Looking After Flop (Bing)

Something appalling lurks under the streets of London. Something that has survived for centuries, thriving on pain and hatred and grief. And with another terrorist bombing campaign in the City, there's plenty to fuel such an appetite for evil. Rachel Young has moved to the capital to work in one of the major hospital's Intensive Care Units: it's a desperate job at the best of times, and now is not the best of times. Despite a happy marriage to Nick and a successful three-year recovery from past traumas, Rachel senses that the skin of normality over the abyss is about to erupt, and the glimpse of an old adversary lurking among the homeless people further increases her fears. Roxanne – Angel of Death, Angel of Mourning – has returned from the Void…

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author returns with a compelling story of love and family from the present day to World War II France An accomplished photographer, widow, and mother, Camille Palmer is content with the blessings she’s enjoyed. When her ageing father asks her to go with him to his native France, she has no idea that she’s embarking on an adventure that will utterly transform her. Returning to the place of his youth sparks unexpected memories―recollections that will lead Camille’s family back to the dark, terrifying days of the Second World War, where they will uncover their family’s surprising history. While Provence offers answers about her family’s past, Camille meets a handsome American historian who stirs a passion deep within her, and who may hold the key to her future…

War rages, but the women and children of Liverpool’s Dr Barnado’s Home cannot give up hope. An Orphan in the Snow is the perfect heartwarming saga to curl up with this winter. LIVERPOOL, 1941 Haunted by the death of her sister, June Lavender takes a job at a Dr Barnardo’s orphanage. June couldn’t save Clara from their father’s violence, but perhaps she can help children whose lives have been torn apart by war. A WORLD AT WAR When June bumps into Flight Lieutenant Murray Andrews on the bombed streets of Liverpool, the attraction is instant. But how can they think of love when war is tearing the world apart? A FIGHT FOR HOPE As winter closes in, and the war rages on, can June find the strength and courage to make a better life for herself and the children? A gripping story of love, friendship and hope in the darkest of places. Molly Green is an exciting new voice in saga fiction, perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Katie Flynn.

‘This gripping book will keep you hooked, whatever your age.’ Fabulous magazine The stunning YA debut thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Escape. “You have to help me. We’re not being reformed. We’re being brainwashed.” All sixteen year old Drew Finch wants is to be left alone. She's not interested in spending time with her mum and stepdad and when her disruptive fifteen year old brother Mason is expelled from school for the third time and sent to a residential reform academy she's almost relieved. Everything changes when she's followed home from school by the mysterious Dr Cobey, who claims to have a message from Mason. There is something sinister about the ‘treatment’ he is undergoing. The school is changing people. Determined to help her brother, Drew must infiltrate the Academy and unearth its deepest, darkest secrets. Before it’s too late.

This book can also be read with The Present by DS Devlin. Two books, one unforgettable Christmas… 12 magical gifts, one love that lasts a lifetime… On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me … one romantic Christmas you won’t forget. When helping to clear out her beloved grandmother’s home, Lucy Jackson discovers twelve beautiful Christmas decorations hidden in the loft. As she discovers their heartbreaking story, a touching romance develops with the handsome gardener next door. Readers love Charlotte Phillips’ The Present: ‘A gem of a Christmas read…fabulous’ Rachel’s Random Reads ‘A charming, unashamedly romantic tale…perfect for an afternoon in front of the fire with the christmas tree lights on’ Jane Hunt Author Book Reviews

From the No. 1 bestselling author of THE MISSING AND THE DEAD comes the short novel: 22 DEAD LITTLE BODIES, plus two short stories: STRAMASH and DI STEEL'S BAD HEIR DAY, and a novella: THE 45% HANGOVER, all featuring his most popular characters - DS Logan McRae and DCI Roberta Steel. They say ‘small is beautiful’, but as Stuart MacBride demonstrates in these four tales, it can also be dark, violent, disturbing, and sometimes really quite rude. So pour yourself a wee dram, curl up on the sofa and enjoy DS Logan McRae and his sometime boss, friend, mother substitute, and nemesis, DCI Steel at their best. Here you’ll find Logan’s week from hell; Steel’s own personal nightmare before Christmas; an explosive shootout on a remote Scottish island; and the ultimate test of their relationship…

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…

Previously published as Woman of State ‘A stunning debut novel from a top TV producer. It could not be more timely.’ – Gavin Esler Somebody knows where the bodies are buried… Minister of State Anne-Marie Gallagher appears to have an unblemished record. Only she knows that two decades ago, she was integral to an underground mission which went disastrously wrong. Now, unknown to Anne-Marie, DCI Jon Carne has received an anonymous tip-off, leading him to a body – badly decomposed after twenty-five years underground. When news reaches Westminster, Anne-Marie knows she’s in danger. And with Carne closing in, there’s not much time for her to decide how far she’ll go to keep the past where it belongs…

Tim Dowling is the author of several books including the Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year, How to be a Husband. His popular weekly Guardian column charts the ups and downs of his family life.

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.

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!

Major incident headquarters… 1500 hours A tanker loaded with toxic chemicals is headed straight for an oil rig. The only possible outcome–disaster! Grace Darling Hospital… 1530 hours A team, led by Dr. Seb Bridges, is ready and waiting– to save lives. Emergency room… 1600 hours Dr. Libby Bridges is on her way to the E.R., determined to ask Seb for a divorce. For Seb, only two things matter–saving lives and saving his marriage. This will be the most important night of his life and the clock is ticking.

‘Must read!’Closer ‘I love, love, LOVE Perfect Remains!’ Reader review ‘A superb debut!’ Reader review On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing. In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness… Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care. It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined. Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer.

‘A well written, light, warm hearted read.’ Netgalley Reviewer One divided family, one life-changing year… Harriet Singer hasn’t been home in ten years. When her beloved dad dies suddenly, she races to be there for her estranged siblings, despite the memories it brings back. Then Harriet learns that all four Singer siblings must live together for one year, caring for their dad’s Animal Sanctuary, or forfeit their inheritance. Living under the same roof could make or break the family, but it’s time Harriet stopped running and faced her past. Especially when her first love turns up… A heart-warming story about love, hope and family, perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley and Heidi Swain.

A gorgeous new romantic series from the bestselling author of The Canal Boat Cafe Spring is blooming at Meadowsweet nature reserve. Although the sunshine is drawing in the visitors like never before, events co-ordinator Abby knows she’s treading on thin ice. She’s spending more and more time with village newcomer Jack, and she’ll need to make a real success of the springtime camping extravaganza at the reserve if she’s to keep her disgruntled boss off her back. Abby hasn’t thrown too many questions at Jack about his shadowy past – she’s enjoying the budding romance, so why break the spell? But when the secrets start spilling out and a glamorous blonde presenter from the nature show, Wild Wonders, turns Jack’s head, Abby knows it’s time to face the music… Twilight Song is the third part of a four-part serial.

Leverage this step-by-step guide to build a highly secure, fault-tolerant, and scalable Cloud environment About This Book ? Learn how to leverage various Amazon Web Services (AWS) components and services to build a secure, reliable, and robust environment to host your applications on. ? Delve into core AWS service offerings with hands-on tutorials, real-world use case scenarios, and best practices. ? A self-paced, systematic, and step-by-step guide to learning and implementing AWS in your own environment. Who This Book Is For This book is for those who want to learn and leverage the rich plethora of services provided by AWS. Although no prior experience with AWS is required, it is recommended that you have some hands-on experience of Linux, Web Services, and basic networking. What You Will Learn ? Take an in-depth look at what's new with AWS, along with how to effectively manage and automate your EC2 infrastructure with AWS Systems Manager ? Deploy and scale your applications with ease using AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Amazon Elastic File System ? Secure and govern your environments using AWS CloudTrail, AWS Config, and AWS Shield ? Learn the DevOps way using a combination of AWS CodeCommit, AWS CodeDeploy, and AWS CodePipeline ? Run big data analytics and workloads using Amazon EMR and Amazon Redshift ? Learn to back up and safeguard your data using AWS Data Pipeline ? Get started with the Internet of Things using AWS IoT and AWS Greengrass In Detail Many businesses are moving from traditional data centers to AWS because of its reliability, vast service offerings, lower costs, and high rate of innovation. AWS can be used to accomplish a variety of both simple and tedious tasks. Whether you are a seasoned system admin or a rookie, this book will help you to learn all the skills you need to work with the AWS cloud. This book guides you through some of the most popular AWS services, such as EC2, Elastic Beanstalk, EFS, CloudTrail, Redshift, EMR, Data Pipeline, and IoT using a simple, real-world, application-hosting example. This book will also enhance your application delivery skills with the latest AWS services, such as CodeCommit, CodeDeploy, and CodePipeline, to provide continuous delivery and deployment, while also securing and monitoring your environment's workflow. Each chapter is designed to provide you with maximal information about each AWS service, coupled with easy to follow, hands-on steps, best practices, tips, and recommendations. By the end of the book, you will be able to create a highly secure, fault-tolerant, and scalable environment for your applications to run on. Style and approach This in-depth and insightful guide is filled with easy-to-follow examples, real-world use cases, best practices, and recommendations that will help you design and leverage some of the most commonly used AWS services.

Manage state in Angular to write high performing web apps by combining the power of Flux, RxJS, and NgRx About This Book ? Learn what makes an excellent Angular application architecture ? Use Redux to write performant, consistent Angular applications ? Incorporate Reactive Programming principles and RxJS to make it easier to develop, test, and debug your Angular applications Who This Book Is For If you have been developing Angular applications and want to dive deeper into the Angular architecture with Redux, RxJS, and NgRx to write robust web apps, then this book is for you. What You Will Learn ? Understand the one-way data flow and Flux pattern ? Work with functional programming and asynchronous data streams ? Figure out how RxJS can help us address the flaws in promises ? Set up different versions of cascading calls ? Explore advanced operators ? Get familiar with the Redux pattern and its principles ? Test and debug different features of your application ? Build your own lightweight app using Flux, Redux, and NgRx In Detail Managing the state of large-scale web applications is a highly challenging task with the need to align different components, backends, and web workers harmoniously. When it comes to Angular, you can use NgRx, which combines the simplicity of Redux with the reactive programming power of RxJS to build your application architecture, making your code elegant and easy to reason about, debug, and test. In this book, we start by looking at the different ways of architecting Angular applications and some of the patterns that are involved in it. This will be followed by a discussion on one-way data flow, the Flux pattern, and the origin of Redux. The book introduces you to declarative programming or, more precisely, functional programming and talks about its advantages. We then move on to the reactive programming paradigm. Reactive programming is a concept heavily used in Angular and is at the core of NgRx. Later, we look at RxJS, as a library and master it. We thoroughly describe how Redux works and how to implement it from scratch. The two last chapters of the book cover everything NgRx has to offer in terms of core functionality and supporting libraries, including how to build a micro implementation of NgRx. This book will empower you to not only use Redux and NgRx to the fullest, but also feel confident in building your own version, should you need it. Style and approach This book covers everything there is to know to get well-acquainted with Angular without bogging you down. Everything is neatly laid out under clear headings for quick consultation, giving you the information required to understand a concept immediately.

Become a better web programmer by writing efficient and modular code using ES6 and ES8 About This Book ? Learn to write asynchronous code and improve the readability of your web applications ? Explore advanced concepts such as closures, Proxy, generators, Promise, async functions, and Atomics ? Use different design patterns to create structures to solve common organizational and processing issues Who This Book Is For If you’re a web developer with a basic understanding of JavaScript and wish to learn the latest features of ECMAScript for developing efficient web applications, this book is for you. What You Will Learn ? Organize JavaScript programs across multiple files, using ES modules ? Create and work with promises using the Promise object and methods ? Compose async functions to propagate and handle errors ? Solve organizational and processing issues with structures using design patterns ? Use classes to encapsulate and share behavior ? Orchestrate parallel programs using WebWorkers, SharedMemory, and Atomics ? Use and extend Map, Set, and Symbol to work with user-defined classes and simulate data types ? Explore new array methods to avoid looping with arrays and other collections In Detail ECMAScript Cookbook follows a modular approach with independent recipes covering different feature sets and specifications of ECMAScript to help you become an efficient programmer. This book starts off with organizing your JavaScript applications as well as delivering those applications to modem and legacy systems. You will get acquainted with features of ECMAScript 8 such as async, SharedArrayBuffers, and Atomic operations that enhance asynchronous and parallel operations. In addition to this, this book will introduce you to SharedArrayBuffers, which allow web workers to share data directly, and Atomic operations, which help coordinate behavior across the threads. You will also work with OOP and Collections, followed by new functions and methods on the built-in Object and Array types that make common operations more manageable and less error-prone. You will then see how to easily build more sophisticated and expressive program structures with classes and inheritance. In the end, we will cover Sets, Maps, and Symbols, which are the new types introduced in ECMAScript 6 to add new behaviors and allow you to create simple and powerful modules. By the end of the book, you will be able to produce more efficient, expressive, and simpler programs using the new features of ECMAScript. Style and approach This book will follow a modular approach covering independent recipes on different features of ECMAScript throughout the book.

Learn about cryptography and cryptocurrencies, so you can build highly secure, decentralized applications and conduct trusted in-app transactions. About This Book ? Get to grips with the underlying technical principles and implementations of blockchain ? Build powerful applications using Ethereum to secure transactions and create smart contracts ? Explore cryptography, mine cryptocurrencies, and solve scalability issues with this comprehensive guide Who This Book Is For This book will appeal to those who wish to build fast, highly secure, transactional applications. It targets people who are familiar with the concept of blockchain and are comfortable with a programming language. What You Will Learn ? Master the theoretical and technical foundations of the blockchain technology ? Understand the concept of decentralization, its impact, and its relationship with blockchain technology ? Master how cryptography is used to secure data - with practical examples ? Grasp the inner workings of blockchain and the mechanisms behind bitcoin and alternative cryptocurrencies ? Understand the theoretical foundations of smart contracts ? Learn how Ethereum blockchain works and how to develop decentralized applications using Solidity and relevant development frameworks ? Identify and examine applications of the blockchain technology - beyond currencies ? Investigate alternative blockchain solutions including Hyperledger, Corda, and many more ? Explore research topics and the future scope of blockchain technology In Detail A blockchain is a distributed ledger that is replicated across multiple nodes and enables immutable, transparent and cryptographically secure record-keeping of transactions. The blockchain technology is the backbone of cryptocurrencies, and it has applications in finance, government, media and almost all other industries. Mastering Blockchain, Second Edition has been thoroughly updated and revised to provide a detailed description of this leading technology and its implementation in the real world. This book begins with the technical foundations of blockchain technology, teaching you the fundamentals of distributed systems, cryptography and how it keeps data secure. You will learn about the mechanisms behind cryptocurrencies and how to develop applications using Ethereum, a decentralized virtual machine. You will also explore different other blockchain solutions and get an introduction to business blockchain frameworks under Hyperledger, a collaborative effort for the advancement of blockchain technologies hosted by the Linux Foundation. You will also be shown how to implement blockchain solutions beyond currencies, Internet of Things with blockchain, blockchain scalability, and the future scope of this fascinating and powerful technology. Style and approach This comprehensive guide allows you to build smart blockchain applications and explore the power of this database. The book will let you quickly brush up on the basics of the blockchain database, followed by advanced implementations of blockchain in currency, smart contracts, decentralization, and so on.