Transworld Publishers Ltd strana 14 z 16

BY THE AUTHOR OF MULTI-AWARD-WINNING #1 SUNDAY TIMES TRUE CRIME BESTSELLER: THE FIVE, THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPERPage-turning true crime story of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen in Edwardian England, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of strong women''Breathtaking. Rubenhold has not only produced a thrilling reassessment of a notorious crime, but an impressive portrait of an age'' Spectator''Gripping and eye-opening'' I-news, Book to Watch out for‘I couldn''t put it down'' Bonnie Garmus''Reads like a great thriller. I inhaled it'' Bella Mackie''A unique combination of sleuthing, storytelling and compassion'' Lucy Worsley''An exceptional achievement. I was gripped from the very first page'' The Secret Barrister''Under her pen, history comes alive'' Professor Dame Sue Black''Fascinating. It''s about time Belle became the hero of her own story'' Val McDermid''As compelling as any crime drama'' S J Parris___________No murderer should ever be the keeper of their victim''s story …On 1 February, 1910, vivacious musichall performer, Belle Elmore, suddenly vanished from her north London home, causing alarm among her circle of female friends, the entertainers of the Music Hall Ladies’ Guild who demanded an immediate investigation.They could not have known what they would provoke: the unearthing of a gruesome secret, followed by a fevered manhunt for the prime suspect: Belle’s husband, medical fraudster, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen.Hiding in the shadows of this evergreen tale is Crippen’s typist and lover, Ethel Le Neve – was she really just ‘an innocent young girl’ in thrall to a powerful older man as so many people have since reported?In this epic examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century, prizewinning social historian Hallie Rubenhold gives voice to those who have never properly been heard – the women.Featuring a carnival cast of eccentric entertainers, glamorous lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, STORY OF A MURDER is meticulously researched and multi-layered, offering the reader an electrifying snapshot of Britain and America at the dawn of the modern era.________''Does for the Crippen Murder case what THE FIVE did for the victims of Jack the Ripper. Forensic research and insistent sympathetic writing. I loved it'' PROFESSOR DAVID WILSON, BBC 1, The Crime SquadI had my hand over my wide-open mouth'' Rachel Joyce''Takes us beyond the world of Dr Crippen into the lives impacted by him and the society in which he moved. Terrific'' Ian Rankin''Compelling to the very last page'' Denise Mina

From the bestselling author of The Cloisters comes this electrifying thriller about an affluent family whose annual retreat to Italy is shattered when a decades-old murder resurfaces . . . think The Talented Mr Ripley meets Succession meets The White Lotus . . .On the glittering island of Capri, anything can be a mirage. But one thing is true: there''s nothing deadlier than a family with everything to lose . . . The world was shocked by playwright Sarah Lingate’s death thirty years ago at an opulent,white-washed villa on the island of Capri. Absolved of the crime, the Lingate family maintains that what happened that night was a tragic accident. And every July they return to Capri to prove it’s true.This time, Helen Lingate - sole heir to the family fortune - has a plan. Tightly controlled by her father, she enlists the help of the family assistant, Lorna Moreno, to free herself from her family’s stranglehold on her life. And yet, behind closed doors, the legendary Lingate family unity is at breaking point. Upon arrival at the villa in Capri, an anonymous gift awaits them: the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.In the aftermath, the paranoid, insular Lingates begin to unravel. As the investigation into her mother’s death is reopened, Helen begins to lose trust in everyone around her: her controlling father Richard, drug-addled aunt Naomi, aloof uncle Marcus, and even Lorna, whose past she realizes is frustratingly opaque. And as the family fractures, the long-hidden truth about that night and the secrets they’ve kept from one another boil to the surface - and they might not leave the island alive.''Sultry and sophisticated with a menacing undercurrent that keeps you thrillingly unsettled until its final spellbinding twist. Let the languid glamour of Capri gently take you by one hand, an ice cold Negroni in the other, but watch your step — the cliffs are treacherous and so, too, is a family with everything to lose.''RACHEL KOLLER CROFT, author of Stone Cold Fox''Engrossing and sinister . . . a must-read for 2025.'' JULIE CLARK, author of The Last Flight***Readers Love The Vipers!***''A thrilling murder mystery, that had me hooked from start to finish.'' FIVE-STARS''A pulse-pounding thriller that challenges everything you think you know about family and loyalty.'' FIVE-STARS''Katy Hays has a great eye for detail and although I’ve never visited Capri, I felt as if I was transported there; a lively place full of colour and warmth and nestled within, a strange and dysfunctional family with secrets.'' FIVE-STARS''This is a novel to savour and enjoy...quite simply a joy to read!'' FIVE-STARS''Nothing is as it seemed and the meticulously built tower of lies and pretending falls apart piece by piece.'' FIVE-STARS[The Vipers is published in the US as Saltwater]

INTRODUCING ROSE BURNHAM: DESIGNER, DRESSMAKER . . . DETECTIVE? Discover the cosy, 1920s historical mystery, the uplifting book club read for summer.''A joy of a read. A superbly researched story of post-WW1 female friendship chock-a-block with characters you’ll cheer on to the very last page''--AJ Pearce, Sunday Times bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird''A novel for everyone who’s ever cheered on a friend or sister. It’s suspenseful, enchanting, and uplifting: a pure delight''--Nina de Gramont, author of The Christie Affair‘If you enjoy historical fiction, cosy crime, or stories about strong women forging their own paths, this book is not to be missed’ 5-star reader review_South-east London, 1925.Talented, ambitious designer-dressmaker Rose Burnham knows well both the strains of her profession and the secrets it can yield. Newly established in her own business, she and her sisters are privy to the hushed conversations that unspool behind the fitting room’s closed doors.So when a major client finds herself the victim of a deception, it is Rose she tells. Driven by the shortage of men following the Great War, Miss Holmes had engaged the services of a matrimonial agency, only to be cheated out of her inheritance by a fake suitor.Rose is determined to bring the swindler to justice. To begin with, playing the detective is a grand adventure, but as pressures mount and an old friend receives a troubling string of poison-pen letters, Rose discovers there is more to investigating – and these investigations – than she’d bargained for.Praise for Miss Burnham and the Loose Thread‘As well as being an exquisite mystery, Miss Burnham and the Loose Thread is an ode to the pioneering women who embraced new opportunities in the aftermath of The Great War. I loved it!’--Jessica Bull, author of Miss Austen Investigates‘A hat box of delights, full of period detail and thoroughly enjoyable.’--Claire Wilcox, author of Patch Work: A Life Amongst Clothes and Professor in Fashion Curation at the London College of Fashion‘The characters were brilliant. I love a good mystery and this one did not disappoint’ 5-star reader review‘An expertly researched mystery novel… a beautiful evocation of the post-WWI era’ 5-star reader review‘An absolute joy to read… a brilliant mix of cosy crime and historical fiction that kept me thoroughly entertained!'' 5-star reader review

On France''s golden Riviera, the wife of an artist gives him an ultimatum: her or me. The dazzling new novel from Sophie Haydock, author of The Flames ''Deliciously immersive . . . Think of [Haydock] as the art world’s answer to Philippa Gregory . . . I took Madame Matisse on a wet, grey holiday and it swept me into a world of startling, splashy colour'' The Spectator''[A] sizzling story of the art world, where sidelined women take centre stage. It’s an immersive tale of muses, betrayal, sex and bad behaviour'' Daily MailThis is the story of three women - one an orphan and refugee who finds a place in the studio of a famous French artist, the other a wife and mother who has stood by her husband for nearly forty years. The third is his daughter, caught in the crossfire between her mother and a father she adores.Amelie is first drawn to Henri Matisse as a way of escaping the conventional life expected of her. A free spirit, she sees in this budding young artist a glorious future for them both. Ambitious and driven, she gives everything for her husband''s art, ploughing her own desires, her time, her money into sustaining them both, even through years of struggle and disappointment.Lydia Delectorskaya is a young Russian emigree, who fled her homeland following the death of her mother. After a fractured childhood, she is trying to make a place for herself on France''s golden Riviera, amid the artists, film stars and dazzling elite. Eventually she finds employment with the Matisse family. From this point on, their lives are set on a collision course....Marguerite is Matisse''s eldest daughter. When the life of her family implodes, she must find her own way to make her mark and to navigate divided loyalties.Based on a true story, Madame Matisse is a stunning novel about drama and betrayal; emotion and sex; glamour and tragedy, all set in the hotbed of the 1930s art movement in France. In art, as in life, this a time when the rules were made to be broken...

''Delightful...packed with wit and culinary digressions.'' Sunday Times''Orlando Murrin knows exactly how to satisfy a reader’s appetite!'' Lesley Kara''A cocktail of wit, spicy observation, intrigue and the delicious unknown.'' Jane Corry''Should give Richard Osman a run for his money!'' C.J. CarverWorse things happen at sea…Paul Delamare has been roped into accompanying his old friend on a luxury cruise aboard the magnificent superyacht Maldemer. It’s all plain sailing until his friend’s priceless necklace is stolen, and everyone falls under suspicion.As Paul races to catch the thief, the ship begins to drift off-course, veering into the storm-lashed mid-Atlantic. Then one of the passengers is found dead in mysterious circumstances, in a pool of coffee and surrounded by cake crumbs.It’s all hands on deck to catch the killer, but Paul soon discovers guests and crew are harbouring deadly secrets. And if he can’t get to the bottom of the mystery soon, he’ll be sleeping with the fishes.Praise for Orlando Murrin:''If Agatha Christie were to go on MasterChef, this novel would be the result.'' Clare Pooley''A deliciously dark slice of murder and mystery. Funny and fun, frightening and charming'' Chris Whitaker''I loved the combination of crime and cookery - and how Orlando uses the one to enrich the other (and vice versa).'' Andrew Taylor

The perfect gift for nature lovers, in this beautifully illustrated small format hardback, John Lewis-Stempel delves into the cuckoo's unique behaviour and captivating role in our cultural imagination, in folklore, myth, literature and music, turning his exquisite prose to one of the strangest tales of the countryside. ---Is there any bird more mysterious than the cucko? t is invariably heard, and not seen. And if seen, it is mistaken for a sharp-winged hawk. The female cuckoo - by a trick that borders on alchemy - is able to disguise its egg as another's. In Greek myth the god Zeus assumed the form of a cuckoo to seduce Hera. But we forgive the cuckoo its con-artistry, because it is the true herald of spring. It is the bird that uplifts our wintered hearts, with that first two-note 'cuk-koo' unmistakable as it sounds across the country. In The Curious Life of the Cuckoo, John Lewis-Stempel explains one of nature's greatest enigmas in vivid, lyrical prose, and celebrates this iconic bird. ---‘That John Lewis-Stempel is one of the best nature writers of his generation is undisputed.’ – Country Life‘His immense, patient powers of observation – along with a flair for the anthropomorphic – mean he is able to offer a portrait of animal life that's rare in its colour and drama.’ – Observer‘Engaging, closely-observed and beautiful ... this author’s deep love of the world around him is as inspiring as it is entertaining.’ – Daily Mail‘John Lewis-Stempel is the hottest nature writer around.’ – Spectator‘It’s his observation of the natural world – the sight, the sound, the smell of it – that is so memorable. He has a distinctively brisk, muscular style of writing that has a poetic intensity and concision. – Guardian‘His prose is immaculate’ – Der Spiegel‘Lewis-Stempel sees and hears things others will never see and hear, and he can write about them as no one else can.’– Daily Mail: Summer Reads

A powerful and spine-tingling gothic tale exploring mother-daughter relationships, sexuality, and class.‘As mesmerizing as it is surreal, Carrion Crow is a haunting gothic tapestry’ Lucy Rose, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lamb‘One of the best books I''ve read this year! … I loved it’ Julia Armfield, author of Private Rites and Our Wives Under The Sea‘A gruesome, provocative, stylish fairytale.... A true Gothic gem’ Kaliane Bradley, bestselling author of The Ministry of TimeThere are some facts about the world that only your mother can teach you.Marguerite had been confined for the sake of her wellbeing.That’s what her mother had said.Marguerite Périgord is locked in the attic of her family home, a towering Chelsea house overlooking the stinking Thames.For company she has a sewing machine, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management and a carrion crow who has come to nest in the rafters. Restless, she spends her waning energies on the fascinations of her own body, memorising Mrs Beeton’s advice and longing for her life outside.Cécile Périgord has confined her daughter Marguerite for her own good. Cécile is concerned that Marguerite’s engagement to a much older, near-penniless solicitor, will drag the family name – her husband’s name, that is – into disrepute. And for Cécile, who has worked hard at her own betterment, this simply won’t do.Cécile’s life has taught her that no matter how high a woman climbs she can just as readily fall.Of course, both have their secrets, intentions and histories to hide. As Marguerite’s patience turns into rage, the boundaries of her mind and body start to fray.And neither woman can recognise what the other is becoming.Praise for Carrion Crow:‘One of the most important new voices in fiction, with Carrion Crow Heather Parry deduces an unutterable Gothic horror of class and gender... magnificent and devastating’ Alan Moore, award-winning author of Watchman and V for Vendetta‘Grizzly, compelling, and utterly claustrophobic’ Heather Darwent, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Things We Do to Our Friends‘Beautifully written with such dark, claustrophobic precision, exploring the devastating control we assert upon one another. Such an achievement.’ Rachelle Atalla, award-winning author of The Pharmacist‘Delicate, deftly written and enticingly obscene, Carrion Crow will captivate you from the first sentence and haunt you long after the story ends. I''ve never read anything quite like it’ Jan Carson, prize-winning author of The Raptures

THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERTHE NEW JACKSON BRODIE NOVEL, FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SHRINES OF GAIETY''How delicious to have Jackson Brodie back, this time in a story that starts off in Agatha Christie''s world but soon becomes a landscape that could only have been crafted from the pen of the incomparable Kate Atkinson'' Ian Rankin''Christie would be proud . . . I defy you not to snort with laughter as the novel progresses to its farcical denouement. Atkinson is brilliant'' Observer*****Welcome to Rook Hall.The stage is set. The players are ready. By night’s end, a murderer will be revealed.Ex-detective Jackson Brodie is staving off a bad case of midlife malaise when he is called to a sleepy Yorkshire town, and the seemingly tedious matter of a stolen painting.But one theft leads to another, including the disappearance of a valuable Turner from Burton Makepeace, home to Lady Milton and her family.Once a magnificent country house, Burton Makepeace has now partially been converted into a hotel, hosting Murder Mystery weekends.As paying guests, a vicar, an ex-army officer, impecunious aristocrats, and old friends converge, we are treated a fiendishly clever mystery; one that pays homage to the masters of the genre—from Agatha Christie to Dorothy Sayers.Brilliantly inventive, with all of Atkinson’s signature wit, wordplay and narrative brio, Death at the Sign of the Rook may be Jackson Brodie’s most outrageous and memorable case yet.****''Sharp, droll and knowing as ever, Atkinson has huge fun with the set-up; the supporting cast is terrific, and the rueful Brodie, ever more mindful of the passing years, feels like an old friend.'' Guardian‘Delicious character studies… fine writing, wit, originality and eccentricity – even as it induces a warm glow’ Telegraph''Another brilliant addition to her impressive oeuvre, Atkinson masterfully blends intricate plotting with rich character development, delivering a mystery that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging.’ Glamour‘The set-up is a delight, paying homage to traditional Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries – the characters are well-drawn, their stories unfolding alongside each other until gradually the strands unite, keeping the reader guessing how they will ultimately tie together. A great read.’ PA Media‘Superior writing...a highly entertaining read’ GraziaKate Atkinson, Sunday Times bestseller, August 2024

YOUR NEXT READ FROM THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR of ROMANTIC COMEDY, PREP and AMERICAN WIFE'Messy and delicious' New York Times Editor's Choice'Sittenfeld is in a league of her own' Guardian'One of my favourite authors' KATE ATKINSON, author of Death at the Sign of the Rook'Anything Sittenfeld writes, we'll read' People'She understands women so well; like having someone look straight into your soul' Reader review*****______Razor-sharp, glittering tales exploring marriage, fame and female friendship, from the Sunday Times bestselling author. In this compulsive collection of twelve witty stories, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels, as she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends. In ‘The Patron Saints of Middle Age,’ a woman visits two friends she hasn’t seen since her divorce. In ‘A for Alone,’ a married artist embarks on a project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can’t spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in ‘Lost but Not Forgotten,’ Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel Prep a new window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an awkward school reunion. Witty, confronting and full of tenderness, Sittenfeld peels back layer after layer of our inner lives, keeping us riveted to the page with her utterly distinctive voice. READERS CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF CURTIS SITTENFELD:'Small windows into modern life and as such highly entertaining. Curtis, you're a star!' *****'Sittenfeld understands women so well, it’s like having someone look straight into your soul'*****'Devoured! You'll recognise yourself and others in these pages' *****'No-one else writes with such precision and amusement' Red Magazine

Years have passed since the clash of shield-walls echoed across the land . . . The Saxons are now the lords of Britain. And yet the bards still sing of Arthur - ''In our darkest time, when we need him most, shall he come again.'' Ageing mercenary Beran has no love of bards'' songs. Nor of people. Unless they are paying him to steal or kill. Now he has been ordered to murder a boy. But this is no ordinary child. The son of King Constantine and the grandson of High King Ambrosius, this boy could be the saviour of Britain . . . if he lives. Betraying his companions and returning to a world he believed he''d forsaken, Beran vows to take the boy to the one place that still holds out against the invader: Camelot. Hunted by Saxons, Queen Morgana and those he deceived, he will seek the help of Guivret, called the Little King, and the Saracen, Palamedes who once rode beneath Arthur''s banner. They will meet the doomed lovers, Tristan and Isolde. And they will fight for their lives and for each other. For if there''s to be any hope for Britain, Beran must deliver the boy to Camelot. And to do that, he must come to terms with his past . . . Arthur is the breathtaking new novel from the author of the bestselling Lancelot, called ''a masterpiece'' by Conn Iggulden . . .

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Snap, and two-time winner of the CWA Crime Novel of the Year...Loved by readers... discover this gripping, entertaining crime caper about a hungry young girl, an impossible discovery, and a crime that remained unsolved for one hundred years.Until now.*****‘A unique crime novel that is both moving and funny . . . highly recommend’ 5-STAR reader review‘A perfect crime caper'' Woman & Home''[The] most ingenious of crime writers . . . A funny, moving and beautifully written tale'' The Guardian******SPECIAL HARDBACK LIMITED EDITION – AVAILABLE WHILE STOCKS LAST*It was the most daring crime of the century . . .1926. On the towering cliffs of Yorkshire, men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of the sea birds who nest there. The most beautiful are sold for large sums. But when small and hungry Celie Sheppard finds an ''impossible'' red egg, it will forever alter the course of her life - and the lives of others.One hundred years later in a remote cottage in Wales, Patrick Fort discovers his friend, Nick, and his mother tied up and robbed. The only thing missing: a carved case containing an incredible scarlet egg. Doggedly attempting to retrieve it, Patrick and Nick discover the cruel world of egg trafficking, and soon find themselves on the trail of a priceless collection of eggs lost to history. Until now.A taut, wonderfully imagined novel brimming with skulduggery at every turn, The Impossible Thing is a blazing testament to Belinda Bauer’s status as one of our greatest living crime writers.Praise for The Impossible Thing‘Enthralling, hilarious, mysterious… I thoroughly enjoyed this book’ 5-STAR reader review‘The gift of The Impossible Thing is the pure joy of reading’ VAL MCDERMID, bestselling author of the Karen Pirie crime series''Comic, thrilling and ultimately moving'' The Scottish Mail on Sunday''Extraordinary. There''s a deceptive simplicity to The Impossible Thing that packs a real punch'' ANN CLEEVES, bestselling author of the Vera Stanhope detective series''Solid gold. . . This could be her best ever'' LEE CHILD, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series‘A captivating novel from one of the UK’s most talented storytellers. I loved every page of this unique mystery.’ CLARE MACKINTOSH, bestselling author of I Let You Go‘One of the most enjoyable novels I''ve read in ages’ PAULA HAWKINS, bestselling author of The Girl on the Train

INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERFrom the acclaimed author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia, comes a new journey, following four 19th century elephants marched from the East African coast towards Congo, to tell a heartbreaking story of folly and colonial greed.''A beautiful, intelligent and heartfelt book, a brilliantly researched account of an imperial fever dream alongside a no less feverish contemporary journey''- THE SUNDAY TIMES''Absorbing ... any account of a journey in the footsteps of another is bound to be elegiac, but rarely has an elegy been so suffused with drama and pathos.'' - FT''History and travelogue combine wonderfully in this tale of colonial plunder and hubris…Sophy Roberts’ luminous new book is a journey through Africa from Zanzibar to Lake Tanganyika and back, retracing the steps of a long-forgotten expedition.'' - GUARDIAN''This is a marvellous book, an important footnote to history - of Sophy Roberts'' intrepid travel with a real purpose, shining a light on colonialism, Belgian and British, and their peculiar obsessions.’'' - Paul Theroux, author of The Great Railway Bazaar‘Masterfully weaving adventure, intrigue and the darker truths of colonial ambition into a story as gripping as it is eye-opening.’ - Levison Wood, author of Walking the Nile''Deeply researched. Brings to life a bizarre and long-forgotten story of Africa with empathy, intriguing encounters and memorable characters, not least the elephants themselves.’ - Luke Pepera, author of Motherland: A Journey through 500,000 Years of African Culture and Identity‘Sophy Roberts brings history to life, tackling difficult, sensitive subjects with careful, exquisite prose. Unputdownable.’ - Mary Harper, author of Getting Somalia Wrong?''A brave and searching book, rich in history and fierce in spirit. The best sort of travel writing: handsome prose, teeming with humanity and an unwavering sense of wonder.'' - Justin Marozzi, author of Baghdad, City of Peace, City of BloodIn 1879, King Leopold II of Belgium launched an ambitious plan to plunder Africa’s resources. The key to cracking open the continent, or so he thought, was its elephants — if only he could train them.And so he commissioned the charismatic Irish adventurer Frederick Carter to ship four tamed Asian elephants from India to the East African coast, where they were marched inland towards Congo. The ultimate aim was to establish a training school for African elephants.Following in the footsteps of the four elephants, Roberts pieces together the story of this long-forgotten expedition, in travels that take her to Belgium, Iraq, India, Tanzania and Congo. The storytelling brings to life a compelling cast of historic characters and modern voices, from ivory dealers to Catholic nuns, set against rich descriptions of the landscapes travelled.Roberts digs deep into historic records to reckon with our broken relationship with animals, revealing an extraordinary — and enduring — story of colonial greed, ineptitude, hypocrisy and folly.‘A cautionary tale from the early days of the Scramble for Africa, but poignant and scholarly too. Roberts writes beautifully.’ - Thomas Pakenham, author of The Scramble for Africa‘A rich, engrossing tapestry of greed and disregard for life … Few write as compellingly as Roberts, this is her as only she can write.’ - Amal Chatterjee, author of Across the Lakes

‘Jane Robinson is brilliant at putting the women back into history and her biography of Barbara Leigh Bodichon, a Victorian feminist we should all be grateful to, is as entertaining as it is necessary.’ - Daisy GoodwinYou have probably not heard of Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon but you certainly should have done. Name any 'modern' human rights movement, and she was a pioneer: feminism, equal opportunities, diversity, inclusion, mental health awareness, Black Lives Matter. While her name has been omitted from too many history books, it was Barbara that opened the doors for more famous names to walk through. And her influence owed as much to who she was as to what she did: people loved her for her robust sense of humour, cheerfulness and indiscriminate acts of kindness. This is a celebration of the life of the founder of Britain's suffrage movement: campaigner for equal opportunity in the workplace, the law, at home and beyond. Co-founder of Girton, the first university college for women, a committed activist for human rights, fervently anti-slavery, she was also one of Victorian England's finest female painters. Jane Robinson's brilliant new book shines a light on a remarkable woman who lived on her own terms and to whom we owe a huge debt. ‘Skillful storytelling and a warm-hearted narrative style . . . What a lot we have to thank Barbara Bodichon and her circle for’ Literary Review‘Stylishly written, and rich with entertaining anecdotes, Robinson’s biography reanimates this almost forgotten, generous and visionary woman’ The Lady‘Lively and well researched’ The Times

It is said a legend is just a beautiful lie...In the second half of the first millennium, the legends say that London disappeared for over four hundred years. We know almost nothing about what happened during that time. But if we could shine a light on the city''s ruined walls, we would be in for a shock.The Romans are long forgotten. It is now King Scarabold who rules what little remains of the city, together with his over-entitled daughter Giniva, her effete brother Leperdandy and their wayward, lunatic relatives - all squabbling and fighting amongst themselves for the future of their corrupted dynasty while trying to hide their most terrible secret.And ranged against Scarabold is a horde of bitter enemies from both without and within his dysfunctional household - the eerie Sheathwing, Lord Carapace Earl of Beetles, the warlike nuns of Étranges Cadeaux, a primate called M''Lin, Orobus the serpent, the terrifying Mater Moribund and the sinister child-spies Spackle and Peut - united in their desire to bring king''s troubled reign to a bloody end.But the arrival of a mysterious outsider into the midst of the beleaguered Scarabold''s snake-pit of a court that seems to offer a semblance of hope. The stranger''s name is Watborn and he is a birdcatcher - strong, silent, he will infiltrate the royal family for a purpose that is all of his own . . .As fiendishly-armed warriors gather beneath the walls, the battle for London, its body and its soul as much as its bricks and mortar, is about to begin - and who will be left unscathed at the field''s end?

‘Jan Carson is a born storyteller: her work is so imaginative, whimsical, mischievous and brave, but tender and curious too — you never know where she's going to take you next, so reading her is always an adventure. Exactly how it should be.’ LISA MCINERNEY, author of THE GLORIOUS HERESIES'Pure magic, funny, sharp, heartbreaking, the short form at its absolute best. Jan Carson is a unique and very special writer, one of the greatest of the modern fabulists. - DONAL RYAN author of HEART BE AT PEACE------In sixteen sparkling stories, Jan Carson introduces us to worlds and characters that feel real enough to touch. All of life is here: the thrill of growing up, the grief when youth is over; first love, mature love, parenthood and loss - all shot through with profound compassion, warm wit, and boundless imagination. In 'A Certain Degree of Ownership', a distracted couple on a beach fail to notice their baby crawl perilously towards the sea. In 'Troubling the Water', a rumour spreads at a public swimming pool and chaos ensues. In 'Fair Play' a dishevelled father loses his two sons in an adventure park. Every so often, an irresistible suggestion of the other world will surprise and delight, reaffirming Carson as a thrillingly original and audacious talent, and making Quickly, While They Still Have Horses the perfect introduction for readers new to her work.

After Nancy’s father dies, she is faced with two life-changing revelations.One: She has a half-brother she knew nothing about.Nancy’s world is punched inside out at the discovery of a mysterious new sibling. But she can’t help but feel curious about Oliver, this stranger who shares her DNA. Her sister Rita, on the other hand, is furious and wants nothing to do with their ‘cuckoo’ brother.Two: She’s pregnant.The father – Nancy’s not-quite-boyfriend from her not-quite-relationship – doesn’t want to commit any time soon. He isn’t even in the same continent as her right now. And with her mother and sister in shock about Oliver, Nancy’s struggling to find someone to turn to for support.In a tumult of grief, fear and hope, Nancy pushes herself into an uncertain future as she rethinks what really makes a family. But there’s one more thought in the back of her head…Is there space in her family for two more?