work, it’s time to reveal the secrets of their trailblazing forebears.