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'Few historians write with Serhii Plokhy’s authority, clarity or global vision... Essential reading, and a marvellous book' Peter FrankopanFrom the bestselling author of Chernobyl comes a sweeping history of the geopolitics behind the nuclear arms race, from the first atomic bomb to todayOn 16 July 1945, the Nuclear Age began with the explosion of the first atomic bomb and the words of J. Robert Oppenheimer: 'Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.'While the threat of mutually assured destruction kept a lid on a simmering and tense geopolitical landscape, events like the Chernobyl disaster and near-misses like the Cuban Missile Crisis showed that total destruction was only ever one malfunction, mistake, or miscommunication away. Now, as governments re-arm their nuclear arsenals, treaties designed to limit the acquisition and use of nuclear weapons fall away, and nuclear weapons come increasingly within reach of non-state actors, we are on the brink of a renaissance of the nuclear industry. In The Nuclear Age, acclaimed historian Serhii Plokhy paints an intricate picture of a world governed by fear. From the first artificial splitting of the atom in 1917 and the race to create the first atomic bomb in World War II, through the fraught arms race of the Cold War, to the imperialism, neo-colonial motivation and wars being waged today, the threat posed by nuclear weapons is as pertinent as ever. As he examines the motivations of key players, Plokhy confronts the crucial question of our age: what can we learn from the first nuclear arms race that can help us to stop the new one?

It's never too early for your first checkmate. International Master and top YouTube chess coach Levy Rozman (aka GothamChess) brings the world’s greatest game to its youngest fans: babies!This board book introduces little ones to the basics of chess: the names of the pieces, how they move, and what it takes to win. With bold, high-contrast illustrations designed to support a baby’s developing vision and growing mind, this charming little book is both brainy and beautiful. Whether you're raising the next grandmaster or just want something smart for storytime, Chess for Babies is a perfect first move.

In the shadowed halls of Villa Diodati, Mary Shelley’s fury took shape – and birthed a monster…LONGLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2026The thrilling retelling from the author of PRIZE WOMEN, THE METAL HEART and THE GLASS WOMAN. Perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Manningtree Witches. ‘Hauntingly beautiful, dangerous and magnificent’ Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo‘A deliciously dark reimagining of the birth of literature's greatest monster’ Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters‘Richly woven, gorgeously addictive, this is a true Gothic novel about life, death, desire, fury and passion’ Joanne Burn, author of The Bone Hunters--Villa Diodati, Lake Geneva, 1816. The dark summer that birthed a monster . . . Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. Tormented by Shelley’s betrayals, haunted by the loss of their baby and suspicious of her sister’s intentions, Mary seeks sanctuary. But Lord Byron’s villa, lying under ominous, ash-shrouded skies, feels more like a trap. When Byron suggests each guest write a supernatural tale, Mary is as drawn to the challenge as she is, unexpectedly, to Byron himself. And so an idea begins to form in her mind . . . It spills out of her in thick, black ink. A thing given life is before her. Day and night, she is possessed. Heart and mind. Body and soul. But is she in control, or is i? n this hauntingly evocative feminist retelling, Caroline Lea delves into the female rage, creative madness and steamy scandal that bore the world's most famous work of gothic fiction. –PRAISE FOR LOVE, SEX & FRANKENSTEIN‘Fury and passion, obsession and revenge sizzle beneath the surface as out-of-this-world prose spins the book to a powerful, sensual grand finale. What a firecracker of a story - it completely swept me off my feet!’ Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of The Midnight Carousel‘You cannot help but fall in love with Mary, whose journey as an artist and as a woman is both absolutely heartbreaking and truly inspiring. This is a deeply moving, magical book from a consummate storyteller’ Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den'Beautifully written and wonderfully intense, this is no glamorous story of the rock star poets and their female muses but a rendition of absolute powerlessness turned around through sheer force of will’ Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Disobedient

The new tale of female camaraderie and bravery from beloved saga author Rosie Meddon - available to pre-order now!When one woman's attempt to help the war effort from her sleepy Devon village is thwarted, she is determined to fight back! September 1940: When Isabel Thaxley becomes homeless and heartbroken following a London air raid, she calls on her old friend Julia Nance for help. Julia runs a guesthouse in faraway Slipscombe, Devon, and Isabel hopes that sleepy village life is exactly what she needs to start again. In need of new purpose, Isabel is keen to support the war effort. When she learns that women are not allowed to join the Local Defence Volunteers, she sets up her own organization. But with opposition on all sides, can she unite these isolated women against the common enemy?

*** PRE-ORDER THE FINAL EPIC IN THE NERO TRIOLOGY *** The throne is never safe ... especially in RomeAD 60. Rome stands at the height of its power – glittering with wealth, drowning in intrigue. On Palatine Hill, Nero Claudius Caesar rules as Emperor, a young man adored for his beauty and brilliance, feared for his temper, intoxicated by his own power. His empire stretches from the wilds of Britain to the deserts of Parthia, yet his enemies are never far: generals who command legions, senators who whisper in corridors, a people who cheer him in the circus but curse him on the streets. Nero has learned that power is never shared, only seized. He has seen off enemies before, not least his mother, Agrippina. Yet now Boudicca, queen of the Iceni, leads a revolt in the North. Closer to home, Gaius Julius Vindex, Roman by office but Gallic by blood, denounces Nero’s corruption and declares open rebellion against the Emperor from Gaul. Rome is a city that devours its rulers. As the first sparks of revolt alight beyond its walls, an empire built on fire begins to burn from within . . .

*AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW - THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM MULTI-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER DAWN FRENCH*ETTA'S FOUND THE CURE FOR OLD AGE. BUT HER FAMILY WON'T LIKE IT . . . Etta is sixty-eight years old. Happy, healthy and an active participant in her world, she’s gathered her family together for an unforgettable weekend. Tick. At 5am that Saturday morning, Etta wakes her daughter, her granddaughter, her son and her daughter-in-law up to lead everyone down to the beach. To ‘Etta’s Hollow’, where a roaring fire has already been lit. Drowsy but delighted – the sun is just starting to rise for a glorious dawn – Etta’s family bask in the beauty of the moment. A memory to be cherished forever. Tick. Until twenty minutes later, when Etta announces to her assembled beloveds something as shocking as it is alarming. ‘I have brought you all down to the beach this morning to tell you something important. You see, the thing is, today is my last day alive.’ Boom. Over the next twenty-four hours, Etta and her family are about to have the most surprising, affecting and life-affirming day of all their lives. PRAISE FOR DAWN FRENCH‘'Dawn tackles the big ones - love, death, grief, childhood, motherhood, parenthood - head on' Guardian'Fantastic, passionate, compassionate, so much wisdom, a lot of humour and very real’ Bernadine Evaristo'Gorgeous. Wise and full of love' Marian Keyes'A life-affirming read' Daily Express‘'An extraordinary book - sad, heartening, gripping and reassuringly human' Jo Brand‘Tender and devastating, it almost broke my heart' Sunday Express

War came to North Africa in June 1940. But it was over a year before a newly-formed SAS went into action. Until then, the fight belonged to an elite, top secret band of brothers called the Long Range Desert Group.They were Britain’s first special forces.Born out of a pre-war club of explorers, eccentrics and mavericks, the LRDG operated alone behind enemy lines, performing astonishing feats of navigation, endurance and survival, and paved the way for the SAS.Drawing on his own decade’s service with UK Special Forces, Titch Cormack brings to life the action-packed but little-known story of Britain’s original rogue heroes.

The remarkable story of the real 'Dad's Army', from the bestselling historian of The Secret Life of Bletchley Park'Impeccably researched and deliciously entertaining, Dad's Army shines a bright searchlight on to an organization dismissed for far too long as humorously incompetent' - Giles Milton, author of the The Stalin AffairWith the threat of invasion from Hitler's forces looming large in 1940, British men of all ages and backgrounds assembled under the banner of the Home Guard. At its height, this voluntary force, much later nicknamed ‘Dad’s Army’, was made up of almost two million volunteers prepared to defend every corner of the kingdom. Numerous notable figures were involved including George Orwell, A. A. Milne, and C. S. Lewis; many women took part too, including in the Women's Home Defence Force, which was formed in 1941. In Dad’s Army, Sunday Times bestselling author Sinclair McKay tells the remarkable story of these courageous, highly trained and often pioneering men and women through original archival research, vivid storytelling and insights into the beloved television comedy that has shaped the national memory of the Home Guard. Far from the stereotype of charming incompetence, McKay shows that the Home Guard were in fact entirely serious in their approach. Many volunteers had fought in the First World War, and radical veterans from the Spanish Civil War taught new techniques in lethal guerilla fighting. Chocolate-box village greens throughout the country were reimagined as bloody battlefields, with duties including rifle and mortar training, night-time patrols and manning anti-aircraft guns – all on top of volunteers’ everyday jobs. Yet all of this was underpinned by an essential good humour, with moments of levity and camaraderie vital in keeping up a much-needed spirit of defiance. With its vibrant personalities and touch of nostalgia, Dad's Army tells this extraordinary story in full colour. 'One of my favourite historians' Dan Snow

'Smart, funny, and driven by unforgettable characters ... a must-read' Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry'With exquisite storytelling and unforgettable characters, The Calamity Club is a joyful, heartbreaking, heartwarming read. I loved it so much' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things'Pure hell-raising entertainment' New York Times'So immersive, exciting, and downright fabulous, you never want it to end' Oprah Daily“You give a girl a taste of fresh air and then you take it away—she’ll grow fierce and wild to get it back.”Oxford, Mississippi, 1933. Eleven-year-old Meg Lefleur has learned the hard way to rely on no one. Ever since her beloved mother failed to come home last Christmas Eve, she’s been one of the 'unadoptable' girls at the town’s orphanage, where she fights each day to keep her wits sharp and her spirit unbowed. When she meets Birdie, a young woman who has come to Oxford determined to remind her socialite sister of the impoverished family she left behind, for the first time in a long while it seems someone else might care about Meg’s future. But as the Depression tightens its grip, Birdie begins to suspect her sister’s charmed life may be founded on a tapestry of lies. Then, Birdie encounters Charlie, a woman haunted by loss who has been pushed to the brink with nothing left to lose. Drawn together by circumstance, they find unexpected kinship among a disreputable, determined band of women. But in a town steeped in hypocrisy, even the smallest act of defiance can have dangerous consequences …Bold, heartwarming, and riotously funny, The Calamity Club is an unforgettable story of resilience and friendship, and a sisterhood of underestimated women who risk everything to take back control of their fates. _PRAISE FOR THE HELP'Daring, vitally important and very courageous, I loved and admired The Help. Fantastic' MARIAN KEYES'Outstanding, immensely funny, very compelling, brilliant' Daily Telegraph'A laugh-out-loud, vociferously angry must-read' Marie Claire'Touching, disgraceful, funny. Highly recommended' Daily Mail

How the modern world has understood the ancient Greeks and why they matter todayThe study of ancient Greek history has been central to the western conception of history since the Renaissance. The Muse of History traces the shifting patterns of this preoccupation in the last three centuries, in which each generation has reinterpreted the Greeks in the light of their contemporary world, through times of revolution, conflicting ideologies and warfare. It aims to offer a new history of Greek historiography from the Enlightenment to the present, and to acknowledge the continuing spiritual importance of the ancient Greeks for European culture in the twentieth century under totalitarian persecutions. Through the study of different historians, many of them unjustly forgotten, it shows the problematic nature of the Anglo-Saxon tradition and the importance of ideas from the continent of Europe, the ambiguities of democracy, and the impossibility of understanding the past or the present outside our common European heritage. It ends by offering suggestions for the future of the study of the Greeks in the context of world history.

A dark, psychological tale of deadly obsession, in a masterful new translation'My dear Judge, I would like one man, just one, to understand me. And I really hope that man can be you.'In a small town in western France, Dr Charles Alavoine seems to lead the perfect life: his own medical practice, two beautiful children, a new wife and a doting mother. Yet as each quiet day of bourgeois conformity passes, Alavoine begins to feel a sharp sense of futility. Then, one rainy day in December, he meets a mysterious young woman on a station platform. Fascinated by her innocence and the scars of her past, Alavoine’s passion soon gives way to a dangerous obsession, ending in a terrible act that will forever change the course of his life. First published in 1947, Letter to My Judge is a masterful exploration of the darkest corners of the human soul, and a harrowing exorcism of Simenon’s phantoms.

*THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*EMBARK ON THE JOYOUS AND NOSTALGIC JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME IN THE LATEST NOVEL FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THIS TIME TOMORROW AND ALL ADULTS HERE'Pure joy' Ann Patchett'Fun, delicious, big-hearted' Taylor Jenkins Reid'Criminally readable' Maria Semple'I can't TELL you the enjoyment it gave me' Marian Keyes'I was completely swept away' Coco Mellors'You will feel so understood by this novel' Rainbow Rowell'Unexpectedly hilarious. Cheaper than therapy and a lot more fun!' Holly Brickley'I longed to be aboard the American Fantasy' Lauren Bravo---Annie is on a journey straight back to her past. When the American Fantasy cruise ship sets sail for a four-day themed voyage, aboard are all five members of a famous 1990s boyband, and three thousand women who have worshipped them since their youth. Newly divorced and with an empty nest, Annie is on board as a lark to appease her sister. Once a diehard fan of the band as a teen, she now feels out of place amid the sea of bedazzling t-shirts bearing the singers’ faces. Yet when the lights go down, the cocktails are poured and the band starts singing, Annie finally reconnects to a long-submerged part of herself. As she encounters Keith, the band’s slightly depressed, fifty-something lead singer – not just a celebrity but someone clearly in need of a friend – she feels like anything is possible. But is the connection between Annie and Keith just a fantasy? Or is this the beginning of a new chapter for them bot? ull of laugh-out-loud reflections on fame, nostalgia, marriage and growing up, American Fantasy celebrates the magic of revisiting our youth, and the even greater magic of starting anew. ---PRAISE FOR EMMA STRAUB'Has all the pleasures of reading one of Anne Tyler's compelling family portraits' NEW YORK TIMES'Nostalgic, wise, funny, and filled with love' GABRIELLE ZEVIN on This Time Tomorrow'Smart, compelling, irresistible' LIANE MORIARTY on Modern Lovers'Her warmth and sense of humour electrify every page' NEW YORK MAGAZINE

Eager to find the answers she can’t locate in the shelves of Ravenswood library, Andy Emmerson visits Jae in the underworld. Only, it is empty of the Gods that once ruled it and inexplicable clues start to appear directing them to The Order. Together they must travel to Eidolon University where they will investigate The Order and unlock its secrets. Soon they are catapulted into a world of old magic, dangerous rituals, and demonic activity. A world they thought they’d left behind at Ravenswood. If they fail to discover The Order, and the school’s secrets, humanity will fall to the fires of hell.

THE NO. 1 BESTSELLERShortlisted for Biography of the Year, Irish Book Awards 2025‘Hugely uplifting. My mood was completely altered in a really lovely way by it. She is remarkable – really relatable and really kind. I would recommend this very much’ Marian Keyes‘Beautiful … fascinating insights … authentic and open’ Her.ie‘This book is great’ Patrick Kielty, The Late Late Show‘Fast-paced and enjoyable’ Irish Times---The fascinating new memoir from one of Ireland's most celebrated and singular broadcastersI started writing this book as an exclusively work memoir but the work and the personal kept overlapping. I don’t know if that’s because I’m a woman or a mother or both, or none of those reasons. I just know that for my story to be authentic and truthful, I couldn’t simply focus on the work side of my life. Miriam O'Callaghan is one of Ireland's best-known broadcasters, covering every election, referendum, major controversy and important public event for TV, and hosting an award-winning radio show. Combining career success, high-octane glamour and being a mother-of-eight makes her a truly unique figure in Irish public life. In her absorbing memoir, Miriam shares touching stories from her personal life – from the life-changing impact of losing her beloved sister and father in a matter of months, and the end of her first marriage that same year, to the joys and challenges of bringing eight children into the world and juggling a frenetically busy life (‘give up on perfection’ is her wise advice!). Miriam includes fascinating insights into a career that has given her a ringside seat to a changing Ireland. Like attending Bobby Sands’ wake even before she was a journalist, and life coming full circle when she championed John Hume to be declared the greatest figure in Irish history. She describes extraordinary debates, important and heart-breaking conversations with people in the eye of a media storm, and how she goes after and prepares for the big interviews – as well as what happens when things go wrong. Miriam also addresses the recent RTÉ controversies that cast a shadow over its high-profile presenters, not least herself. Miriam is an exceptionally honest and personal memoir from one of Ireland’s most esteemed broadcasters‘Candid and intimate’ Irish Independent

🖤 Don't miss out on the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run, a must-have for any book lover.🖤 She’s a priestess with a dangerous secret. He’s a praetorian with a grudge. When their paths become inextricably linked, they must find a way to survive the deadliest game of all. . . Forbidden magic, a twisted mystery and deadly court conspiracies are all wrapped up in this dark fantasy set in a Roman-inspired republic where secrets will cost lives. 🔮-- Secrets built this republic; one truth could burn it down. High Priestess Kerasea Vestal has spent her life hiding the truth—that she’s the last surviving heir of the magical bloodline the republic slaughtered. One wrong step could be fatal. But when a senator is brutally killed and a temple blade is found at the scene, all eyes turn to her. Praetorian Torren Morvane has made a career of dragging liars into the light, and Kerasea is the one person he’s vowed to ruin. But locked on a mountain with a murderer, scheming senators, and a prophecy of death, he’s forced to work at her side. The closer he gets, the more dangerous the truth—and their attraction—becomes. With traitors closing in and a nation on the verge of shattering, Kerasea and Torren must risk everything to uncover the real killer. . .even if it means trusting their sworn enemy. --🖤 TROPES FOR VERITY GUILD 🖤🪄Enemies-to-Lovers🪄Slow Burn🪄Forbidden MagicPraise for Verity Guild"Kera and Torren, whose simultaneous attraction to and suspicion of each other makes for a compelling reading experience... An engrossing murder mystery that will intrigue even readers from beyond the romantasy genre’s fan base." — KirkusFans of romantasy will appreciate the slow-burning steaminess and worldbuilding. With her political astuteness, along with her ability to tell a good story, Corland has created a romantasy with the suspense of Lucy Foley’s books and the tongue-in-cheek moments of Knives Out. — Emily Bowles, Library JournalPraise for Mai Corland“Thrilling and intense—Mai Corland never disappoints!” — #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle L. Jensen

‘A brilliantly observed, funny, poignant and utterly real portrait of a mid-life woman and her family. I loved it.’ Claire Fuller‘An elegant and beautifully-observed novel by one of our finest contemporary writers’ Louise Kennedy‘I found myself taking screenshots to send to friends because MacMahon nails it over and over again’ Claire Kilroy---‘Marriage was the biggest decision of their lives and yet they made it so lightly it was barely a decision at all’As schoolgirls, Justine and her best friend Iseult dreamed of a future that revolved around marriage. They saw it as a happy ending, never imagining for a moment that the reality would be more complicated. Coming up to fifty, they're still best friends. Justine has been married to Iseult’s brother for twenty-five years and lives in her childhood home. Iseult has spent her adult life abroad, her marriage clearly unhappy for reasons she won't discuss. When Justine’s daughter suddenly announces her engagement, Justine is thrown into planning a big family wedding. Afraid that her daughter is making a mistake, she finds herself questioning the choices she and Iseult made decades earlier. This crisis of confidence tests Justine in new and unexpected ways. From the Women’s Prize longlisted author of Nothing But Blue Sky and The Home Scar, Other People’s Lives is a captivating story about the decisions we make in a heartbeat, and their lifelong consequences. ---‘A book to inhale’ Belinda McKeon'Warm-hearted and relatable, perfectly captures the messiness of modern family life' Aingeala Flannery‘MacMahon is an astute chronicler of modern life’ David Park'A tender-hearted portrait of modern life, told with MacMahon’s trademark wit and warmth. I flew through it’ Louise Nealon‘Beautiful’ Hilary Fannin‘Incisive, witty and tender, there’s not a woman in the country who won’t relate to this fine and thought-provoking novel.’ Christine Dwyer Hickey‘Thoughtful and provocative, a beautifully narrated story of friendship and marriage’ Anna Fitzgerald'Simply exquisite. MacMahon is one of Ireland's finest writers.’ Anne Griffin‘Perceptive, tender, astute, beguiling’ Martina Devlin‘I really and truly loved this tender, deeply satisfying novel’ Orla Mackey‘So beautifully observed, so penetrating, so coolly aware of the texture of people’s lives.’ Neil Hegarty‘This wise, truthful novel explores brilliantly all the complexity of women's lives’ Anne Tiernan‘Thought-provoking and utterly absorbing’ Sinéad Crowley