
The Last Kestrel
¥73.58
Two strong women. Two cultures. One unifying cause: survival. Ellen Thomas, experienced war correspondent, returns to Afghanistan's dangerous Helmand Province on assignment, keen to find the murderer of her friend and translator, Jalil. In her search for justice in a land ravaged by death and destruction, she uncovers disturbing truths. Hasina, forced by tradition into the role of wife and mother, lives in a village which is taken by British Forces. Her only son, Aref, is part of a network of underground fighters and she is determined to protect him, whatever the cost. Ellen and Hasina are thrown together - one fighting for survival, the other searching for truth - with devastating consequences for them both. The Last Kestrel is a deeply moving and lyrical story of disparate lives - innocent and not-so-innocent - caught up in the horrors of war. It is a book which will resonate with fans of The Kite Runner and The Bookseller of Kabul.

Mr Golightly’s Holiday
¥73.58
A novel from the best-selling author of ‘Miss Garnet's Angel’ and ‘Instances of the Number 3’. Holiday: a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest, travel, or recreation. [literally: holy day] Many years ago Mr Golightly wrote a work of dramatic fiction that grew to be an international bestseller. But his reputation is on the decline and he finds himself out of touch with the modern world. He decides to take a holiday and comes to the ancient village of Great Calne, hoping to use the opportunity to bring his great work up to date. But he soon finds that events take over his plans and that the themes he has written on are being strangely replicated in the lives of the villagers he is staying among. He meets Ellen Thomas, a reclusive artist, young Johnny Spence, an absconding schoolboy, and the tough-minded Paula who works at the local pub. As he comes to know his neighbours better, Mr Golightly begins to examine his attitude to love, and to ponder the terrible catastrophe of his son's death. And as the drama unfolds we begin to learn the true and extraordinary identity of Mr Golightly and how the nature of the secret sorrow that haunts him links him to his new friends. Mysterious, light of touch, witty and profound ‘Mr Golightly's Holiday’ confirms Salley Vickers's reputation as one of our most original and engaging novelists.

Nothing but Ghosts
¥73.58
The brilliant second collection of stories from Germany’s answer to Zadie Smith. Judith Hermann’s first collection, ‘The Summer House, Later’, sold 250,000 hardbacks in Germany, and was shortlisted for both the IMPAC award and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. Judith Hermann's first book, ‘The Summer House, Later’ was described as ‘a book about a certain kind of young woman, trying to get a boyfriend, to get some fun out of life, but with a sense of melancholy and a sense of loneliness that seems to define a generation’. Now in Hermann’s second collection, ‘Nothing but Ghosts’, that generation has moved on, grown up perhaps, and the women have indeed found boyfriends but the relationships, described here with painstaking honesty, are all on the turn in some way and have passed their first flush of romantic love. We join many of these characters just as they have stopped communicating; the talking has stopped and the women, with their lives in stasis, have become watchful and disappointed and are starting to turn their gaze elsewhere…

The Accursed
¥73.58
An eerie, unforgettable story of power, loss, and family curses in early 20th-century Princeton. Princeton, New Jersey at the turn of the 20th century: soon-to-be commander-in-chief Woodrow Wilson is president of Princeton University. On a neighbouring farm, muck-raking novelist Upton Sinclair, enjoying the success of The Jungle, has taken up residence with his family. Grover Cleveland, fresh out of his second term in the White House has retired to town for a quieter life. Meanwhile, the elite families of Princeton have been beset by a powerful curse – their daughters are disappearing. A young bride on the verge of the altar is seduced and abducted by a dangerously compelling man – a shape-shifting, vaguely European prince who might just be the devil. In the Pine Barrens on the edge of town, a mysterious and persuasive evil takes shape. When the bride's brother sets out against all odds to find her, his path will cross those of Princeton's most formidable people, from presidents past to its brightest literary luminaries, from Mark Twain to Jack London, as he navigates both the idyllic town and the Dante-esque landscape of the Barrens. An utterly fresh work from Oates, THE ACCURSED marks new territory for the masterful writer – narrated with her unmistakable psychological insight, it combines beautifully transporting historical detail with chilling fantastical elements to stunning effect.

The Nine-Chambered Heart
¥73.58
‘Superb. She had me at page one’ Chris Cleave, author of Everyone Brave is Forgiven ‘It’s the artful pleating of this subtle, psychologically astute novel that sets it apart’ DAILY MAIL The kaleidoscopic story of one woman as seen through the eyes of those she has loved or been loved by. In gemlike chapters, nine characters illuminate an unknowable woman. From the school art teacher who sees a spark of talent in her, to the man whose fleeting passion with her could change his life, to the female student whose friendship turns into love. This kaleidoscopic novella builds a life with colour, with light and dark, and in turn asks the reader: How does the world see you? The Nine-Chambered Heart is a deeply affecting, luminous and fine-boned novel that explores the nature of intimacy and how each connection you make forms who you are.

The Paddington Mystery (Detective Club Crime Classics)
¥73.58
A special release of the very first crime novel by John Rhode, introducing Dr Priestley, the genius detective who would go on to appear in more than 70 bestselling crime novels during the Golden Age. When Harold Merefield returned home in the early hours of a winter morning from a festive little party at that popular nightclub, the ‘Naxos’, he was startled by a gruesome discovery. On his bed was a corpse. There was nothing to show the identity of the dead man or the cause of his death. At the inquest, the jury found a verdict of ‘Death from Natural Causes’ – perhaps they were right, but yet . . . ? Harold determined to investigate the matter for himself and sought the help of Professor Priestley, who, by the simple but unusual method of logical reasoning, succeeded in throwing light upon what proved to be a very curious affair indeed. This Detective Club classic is introduced by crime writing historian and expert Tony Medawar, who looks at how John Rhode, who also wrote as Miles Burton and as Cecil Waye, became one of the best-selling and most popular British authors of the Golden Age.

Trent Intervenes (Detective Club Crime Classics)
¥73.58
Twelve stories from the celebrated author of one of the most famous mystery classics ever written, Trent's Last Case. Philip Trent is an artist, a journalist, and an urbane unraveller of highly problematical crimes. Here the unshakable sleuth appears in twelve tales of misadventure, where the crimes that he investigates range from fraud and embezzlement to criminal assault and murder, yet they all succumb to his adept methods even if the criminal sometimes escapes. Trent Intervenes affirms Bentley's reputation as an author of the first rank and displays his ability to write equally well in the short story form.

Beware of Johnny Washington: Based on ‘Send for Paul Temple’ (Detective Club Cri
¥73.58
Republished for the first time since 1951, Beware of Johnny Washington is Francis Durbridge’s clever reworking of the very first Paul Temple radio serial using his new characters, the amiable Johnny Washington and newspaper columnist Verity Glyn. Includes as a bonus the first Paul Temple short story, ‘A Present for Paul’. When a gang of desperate criminals begins leaving calling cards inscribed ‘With the Compliments of Johnny Washington’, the real Johnny Washington is encouraged by an attractive newspaper columnist to throw in his lot with the police. Johnny, an American ‘gentleman of leisure’ who has settled at a quiet country house in Kent to enjoy the ?shing, soon finds himself involved with the mysterious Horatio Quince, a retired schoolmaster who is on the trail of the gang’s unscrupulous leader, the elusive ‘Grey Moose’. Best known for creating Paul Temple for BBC radio in 1938, Francis Durbridge’s prolific output of crime and mystery stories, encompassing plays, radio, television, films and books, made him a household name for more than 50 years. A new radio character, ‘Johnny Washington, Esquire’, hit the airwaves in 1949, leading to the publication of this one-off novel in 1951. This Detective Club classic is introduced by writer and bibliographer Melvyn Barnes, author of Francis Durbridge: A Centenary Appreciation, who reveals how Johnny Washington’s only literary outing was actually a reworking of Durbridge’s own Send for Paul Temple.

Dragon Danger , Grasshopper Glue (Wizzbang Wizard)
¥73.58
Two magical books in one about the naughty, fun-loving little wizard. In ‘Dragon Danger’, a big, bad dragon is coming to attack Wizard Cottage, and only Odds-and-Ends, Freddy Frogpurse's little house dragon, stands between the angry fire-breather and all of Freddy's magic potions. How are they going to stop it? In ‘Grasshopper Glue’, Freddy Frogpurse receives a parcel in the post from Great uncle Sneezer. It contains a jar that says "Do Not Open". Surely it can't hurt to take one little peek…? Inside is a very angry girl wizard called Jakaranda, sent on a mission to rescue the Wand of Wikslug from the evil Wizard Beetleboot.

The Great Soul of Siberia:In Search of the Elusive Siberian Tiger
¥73.58
There are five races of tiger on our planet and all but one live in tropical regions:the Siberian Tiger Panthera tigris altaica is the exception. Mysterious and elusive, and with only 350 remaining in the wild, the Siberian tiger remains a complete enigma. One man has set out to change this. Sooyong Park has spent twenty years tracking and observing these elusive tigers. Each year he spends six months braving sub-zero temperatures, buried in grave-like underground bunkers, fearlessly immersing himself in the lives of Siberian tigers. As he watches the brutal, day-to-day struggle to survive the harsh landscape, threatened by poachers and the disappearance of the pristine habitat, Park becomes emotionally and spiritually attached to these beautiful and deadly predators. No one has ever been this close:as he comes face-to-face with one tiger, Bloody Mary, her fierce determination to protect her cubs nearly results in his own bloody demise. Poignant, poetic and fiercely compassionate, The Great Soul of Siberia is the incredible story of Park’s unique obsession with these compelling creatures on the very brink of extinction, and his dangerous quest to seek them out to observe and study them. Eloquently told in Park’s distinctive voice, it is a personal account of one of the most extraordinary wildlife studies ever undertaken.

We Are Not Such Things
¥73.58
In 1993, in the final, fiery days of apartheid, a 26-year-old white American activist called Amy Biehl was murdered by a group of young black men in a township near Cape Town. Four men were tried and convicted of the murder and sentenced to eighteen years in prison. A few years later they had been freed. Two of the men were subsequently employed by Amy’s parents to work at a charity set up in her memory. The men grew close to the Biehls. They called them ‘Grandmother’ and ‘Grandfather’. Justine van der Leun, an American writer living in South Africa, set out to tell this twenty-year story, but as she delved into the case, the prevailing narrative started to unravel. Why didn’t the eyewitness reports agree on who killed Amy Biehl? Were the men convicted of the crime actually responsible? And could it be that another violent crime committed on the same day, in the very same area, was connected to the murder of Amy Biehl?

The Ponson Case (The Detective Club)
¥73.58
From the Collins Crime Club archive, the forgotten second novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, once dubbed ‘The King of Detective Story Writers’ and recognised as one of the ‘big four’ Golden Age crime authors. When the body of Sir William Ponson is found in the Cranshaw River near his home of Luce Manor, it is assumed to be an accident – until the evidence points to murder. Inspector Tanner of Scotland Yard discovers that those who would benefit most from Sir William’s death seem to have unbreakable alibis, and a mysterious fifth man whose footprints were found at the crime scene is nowhere to be found . . . This Detective Story Club classic is introduced by Dolores Gordon-Smith, author of the Jack Haldean Golden Age mysteries.

Bring Up the Bodies
¥73.58
Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2012 With this historic win for BRING UP THE BODIES, Hilary Mantel becomes the first British author and the first woman to be awarded two Man Booker Prizes, as well as being the first to win with two consecutive novels. Continuing what began in the Man Booker Prize-winning WOLF HALL, we return to the court of Henry VIII, to witness the irresistible rise of Thomas Cromwell as he contrives the destruction of Anne Boleyn. By 1535 Cromwell is Chief Minister to Henry, his fortunes having risen with those of Anne Boleyn. But the split from the Catholic Church has left England dangerously isolated, and Anne has failed to give the king an heir. Cromwell watches as Henry falls for plain Jane Seymour. Negotiating the politics of the court, Cromwell must find a solution that will satisfy Henry, safeguard the nation and secure his own career. But neither minister nor king will emerge unscathed from the bloody theatre of Anne’s final days. An astounding literary accomplishment, BRING UP THE BODIES is the story of this most terrifying moment of history, by one of our greatest living novelists.

Seveneves
¥73.58
The astounding new novel from the master of science fiction. President Barack Obama’s summer reading choice and recently optioned by Ron Howard and IMAGINE to be made into a major motion picture. What would happen if the world were ending? When a catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb, it triggers a feverish race against the inevitable. An ambitious plan is devised to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere. But unforeseen dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain… Five thousand years later, their progeny – seven distinct races now three billion strong – embark on yet another audacious journey into the unknown, to an alien world utterly transformed by cataclysm and time: Earth. A writer of dazzling genius and imaginative vision, Neal Stephenson combines science, philosophy, technology, psychology, and literature in a magnificent work of speculative fiction that offers a portrait of a future that is at once extraordinary and eerily recognizable. He explores some of our biggest ideas and perplexing challenges in a breathtaking saga that is daring, engrossing, and altogether brilliant.

The Wolf Sea (The Oathsworn Series, Book 2)
¥73.58
The gripping second novel in the Oathsworn series, charting the adventures of a band of Vikings looking for the return of the Rune Sword that will lead them to Attila’s Hoard A band of brothers, known as the Oathsworn, committed only to each other and feared by many, rises again, setting sail on the wolf sea in search of vengeance and glory. Washed up in a hostile city, battle-weary and out of luck, the Oathsworn lie waiting for their reluctant leader, the young Orm, to bring them back once more to wealth and warfare. But Orm's prized sword, the legendary Rune Serpent, is gone, stolen by the rapacious Starkad, and with it the runes writ upon the hilt that only Orm can decipher. The Oathsworn embark on a dangerous mission to reclaim their precious sword as they pursue the elusive Starkad across the turbulent wolf sea. Unafraid to fight and cunning in the ways of men, they wreak violence and bloody revenge on their enemies. Caught up in the treacherous battles in the East between the rulers of Constantinople, aided by hordes of Viking mercenaries, and the Arabs, their adventures will take them from Greece to Jerusalem, across the treacherous wolf sea where only the hunting hungry dare set sail. Epic adventure broad in scope and bloody in action, The Wolf Sea is the stunning second novel in the Oathsworn series.

The Map of Time and The Turn of the Screw
¥73.58
This instant New York Times bestselling page-turner features a cast of real and imagined literary characters, cunning intertwined plots, and stars a skeptical H.G. Wells as a time-traveling investigator in Victorian London. Characters real and imaginary come vividly to life in this whimsical triple play of intertwined plots, in which a skeptical H. G. Wells is called upon to investigate purported incidents of time travel and to save lives and literary classics, including Dracula and The Time Machine, from being wiped from existence. What happens if we change history? Felix J. Palma explores this provocative question, weaving a historical fantasy as imaginative as it is exciting--a story full of love and adventure that transports readers from a haunting setting in Victorian London to a magical reality where centuries collide and a writer's mind seems to pull at all the strings.

Deep Time (Star Carrier, Book 6)
¥73.58
The sixth book in this action-packed, New York Times bestselling science fiction series - STAR CARRIER. The clock is ticking in the struggle for galactic independence Once rebels themselves facing off against the Earth Confederation, the United States of North America is now the dominant force in negotiations with the interstellar Sh'daar Collective. But just as the Marines root out the last violent dissenters, an alien ship of unknown origin suddenly flees Earth's orbit. Is it mere coincidence . . . or a terrifying omen? President Alexander Koenig watches with great interest as USNA forces chase the runaways down. But upon first contact, it's not apparent where—or when—the crew is headed. For this bizarre species has somehow mastered the power to manipulate time itself. Now Koenig must decide whether he's dealing with angels of astonishing technological prowess . . . or the agents of humanity's destruction.

A Bit of a Do
¥73.58
From the author of the Reginald Perrin series comes a classic tale of two families, one posher than the other, set in a Yorkshire town. ‘I’m the groom’s father. You’re the bride’s mother. It’s their wedding day.’ When Ted Simcock, maker of toasting forks in a small Yorkshire town, tries to avoid the inevitable with beautiful dentist’s wife Liz Rodenhurst, his anguished attempt fails utterly, with huge consequences for both their families. From one awkward ‘do’ to the next, via a dentists’ dinner dance and the Crowning of Miss Frozen Chicken (UK), the fall-out touches everyone, but none more than Liz’s husband Laurence and Ted’s wife Rita, the unexpected heroine of this tale. Charting the relationship of newlyweds Paul and Jenny, along with the infamous coupling of their respective parents, Ted and Liz, this book will have you cringing, crying and laughing out loud.

The Dead of Summer
¥73.58
IN ONE MOMENT THE HORROR BECOMES YOUR LIFE. IT’S NOT JUST IN THE PAPERS ANYMORE, IT’S ON YOUR HANDS. Seven years ago when she was called Anita, Kyle and DEnis were her friends. They hadn’t been at first, perhaps she shouldn’t have pushed it, but Denis, bespectacled in thick NHS frames and Kyle, permanently clad in his anorak – were the only takers. Let out of their south-London comprehensive they spent the long, sticky summer days smoking cigarettes, messing about in the Thames tunnels waiting for something to happen. And then something did. The Dead of Summer is a chilling and brilliant story that asks where evil lurks, and what form it takes.

Fair Do’s
¥73.58
The classic follow-up to A Bit of A Do, about the comedy of Yorkshire life, told through seven more do’s. Life is still a social minefield in this small Yorkshire town. From the opening of a vegetarian restaurant to the inauguration of the Outer Inner Relief Ring Road, join Ted and Liz as they struggle through another series of excruciatingly funny ‘do’s’ in this sequel to A BIT OF A DO. Can Ted find happiness with a waitress, now that he and Liz are no longer an item? Can Liz bring comfort to the grieving Neville, her strangely immaculate second husband? Above all, how will Ted’s ex-wife Rita manage as her family becomes more dysfunctional at every function? Can she possibly be as happy as she seems?

The Desperate Diary of a Country Housewife
¥73.58
If you've ever dreamt of a new life in the country, this highly entertaining and candid account of country living might make you think again… Fresh air, rolling fields, Cath Kidston tea towels and home-baked cake – isn't that what Martha's new life will be? Apparently not. Having upped sticks and moved her young family from the gritty city to Paradise, she discovers things aren't quite that easy. Collapsing kitchen ceilings; a plague of slugs; coffee mornings with Stepford mums and garden warfare with the neighbours are just a few of the trials. And with her husband away working in London, Martha just can't stop thinking about the sexy builder who's meant to be turning the house into her dream home…