Carol Marinelli was born in England to Scottish parents, then emigrated to Australia, where there are loads of Scottish and English people who did exactly the same, so she's very at home there. She lives in the outer suburbs of Melbourne—pretty much in her car, driving her three children to their various commitments. In her life, Carol has been a typist, a nurse, a fruit-picker, a backpacker, and has also applied to be a policewoman and to study midwifery, psychology…the list goes on. They all appealed – just not enough. Since the age of eighteen she’s dabbled with writing, but it was a rather sporadic effort at first – then finally she decided to take it more seriously. The biggest thrill in Carol’s writing life (and it still is to this day) was typing, for the first time, the words “The End”. For so many years there had been chapters and outlines and endless stop-starts, but having a full story, from start to middle to end, gave her a rush she had never expected. Of course it was rejected, but she’d got the bug and kept going till she was accepted.

’Brilliantly funny’ Paige Toon‘I loved it!’ Louise Pentland A wedding in Manhattan…and someone’s keeping a secret. The day her husband Alex picks up a backpack and goes travelling, Angela Clark promises to stay out of trouble and keep both Louboutins on the ground. So when her best friend’s boyfriend confides in her, it can’t hurt to help him pick out a ring at Tiffany’s surely? And when her fashion magazine announces major changes, being terminally late and arguing with your boss isn’t that bad, is it? Then suddenly there’s another big secret Angela’s got to keep – and the man she loves is still thousands of miles away. As the wedding of the year looms, Angela is going to need her friends by her side as her old life looks set to change forever.

The new Death in Paradise mystery Two dead bodies. A family of suspects. One grumpy detective. Reluctantly stationed on the sweltering Caribbean island of Saint-Marie, Detective Inspector Richard Poole dreams of cold winds, drizzly rain and a pint in his local pub. Just as he is feeling as fed up as can be, a mysterious vagrant is found dead in the grounds of the historic Beaumont plantation. Immediately assumed to be suicide, DI Poole is not so convinced and determined to prove otherwise. Never mind that the only fingerprints on the murder weapon belong to the victim. Or that the room was locked from the inside. Before long, death knocks twice and a second body turns up. The hunt is on to solve the case – despite the best efforts of the enigmatic Beaumont family… Praise for Robert Thorogood: ‘Very funny and dark with great pace. I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ Peter James ‘This second DEATH IN PARADISE NOVEL is a gem’ DAILY EXPRESS ‘Deftly entertaining … satisfyingly pushes all the requisite Agatha Christie-style buttons’ Barry Forshaw, THE INDEPENDENT ‘For fans of Agatha Christie’ MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘A treat’ RADIO TIMES ‘This brilliantly crafted, hugely enjoyable and suitably goosebump-inducing novel is an utter delight from start to finish’ HEAT ‘Plenty of red herrings and twists to keep readers guessing’ DAILY EXPRESS 'Fans will enjoy returning to DI Richard Poole… just switch off and relax' LOVE READING

Small-Town Secrets For heiress Sophie Mattson, moving to remote Love, Alaska, offers her a chance to find people who care about her—not her wealth. The townsfolk quickly take Sophie under their wing, but it’s handsome newcomer and cook Noah Catalano who inspires dreams of home and family. Sophie fears her ruse may drive a wedge between them…but she doesn’t know the real reason Noah is in Alaska. Hired by Sophie’s ex-fiancé to keep tabs on her, undercover private investigator Noah is falling for his assignment. Is it too late to overcome this double deception, or can Love make a believer of them both? Alaskan Grooms: Meeting their matches in Love, Alaska

Lose yourself in a sweeping love story this summer - perfect for fans of Dinah Jeffries and Santa Montefiore Northern France, 1917 Virginia Fortescue has thrown convention and her respected upbringing to the wind to drive ambulances for the American Red Cross across northern France. Grinding through the mud and the trenches to bring injured and dying men back from the front, the last thing she expects to find is a handsome English doctor who won’t let her go – in spite of a wife waiting for him at home in Cornwall. Florida, 1922 In the humid heat of Florida, Virginia Fitzwilliam must tackle the estate of her late estranged husband. After the plantation house burned to the ground with Simon Fitzwilliam inside, the shipping business he built from scratch has foundered and the mangroves have started to take back the land. The more Virginia learns about Simon and the secrets of his life, the more she fears that the dangers surrounding Simon now threaten her as well…

Born in Ireland in 1898, Clives Staples Lewis gained a triple First at Oxford and was Fellow and Tutor at Magdalen College from 1925-54, where among others he was a contemporary of Tolkien. In 1954 he became Professor of Mediaeval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge. C. S. Lewis was for many years an atheist, until his conversion which he memorably described in his autobiography Surprised by Joy: “I gave in, and admitted that God was God … perhaps the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.” He is also celebrated for his famous series of children’s books, the Narnia Chronicles (which have been filmed and broadcast many times), as well as his literary criticism and science fiction. C. S. Lewis died on 22nd November 1963.

Bride by Mail Mail order bride Judith Jones has barely arrived in Pepin, Wisconsin, before she’s whisked away to prepare for her wedding to Asa Brant. Though something about Asa seems so familiar, how do two strangers become husband and wife? Especially when Judith senses Asa’s hidden sorrow. His kindness in helping two young orphans could win her heart…if only he’d open up to her. Determined to start over after four years of brutal war, Asa moved away and sent for a mail order bride. He had no idea the woman answering his ad would be the sister of his former soldier-in-arms. The less he reveals, the fewer painful memories to confront. But Judith’s compassion—and two loving children—might just show them the path to true happiness… Wilderness Brides: Finding love—and a fresh start—on the frontier

‘Atmospheric and foreboding this is the perfect contemporary homage to the gothic tradition.’ – The Sun Beneath the surface lies a terrible secret… Hollywood, 1975: Tragedy sends troubled film star Vivien Lockhart into the arms of Giovanni Moretti, and it seems her fortunes have finally changed. Until she meets his sister, and learns that dark shadows haunt her new husband’s past… Tuscany, Present day: Everyone in London is searching for Lucy Whittaker – so Lucy needs to disappear. But her new home, the crumbling Castillo Barbarossa, is far from the secluded paradise it seemed. Across the decades, Vivien and Lucy find themselves trapped in the idyllic Italian villa. And if they are ever to truly escape its walls, they must first unearth its secrets… Rebecca meets Sante Montefiore in this atmospheric tale of lies, obsession, and betrayal… ‘Wonderfully atmospheric and suspenseful’ – Nicola Cornick, author of The Phantom Tree ‘Addictive reading, Victoria Fox hooks you and doesn’t let go. It’s Kate Morton with added sass!’ – Jenny Oliver, author of The Sunshine and Biscotti Club

Conveniently Wed Pony Express manager Clayton Young arrives for his new assignment at a Wyoming ranch just in time to save Maggie Fillmore’s ailing baby. The lovely young widow is struggling to care for a ranch, her sister and a newborn, and Clayton plans to pursue medicine—not marriage. Yet Maggie’s dire situation spurs him to offer a match of convenience… Maggie hoped never to rely on any man again, even one as kind as Clayton. But with her late husband’s greedy cousin trying to take away her ranch, she has little choice. And though Maggie worries her union with Clayton might not be enough to save her ranch, she soon sees it could be just what her heart needs. Saddles and Spurs: Daring Pony Express riders risk all for duty—and for love

The first in a stunning new series from Sunday Times bestseller, Dilly Court London, 1854: twenty-year-old Essie Chapman lives with her father in poverty stricken Limehouse, working on the river as a boatman. Her life seems set before her, never to leave this part of London and forever at her father’s beck and call. Then, one night, she must transport a mysterious man from a foreign ship to the banks of the Thames, a man who ends up renting a room in Essie’s house, identifying himself only as ‘Raven’. When curiosity gets the better of her, Essie follows him and unwittingly becomes involved in something far greater than she could ever have guessed. Finding herself on a ship bound for the penal colonies in Australia with Raven and his cousin Alice, this is only the start of a remarkable journey taking her to the other side of the world and back again…

RISKY ALLIANCE When her private investigator father is murdered, Bailey Cox stares down danger to find those responsible…and comes face to face with the cop who arrested her six years ago. But to uncover the secret that got her father killed, her former enemy must become her current ally. Franklin Kennedy’s not convinced he can trust the former thief, but he needs her computer hacking skills to crack this case. What the hard-nosed detective doesn't need is a soft spot for Bailey. But when their investigation leads them to international hired guns, Franklin realizes his mistake: he's put Bailey in their crosshairs…and time's running out to save her.

A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR The dark, dangerous, funny and uplifting new novel from the author of Annihilation, the inspiration for the major motion picture directed by Alex Garland. “Am I a person?” Borne asks Rachel, in extremis. “Yes, you are a person,” Rachel tells him. “But like a person, you can be a weapon, too.” A ruined city of the future lives in fear of a despotic, gigantic flying bear, driven mad by the tortures inflicted on him by the Company, a mysterious biotech firm. A scavenger, Rachel, finds a creature entangled in his fur. She names it Borne. At first, Borne looks like nothing at all― a green lump that might be a discard from the Company. But he reminds Rachel of her homeland, an island nation long lost to rising seas, and she prevents her lover, Wick, from rendering down Borne as raw genetic material for the special kind of drugs he sells. But nothing is quite the way it seems: not the past, not the present, not the future. If Wick is hiding secrets, so is Rachel―and Borne most of all. What Rachel finds hidden deep within the Company will change everything and everyone. There, lost and forgotten things have lingered and grown. What they have grown into is mighty indeed.

Imagine a world where the past, present and future have collided. A world that is timeless. This is the world Diego was born into… For fans of Rick Riordan and Brian Selznick, author-artist Armand Baltazar introduces the first book in a new fantasy adventure series. Over 150 full-colour illustrations bring this cinematic story to life! You’ve never seen Earth like this before: continents reshaped, oceans re-formed, cities rebuilt. Dinosaurs roam the plains alongside herds of buffalo, and giant robots navigate the same waters as steam-powered ships. In New Chicago, Diego’s middle school hallways buzz with kids from all eras of history and from cultures all over the world. The pieces do not always fit together neatly, but this is the world he loves. There are those, however, who do not share his affection. On his thirteenth birthday, Diego learns of a special gift he has, a secret that is part of something much bigger. When his father, New Chicago’s top engineer, is taken by the Aeternum, Diego must rescue him and prevent this evil group from disrupting the fragile peace humanity has forged.

Paul Sterry is author of Complete British Wildlife, which has sold over half a million copies, as well as numerous other titles in the successful Collins Complete Photoguide series, including Complete British Birds and Complete British Wild Flowers. He owns the photo library Nature Photographers.

Paula Byrne is the author the bestselling biographies ‘Perdita’, ‘Mad World’, ‘The Real Jane Austen’, ‘Belle’ and ‘Kick’. She is founder and chief executive of ReLit, the Bibliotherapy Foundation, a charity devoted to the mental health benefits of reading. She is married to Sir Jonathan Bate and lives in Oxford.

Painstakingly restored from Tolkien’s manuscripts and presented for the first time as a continuous and standalone story, the epic tale of Beren and Lúthien will reunite fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, Dwarves and Orcs and the rich landscape and creatures unique to Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The tale of Beren and Lúthien was, or became, an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion, the myths and legends of the First Age of the World conceived by J.R.R. Tolkien. Returning from France and the battle of the Somme at the end of 1916, he wrote the tale in the following year. Essential to the story, and never changed, is the fate that shadowed the love of Beren and Lúthien: for Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, in deep opposition to Beren, imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. This is the kernel of the legend; and it leads to the supremely heroic attempt of Beren and Lúthien together to rob the greatest of all evil beings, Melkor, called Morgoth, the Black Enemy, of a Silmaril. In this book Christopher Tolkien has attempted to extract the story of Beren and Lúthien from the comprehensive work in which it was embedded; but that story was itself changing as it developed new associations within the larger history. To show something of the process whereby this legend of Middle-earth evolved over the years, he has told the story in his father's own words by giving, first, its original form, and then passages in prose and verse from later texts that illustrate the narrative as it changed. Presented together for the first time, they reveal aspects of the story, both in event and in narrative immediacy, that were afterwards lost.

THE NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST THRILLER OF 2018! ‘Astounding. Thrilling. Amazing’ Gillian Flynn ‘One of those rare books that really is unputdownable’ Stephen King 'Twisted to the power of max' Val McDermid ‘A dark, twisty confection’ Ruth Ware What did she see? It’s been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside. Anna’s lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers. But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see. Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

Paddington – the beloved classic bear from Darkest Peru, now a major movie star – is back in this fantastically funny, brand new illustrated novel from master storyteller Michael Bond! Hurrying forward, he held out a welcoming hand. “Sir Percival Rushmoor,” he said. “I’m invigilating.” “I’m sorry to hear that, Sir Percival,” said Paddington. “I hope you feel better very soon.” Paddington always finds himself in unusual situations so it is no surprise when he has a run-in with the police, appears in a TV cookery show, and gives one of his hard stares to a hypnotist!

‘It comes as no surprise that Medina has created a character of density and intricacy in Flynn’ DAILY MAIL The second book in an exciting new crime series featuring psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn – a brilliantly complex character who struggles with a dark past. Perfect for fans of Nicci French and Val McDermid. A baby is abandoned in the middle of the night at Royal Surrey County Hospital. DI Bobby ‘Marilyn’ Simmons suspects the father is planning to take his own life following the violent suicide of his eldest son Danny a year earlier. The race is on to find him. Captain Ben Callan is investigating a suspicious death. Just sixteen years old, Stephen Foster has been stabbed in the neck and abandoned in the woods. Someone tried to save his life – but who? And why haven’t they come forward? When psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn is called in to consult on both cases, she sees connections between the deaths of Danny and Stephen. And when she starts counselling a third traumatized young man, Jessie fears he faces the same fate…

“You have the luck of Croesus on stilts (as my Auntie Vi would have said) if you’ve had the sort of career, ups and downs, warts and all that I have in that wondrous little corner of show business called musical theatre.” One of the most successful and distinguished artists of our time, Andrew Lloyd Webber has reigned over the musical theatre world for nearly five decades. The winner of numerous awards, including multiple Tonys and an Oscar, Lloyd Webber has enchanted millions worldwide with his music and numerous hit shows, including Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera―Broadway’s longest running show―and most recently, School of Rock. In Unmasked, written in his own inimitable, quirky voice, the revered, award-winning composer takes stock of his achievements, the twists of fate and circumstance which brought him both success and disappointment, and the passions that inspire and sustain him. The son of a music professor and a piano teacher, Lloyd Webber reveals his artistic influences, from his idols Rodgers and Hammerstein and the perfection of South Pacific’s ‘Some Enchanted Evening,’ to the pop and rock music of the 1960s and Puccini’s Tosca, to P. G. Wodehouse and T. S. Eliot. Lloyd Webber recalls his bohemian London youth, reminiscing about the happiest place of his childhood, his homemade Harrington Pavilion―a make-believe world of musical theatre in which he created his earliest entertainments. A record of several exciting and turbulent decades of British and American musical theatre and the transformation of popular music itself, Unmasked is ultimately a chronicle of artistic creation. Lloyd Webber looks back at the development of some of his most famous works and illuminates his collaborations with luminaries such as Tim Rice, Robert Stigwood, Harold Prince, Cameron Mackintosh, and Trevor Nunn. Taking us behind the scenes of his productions, Lloyd Webber reveals fascinating details about each show, including the rich cast of characters involved with making them, and the creative and logistical challenges and artistic political battles that ensued. Lloyd Webber shares his recollections of the works that have become cultural touchstones for generations of fans: writings songs for a school production that would become his first hit, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; finding the coterie of performers for his classic rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar; developing his first mega-hit, Evita, which would win seven Tonys Awards, including Best Musical; staking his reputation and fortune on the groundbreaking Cats; and making history with the dazzling The Phantom of the Opera. Reflecting a life that included many passions (from architecture to Turkish Swimming Cats), full of witty and revealing anecdotes, and featuring cameo appearances by numerous celebrities―Elaine Paige, Sarah Brightman, David Frost, Julie Covington, Judi Dench, Richard Branson, A.R. Rahman, Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone, Richard Rodgers, Norman Jewison, Milos Forman, Plácido Domingo, Barbra Streisand, Michael Crawford, Gillian Lynne, Betty Buckley, and more―Unmasked at last reveals the true face of the extraordinary man beneath the storied legend.

Roy Porter is Professor of the Social History of Medicine at the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine. He is the editor of the Fontana History of Science series, and the author of over sixty-five books, including the acclaimed bestseller ‘London: A Social History’. His book on the history of madness in England, ‘Mind Forg’d Manacles’, won the Leo Gershoy Prize.