{"title":"Reference, Information \u0026 Interdisciplinary","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"all-that-glisters-other-quotations-you-should-know","title":"All That Glisters… \u0026 Other Quotations You Should Know","description":"Quotations - or snippets from them - are commonly used in everyday speech, most often without the speaker knowing where they came from. From words of comfort to advice for the lovelorn, you can bet that someone, somewhere has come up with phraseology that perfectly sums up whatever situation you find yourself in - and put it more succinctly than you could ever dream of.\n\nIn All That Glisters ... Caroline Taggart presents some of the pithiest, wisest and most fascinating quotations we should all know, detailing where the quotation has come from and why it may be useful when searching for an elegant or informed line to illustrate a point, spice up conversation or impress one's friends.\n\nPart of the pleasure of this book is to reveal the provenance of the well-worn quote (or misquote) - my cup runneth over, ay, there's the rub, to err is human, the spice of life - but also to introduce some less familiar ones. Most of the quotations included are from classic sources - from the Bible, the works of Shakespeare, other poets, classical authors, Dickens (God bless us everyone, waiting for something to turn up, very humble), Charlotte Bronte (Reader, I married him) and George Bernard Shaw (who didn't actually say Youth is wasted on the young, but may have said something like it. Somewhere. No one seems to know for sure).\n\nThis entertaining and informed - but not too serious - take on the wit and wisdom of the last 2000 years is ideal for modern readers who like their knowledge in tweet-sized chunks.","brand":"Michael O'Mara Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"New - Hardback","offer_id":32986516684885,"sku":"9781782439974N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/9781782439974_4dbbac0c-9a64-4cfc-b07a-ef6ebc949ef8.jpg?v=1612381131"},{"product_id":"agatha-raisin-hot-to-trot-1","title":"Agatha Raisin: Hot to Trot","description":"Product Description\n\n\n\\x27Every new Agatha Raisin escapade is a total joy\\x27 ASHLEY JENSEN\\x27No wonder she\\x27s been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime\\x27 MAIL ON SUNDAY\\x27A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed\\x27 DAILY MAIL\\x27The detective novels of M C Beaton have reached cult status\\x27 THE TIMESPrivate Detective Agatha Raisin immerses herself in the glittering lifestyle of the fabulously wealthy when Sir Charles Fraith is accused of murder \\- and Agatha is named as his accomplice! A high\\-society wedding, a glitzy masked ball, and an introduction to the world of international show\\-jumping where the riders are glamorous, the horses are beautiful, and intrigue runs deep, leave Agatha with a list of suspects as long as a stallion\\x27s tail. Sinister evidence then emerges that appears to seal Sir Charles\\x27s fate and Agatha must uncover the truth before a net of skulduggery closes around him and he loses his ancestral home, his entire estate, and his freedom. And if events weren\\x27t complicated enough... Agatha\\x27s ex\\-husband James Lacey is back in Carsely and back in Agatha\\x27s heart...Praise for M. C. Beaton\\x27s Agatha Raisin mysteries:\\x27Irresistible, unputdownable, a joy\\x27 Anne Robinson\\x27Full of perfectly pitched interest, intrigue, and charm\\x27 Lee Child\\x27Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack\\-a\\-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life\\x27 Entertainment Weekly\\x27M. C. Beaton\\x27s imperfect heroine is an absolute gem\\x27 Publishers Weekly\\x27[Agatha] is a glorious cross between Miss Marple, Auntie Mame, and Lucille Ball . . . She\\x27s wonderful\\x27 St. Petersburg Times\\x27Few things in life are more satisfying than to discover a brand\\-new Agatha Raisin mystery\\x27 Tampa Tribune\\-Times\\x27Beaton has a winner in the irrepressible, romance\\-hungry Agatha\\x27 Chicago Sun\\-Times\n\n\nReview\n\n\nEvery new Agatha Raisin escapade is a total joy -- Ashley Jensen\n\n\nNo wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime ―\nMail on Sunday\n\n\nA Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed ―\nDaily Mail\n\n\nThe detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status ―\nThe Times\n\n\nFull of perfectly pitched interest, intrigue, and charm -- Lee Child\n\n\nAgatha Raisin is sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining. . . M C Beaton has created a new national treasure... the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy -- Anne Robinson\n\n\nM. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem ―\nPublishers Weekly\n\n\nAgatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem\n, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life ―\nEntertainment Weekly\n\n\nThe bucolic romantic entanglements sizzle . . . Beaton is like a less explicit Jilly Cooper . . . She also has a rebarbative wit that is worth any amount of gritty realism ―\nDaily Telegraph\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe brand new Agatha Raisin mystery from multimillion-selling author M. C. Beaton, the Queen of Cosy Crime, about an \neccentric Cotswolds-based detective with an erratic love life and a penchant for G and Ts . . .\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\n\u003cb\u003eM.C. Beaton\u003c\/b\u003e (1936-2019) was the author of both the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series, as well as numerous Regency romances. Her books have been translated into seventeen languages and have sold more than twenty-two million copies worldwide. She is consistently the most borrowed UK adult author in British libraries, and her Agatha Raisin books have been turned into a TV series on Sky.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39660573950037,"sku":"9781472127037N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/4f521713-205b-4f48-9c91-6393d2a0e00d.jpg?v=1644287987"},{"product_id":"pretty-things","title":"Pretty Things","description":"Product Description\n\n\n\u003cfont size=\"+1\"\u003eSOON TO BE A LIMITED SERIES STARRING NICOLE KIDMAN'Pretty Things is awesome. Simple as that. I loved every page'Harlan Coben'It's Dynasty meets Patricia Highsmith' Washington Post 'Will keep you turning pages till the end'Attica Locke 'Outrageously entertaining'Times Crime Club\u003c\/font\u003e \u003cfont size=\"+1\"\u003eNina\u003c\/font\u003e once bought into the idea that her fancy arts degree would lead to a fulfilling career. When that dream crashed, she turned to stealing from rich kids in L.A. alongside her wily Irish boyfriend, Lachlan. But when her mom falls ill, Nina puts everything on the line to help her, running her most dangerous scam yet.\u003cfont size=\"+1\"\u003eVanessa\u003c\/font\u003e is a privileged young heiress who wanted to make her mark in the world. Instead she becomes an Instagram influencer - but behind the covetable façade is a life marked by tragedy.After a broken engagement, Vanessa retreats to her family's sprawling mountain estate, a mansion of dark secrets. It's there that her path collides with Nina's and gives way to a winter of desire and aspiration, duplicity and revenge.\u003cfont size=\"+1\"\u003e'Smart, seductive, and utterly captivating' PopSugar'Deliciously fun' The Week'A can't-look-away story of and for our generation' Chandler Baker, author of Whisper Network'Literary suspense at its best' Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek\u003c\/font\u003e\n\n\nReview\n\n\nIt's\nDynasty\n meets Patricia Highsmith. . . . Duplicity abounds when two messed-up clans collide, and Brown's final multiple twists are doozies. ―\nWashington Post\n\n\nPretty Things is\nawesome. Simple as that. I loved every page.\nJanelle Brown is your new must-read author. ―\nHarlan Coben\n\nI love a good con story - especially when I can't tell who's the actual mark and who's the real con artist. In Janelle Brown's\ncompulsively readable\nPretty Things, the good girls and the bad girls keep switching places in a story that\nwill keep you turning pages till the end. Brown's latest novel has the same sharp observations that are her trademark-about shifting identities and the secrets we all keep. ―\nAttica Locke, author of HEAVEN, MY HOME\n\nPart psychological thriller and part morality tale, Janelle Brown's\nPretty Things is\nliterary suspense at its best. Gorgeous prose, complex characters inhabiting the fascinating worlds of elite Instagram influencers and high-stakes scam artists, a thought-provoking dual narrative, a twisty plot with\na shocking, never-saw-that-coming ending - this brilliant novel has it all.\nI read it in one day in one sitting, mesmerized, and I loved every moment. ―\nAngie Kim, bestselling author of MIRACLE CREEK\n\nFull of tantalising twists and shocking deceptions, this is an intelligent commentary that is also deliciously fun to read ―\nThe Week\n\nThe author leaves no stone unturned in her inquisitive prodding of social media identities, and draws many important questions about perspective. While that alone might be enough to call this book a must- read, it is Nina and Vanessa who make it unforgettable. It is rare for an author to present hero and victim so equally, but here Brown reminds us that we are all complicated, layered and flawed, and the pace at which she reveals her characters' motives is breakneck and endlessly compelling ―\nBookreporter\n\nFiendishly clever ―\nKirkus\n\nWith flawless suspense, masterly storytelling, and a plot that hits all the notes of our Instagram world perfectly, this novel is a must- read ―\nLibrary Journal\n\nHungry, sexy, and packed with twists, this latest novel from Janelle Brown exposes what's hidden behind the stone walls of the elite's mansions and the slick facades of con artists' scams. Money, family, and Instagram collide to make a book you won't be able to put down ―\nJulia Phillips, author of Disappearing Earth\n\nA can't- look- away story of and for our generation,\nPretty Things combines a spellbinding setting with dark, slippery secrets to expose what we've always known - or maybe just hoped - to be true about the gilded lives pres","brand":"W\u0026N","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39660604424277,"sku":"9781474619721N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/9d5efcd2-3d2f-4b4d-baf4-cf327e9fb12b.jpg?v=1644280331"},{"product_id":"dead-still","title":"Dead Still","description":"Product Description\n\n\nSt. Andrews, Scotland: When a man's preserved body is discovered in a whisky ageing cask in the local Gleneden Distillery, DCI Andy Gilchrist and his partner, DS Jessie Janes, are assigned to the investigation. But when the dead man is identified as Hector Dunmore, the once heir-apparent of Gleneden Distillery, their investigation takes a dramatic turn, for Dunmore was reported missing 25 years earlier when his Land Rover was found abandoned on the outskirts of Mallaig, almost two hundred miles away on the Scottish west coast.Why hide a body in a 25-year ageing cask? And who would want Dunmore dead?Suspicion falls on Duncan Milne, the distillery manager at the time, but when Gilchrist learns that Milne died under suspicious circumstances the year Dunmore disappeared, he suspects they are looking at a double murderer. Gilchrist's efforts to resolve the murders forces him to dig deep into the Dunmore family's past, only to come up against a frightening killer who will stop at nothing to keep the darkest of family secrets from ever coming to light.PRAISE FOR T.F. MUIR:'Rebus did it for Edinburgh. Laidlaw did it for Glasgow. Gilchrist might just be the bloke to put St Andrews on the crime fiction map.' Daily Record'A truly gripping read, with all the makings of a classic series.' Mick Herron'Gripping and grisly, with plenty of twists and turns that race along with black humour.' Craig Robertson'DCI Gilchrist gets under your skin. Though, determined, and a bit vulnerable, this character will stay with you long after the last page.' Anna Smith'Gripping!' Peterborough Telegraph\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe latest tartan noir thriller from T F Muir featuring DCI Andy Gilchrist and set in the picturesque town of St Andrews...\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nSt. Andrews, Scotland: When a man's preserved body is discovered in a whisky ageing cask in the local Gleneden Distillery, DCI Andy Gilchrist and his partner, DS Jessie Janes, are assigned to the investigation. But when the dead man is identified as Hector Dunmore, the once heir-apparent of Gleneden Distillery, their investigation takes a dramatic turn, for Dunmore was reported missing 25 years earlier when his Land Rover was found abandoned on the outskirts of Mallaig, almost two hundred miles away on the Scottish west coast.Why hide a body in a 25-year ageing cask? And who would want Dunmore dead?Suspicion falls on Duncan Milne, the distillery manager at the time, but when Gilchrist learns that Milne died under suspicious circumstances the year Dunmore disappeared, he suspects they are looking at a double murderer. Gilchrist's efforts to resolve the murders forces him to dig deep into the Dunmore family's past, only to come up against a frightening killer who will stop at nothing to keep the darkest of family secrets from ever coming to light.Praise for T. F. Muir'Muir knows what he's about . . . A truly gripping read, with all the makings of a classic series' Mick Herron'Rebus did it for Edinburgh. Laidlaw did it for Glasgow. Gilchrist might just be the bloke to put St Andrews on the crime fiction map' Daily Record'Gripping and grisly, with plenty of twists and turns that race along with black humour' Craig Robertson'Gets under your skin' Anna Smith\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nBorn in Glasgow and now a dual UK\/US citizen, T.F. Muir is the author of the DCI Andy Gilchrist series - the first of which, Eye For An Eye, won the Pitlochry Award for the best crime novel by an unpublished writer, and the second, Hand For A Hand, continues to garner great reviews. He is now working on his next Gilchrist novel, another story suffused with dark alleyways, cobbled streets and all things gruesome.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39661057998933,"sku":"9781472131072N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/a2d4ad17-aa81-4b0b-8537-163ed7759807.jpg?v=1644285515"},{"product_id":"introduction-to-research-methods-4th-edition-1","title":"Introduction to Research Methods: 4th edition","description":"This practical, down-to-earth guide is for researchers, students, community groups, charities or employees - in fact anyone who needs to put together research projects quickly and effectively. It contains everything from developing your idea into a proposal, through to analysing data and reporting results. Whether you have to undertake a project as part of your coursework, or as part of your employment, or simply because you are fascinated by something you have observed and want to find out more, this book offers you advice on how to turn your ideas into a workable project. Specifically it will show you how to: - choose your research methods - choose your participants - prepare a research proposal - construct questionnaires - conduct interviews and focus groups - analyse your data - report your findings - be an ethical researcher. Contents: Preface; 1. How to Define Your Project; 2. How to Decide Upon a Methodology; 3. How to Choose Your Research Methods; 4. How to Conduct Background Research; 5. How to Choose Your Participants; 6. How to Prepare a Research Proposal; 7. How to Conduct Interviews; 8. How to Conduct Focus Groups; 9. How to Construct Questionnaires; 10.\nHow to Carry Out Participant Observation; 11. How to Analyse Your Data; 12. How to Report Your Findings; 13. How to be an Ethical Researcher; Useful addresses; Index.","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39662984921173,"sku":"9781845283674N","price":7.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/1baf21b2-9f73-477d-a410-fb810cbfb0cf_34ead1b0-bdff-4ba0-a12e-223d5654eada.jpg?v=1644262708"},{"product_id":"the-tyrants-law-book-3-of-the-dagger-and-the-coin","title":"The Tyrant's Law: Book 3 of the Dagger and the Coin","description":"Product Description\n\n\nThe great war cannot be stopped. The tyrant Geder Palliako begins a conquest aimed at bringing peace to the world, though his resources are stretched too thin. When things go poorly, he finds a convenient target among the thirteen races and sparks a genocide. Clara Kalliam, freed by having fallen from grace, remakes herself as a 'loyal traitor' and starts building an underground resistance movement that seeks to undermine Geder through those closest to him. Cithrin bel Sarcour is apprenticing in a city that's taken over by Antea, and uses her status as Geder's one-time lover to cover up an underground railroad smuggling refugees to safety. And Marcus Wester and Master Kit race against time and Geder Palliako's men in an attempt to awaken a force that could change the fate of the world.\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe third instalment in this enthralling epic fantasy series, from the author of the critically acclaimed Long Price Quartet\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nTHE GREAT WAR CANNOT BE STOPPED Geder Palliako - once a hero of Antea, now a bloody tyrant - wants to bring peace to the world. At any cost.Clara Kalliam has lost her standing at court, but not her pride. Now she plays a dangerous game, outwardly loyal while secretly plotting Geder's downfall. Cithrin bel Sarcour's apprenticeship has placed her in the path of war, but greater dangers lie in her past and in her soul. As the war spreads, two men face a desperate race against time to awaken a force that could change the fate of the world.PRAISE FOR THE DAGGER AND THE COIN 'A fresh and intriguing new series . . . the Dagger and The Coin series is going to be a seriously satisfying epic' SFX'Truly stunning' SciFiNow'A fascinating world and a great cast of beautifully drawn and deeply realized characters, all told in Abraham's trademark clean and vivid prose. This one has everything I look for in a fantasy.' George R. R. Martin\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nDaniel Abraham is the author of the critically acclaimed Long Price quartet. He has been nominated for the Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy awards, and won the International Horror Guild Award. He also writes (with Ty Frank) as James S. A. Corey, author of the\nNew York Times bestselling Expanse sequence - now a major TV series. He lives in New Mexico.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39663002943573,"sku":"9781841498911N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/a61df127-ad96-42b6-a1c8-aabe58e04469.jpg?v=1638884052"},{"product_id":"read-this-if-you-want-to-be-great-at-parenting","title":"Read this if you want to be Great at Parenting","description":"Product Description\n\n\nPainting isn't as hard as it looks. And it's fun. Whether you're a total beginner or have been painting for years, this indispensable guide cuts through the jargon and provides clear, practical advice and tips to help develop your skills. Techniques and ideas are described and explained, inspiring you to make your own great paintings. Addressing the fundamentals of painting with watercolour, oil and acrylic, the book encourages you to explore the limitless possibilities painting has to offer.Read This if You Want to Be Great at Painting is an accessible and jargon-free guide to painting, including watercolour, oil and acrylic. The book includes more than 40 examples of great paintings by masters and contemporary artists and simple diagrams and practical activities help you practice each technique.\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nAccessible and jargon-free guide to painting, including watercolour, oil and acrylic\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nPainting isn't as hard as it looks. And it's fun. Whether you're a total beginner or have been painting for years, this indispensable guide cuts through the jargon and provides clear, practical advice and tips to help develop your skills. Techniques and ideas are described and explained, inspiring you to make your own great paintings. Addressing the fundamentals of painting with watercolour, oil and acrylic, the book encourages you to explore the limitless possibilities painting has to offer. Read This if You Want to Be Great at Painting is an accessible and jargon-free guide to painting, including watercolour, oil and acrylic. The book includes more than 40 examples of great paintings by masters and contemporary artists and simple diagrams and practical activities help you practice each technique.\n\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nSelwyn Leamy is an artist based in London. He is a co-founder of the creative travel company Frui, and has taught drawing and painting in various beautiful locations around the world. He has exhibited his landscape paintings extensively in the UK and also in Italy.","brand":"Laurence King","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39663072804949,"sku":"9781786279033N","price":7.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/5bbfeec8-a61d-4d3d-bc3e-af6d532854e1.jpg?v=1644292801"},{"product_id":"a-madness-of-sunshine","title":"A Madness of Sunshine","description":"Product Description\n\n\n'Compelling' GuardianNew York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh welcomes you to a remote town where even the blinding sun can't mask the darkness that lies deep within a killer...Golden Cove was a peaceful town.Then one fateful summer a tragedy shattered the trust holding the community together. All that's left are whispers behind closed doors, broken friendships and a silent agreement to never look back. But you can't run from the past forever.Eight years later, a young woman disappears without a trace, and the residents of Golden Cove wonder if their home shelters something far more dangerous than an unforgiving landscape.The town's dark past and haunted present are about to collide . . . in a murder mystery that's been years in the making. 'Exceptional' Publishers Weekly'Accomplished' Sunday Times \n\n\nReview\n\n\nSingh puts her previous writing experience to great effect in this accomplished novel ―\nSunday Times\n\n[An] exceptional first crime novel ―\nPublishers Weekly\n\nAn atmospheric read with a compelling sense of the spectacular rugged landscape ―\nGuardian\n\nNalini Singh's gorgeous descriptions of the wild west coast of New Zealand in\nA Madness of Sunshine add a palpable air of danger to the 'harsh and unforgiving landscape' of this beautiful land 'at the bottom of the world' ―\nThe New York Times Book Review\n\nPopular romance author Singh shifts to a new genre, New Zealand gothic, in which nearly every character -- including the dense, ferocious landscape -- has something to hide, and studying them is nearly as fascinating and compelling as solving the multifaceted mystery. Astute, insightful, and descriptive storytelling; a strong step in a new direction for Singh ―\nKirkus\n\nLush, atmospheric, and addictive,\nA Madness of Sunshine seduces with its beautiful sense of place and layered, compelling characters, then hooks you right in with a riveting noir mystery. When a beautiful girl goes missing and a dark past collides with the brutal present, the truth is as harsh and unforgiving as the landscape in which Nalini Singh's twisting tale is set ―\nLisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author\n\nNalini Singh's latest novel,\nA Madness of Sunshine, has more twists and turns than the rugged New Zealand coastline on which it's set . . . Chocked full of unique characters and red herrings, this book is just my kind of pulse-pounding mystery. I loved it! Though\nA Madness of Sunshine is the first novel of Ms. Singh's I've read, it won't be the last ―\nLisa Jackson, New York Times bestselling author\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nTHE DRY meets TOP OF THE LAKE, this is New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh's sizzling debut thriller\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nNalini Singh was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. She spent three years living and working in Japan, and travelling around Asia before returning to New Zealand now - although she's always plotting new trips. She has worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher, not necessarily in that order. Some people might call that inconsistency, but she calls it grist for the writer's mill.You can learn more by visiting www.nalinisingh.com or by following @NaliniSingh on twitter.","brand":"Gollancz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39664442441813,"sku":"9781473229549N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/a08e2738-7b6e-493c-a7c8-f7efc48e0b70.jpg?v=1644280409"},{"product_id":"how-tv-can-make-you-smarter","title":"How TV Can Make You Smarter","description":"Product Description\n\n\nHow TV Can Make You Smarter is a lively guide that shows readers the numerous emotional and intellectual benefits of TV. \n\n\nContrary to conventional wisdom, television can do more than help you veg out, chill, and escape. \n\n\nAuthor and TV critic Allison Shoemaker rewires our thinking to show readers how to take advantage of our 24\/7 access to this ever-evolving medium.\n\n • TV is a powerful tool and\nHow TV Can Make You Smarter will teach you how to use it.\n • Covers a wide selection of diverse genres from scripted comedies, dramas, and classics to reality and beyond\n • Find acceptance in embracing \"bad\" TV, and learn to love yourself in the morning.\n\n\nLessons include learning how to gain empathy (Mad Men), broadening your perspective (Rupaul's Drag Race), and discovering how working within boundaries (Doctor Who) or breaking them apart (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) can be good for you.\n\n\nPart of the HOW series, the accessible and authoritative guides to engaging with the arts the world, and ourselves.\n\n • Filled with smart, unintimidating content in a giftable foil-stamped package\n • Great gift for TV and movie buffs, Netflix and Hulu subscribers, DVD owners, and anyone who loves to unwind with television\n • Packed with insightful tips and tricks for making the most out of what you watch\n • Add it to the shelf with books like\nAmusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman,\nEverything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter by Steven Johnson, and\nI Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution by Emily Nussbaum.\n\n\nReview\n\n\n\"A convincing and spirited argument for the benefits of TV. Critic Allison Shoemaker posits that television provides 'access to some of the greatest art of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries' and that 'to discuss, debate, and dissect' these shows 'can, and will, make you smarter.'... TV binge watchers and pop culture fans will relish Shoemaker's fun and enlightening outing.\" --\nPublishers Weekly\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nAllison Shoemaker is a TV and film critic based in Chicago, IL.","brand":"CHRONICLE BOOKS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39664460857429,"sku":"9781452171784N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/0f96150d-b029-4c75-984a-93c38e6fe19c.jpg?v=1644283166"},{"product_id":"trouble-is-what-i-do-leonid-mcgill-6-leonid-mcgill-mysteries","title":"Trouble Is What I Do: Leonid McGill 6 (Leonid McGill mysteries)","description":"Product Description\n\n\nFrom innovative bestselling novelist Walter Mosley comes the return of the beloved Leonid McGill detective series featuring a morally ambiguous P.I. who solves crimes and whose victims are society's most downtrodden.Leonid McGill's spent a lifetime building up his reputation in the New York investigative scene. His seemingly infallible instinct and inside knowledge of the crime world make him the ideal man to help when Phillip Worry comes knocking.Phillip \"Catfish\" Worry is a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman who needs Leonid's help with a simple task: deliver a letter revealing the black lineage of a wealthy heiress and her corrupt father. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to do a simple favor while shocking the prevailing elite is too much for Leonid to resist.But when a famed and feared assassin puts a hit on Catfish, Leonid has no choice but to confront the ghost of his own felonious past. Working to protect his client, and his own family, Leonid must reach the heiress on the eve of her wedding before her powerful father kills those who hold their family's secret.Joined by a team of young and tough aspiring investigators, Leonid must gain the trust of wary socialites, outsmart vengeful thugs, and, above all, serve the truth-- no matter the cost.\n\n\nReview\n\n\nWalter Mosley is back with a whole new character to love ... As gorgeous a novel as anything he's ever written. And with Joe King Oliver I'm betting, and hoping, he's given us a character we haven't see the last of.,\nWashington Post\n\nGritty ... The plot soars ... Few mystery writers can examine issues of race--how it divides and binds people--as clearly and unflinchingly as Walter Mosley.,\nAssociated Press\n\nGreat stuff ... The vibrant characters and pulsating dialogue are primo Mosley.,\nNew York Times Book Review\n\nThis gifted raconteur of the African American experience has produced an absorbing noir beauty of a tale,\nWASHINGTON POST\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nFrom innovative bestselling novelist Walter Mosley comes the return of the beloved Leonid McGill detective series featuring a morally ambiguous P.I. who solves crimes and whose victims are society's most downtrodden.\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nWalter Mosley is one of America's best loved authors. He is the author of the internationally bestselling Easy Rawlins series, and his novels include DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, which was made into the acclaimed film of the same name starring Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle. His books have been translated into 23 languages and have sold more than 3.5 million copies to date. He has also been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Book Foundation. He lives in New York City.www.waltermosley.com","brand":"W\u0026N","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39664547463253,"sku":"9781474616546N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/17c608b4-0792-42f9-a2a8-f052862469d3.jpg?v=1644265248"},{"product_id":"the-complete-sookie-stackhouse-stories","title":"The Complete Sookie Stackhouse Stories","description":"Product Description\n\n\nFor the first time together in one volume, the complete Sookie Stackhouse short stories - with new introductions from Charlaine Harris New fans can fill in the gaps in their Sookie lore, while old friends can revisit some of their favourite moments and characters. From investigating the murder of a local fairy to learning that her cousin was a vampire, from remodelling Tara's house to attending a wedding with her shapeshifting boss Sam, Sookie navigates the perils and pitfalls of the paranormal world.Gather round the bar at Bon Temps' favourite watering hole and hear stories that will make you wish that Sookie never left, including:'Fairy Dust''One Word Answer''Dracula Night''Lucky''Gift Wrap''Two Blondes''If I Had a Hammer''Small-Town Wedding''Playing Possum''In the Blue Hereafter'This definitive collection is the perfect binge read for people who like their stories with bite!'Charlaine Harris is a phenomenon' SFX\n\n\nReview\n\n\nDelightful . . . Fans will relish these stories, and even those new to Sookie's world will find much to love. ―\nPublishers Weekly\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nFor the first time together in one volume, the complete Sookie Stackhouse short stories - with new introductions from Charlaine Harris \n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nCharlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing for over thirty-five years. Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, she is the author of the Aurora Teagarden mysteries, basis for the Hallmark Movies \u0026amp; Mysteries Aurora Teagarden original movies; the Midnight, Texas series, now a brand-new TV series; the Sookie Stackhouse urban fantasy series, basis for the HBO show True Blood; the Lily Bard mysteries; the Harper Connelly mysteries; and the co-author of the graphic novel trilogy Cemetery Girl. Harris now lives in Texas with her husband and two rescue dogs.","brand":"Gollancz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39664608673877,"sku":"9781473222328N","price":6.59,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/509b4ef8-1da9-40a4-9642-15fa27fbd261.jpg?v=1644299982"},{"product_id":"killing-time","title":"Killing TIme","description":"Product Description\n\n\n'An outstanding series' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEWA Bill Slider Mystery Detective Inspector Bill Slider is back at work with a thumping headache, courtesy of the last villain he apprehended. But he is minus Atherton, a friend and colleague, who's still recovering from his injuries.Slider was hoping for a quiet week, but a murder at a night club plunges him into the underworld of entertainment to question table-dancers, prostitutes, pimps and cabinet ministers. And when it appears that this murder could be linked to another unsolved case, Slider is left with more questions than ever.What with Atherton's slow recovery and his replacement's unhealthy interest in Slider, the DI has enough to fuel his headache for the foreseeable future. But the old grey matter won't be denied; doggedly and with a whimper, Slider starts to unravel the truth... Praise for the Bill Slider series:'Slider and his creator are real discoveries' Daily Mail'Sharp, witty and well-plotted' Times'Harrod-Eagles and her detective hero form a class act. The style is fast, funny and furious - the plotting crisply devious'Irish Times\n\n\nReview\n\n\nHarrod-Eagles unleashes an effective,\n dark-edged tale and serves up a truly nasty villain into the bargain... [She] gracefully builds upon her habitually elegant procedural stylings to deliver\ntaut psychological suspense. ―\nPublishers Weekly\n\nThe books work so well because the author manages to infuse them with a warmth and wit that lingers on after the last page is turned. ―\nYorkshire Post\n\n\nThis is an excellent, solidly professional police story: well-written, with well-drawn characters and a neatly dovetailed plot. ―\nEvening Standard\n\nThere are plenty of suspects for old Bill Slider and his team, and a whole fishmonger's full of red herrings.\nHarrod-Eagles is a wonderfully assured, compelling plotter, and her hero is as appealing as ever. ―\nYorkshire Post\n\nThe charm oozed by Bill, who is a normal person with personal problems struggling to survive in a cruel world through humour and wit...a unique novel that gives readers a glimpse of an England rarely seen in this sub-genre. -- HARRIET KLAUSNER\n\nEach plot twist, including one devious turn that throws suspicion on a former member of Slider's murder squad, hangs on the testimony of complicated characters who are among the author's finest stock. Nobody is exactly what he or she seems: not the victim, not even Slider, who has reason to examine his own ―\nNew York Times Book Review\n\nConfident and lucid ―\nSeattle Times\n\nHarrod-Eagles delivers snappy prose and a ripping tour through the British music world. ―\nMostly Murder\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe sixth book in Cynthia Harrod Eagles' bestselling\nBill Slider crime series\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nCynthia Harrod-Eagles is the author of the hugely popular Morland Dynasty novels, which have captivated and enthralled readers for decades. She is also the author of the contemporary Bill Slider mystery series, as well as her recent series, War at Home, which is an epic family drama set against the backdrop of World War I. Cynthia's passions are music, wine, horses, architecture and the English countryside.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39665152032853,"sku":"9781405542142N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/2e40606e-0626-45b0-bbda-5d46829150b3.jpg?v=1644280465"},{"product_id":"dents-modern-tribes-the-secret-languages-of-britain","title":"Dent's Modern Tribes: The Secret Languages of Britain","description":"Did you know that . . . a soldier's biggest social blunder is called jack brew - making yourself a cuppa without making one for anyone else? That twitchers have an expression for a bird that can't be identified - LBJ (the letters stand for Little Brown Job)? Or that builders call plastering the ceiling doing Lionel Richie's dancefloor? Susie Dent does. Ever wondered why football managers all speak the same way, what a cabbie calls the Houses of Parliament, or how ticket inspectors discreetly request back-up? We are surrounded by hundreds of tribes, each speaking their own distinct slanguage of colourful words, jokes and phrases, honed through years of conversations on the battlefield, in A\u0026amp;E, backstage, or at ten-thousand feet in the air. Ideal for anyone interested in social science. This paperback book has 328 pages and measures: 20 x 13 x 2cm approx.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666225938517,"sku":"9781473678750N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/e0fba658-d327-4642-b888-ed668c758e81.jpg?v=1644267724"},{"product_id":"brewer-s-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable-20th-edition","title":"Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (20th edition)","description":"'This is, in fact, not what you were looking for; but it's much more interesting' Terry Pratchett\n\nMuch loved for its wit and wisdom since 1870, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable takes you on a captivating adventure through its trademark blend of language, culture, myth and legend. Nowhere else could the histories of the guillotine and Guinness stout sit so comfortably alongside the KGB and the Keystone Kops. Brewer's is a catalogue of curiosities and absurdities that, over almost 150 years in print, has acquired near-mythical status.\n\nEdited by Susie Dent, this new edition includes a brand new Collection of Curious Words and many new and updated entries. Its pages brim with esoteric and entertaining oddities - everything from curious customs to the world of newspapers and political alliances of yesteryear - all seen through the distinctive Brewer lens.\n\nThis twentieth edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable encapsulates all the charm and wit that characterise its predecessors and maintains the standards of scholarship and eclecticism that have long been its hallmark.\n\nWhether you're a committed Brewerphile or a newcomer to its pages of fascinating entries, this edition will draw you in and keep you glued to its rich mix of eccentric nuggets. \n\nAs Susie Dent explains in the foreword, Brewer's \"is unlike any other reference book that exists, anywhere.\"","brand":"Hodder \u0026 Stoughton General Division","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666233180245,"sku":"9781473676367N","price":26.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/f6821fc3-ce2f-405b-a88b-a075e7973340.jpg?v=1644302373"},{"product_id":"dead-men-and-broken-hearts","title":"Dead Men and Broken Hearts","description":"Product Description\n\n\n'Tough, uncompromising and insightful . . . Russell has brilliantly captured post-war Glasgow and the vulnerability of those left to pick up the pieces' Michael Robotham'A crime story that transcends the genre. . .This is storytelling at its very best!' Michael Connelly Investigator Lennox just can't stay out of trouble.Lennox is looking for legitimate cases - anything's better than working for the Three Kings, the crime bosses who run Glasgow's underworld. So when a woman comes into his office and hires him to follow her husband, it seems the perfect case.And, unusually for Lennox, it's legal.But this isn't a simple case of marital infidelity. When the people he's following start to track him, once more Lennox must draw on the violent, war-damaged part of his personality as he follows this trail of dead men and broken hearts.The fourth in a unique and memorable crime series, Dead Men and Broken Hearts is gritty, fast-paced, mordantly funny and totally compelling.Praise for award-winning writer Craig Russell: 'Another brilliantly sharp, witty and tough take on a hard city at a hard time . . . a former cop, Russell is Britain's rising crime-writing star' Daily Mirror'Through his humorous lens, time and place become razor-sharp ... The lightness of touch is a breath of fresh air in this most crowded of genres . . . This is tartan neo-noir at its most entertaining' Sunday Herald\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe fourth in a unique and memorable crime series,\nDead Men and Broken Hearts is gritty, fast-paced, mordantly funny and totally compelling.\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nCraig Russell's novels have been published in twenty-five languages, four have been made into major films in Germany, in one of which he has a cameo role as a detective. He has won the CWA Dagger in the Library and the McIlvanney Prize (for which he has been shortlisted another twice), and has previously been shortlisted for the CWA Golden Dagger, the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, and the SNCF Prix Polar in France. A former police officer, Craig Russell is the only non-German to have been awarded the Polizeistern - the Hamburg Police's Police Star.When not writing, Craig Russell paints, cooks and reads, but not simultaneously.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666255528021,"sku":"9781472130969N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/a0eb5242-f5d8-438b-bd68-55def1a2c4ce.jpg?v=1644250764"},{"product_id":"death-of-a-charming-man-m-c-beaton-hamish-macbeth","title":"Death of a Charming Man: M.C. Beaton","description":"Product Description\n\n\nNo wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime' Mail on SundayNow that Priscilla Halburton-Smythe has agreed to marry him, Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth can't imagine a more perfect life. There's not much crime in his remote Scottish village of Lochdubh, nothing much at all to do but fish, drink coffee, and slouch around. And now to spend time with lovely Priscilla.  But his days aren't as tranquil as his dreams. For one thing, Priscilla's renovation schemes are driving him out of his cottage. Not to mention her ambitious plans for his career as a policeman away from Lochdubh. This might be a good time to find out why Peter Hynd's arrival in nearby Drim was causing so much trouble.  An attractive, unmarried man with an independent income would always attract attention in such a small place. But this time Hynd's arrival seems to have caused bitter rivalry among the women of Drim. Hamish finds their petty fights amusing and a clever excuse to avoid Priscilla and her schemes for a new electric stove (to replace his beloved woodburning appliance), a posh new bathroom, and virtuous nutrition. Amusing, that is, until death threats, physical abuse, and murder make statistical history in one of Scotland's most picture postcard-perfect towns.\n\n\nReview\n\n\nBeaton's tremendously likable policeman stars here in a tightly wrought tale, with a gem of an ending in which Hamish manages to be both dead right and dead wrong - Publishing News\nBeaton's low-key police procedural doesn't offer white-knuckle suspense, blood and gore, fast-paced action, or stunning climaxes. What it does offer is an intimate look at life in a small Scottish village, striking insights into human nature, carefully detailed, highly accurate descriptions of police work, splendid dry humor, and a story that's as satisfying as a cozy cup of tea. - Booklist\nThe detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. - The Times\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe tenth Hamish Macbeth mystery, beautifully republished with a brand new cover.\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nNow that Priscilla Halburton-Smythe has agreed to marry him, Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth can't imagine a more perfect life. There's not much crime in his remote Scottish village of Lochdubh, nothing much at all to do but fish, drink coffee, and slouch around. And now to spend time with lovely Priscilla. But his days aren't as tranquil as his dreams. For one thing, Priscilla's renovation schemes are driving him out of his cottage. Not to mention her ambitious plans for his career as a policeman away from Lochdubh. This might be a good time to find out why Peter Hynd's arrival in nearby Drim was causing so much trouble. An attractive, unmarried man with an independent income would always attract attention in such a small place. But this time Hynd's arrival seems to have caused bitter rivalry among the women of Drim. Hamish finds their petty fights amusing and a clever excuse to avoid Priscilla and her schemes for a new electric stove (to replace his beloved woodburning appliance), a posh new bathroom, and virtuous nutrition. Amusing, that is, until death threats, physical abuse, and murder make statistical history in one of Scotland's most picture postcard-perfect towns.Praise for M C Beaton:'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' Kerry Greenwood'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' New York Times\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nM.C. Beaton (1936-2019) was the author of both the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series, as well as numerous Regency romances. Her books have been translated into seventeen languages and have sold more than twenty-two million copies worldwide. She is consistently the most borrowed UK adult author in British libraries, and her Agatha Raisin books have been turned into a TV series on Sky.","brand":"Constable","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666256576597,"sku":"9781472124463N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/8c3aced1-2563-4fb0-87e7-fb02bf64b955.jpg?v=1644280469"},{"product_id":"death-of-a-hussy","title":"Death of a Hussy","description":"Product Description\n\n\nA tart with a heart of stone...\nMaggie Baird is neither kind or generous, but she is very, very rich. So when her car catches fire, with her inside it, there are five likely candidates for the role of murderer. All five had been houseguests at her luxurious Highlands home - Maggie's timid niece and four former lovers, one of whom Maggie had intended to pick for a husband.\nAll five are utterly broke and all had ample opportunity to tamper with Maggie's car. So finding out who did it will require all of PC Hamish Macbeth's extraordinary common sense and insight into human nature; especially when the killer appears to be the wrong person entirely...\n\n\nReview\n\n\nThe detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. - Anne Robinson, The Times\nBeaton's newest continues one of the finest and most offbeat police procedural series around. - Publishers Weekly\nSplendid fun. - New York Times Book Review\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe fifth mystery story featuring Hamish Macbeth from the author of the bestselling Agatha Raisin series\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nA tart with a heart of stone...Maggie Baird is neither kind or generous, but she is very, very rich. So when her car catches fire, with her inside it, there are five likely candidates for the role of murderer. All five had been houseguests at her luxurious Highlands home - Maggie's timid niece and four former lovers, one of whom Maggie had intended to pick for a husband. All five are utterly broke and all had ample opportunity to tamper with Maggie's car. So finding out who did it will require all of PC Hamish Macbeth's extraordinary common sense and insight into human nature; especially when the killer appears to be the wrong person entirely...Praise for M C Beaton: 'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' Kerry Greenwood'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' New York Times\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nM.C. Beaton is the author of both the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series, as well as numerous Regency romances. Her Agatha Raisin books are currently being turned into a TV series on Sky. She lives in Paris and in a Cotswold village that is very much like Agatha's beloved Carsely.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666256674901,"sku":"9781472124104N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/f7cb2797-2eef-487d-9553-5bdf4518d614.jpg?v=1644307251"},{"product_id":"agatha-raisin-and-the-curious-curate","title":"Agatha Raisin and the Curious Curate","description":"Product Description\n\n\nNo wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime' Mail on SundayHe was a vicar to die for - and he did!Agatha is going through a man-hating phase and so is unmoved by news of the captivating new curate. But when she meets the golden-haired, blue-eyed Tristan Delon, she is swept off her feet . . . along with every other female in the village. She is positively ecstatic when he invites her to dine with him but the next day Agatha is left with a hangover from hell - and his cold corpse suggests that, once again, she's in the frame for murder!Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'Sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non-PC, M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure' Anne Robinson'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly'The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing, sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine' Booklist\n\n\nReview\n\n\n‘The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.’ -- Anne Robinson ―\nThe Times\n\nAgatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life. ―\nEntertainment Weekly\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nNumber 13 in the bestselling Agatha Raisin murder mystery series\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nPraise for M.C. Beaton 'I'm not sure I wouldn't back Agatha against Jack Reacher in a fight. She has the ruthlessness. The cunning. And the poisoned quiche' Daily Telegraph'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' Entertainment WeeklyHe was a vicar to die for - and he did!Agatha is going through a man-hating phase and so is unmoved by news of the captivating new curate. But when she meets the golden-haired, blue-eyed Tristan Delon, she is swept off her feet . . . along with every other female in the village. She is positively ecstatic when he invites her to dine with him but the next day Agatha is left with a hangover from hell - and his cold corpse suggests that, once again, she's in the frame for murder!\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nM.C. Beaton (1936-2019) was the author of both the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series, as well as numerous Regency romances. Her books have been translated into seventeen languages and have sold more than twenty-two million copies worldwide. She is consistently the most borrowed UK adult author in British libraries, and her Agatha Raisin books have been turned into a TV series on Sky.","brand":"Constable","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666256773205,"sku":"9781472121370N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/fd81925f-88f6-4d71-9141-a01c8f748dec.jpg?v=1644307252"},{"product_id":"agatha-raisin-and-the-murderous-marriage","title":"Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage","description":"Review  Beaton's dry sense of humour and her unflattering but affectionate portrait of gruff, often adolescent-acting Agatha makes this \u0026amp; a bloom worth picking. --(Publishers Weekly)  Agatha Raisin is sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non PC. M C Beaton has created a new national treasure... the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy. If you buy one book a year, let it be this. Agatha Raisin is The Strongest Link. --(Anne Robinson)  Anyone interested in a few hours' worth of intelligent, amusing reading will want to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Agatha Raisin. --(The Cleveland Pain Dealer)  Product Description  The morning of Agatha's marriage to James Lacey dawns bright and clear. But her luck runs out in the church when Jimmy, the husband she had believed long dead, turns up large as life and twice as ugly. Agatha has a go at strangling him. James breaks off the engagement. So when Jimmy is found murdered next day, Agatha and James are both the prime suspects. And they'll have to work together in order to clear their names . . .  Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:  'M. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem.' Publishers Weekly  'The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.' The Times  'Being a cranky, middle-aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!' Amazon customer review  'I dream of being able to speak out like Aggie . . . she's a heroine!' A. Lucas, Essex, reader review  Book Description  Agatha and James are the prime suspects in this, the fifth Agatha Raisin murder mystery with brand new cover.  From the Back Cover  Praise for M.C. Beaton  'The detective novels of M.C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status' The Times  'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' Entertainment Weekly  ment Almost bigamy and absolute murder - Agatha's life is never dull . . .  The morning of Agatha's longed-for marriage to James Lacey dawns bright and clear. But her luck runs out in the church when Jimmy, the husband she had believed long dead, turns up large as life and twice as ugly. It's all too much for James who breaks off the engagement.  So when Jimmy is found murdered the next day, Agatha and James are both suspects. And they'll have to work together in order to clear their names . . .  About the Author  M. C. BEATON is the prolific author of the bestselling Agatha Raisin murder mysteries (featuring man-mad PR-guru-turned-private eye Agatha Raisin), the acclaimed Hamish Macbeth mysteries, a quartet of Edwardian murder mysteries and numerous Regency romances, all published by Constable \u0026amp; Robinson.  Born in Scotland, M. C. Beaton worked for many years as a journalist on Fleet Street. She divides her time between Paris and a Cotswolds village very much like Agatha's beloved Carsely. Visit www.agatharaisin.com for more on M. C. Beaton and her books.","brand":"Constable","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666256871509,"sku":"9781472121295N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/835c70dd-48fa-4f27-9dce-a0e4b764be1d.jpg?v=1644297699"},{"product_id":"agatha-raisin-and-the-haunted-house","title":"Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House","description":"Product Description\n\n\nA vengeful ghost comes back to haunt the living?Reports of a haunted house soon have Agatha snooping around, but it turns out the victim of the haunting is a universally disliked old biddy on whom someone is playing a practical joke. And then the old lady is murdered - but for Agatha, solving a crime is much more fun than hunting a ghost! Very soon she's up to her usual tricks, involving the villagers, local police, and, of course, her handsome new neighbour . . .Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'Fast-paced, witty and well-plotted.' MyShelf.com 'Sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non-PC, M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure' Anne Robinson'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly'The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing, sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine.' Booklist\n\n\nReview\n\n\n‘The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.’ -- Anne Robinson ―\nThe Times\n\nAgatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life. ―\nEntertainment Weekly\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nAgatha investigates things that go bump in the night in the fourteenth book in the series, complete with brand new cover design\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nPraise for M.C. Beaton'The detective novels of M.C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status' The Times'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' Entertainment WeeklyA vengeful ghost comes back to haunt the living?Reports of a haunted house soon have Agatha snooping around, but it turns out the victim of the haunting is a universally disliked old biddy on whom someone is playing a practical joke. And then the old lady is murdered - but for Agatha, solving a crime is much more fun than hunting a ghost! Very soon she's up to her usual tricks, involving the villagers, local police, and, of course, her handsome new neighbour . . .\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nM.C. Beaton (1936-2019) was the author of both the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series, as well as numerous Regency romances. Her books have been translated into seventeen languages and have sold more than twenty-two million copies worldwide. She is consistently the most borrowed UK adult author in British libraries, and her Agatha Raisin books have been turned into a TV series on Sky.","brand":"Constable","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666256904277,"sku":"9781472121387N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/50505090-6a85-4ffc-b530-d20b469cb3f1.jpg?v=1644300045"},{"product_id":"chambers-biographical-dictionary-paperback","title":"Chambers Biographical Dictionary Paperback","description":"\"Some people leave a deeper footprint in the sands of time than others. In these pages we have access to their particular stories and identities.\"\n\nDame Joan Bakewell\n\n\nDiscover the most authoritative, entertaining and fascinating range of biographies in a single volume; from princes and presidents to artists, actors and authors. An historical tour de force and a joy to browse, The Chambers Biographical Dictionary includes everyone from Anne Frank to Kim Jong Il via Calvin Klein and Charles Dickens","brand":"John Murray Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666535170133,"sku":"9780550106414N","price":20.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/6be923b3-a349-4753-ae50-fd0beca59f53.jpg?v=1644295315"},{"product_id":"a-shakespeare-motley","title":"A Shakespeare Motley","description":"Product Description\n\n\nA Shakespearean Motley is a delightful cabinet of Shakespearean curiosities, arranged in a straightforward alphabetical order, that will inform, enthuse, intrigue and amuse anyone who would like to know more about the richly varied and versatile life and work of the world’s best-known author. Drawing unusual connections, this ingenious guide will show you what\nHamlet’s Ophelia has to do with\nThe Tempest,\nTwelfth Night and Ships; how a stage direction speaks to Elizabethan treatment of bears. With entries ranging from Apothecary to Zephyr, Bee to Yorick, this succinct but stimulating book is full of captivating details illuminating all corners of Shakespeare’s world.\n\nUnusually and uniquely for a miscellany on this subject, the text is illustrated throughout with images taken exclusively from the unparalleled archives of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Readers will quickly gain a vivid, authentic sense of Shakespearean times, from the very real dangers of drowning to the fascination of falconry; from the elegance of eglantine to the resonances of ring-giving.\n\nAt once immediately accessible yet also studded with nuggets of expert insight and knowledge, this is a wonderful window on the ideas and influences that may have informed the work – a perfect gift for those who would like to get closer to deciphering the elusive but inexhaustibly intriguing Shakespeare.\n\nTable of Contents\n\nIntroduction • An A–Z of Shakespearean Miscellany\n\n\nReview\n\n\nA sheer joy to hold ... a lively and richly illustrated romp through the alphabet of Shakespeare's world --Cotswold Life\n\nGorgeously illustrated ... an illuminating, yet unusual approach to the Bard and his world --Tatler\n\nA cute, charming and succinct little book, full of tantalising titbits of information about the world Shakespeare knew and imagined --Mature Times\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nThe Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon is the global centre for learning about and experiencing the works, life and times of the world's best-known writer. Through the five historic Shakespeare family homes, internationally designated museum collections and award-winning learning programmes, the Trust provides imaginative, immersive and interactive opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds, attracting approximately three-quarters of a million visitors each year.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666570821717,"sku":"9780500023020N","price":7.76,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/ec5eb5ff-0708-460d-a549-1f318ff29d15.jpg?v=1644300104"},{"product_id":"bina-a-novel-in-warnings","title":"Bina: A Novel in Warnings","description":"Product Description\n\n\nShortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize 2020 'Insightful. Inventive. Hilarious. Genius' EIMEAR MCBRIDE'Bina is fiction of the rarest and darkest kind, a work whose pleasures must be taken measure for measure with its pains' RACHEL CUSK'A captivating look at female friendship' MAIL ON SUNDAY My name is Bina and I'm a very busy woman. That's Bye-na, not Beena. I don't know who Beena is but I expect she's having a happy life. I don't know who you are, or the state of your life. But if you've come all this way here to listen to me, your life will undoubtedly get worse. I'm here to warn you . . .So begins this 'novel in warnings' - an unforgettable tour de force in the voice of an ordinary-extraordinary woman who has simply had enough. Through the character of Bina, who is writing out her story on the backs of discarded envelopes, Anakana Schofield filters a complex moral universe filled with humour and sadness, love and rage, and the consolations, obligations and mysteries of lifelong friendship. A work of great power, skill, and transformative empathy from a unique and astonishing writer.\n\n\nReview\n\n\nInsightful. Inventive. Hilarious. Genius ―\nEimear McBride\n\n\nBina\n is a bitterly funny novel but one that carries moral weight. Ultimately much of its energy comes from the simple subversive act: making a woman's life matter, making her voice be heard -- Evie Wyld ―\nNew York Times\n\n\nA captivating look at female friendship and how women's voices go unheard -- Gwendolyn Smith ―\nMail on Sunday\n\nWhile Schofield's themes are transcendently bleak - so bleak that the bleakness must be the point - her style feels almost decadently addictive. B\nina makes for great company; her obstinacy, like Bartleby's, is flecked with heroic resistance, and her complaints elicit a pleasing mixture of satisfaction and dread ―\nNew Yorker\n\nAnakana Schofield's\nBina is a fiction of the rarest and darkest kind, a work whose pleasures must be taken measure for measure with its pains. Few writers operate the scales of justice with more precision, and Schofield is no less exacting in what she chooses to weigh. The novel's themes - male violence, the nature of moral courage, the contemporary problems of truth and individuality, the status of the female voice - could hardly be more timely or germane. Schofield's sense of injustice is unblinking and without illusion, yet\n her writing is so vivacious, so full of interest and lust for life: she is the most compassionate of storytellers, wearing the guise of the blackest comedian ―\nRachel Cusk, author of Outline and Transit\n\nExcellent . . . Painted with colour and wit, there emerges a whole host of absurdist characters clamoring for Bina's attention. The emotional core of the novel is Bina's relationship with her dear friend Phil . . . Their friendship is beautifully realised on the page, providing a life-raft both for Bina and the reader in the face of so much cruelty . . .\n[In Bina] we are given a beautiful, devastating tale about the tragedy of old age  -- Lamorna Ash ―\nTimes Literary Supplement\n\n\nIntimate, disarming, and riotous,\nBina is a searing exploration of one woman's soul that unwinds like a reluctant confession. Whether Bina is rescuing a ne'er-do-well from a ditch, taking a hammer to a plane or considering the dark request of her best friend, Schofield has created a compelling, practical everywoman - someone who has had enough and is ready to make a spectacle ―\nEden Robinson, author of Son of a Trickster and Monkey Beach\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe extraordinary bestselling novel from the acclaimed writer whose previous book, Martin John, was shortlisted for the Giller Prize, and whose debut, Malarky, won the Amazon First Novel Award.\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nMy name is Bina and I'm a very busy woman. That's Bye-na, not Beena. I don't know who Beena is, but I expect she's having a happy life. I don't know who you are, or the state of your life. But if you've come all this way here to listen to me","brand":"Fleet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666583666773,"sku":"9780349726441N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/6d996b1f-69d0-4a89-8337-58f3c3cb133a.jpg?v=1644248438"},{"product_id":"the-paradox","title":"The Paradox","description":"Product Description\n\n\nThe last members of the secret society known as the Oversight still patrol the border between the natural and supernatural, holding a candle to the darkness. But the society's new members are unproven, its veterans weary and battle-scarred. Their vulnerability brings new enemies to London, and surprising new allies from across the sea.But most surprising of all are revelations about the Oversight's past, secrets that will expose the true peril of the world in which their friends Sharp and Sara are trapped - the riddle of the Black Mirrors, and what lies beyond. And the catastrophic danger that will follow the duo home, if they ever manage to return.The dark waters rise. The candle is guttering. But the light still remains. For now . . .\n\n\nReview\n\n\nThe Paradox serves to provide us with fantastically dark characters, goodies and baddies, as well as some rather unexpected alliances ―\nTime Out\n\nExciting, exhilarating, scary and moving in equal measure,\nThe Oversight is a teeming world of dark deeds and dark magics, brilliantly realised. This feels like the start of something amazing -- Mike Carey\n\nConfirms his position as one of the most ingenious and intelligent writers of fantasy . . . I can barely wait for the next volume ―\nThe Scotsman on The Paradox\n\n\nThe Paradox is the real deal, darkly dusted Dickensian counter mythology at its very best. ―\nSF Site\n\nAn atmospheric, creepily delicious concoction of alleyways and dark magic, mirror worlds where danger dwells at every turn, and nuanced, complex characters, all with their own story. Those already familiar with this world will be delighted, and newcomers will eagerly lose themselves in this utterly imaginative fantasy -- Publishers Weekly\n\n\nThe Oversight is - and let's be clear here - something very special . . . It's oh so moreish a morsel. I'd read a prequel this evening, a sequel as soon as. ―\nTor.com\n\nA dark and glinting book . . . told in a kind of compelling and hypnotic poesie that I just lapped up . . . I'll certainly be reading the next one -- Cory Doctorow on The Oversight ―\nBoingBoing.net\n\nA highly entertaining fantasy that promises a trilogy worth sinking your teeth into ―\nSciFiNow on The Oversight\n\nFletcher's Victorian London is juicily vivid, and laced with macabre Dickensian wit. There's a real sense of grim danger, both natural and unnatural, hungrily awaiting the slightest mis-step -- Frances Hardinge on The Oversight\n\nRichly atmospheric (the evil lurks in the background of every paragraph), the book should be a big hit with supernatural-fantasy readers ... the second book can't come soon enough ―\nBooklist (starred review for The Oversight)\n\nA richly atmospheric and intensely readable slice of Victoriana, with a splendidly eerie sense of the way the unearthly lies cheek-by-jowl with the mundane -- Adam Roberts on The Oversight\n\nA remarkable combination of British folklore, brisk pacing and wide-ranging imagination ―\nKirkus Reviews on The Oversight\n\nUtterly enthralling: Charles Dickens meets Susanna Clarke -- Lou Morgan\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe Paradox is a gothic fantasy adventure that will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman,\nA Discovery of Witches and\nJonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, from the author of\nThe Oversight\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nCharlie Fletcher is a screenwriter and children's author living in Edinburgh. His Stoneheart trilogy has been translated into a dozen languages and the film rights have been sold to Paramount. The first volume,\nStoneheart, was shortlisted for the Branford Boase award and longlisted for the\nGuardian Children's Fiction Prize. His stand-alone novel for children,\n Far Rockaway, was published last year to great critical acclaim and has been longlisted for the Carnegie prize. He can be found on Twitter at @CharlieFletch_r.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666586288213,"sku":"9780356502885N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/4bb4df4f-082e-45b5-81b7-b60f15c57dd0.jpg?v=1644272795"},{"product_id":"two-oclock-boy","title":"Two O'Clock Boy","description":"Product Description\n\n\nConnor Laird frightens people: he's intense, he's fearless, and he seems to be willing to do anything to protect himself and those he loves. He arrives in the Longacre Children's Home seemingly from nowhere, and instantly becomes hero and villain to every other child there. Thirty years later, someone is killing all of those who grew up in the Longacre, one by one. Each of them has secrets, not least investigating cop DI Ray Drake. One by one the mysteries of the past are revealed as Drake finds himself in a race against time before the killer gets to him. Who is killing to hide their secret? And can YOU guess the ending?\n\n\nReview\n\n\nA fantastic debut: dark, addictive and original.\nI couldn't put it down. (\nRobert Bryndza, author of The Girl in the Ice)\n\n\nGrips from the start and never lets up (\nThe Times)\n\n\nA cracking debut. I can't wait to see more of Ray Drake. (\nMark Billingham)\n\nUtterly gripping, packed with unforgettable characters - and SO well-written.\nThe twists had me reeling! (\nLouise Voss)\n\n\nA delight of a book that wreaks havoc with your assumptions in a delicious Highsmithian manner.\nHill has a hell of a career ahead of him. (\nAlex Marwood)\n\nEnter DI Ray Drake, the flawed, sharply-drawn lead of this promising new series. The author has an unerring ability to give incidents\na biting sense of reality (\nSunday Times (Crime Club Best Debuts of the Year))\n\nAmbitiously complex and compelling,\nTwo O'Clock Boy left me deliciously uncomfortable and\nblindsided by that final twist! (\nAngela Clarke)\n\n\nTwo O'Clock Boy is surely going to be the hardest debut of 2017 to beat.\nWhat a story and what a superb writer! (\nAlex Gray)\n\nAs poignant as it is\ngripping. (Jake Kerridge\nSunday Express)\n\nAn\nassured, dark and gritty debut marking the start of what looks like\na great series (\nStav Sherez)\n\nAn unsettling and powerful story. The plot cleverly weaves past and present - with\nshocking, edge-of-the-seat twists until its\nheart-stopping finale (\nDavid Young, author of Stasi Child)\n\n\nFiercely fresh and wonderfully written. DI Drake is a marvellous creation and I can't wait to read more (\nSJI Holliday)\n\nA compelling read,\npacked with unexpected twists and explosive secrets, that builds to a shocking and\nunforgettable climax. A fantastic debut. (\nRod Reynolds)\n\nMark Hill has written\na brilliant debut with characters that linger in the subconscious long after reading. I devoured\nThe Two O'Clock Boy and can't wait to see what he does next. He's\na real talent. (\nSteve Cavanagh)\n\n\nA cracking debut from a talent to watch (\nFiona Cummins, author of Rattle)\n\nI loved\nThe Two O'Clock Boy! It's\ngripping and scary and twisty and unpredictable (\nValentina Giambanco)\n\nAt a stroke,\nMark Hill has joined the upper echelons of London crime writers (\nBarry Forshaw, Crime Time)\n\nEnough cunning plot twists to keep you hooked right up to the\nnerve-jangling denouement. (\nPaul Burston)\n\nDI Drake is\nthe flawed detective most of us can only dream of writing (\nIsabelle Grey)\n\nTwisty, gripping and gritty,\nTwo O'Clock Boy is an exciting start to\na major new crime series (\nCass Green, author of The Woman Next Door)\n\n\nUnputdownable! (\nClaire Evans, author of The Fourteenth Letter)\n\nA\nsuperb final twist (\nMorning Star)\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nMark Hill's debut TWO O'CLOCK BOY is the gripping, twist-filled start to a fantastic new London-set crime thriller series starring morally corrupt DI Ray Drake -\nthe perfect new addiction for fans of Luther\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nMark Hill is a London-based full-time writer of novels and scripts. Formerly he was a journalist and a producer at BBC Radio 2 across a range of major daytime shows and projects. He has won two Sony Gold Awards.\nmarkhillauthor.com@markhillwriterfacebook.com\/MarkHillAuthor","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39667915194453,"sku":"9780751563238N","price":4.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/c99ce041-1ab7-4ac0-b63a-acab13aeb109.jpg?v=1644302467"},{"product_id":"blood-hounds","title":"Blood Hounds","description":"Product Description\n\n\nThe fourth uniquely stylish crime novel, from the award-winning Peter Diamond series.'Darling, if ever I've met a group of potential murderers anywhere, it's the Bloodhounds.' Thus says one of the members of the Bloodhounds of Bath, a society that meets in a crypt to discuss crime novels. But to their latest recruit, they seem just a gaggle of dotty misfits, until one of them reveals that he is in possession of an immensely valuable stamp, recently stolen from the Postal Museum.Then theft is overtaken by murder when the corpse of one of the Bloodhounds is found in a locked houseboat, with the only key in the possession of a man with a perfect alibi. Burly Peter Diamond finds himself embroiled in a mystery evoking the classic crime puzzles of John Dickson Carr.Winner of the Crime Writers Association Silver Dagger, the Barry Award and the Macavity Award.\n\n\nReview\n\n\nA must for crime buffs ―\nMail on Sunday\n\nDiamond in full dazzle . . . skilfully pays homage to the old-style whodunit in this thoroughly modern mystery ―\nPublishers Weekly\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nA uniquely stylish crime novel, from the award-winning Peter Diamond series\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nPeter Lovesey is the only living author in Britain to have received the two highest honours in crime writing - the Diamond Dagger of the Crime Writers Association and Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America. He started with the Sergeant Cribb series set in Victorian London and later progressed to modern times with the award-winning Peter Diamond books set in Bath, his home for almost twenty years. Now living in Shrewsbury with his wife Jax, whom he met at Reading University, he continues to reach and entertain new readers across the world.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39667916734549,"sku":"9780751553659N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/d568bb1b-f209-4c7c-8ec8-2295cf2c262b.jpg?v=1644302469"},{"product_id":"killer-look","title":"Killer Look","description":"Product Description\n\n\nNew York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world, well-known for its glamour and style. Yet high fashion means high stakes, as Alex Cooper quickly discovers when businessman and designer Wolf Savage is found dead in an apparent suicide, days before the biggest show of his career. When Savage's daughter insists his death was murder, the case becomes more than a media sensation. With her own job at the DA's Office in jeopardy, and spiralling into a reliance on alcohol, Alex is not anyone's first choice for help. But she is determined to uncover the grime - and the possible homicide - beneath the glitz. Soon she and police detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace are investigating the family secrets Savage kept so well hidden, even from those closest to him - just as things are about to get deadly on the catwalk.\n\n\nReview\n\n\nIf it is authenticity you demand, Linda Fairstein has got it in spades...she delivers the other ingredients, too: engaging characters, an intelligent story full of twists and terrific tension - The Times\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe new Alexandra Cooper thriller from\nNew York Times bestselling author Linda Fairstein\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nLinda Fairstein is a former prosecutor and one of America's foremost legal experts on crimes of violence against women and children. For three decades she served in the office of the New York County District Attorney, where she was Chief of the Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit. In 2010 she was the recipient of the Silver Bullet Award from the International Thriller Writers association. Her Alexandra Cooper novels have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have debuted on the Sunday Times and the New York Times bestseller lists, among others. She lives in Manhattan and on Martha's Vineyard.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39667917684821,"sku":"9780751560398N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/2f60f4c2-a4d4-41df-8c66-30b862686ef4.jpg?v=1639140780"},{"product_id":"the-cambridge-gazetteer-of-the-usa-and-canada-a-dictionary-of-places","title":"The Cambridge Gazetteer of the USA and Canada: A Dictionary of Places","description":"Originally published in 1995, The Cambridge Gazetteer of the United States and Canada contains more than 12,000 entries of places of all kinds. It is a detailed, alphabetically arranged enyclopedic dictionary of places. It includes coverage of all cities and towns having populations of over 25,000. But the Cambridge Gazetteer is far more than a dictionary of populated places. It contains thousands of entries describing waterways and mountain ranges, parks and historic sites and major urban neighbourhoods. It captures the grand sweep of modern America. Throughout, the book is informed with a sense of the history of each place described and prominent people associated with particular places are described within the appropriate entries. The role of ethnic and minority groups is given significant attention.","brand":"Cambridge University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39667958972501,"sku":"9780521415798N","price":35.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/4d342ff1-743c-4b27-a900-4c22eb4746ee.jpg?v=1644248488"},{"product_id":"night-school-fracture","title":"Night School:  Fracture","description":"Product Description\n\n\nCimmeria has been more than a school for Allie, it's been a safe haven. But no longer.A nefarious group - one that is tied up with Allie's family in ways she could barely imagine - is trying to destroy everything Cimmeria stands for.Even worse, it's clear that somebody they eat with, sleep with, train with is betraying them. There's a spy in Night School. As the paranoia grows and the fights begin, it's not an attack from outside they need to worry about . . .\n\n\nReview\n\n\nYou'll be hooked ―\nBliss\n\nA really gripping book. Amazing ―\nKiss\n\nThis thrilling story of intrigue is like St Trinian's tinged with a murderous streak ―\nCloser\n\nFull of unexpected twists,\nNight School is mysterious, creepy, and sexy - a tense thriller with a great romance. I was hooked from the first page. -- L. A. Weatherly, author of the bestselling ANGEL series\n\nAs ever, Daugherty's storytelling brims with gusto. Another enjoyable, thrill-packed term [at Cimmeria] -- Suzi Feay ―\nThe Financial Times\n\nHints of tantalizing plot twists to come will have readers panting for the next installment. ―\nKirkus\n\nAll tremendous fun ―\nFinancial Times Life \u0026amp; Arts\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\n'\nNight School is dramatic and full of great characters, the perfect blend of suspense and romance.' Sophie McKenzie\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nCimmeria has been more than a school for Allie, it's been a safe haven. But no longer.A nefarious group - one that is tied up with Allie's family in ways she could barely imagine - is trying to destroy everything Cimmeria stands for.Even worse, it's clear that somebody they eat with, sleep with, train with is betraying them. There's a spy in Night School. As the paranoia grows and the fights begin, it's not an attack from outside they need to worry about . . .\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nInternational bestselling author C. J. Daugherty is a former newspaper reporter and crime writer. Her Night School series has been translated into 21 languages, and has been the number 1 best selling young adult book in Germany, Poland, France, and Israel, topping charts in countries around the world.","brand":"Moonflower Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39667999572053,"sku":"9780349001715N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/d3cd192d-f6aa-4028-b944-75c5ebd8a8ee.jpg?v=1644307413"},{"product_id":"sunny-days-and-sea-breezes","title":"Sunny Days and Sea Breezes","description":"Product Description\n\n\nTHE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER  Winner of the RNA Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award 'A life-affirming story full of joy and hope'  CATHY BRAMLEY 'A sun-filled, fun-filled wonderful escapist adventure'  MILLY JOHNSON When does time out become the time of your life? Jodie Jackson is all at sea, in every sense. On a ferry bound for the Isle of Wight, she's leaving her London life, her career, and her husband behind. She'd like a chance to turn back the clocks, but she'll settle for some peace and quiet on her brother Bill's beautifully renovated houseboat, Sunny Days. But from the moment Jodie steps aboard her new home, it's clear she'll struggle to keep herself to herself. If it isn't Marilyn, who cleans for Bill and is under strict instructions to look after Jodie, then it's Ned, the noisy sculptor on the next-door houseboat. Ned's wood carving is hard on the ears, but it's made up for by the fact that he's rather easy on the eyes.Bustled out of the boat by Marilyn and encouraged to explore with Ned, Jodie soon delights in her newfound freedom. But out of mind isn't out of sight, and when her old life comes knocking Jodie is forced to face reality. Will she answer the call or choose a life filled with Sunny Days and Sea Breezes?An absolute must-read from the queen of fun-filled and life-affirming fiction, Sunny Days and Sea Breezes will make your heart sing!'A life-affirming story full of joy and hope' CATHY BRAMLEY'A sun-filled, fun-filled wonderful escapist adventure' MILLY JOHNSON'A wonderful setting where dark clouds part to reveal a happy ending' KATIE FFORDE'A bright and breezy summer story, the next best thing to a seaside trip' SUNDAY MIRROR'A delightful summer read' HELLO!'Packed full of Matthews' signature charm, this has original characters and an escapist setting' WOMAN'Perfect escapism' BELLA'A bright, breezy, summery story!' BEST'A warm summer read' CHOICE\n\n\nReview\n\n\nSparkling . . .\nlight-hearted,\nlaugh-packed fun ―\nSunday Mirror\n\nIf you love romance, quirky humour and animals\nyou can't do better than to sink into Happiness for Beginners. -- Katie Fforde\n\nA bright and breezy summer story,\nthe next best thing to a seaside trip ―\nSunday Mirror\n\n\nFun, fantastic and brimming with Matthews magic... from the first to the last page - an absolute joy -- Milly Johnson\n\nThis is\na wonderful summer read ... The houseboat may be moored, but still it takes the reader on a strong emotional trip with tears, laughter, fun and friendship along the way. ―\nMy Weekly\n\n\nAn irresistibly warmhearted story with a cast of captivating characters, both animal and human -- Trisha Ashley\n\n\nWarm, witty and hopeful - I was charmed -- Sarah Morgan\n\nI\nlaughed and cried and marvelled ―\nCathy Bramley on Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses\n\n\nHappiness For Beginners once again confirms Carole Matthews as\nthe queen of funny, feel good fiction. Put your feet up, and switch off your phone because you're in for a real treat. -- Mike Gayle\n\nWitty, funny and incredibly touching . . .\nperfect for lifting the spirits ―\nHeat\n\n\nHeartwarming story of new beginnings. ―\nCandis\n\nAs ever from this author,\n a lively story that fizzes with fun ―\nBest\n\nFull of\nquirky characters and often\nlaugh-out loud funny, it's a\ndelightful read. ―\nChoice\n\n\nDelightful and humorous... as joyful as its cover ―\nWoman's Weekly\n\n\nAnother lovely tale from bestselling writer Carole Matthews ―\nHello!\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe brand new paperback for 2020 from bestseller Carole Matthews - the queen of feel-good, escapist fiction that's full of heart and fun. \n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nCarole Matthews is the Sunday Times bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the top ten bestsellers The Cake Shop in the Garden, A Cottage by the Sea, Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses, Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights, Million Love Songs and Happiness for Beginners. In 2015, Carole was awarded the RNA Outstanding Achievement Award. Her novels dazzle and delight readers all ov","brand":"Sphere","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668023459925,"sku":"9780751572162N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/8db5d9bf-69fb-4d51-a29a-569069c6747c.jpg?v=1644275390"},{"product_id":"the-missing-pieces-of-me","title":"The Missing Pieces of Me","description":"Product Description\n\n\nWillow and Dustin are the perfect couple.Or so he thought, until she disappeared . . . 'Amelia Mandeville is an author to watch' EMMA COOPER  Meet the couple you'll fall for head over heels, and discover the novel that will break your heart and put it back together again  \"I felt ALL the emotions reading this book\" *****  \"The characters were so relatable\" *****  \"You never want it to end\" *****  \"Putting this book down will be your only challenge\" *****  \"The romance was magical\" ***** ________________________Willow and Dustin. They're the perfect couple, everyone says so. And since the birth of their baby daughter, Dustin is sure his little family is all he will ever need. So his world is shattered when he arrives home to find that Willow has disappeared, leaving only a cryptic note to say goodbye with no explanation of where she has gone or why she has left.Determined to bring her home, Dustin sets out to find Willow. But the more he learns about the girl he loves most in the world, the more he feels like he's trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. Was Willow really keeping secrets from him? Or was he just not looking closely enough in the first place?________________________ ***WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT AMELIA MANDEVILLE*** 'She has touched my soul and lit up my heart''You feel every emotion on the spectrum with these characters''Simply stunning''Her book is everything I could have hoped for and more''It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it left me wanting more''Easy to read and yet terribly emotive'\n\n\nReview\n\n\nAmelia Mandeville has painted a beautiful coming of age story filled with colourful characters . . . she is definitely an author to watch - Emma Cooper, author of The Songs of Us\n\nA wonderful story that shows that you never truly know what someone is going through. Amelia writes so vividly . . . remarkable - Michelle Elman, author of Am I Ugly?\n\nEvery Colour of You is a cleverly built saga between Zoe and Tristan's perspectives that leaves you heavily invested in their lives . . . Amelia writes with a perceptive and soulful hand that keeps you interested until the last page - Magic Radio Book Club\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nEmotional and full of hope, this is the perfect love story for readers of The Shape of Us, The Day We Met and If Only I Could Tell You.\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nWillow and Dustin. They're the perfect couple, everyone says so. And since the birth of their baby daughter, Dustin is sure his little family is all he will ever need. So his world is shattered when he arrives home to find that Willow has disappeared, leaving only a cryptic note to say goodbye with no explanation of where she has gone or why she has left.Determined to bring her home, Dustin sets out to find Willow. But the more he learns about the girl he loves most in the world, the more he feels like he's trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. Was Willow really keeping secrets from him? Or was he just not looking closely enough in the first place?\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nAmelia Mandeville has been creating stories and characters in her head ever since she can remember. When there became too many, she started to write them down. Besides getting lost in the stories she's written, Amelia spends her time attempting to bake, dyeing her hair and vlogging for the YouTube channel she shares with her sister, Grace - the aptly named The Mandeville Sisters.Amelia is the debut author of Every Colour of You.Twitter @ameliamandev Instagram @ameliamandev youtube.com\/mandevillesisters","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668023558229,"sku":"9780751571752N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/e40ffd23-4208-4e30-8918-15c8e9a3e293.jpg?v=1644302496"},{"product_id":"the-golden-rule","title":"The Golden Rule","description":"Product Description\n\n\nA Times, Sunday Times, Observer, Daily Mail and Financial Times Best Book of 2020 Pick'A highly enjoyable story about female resilience and finding fulfilment on your own terms' Sunday Times'An irresistible summer read' Guardian Book of the Day'A typically sharp and hugely satisfying page-turner' Daily MailShe's such a skilful storyteller' Bernardine EvaristoWhen Hannah is invited into the First-Class carriage of the London to Penzance train by Jinni, she walks into a spider's web. Now a poor young single mother, Hannah once escaped Cornwall to go to university. But once she married Jake and had his child, her dreams were crushed into bitter disillusion. Her husband has left her for Eve, rich and childless, and Hannah has been surviving by becoming a cleaner in London. Jinni is equally angry and bitter, and in the course of their journey the two women agree to murder each other's husbands. After all, they are strangers on a train - who could possibly connect them?But when Hannah goes to Jinni's husband's home the next night, she finds Stan, a huge, hairy, ugly drunk who has his own problems - not least the care of a half-ruined house and garden. He claims Jinni is a very different person to the one who has persuaded Hannah to commit a terrible crime. Who is telling the truth - and who is the real victim?Praise for Amanda Craig'Terrific, page-turning, slyly funny' India Knight'As satisfying a novel as I have read in years' Sarah Perry'Amanda Craig is one of the most brilliant and entertaining novelists now working in Britain' Alison Lurie\n\n\nReview\n\n\nA highly enjoyable story about female resilience and finding fulfilment on your own terms, with a twist that is all the more compelling for its unexpectedness ―\nSunday Times\n\n\nAn irresistible summer read: a rollicking plot, a heroine who is more than a match for anything the author throws at her and meaty social issues ―\nGuardian Book of the Day\n\nThe plot becomes so gripping -\nthe sort of story where you want to pull the heroine out of the pages away from danger . ―\nThe Times\n\n\nA typically sharp and hugely satisfying page-turner about two women who decide to murder each other's husbands ―\nDaily Mail\n\nSuch an interesting read! . . . A story of lies - and learning that people aren't always who they appear to be -- Nina Pottell ―\nPrima\n\n\nA pacy state-of-the-nation drama that tackles issues from domestic abuse to workplace harassment, gentrification to the gig economy ―\nMail on Sunday\n\n\nClever and compelling,\nThe Golden Rule is a modern mash-up of\nRebecca and\nStrangers on a Train ―\nRed\n\n\nThe Golden Rule does what her novels do best, wrapping the reader in\na tight, lean narrative, showing the strangeness that lies at the heart of normal-seeming lives ―\nObserver\n\n\nAn acute and passionate observer of society in both town and country, and among rich and poor. She is harrowingly good at portraying the corrosive effects of poverty, particularly on vulnerable women with children to protect.\nHer prose is a delight...Best of all, Craig has the knack of creating interesting characters and of making one care about what lies in store for them. If you can do that, nothing else really matters -- Andrew Taylor ―\nSpectator\n\nPerceptive and wise, particularly on the ever-growing gap between the rich and the poor ―\nIndependent\n\n\nShe's such a skilful storyteller who vividly dramatises our lives with wit, wisdom and compassion\n\n\nStrangers on a Train meets #MeToo ―\nSunday Times\n\nCraig's ninth novel is one of her best. A clever take on Beauty and the Beast and Patricia Highsmith's\nStrangers \non a Train, it is also an astute commentary on life in Cornwall and the widening gap between the city rich and rural poor ―\nThe i\n\nAddictive . . . a wide-ranging, incisive portrait of contemporary Britain ―\nIndependent\n\nWe reckon this cracker of a novel about the \"haves\" and the \"have-nots\" will whip you into a page-turning frenzy ―\nSunday Post\n\n\nIf you like your novels wide-ranging, ambitious, socia","brand":"Abacus","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668062945365,"sku":"9780349143484N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/ab2a50ba-36f9-4b0a-b263-e4930259feb9.jpg?v=1644269990"},{"product_id":"the-kalahari-typing-school-for-men","title":"The Kalahari Typing School For Men","description":"Product Description\n\n\nTHE FOURTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one with the rival detective . . .Mma Ramotswe faces the unexpected and unwelcome appearance in town of a new private detective, Mr Cephas Buthelezi. To ensure she does not lose clients to him, she takes on several cases at once, including those of an errant husband and of a man targeted by ostrich rustlers.Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi has decided to set up a typing school to teach men some useful skills - but Mma Ramotswe fears her secretary is falling under the spell of a man who does not have her best interests at heart . . .\n\n\nReview\n\n\nMma Ramotswe's methods - and her results - are as unusual as the novels they inhabit . . . All this activity is much less about whodunnit than why ―\nNEW YORK TIMES\n\nMcCall Smith is a careful, emblematic writer who is beyond gifted, he is a natural storyteller. McCall Smith has once again charmed the sarongs off us ―\nTHE LIST\n\nThe hypnotic ease of McCall Smith's style makes everything clear almost instantly . . . Throughout the Botswana landscape is richly evoked. Happiness and quiet wisdom prevail. ―\nDAILY TELEGRAPH\n\nMma Ramotswe is a glorious creation, a character likely to prove every bit as enduring as Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. ―\nMAIL ON SUNDAY\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nIn this fourth volume of the bestselling series - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, the ever-popular Precious Ramotswe - Botswana's leading, and only, female private detective - faces a new and unwanted problem: competition.\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\nThe one with the rival detective Mma Ramotswe faces the unexpected and unwelcome appearance of a new private detective in town, the arrogant Mr Cephas Buthelezi. To ensure she does not lose clients to him, she takes on several cases at once including those of an errant husband and of a man targeted by ostrich rustlers. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi has decided to set up a typing school to teach men some useful skills - but Mma Ramotswe fears her secretary is falling under the spell of a man who does not have her best interests at heart . . . 'Delightful' Evening Standard'Happiness and quiet wisdom' Daily TelegraphDiscover the world of Alexander McCall Smith and his other books at alexandermccallsmith.co.uk[Facebook logo]\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nAlexander McCall Smith is the author of over one hundred books on a wide array of subjects, including the award-winning The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. He is also the author of the Isabel Dalhousie\n novels and the world's longest-running serial novel, 44 Scotland Street. His books have been translated into forty-six languages. Alexander McCall Smith is Professor Emeritus of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh and holds honorary doctorates from thirteen universities.","brand":"Abacus","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668065206357,"sku":"9780349117041N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/69af75c3-8fa8-47fe-91dc-5a4308fec175.jpg?v=1644255778"},{"product_id":"books-a-living-history","title":"Books: A Living History","description":"This ambitious volume, newly available in paperback, explores the rich history of the book, one of the most efficient, influential and enduring technologies ever invented. For more than 2,500 years, the book, in a wide range of forms, has been used to document, to educate and to entertain. The eminent authority Martyn Lyons charts its worldwide evolution through the centuries, from the cuneiform tablets of ancient Sumer through the development of moveable type and the emergence of the modern information revolution. Among the carefully selected illustrations are Maya codices, Egyptian papyrus scrolls, medieval illuminated manuscripts, masterpieces of early printing from Gutenberg and Aldus Manutius, atlases from the great age of travel and exploration, primers and children's books, dime novels and Japanese manga, and works of fiction ranging from Don Quixote to Level 26 , the world's first `digi-novel', and beyond.","brand":"Thames \u0026 Hudson Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668117831765,"sku":"9780500291153N","price":8.96,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/f6da75e8-e565-44c2-ac49-e0317affc958.jpg?v=1644258241"},{"product_id":"non-governmental-organisations-and-health-in-developing-contries-1","title":"Non Governmental Organisations and Health in Developing Contries","description":"Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are increasingly recognised as playing a significant role in the health sector in developing countries. This book examines the background to the growth both in the sector and interest in it, the strengths and weaknesses of NGOs and the arguments for and against their use for different aspects of the health sector. It focuses particularly on the relationship between the State and non-governmental organizations and the issues critical to the development of policies towards the sector.","brand":"Palgrave Macmillan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668176126037,"sku":"9780333638743N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/0bd14b3f-4524-4544-a1ab-f606c83be84a_cbc102a8-0f88-4837-a354-846a90bcd292.jpg?v=1644267922"},{"product_id":"poison-for-teacher-1","title":"Poison for Teacher","description":"Product Description\n\n\n'Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty' SANDI TOKSVIGMiriam Birdseye, ex-revue star and now professional sleuth, is intrigued when the headmistress of Radcliff Hall arrives at her Baker Street detective agency. A series of bizarre stunts that at first seemed like pranks have taken a sinister turn, and since Mis Lipscoomb found her gym rope half sawn through, she's begun to fear not only for her school, but for her life.This is how Miriam and her friend, Russian ballerina Natasha Nevkorina, find themselves on board the train to a Sussex girls' school, in the unlikely guise of teachers. Before long the detective duo uncovers a blackmail plot, infidelity and a dizzying array of school schisms. And then a teacher is poisoned during the school play; can they discover the culprit before the body count rises?From the pen of Nancy Spain, for whom farce and humour are a lot more fun than a conventional detective novel, the result is a deliciously wild ride.'An either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of her writing are quite her own'Elizabeth Bowen\n\n\nReview\n\n\nHer detective novels are hilarious. They are high camp and less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal -- Sandi Toksvig\n\nAn either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of the writing are quite her own -- Elizabeth Bowen\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nNancy Spain, a dazzling mid-century English eccentric, is back in print\n\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\n\n'Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty' Sandi ToksvigMiriam Birdseye, ex-revue star and now professional sleuth, is intrigued when the headmistress of Radcliff Hall arrives at her Baker Street detective agency. A series of bizarre stunts that at first seemed like pranks have taken a sinister turn, and since Mis Lipscoomb found her gym rope half sawn through, she's begun to fear not only for her school, but for her life. This is how Miriam and her friend, Russian ballerina Natasha Nevkorina, find themselves on board the train to a Sussex girls' school, in the unlikely guise of teachers. Before long the detective duo uncovers a blackmail plot, infidelity and a dizzying array of school schisms. When an actor is poisoned during the school play, can they discover the culprit before the body count rises?From the pen of Nancy Spain, for whom farce and humour are a lot more fun than a conventional detective novel, the result is a deliciously wild ride.'An either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of her writing are quite her own'Elizabeth Bowen\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nNancy Spain was a novelist, broadcaster and journalist. Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1917, she was the great-niece of the legendary Mrs Beeton. As a columnist for the\nDaily Express and\nShe magazine, frequent guest on radio's\nWoman's Hour and panellist on the television programmes\nWhat's My Line? and\nJuke Box Jury, she was one of the most recognisable (and controversial) media personalities of her era. During the Second World War she worked as a driver, and her comic memoir of her time in the WRNS became an immediate bestseller. After the war she began publishing her acclaimed series of detective novels","brand":"Virago","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668177109077,"sku":"9780349013985N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/484a3047-e44b-4ba5-aef8-64b6cb727aa1_04dbfacd-8e28-4bc0-9b70-7ab05e57c830.jpg?v=1644285745"},{"product_id":"a-plague-of-giants","title":"A Plague of Giants","description":"Product Description\n\n\n'TRULY EPIC FANTASY' James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was LostFrom the east came the Bone Giants. From the south, the fire-wielding Hathrim.It was an invasion that sparked war across the six nations of Teldwen. Now the kingdom's only hope is the discovery of a new form of magic - one that will call the wondrous beasts of the world to fight by the side of humankind.In the start of a thrilling new series, the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles creates an unforgettable fantasy world of warring giants and elemental magic.'This isn't just a breath of fresh air for the genre, it's a damned hurricane' Jason M. Hough, New York Times bestselling author'A rare masterpiece that's both current and timeless . . . merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who'll break your heart'Delilah S. Dawson\n\n\nReview\n\n\nThis isn't just a breath of fresh air for the genre, it's a damned hurricane! -- Jason M. Hough, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE DARWIN ELEVATOR\n\n\nA Plague of Giants is an absorbing epic fantasy, with clever storytelling that allows its many threads to each feel important, personal, and memorable -- James Islington, author of THE SHADOW OF WHAT WAS LOST\n\n\nA Plague of Giants is a rare masterpiece that's both current and timeless, groundbreaking yet traditional, merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who'll break your heart while reminding you of your humanity. This book truly resonates and will haunt you long after the last page -- Delilah S. Dawson, author of STAR WARS: PHASMA\n\nEpic in scope . . . meticulous in detail and primed in possibilities. A full story in its own right and a superb jumping off point for a new fantasy series, the surface has only been scratched of where it will develop, and the secrets and mysteries yet to be revealed have the potential to grow into something uniquely compelling ―\nSTARBURST\n\nHuman-facing, optimistic, a much-needed reimagining of what epic fantasy can be ―\nChuck Wendig\n\nAn outstanding read and I look forward to continuing the series . . .\nA Plague of Giants is fantastic giant-sized epic fantasy ―\nTHE TATTOOED BOOK GEEK\n\nThere's a great deal of depth to this world, from its deep history, its magic, its characters and how they all come together rather organically . . . Highly Recommended ―\nSFFWorld.com\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nIn the start of a compelling new series, the\nNew York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles creates an unforgettable fantasy world of warring giants and elemental magic\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nKevin Hearne hugs trees, pets doggies, and rocks out to heavy metal. He also thinks tacos are a pretty nifty idea. He is the author of the Seven Kenning series, which starts with\nA Plague of Giants, and the\nNew York Times bestselling series Iron Druid Chronicles.","brand":"Orbit","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39668205879381,"sku":"9780356509594N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/65f64ec5-2659-4baf-a8eb-bf3eb4c59223.jpg?v=1644265524"},{"product_id":"vulture-peak-sonchai-jitpleecheep-5","title":"Vulture Peak (Sonchai Jitpleecheep 5)","description":"Product Description      Nobody knows Bangkok like Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep, and there is no one quite like Sonchai: a police officer who has kept his Buddhist soul intact-more or less-despite the fact that his job shoves him face-to-face with some of the most vile and outrageous crimes and criminals in Bangkok. But for his newest assignment, everything he knows about his city-and himself-will be a mere starting point. He's put in charge of the highest-profile criminal case in Thailand-an attempt to bring an end to trafficking in human organs. He sets in motion a massive sting operation and stays at its center, traveling to Phuket, Hong Kong, Dubai, Shanghai, and Monte Carlo. He draws in a host of unwitting players that includes an aging rock star wearing out his second liver and the mysterious, diabolical, albeit gorgeous co-queenpins of the international body-parts trade: the Chinese twins known as the Vultures. And yet, it's closer to home that Sonchai will discover things getting really dicey: rumors will reach him suggesting that his ex-prostitute wife, Chanya, is having an affair. Will Sonchai be enlightened enough-forget Buddha, think jealous husband-to cope with his very own compromised and compromising world? All will be revealed here, in John Burdett's most mordantly funny, propulsive, fiendishly entertaining novel yet. Praise for John Burdett and his Bangkok novels: 'Cracking East meets West thriller introducing a half-Thai, half-American cop whose Buddhist beliefs are as important as his forensic skills. Terrific' Observer. 'A fantastic new thriller with an avenging Buddhist cop as its central character' Mail on Sunday. 'Read this book, savour the language - it's the last and most compelling word in thrillers' James Ellroy. 'Impeccably researched, this is sometimes poetic, often exotic, and totally hardcore' Daily Mirror. \"Burdett's fever-dream mysteries, set in Bangkok, recast the police procedural as psychedelic peep show.\" The New Yorker. \"Burdett is purely and simply a wonderful writer.\" The Washington Post Book World.      Review      Supremely atmospheric and deeply cynical, Burdett has created Pacific noir in a way that would make Raymond Chandler smile....Don't miss them. --Daily MailJohn Burdett's Bangkok-based series featuring Royal Thai police detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep is one of the genre's great pleasures, and his latest, Vulture Peak is well up to his usual high standard.--Laura Wilson, The GuardianThe fifth in this gaudily sensual Bangkok Series is not for the faint-hearted, as Thai beliefs spark against the shady morality of this global black market with ensuing fireworks.--Financial TimesRedolent-in the most enjoyable way-of crime, violence, corruption and sex, not necessarily in that order. Vulture Peak upholds the high standards set by its predecessors. --Washington PostTime and again, John Burdett breaks the crime-thriller mold. And then reassembles it, piece by piece. His narrative becomes more than the sum of its parts. . . . Thoroughly enjoyable. --New York Journal of BooksRedolent-in the most enjoyable way-of crime, violence, corruption and sex, not necessarily in that order. Vulture Peak upholds the high standards set by its predecessors. --Washington PostTime and again, John Burdett breaks the crime-thriller mold. And then reassembles it, piece by piece. His narrative becomes more than the sum of its parts. . . . Thoroughly enjoyable. --New York Journal of Books      Book Description      The fifth Bangkok novel featuring Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep, the former Buddhist monk.      About the Author      John Burdett was brought up in North London and worked as a lawyer in Hong Kong. To date he has published seven novels, including the Bangkok series: Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo, Bangkok Haunts, The Godfather of Kathmandu, and Vulture Peak.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40042182869077,"sku":"9781472100986N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/393afdf4-bf20-4b0a-8c5b-56f37faa028b.jpg?v=1650622973"},{"product_id":"river-marked-mercy-thompson-book-6","title":"River Marked: Mercy Thompson: Book 6","description":"Review      The best new fantasy series I've read in years -- Kelley ArmstrongI love these books! -- Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling authorIf you are looking for your next series to start, I highly recommend Alpha \u0026amp; Omega. Intense action, heartbreaking moments, sexy romance, and pages filled with sly humor. You can't go wrong with that! -- LOVE AT FIRST PAGEA pulse pounding, action filled climax that had us holding our breath. I totally recommend you to read this series, especially if you enjoy wolf stories, and a great couple. I want more of Charles and Anna -- THE READING CAFEBriggs' heroine Mercy Thompson stands out ...This mixture of monsters, myth, metamorphosis and magic seasoned with travelogue is handled with skill and the necessary conviction ― Telegraph      Product Description      The sixth novel in the international No. 1 bestselling Mercy Thompson series - the major urban fantasy hit of the decade'I love these books!' Charlaine Harris'The best new fantasy series I've read in years' Kelley ArmstrongMERCY THOMPSON: MECHANIC, SHAPESHIFTER, FIGHTERCar mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. And she's never known any others of her kind. Until now. As Mercy comes to terms with this new information, an evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River. Something deadly is coming, facts are thin on the ground and Mercy feels ill at ease. However, her father's people may know more. To have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need all the resources the shifters can offer. Or death will be the least of their worries.A fast-paced adventure featuring the ingenious and appealing Mercy Thompson - mechanic, trouble-magnet and coyote shapeshifter.Praise for the series:'Plenty of twists and turns . . . Kept me entertained from its deceptively innocent beginning to its can't-put-it-down end' Kim Harrison, bestselling author of Dead Witch Walking 'I enjoyed every minute of it. I love Mercy and can't wait for her to kick some more ass' Lilith Saintcrow Books by Patricia Briggs:The Mercy Thompson booksMoon CalledBlood BoundIron KissedBone CrossedSilver BorneRiver MarkedFrost BurnedNight BrokenFire TouchedSilence FallenStorm CursedShifting Shadows (Stories from the world of Mercy Thompson)      Book Description      A fast-paced adventure featuring the ingenious and appealing Mercy Thompson - mechanic, trouble-magnet and coyote shapeshifter.      About the Author      Patricia Briggs graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German. She worked for a while as a substitute teacher but now writes full time. Patricia Briggs lives in the Pacific Northwest.","brand":"Orbit","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40042279436373,"sku":"9781841497976N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/df9f5683-bab6-4241-a8b2-48a2f7aa6731.jpg?v=1650627879"},{"product_id":"the-stranger-in-the-lifeboat-the-uplifting-new-novel-from-the-bestselling-author-of-tuesdays-with-morrie","title":"The Stranger in the Lifeboat: The uplifting new novel from the bestselling author of Tuesdays with Morrie","description":"Review      Master storyteller Mitch Albom is back with his latest novel - a genre-defying page turner that catapults the reader into a tale that is brutal, raw and yet incredibly moving ... a beautifully written, life affirming story of love and loss ― Dundee CourierPraise for Mitch Albom ― -Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary -- Cecelia AhernAlbom has touched the lives of a lot of people he never even knew ― TimeA book with genuine power to stir and comfort its readers ― New York TimesAlbom has the ability to make you cry in spite of yourself ― Boston GlobeBeautiful, heart-breaking, heart-warming ― My WeeklyA writer with soul ― Los Angeles TimesA moving tribute to embracing life ― Glasgow HeraldPainfully sad and beautiful, this is an absolute tearjerker ― Publishers WeeklyA true story that shines and leaves you forever warmed by its afterglow -- Amy TanAn uplifitng, soul searching, tale of tragedy and survival . . . A beautifully told story from three points of view. ― Peterborough Telegraph      Product Description      THE INSTANT NO.1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe stunning new novel from the bestselling author of global phenomenon Tuesdays with Morrie'Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary' Cecelia Ahern____________Adrift in a raft after a terrible shipwreck, ten strangers try to survive while they wait for rescue.After three days, short on water, food and hope, they spot a man floating in the waves.They pull him on board - and the survivor claims he can save them.But should they put their trust in him?Will any of them see home again?And why did the ship really sink?The Stranger in the Lifeboat is not only a deeply moving novel about the power of love and hope in the face of danger, but also a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end.____________What real readers are saying about The Stranger in the Lifeboat: 'Enthralling storytelling as always from this brilliant writer' FIVE STARS 'Just when I thought I had things figured out . . . plot twist. One that was not expected. And another and another and another. Mind. Blown . . . You just just have to read it' FIVE STARS'Albom can always be depended on to not only write a book that is written well and entertaining, but compels the reader to look within themselves and feel something new' FIVE STARS'A very exciting, thrilling and poignant tale of trying to survive against the odds' FIVE STARS      Book Description      An inspirational, moving new novel from the 40 million copy bestselling author of Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven      From the Back Cover      An inspirational, moving new novel from the 40 million copy bestselling author of Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in HeavenThe stunning new novel from the bestselling author of global phenomenon Tuesdays with Morrie Adrift in a raft after a terrible shipwreck, ten strangers struggle to survive while they wait for rescue. After three days, short on water, food and hope, they spot a man floating in the waves. They pull him on board - and the survivor claims he can save them. But should they put their trust in him? Will any of them see home again? And why did the ship really sink? The Stranger in the Lifeboat is not only a deeply moving novel about the power of love and hope in the face of danger, but also a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end. 'Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary' Cecelia Ahern 'He has the ability to make you cry in spite of yourself' Boston Globe 'Albom has touched the lives of a lot of people he never even knew' Time      About the Author      Mitch Albom is an internationally bestselling author, screenwriter, playwright, and award-winning journalist. He is the author of seven consecutive number one New York Times bestsellers and has sold over forty million copies of his books in forty-seven languages worldwide, including Tuesdays with Morrie, which is one of the bestselling memoirs of all time.Albom also works","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40042283630677,"sku":"9780751584530N","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/2dfce53a-e4e4-4c0e-a814-8898c739a9f4.jpg?v=1650627985"},{"product_id":"heartless-the-parasol-protectorate-book-4-book-4-of-the-parasol-protectorate","title":"Heartless: The Parasol Protectorate: Book 4: Book 4 of The Parasol Protectorate","description":"Product Description      Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble in the air is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines - and Alexia barely has time to remember she just happens to be eight months pregnant. Will Alexia be able to figure out who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it's too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And do they really have to take up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?      Review      'A series for female fantasy fans that are looking for a stroke of ingenuity amongst the torrents of fanged fiction' --SciFiNow'Throughout, the plot moved smartly, building to a timely climax, providing many chuckles along the way. HEARTLESS is a cross between Pride and Prejudice and The Importance of Being Earnest with a steampunk setting' --Dark Matter'Carriger's writing remains crisp and witty, and the affectionate banter between Lord and Lady Maccon will please series fans distressed by their long separation in 2010's BLAMELESS' --Publishers Weekly      Book Description      From the delightful, tea-sodden, steampunk-fueled imagination of Gail Carriger comes the further adventures of Alexia Tarabotti and her parasol.      About the Author      Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small-town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning.","brand":"Orbit","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40050590416981,"sku":"9780356500096N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/4b6eebc3-98bb-4151-b027-fca098c22f79.jpg?v=1651065893"},{"product_id":"marked-an-alex-verus-novel-from-the-new-master-of-magical-london","title":"Marked: An Alex Verus Novel from the New Master of Magical London","description":"Product Description\n\n\nAlex Verus is tracking down dangerous magical items unleashed into the world by Dark Mages - however, when the Light Council decide they need his help in negotiating with the perpetrators, Alex must use all his cunning and magic to strike a deal.The ninth novel in the urban fantasy series which began with Fated - the Alex Verus novels are magic-filled fan favourites, perfect for readers of Jim Butcher and Ben Aaronovitch.\n\n\nReview\n\n\nHarry Dresden would like Alex Verus tremendously - and be a little nervous around him. I just added Benedict Jacka to my must-read list -- Jim Butcher\n\nJacka writes a deft thrill-ride of an urban fantasy - a stay-up-all-night read. Alex Verus is a very smart man surviving in a very dangerous world -- Patricia Briggs\n\nLondon's hidden wizardly community spell-blast each other entertainingly in this urban fantasy romp . . . highly enjoyable -- Sun\n\nFilled with tense and compelling writing -- SFX\n\nWhoop-ass excitment from the new master of magical London -- Charles Stross\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe ninth novel in the urban fantasy series which began with\nFated - the Alex Verus novels are magic-filled fan favourites, perfect for readers of Jim Butcher and Ben Aaronovitch\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nBenedict Jacka\n became a writer almost by accident when at nineteen he sat in his school library and started a story in the back of an exercise book. Since then, he has studied philosophy at Cambridge, lived in China and worked as everything from civil servant to bouncer to teacher before returning to London to take up law. Benedict has a website at www.benedictjacka.co.uk and tweets at @BenedictJacka.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40050604277845,"sku":"9780356507217N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/58d5e151-d36c-44e4-8687-a1d81fb41d38.jpg?v=1651065996"},{"product_id":"politically-correct-bedtime-stories-25th-anniversary-edition-with-a-new-story-pinocchio","title":"Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: 25th Anniversary Edition with a new story: Pinocchio","description":"Review      Essential reading for adults of all ages ... the wisest, funniest, most thoughtful thing yet written on the subject of PC ― ObserverOne of those works which cleave an author instantly to your heart ... It is beautiful. It demolishes, in few but elegant words, a dozen kinds of silliness -- Libby Purves ― The TimesHillary and I have been enjoying it ... it's hilarious -- Bill ClintonA nightmarish trifle ... modern tales for our life and times ― Financial TimesThe definitive, non-exploitative, non-patriarchalist (dontcha hate doing that to the kids?) ... collection of bedtime stories ― Daily TelegraphGarner rewrites fairy tales ... into culturally sensitive stories, with all prejudices expunged ― Daily MailTraditional tales carefully re-written to express no opinion at all ― Sunday TimesOnce upon a time there was a man who thought Little Red Riding Hood was a vertically-challenged but resolute young feminist ... So begins the latest version of the ancient fairy tale, brought up to date for the politically-correct Nineties ― Daily ExpressExtremely funny ... After one finishes this collection, 'happily ever after' will never seem quite the same ― Publishers WeeklyFinn Garner isn't a mere writer, he's a virtuoso, a necromancer, a master of the tour de force - a Hans Nonsectarian Andersen for our very own time ... On every page there is a delight ― Washington PostA reworking of familiar tales in non-sexist, non-patriarchal, non-judgmental language ... I did laugh aloud ― Tribune      Product Description      'Essential reading for adults of all ages . . . the wisest, funniest, most thoughtful thing yet written on the subject of PC' ObserverIn this bestselling classic, James Finn Garner has rewritten classic stories for more enlightened times; from Snow White's relationship with seven vertically challenged men, Little Red Riding Hood, her grandma and the cross-dressing wolf who set up an alternative household based on mutual respect and cooperation, to the Emperor who was not naked but was endorsing a clothing-optional lifestyle.At last, here is bedtime reading free from prejudice and discrimination of witches, giants, dwarves, goblins and fairies everywhere. For anyone brought up on sexist, racist, sizeist and ethnocentrist reading matter, James Finn Garner's stories have been purged of the influence of an insensitive cultural past to become fables for our times.      Book Description      A new edition of the bestselling, witty, contemporary parody of traditional fairy tales, now with the story of 'Pinocchio'      About the Author      James Finn Garner was born in Detroit and attended the University of Michigan, where he won a Hopwood Award for one of his short plays. He performed comedy in Chicago nightclubs for a number of years and is the author of Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, Once Upon A More Enlightened Time and Politically Correct Holiday Stories. He lives in Chicago with his wife and children.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40050610045013,"sku":"9781788165136N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/504a146d-3f12-4c52-92ab-01758fd2d0db.jpg?v=1651066025"},{"product_id":"cinderella-goes-to-the-morgue-virago-modern-classics","title":"Cinderella Goes to the Morgue (Virago Modern Classics)","description":"About the Author      Nancy Spain was a novelist, broadcaster and journalist. Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1917, she was the great-niece of the legendary Mrs Beeton. As a columnist for the Daily Express and She magazine, frequent guest on radio's Woman's Hour and panellist on the television programmes What's My Line? and Juke Box Jury, she was one of the most recognisable (and controversial) media personalities of her era. During the Second World War she worked as a driver, and her comic memoir of her time in the WRNS became an immediate bestseller. After the war she began publishing her acclaimed series of detective novels, and would go on to write over twenty books. Spain and her longtime partner, Joan Werner Laurie, were killed when the light aircraft carrying them to the Grand National in 1964 crashed close to the racecourse. Her friend Noel Coward wrote, 'It is cruel that all that gaiety, intelligence and vitality should be snuffed out when so many bores and horrors are left living.'Sandi Toksvig went into theatre as a writer and performer after graduating from Cambridge. Well known for her television and radio work as a presenter, writer and actor, she has written more than twenty books for children and adults. She also writes for theatre and television: her film The Man starred Stephen Fry and Zoe Wanamaker and her play Bully Boy starring Anthony Andrews opened the St James Theatre, London in 2012. She was Chancellor of Portsmouth University from 2012 to 2017. In 2016 Sandi took over as chair on QI, and in 2017 she started presenting The Great British Bake Off. She lives in London and Kent.      Product Description      'Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal' Sandi ToksvigWhen Prince Charming is murdered and the principal dancer hits the bottle, amateur sleuths Miriam Birdseye and Natasha Nevkorina come to the rescue. Sacrificing their Christmas plans for the sake of art and detecting, they join the pantomime. As ex-thespians, they know the show must go on - though the cast shrinks with each rehearsal. Can the indomitable detective duo discover the murderer before the final curtain falls?Fast paced and festive, this comic crime classic from Nancy Spain will keep you on the edge of your seat.      Review      Her detective novels are hilarious. They are high camp and less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal -- Sandi ToksvigAn either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of her writing are quite her own -- Elizabeth Bowen      Book Description      A fast-moving, Christmas crime caper from Nancy Spain. With a delightful new introduction from Sandi Toksvig - 'Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase'      From the Back Cover      Introduced by Sandi Toksvig'Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal' Sandi ToksvigWhen Prince Charming is murdered and the principal dancer hits the bottle, amateur sleuths Miriam Birdseye and Natasha Nevkorina come to the rescue. Sacrificing their Christmas plans for the sake of art and detecting, they join the pantomime. As ex-thespians, they know the show must go on - though the cast shrinks with each rehearsal. Can the indomitable detective duo discover the murderer before the final curtain falls? Fast paced and festive, this comic crime classic from Nancy Spain will keep yo","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40053693415509,"sku":"9780349014005N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/a2c5d8ae-5f80-476f-b4a5-3993cea25892.jpg?v=1651250451"},{"product_id":"splinters-of-sunshine","title":"Splinters of Sunshine","description":"Product Description      \nFrom the multi-award-winning author of Orangeboy, comes a YA road-trip mystery.I pick up the envelope . . . As I rip down the sides, there's loads of paper bursting out; stuck on flowers, dandelions, roses . . .Spey recently received two surprises. The first: his ex-prisoner dad turning up unannounced, and the second: a mysterious package containing torn-up paper flowers. Spey instantly recognises it as a collage he made with his old friend Dee, and decides she must be in danger, but there are no clues to her whereabouts. There's only one person he knows who can help to track her down . . . On a road trip like no other, will Spey and his dad find Dee, before it's too late?\n      Book Description      \nFrom the multi-award-winning author of \nOrangeboy\n, comes a YA road-trip mystery. Spey's friend Dee has \ndisappeared\n off-grid. He has an idea of where she might be, but is he willing to accept help from his estranged father to track her down? \n      About the Author      \nPatrice Lawrence was born in Brighton and brought up in an Italian-Trinidadian household in Mid Sussex. This meant great holidays and even better food. Her first novel,\nOrangeboy, won the Waterstones Book Prize for Older Readers and the Bookseller YA Book Prize. Her second novel,\nIndigo Donut, and her fourth novel,\nEight Pieces of Silva won the Crimefest Award for young adults.\nEight Pieces of Silva was also awarded the inaugural Jhalak Prize for children and young people and the Woman \u0026amp; Home Bookclub Teen Drama of the Year. Patrice's ideal mixtape includes drum 'n' bass, Bruce Springsteen and Studio Ghibli soundtracks. Music can't help creeping into her books.","brand":"Hodder Children's Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40056115527765,"sku":"9781444954777N","price":4.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/c9bef9d5-2b87-470f-891d-5944b064dabb.jpg?v=1651491123"},{"product_id":"the-case-of-the-duplicate-daughter-a-perry-mason-novel-murder-room","title":"The Case of the Duplicate Daughter: A Perry Mason novel (Murder Room)","description":"Review      The bestselling author of the century ... a master storyteller ― NEW YORK TIMESFor fans of classic hard-boiled whodunits, this is a time machine back to an exuberant era of snappy patter, stakeouts, and double-crosses ― LA TIMESKingpin among the mystery writers ― NEW YORK TIMESWith Perry Mason, Erle Stanley Gardner introduced to American letters the notion of the lawyer as a hero - and a detective - which were remarkable innovations. He even gave defence lawyers a good name to boot. His Mason books remain tantalising on every page and brilliant -- Scott Turow, author of Presumed Innocent and TestimonyAmazing originality ― NEW YORK TIMESNo one has ever matched Gardner for swift, sure exposition ― KIRKUSGardner has a way of moving the story forward that is almost a lost art: great stretches of dialogue alternate with lively chunks of exposition, and the two work together perfectly, without sacrificing momentum ― BOOKLISTMillions of Americans never seem to tire of Gardner's thrillers ― NEW YORK TIMES      Product Description      'For fans of classic hard-boiled whodunits, this is a time machine back to an exuberant era of snappy patter, stakeouts, and double-crosses' LA Times 'Kingpin among the mystery writers' New York TimesMuriell Gilman left her father at the breakfast table while she cooked seconds of sausage and eggs. When she returned, he had disappeared. She searched the house from cellar to attic. Then she went out to the workshop . . . there, scattered on the floor, were hundred-dollar bills, an overturned chair, and a spreading, crimson stain. That's when she telephoned Perry Mason.Perry Mason has so many questions: why did she call him? Why didn't she want her step-sister to talk to him? And why was Gillman's wife being blackmailed - by a female private investigator . . . ?      Book Description      'The bestselling author of the century ... a master storyteller' New York TimesPerry Mason - a major new TV series      About the Author      Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Erle Stanley Gardner (1889-1970) left school in 1909 and attended Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana for just one month before he was suspended for focusing more on his hobby of boxing than his academic studies. Soon after, he settled in California, where he taught himself the law and passed the state bar exam in 1911. The practise of law never held much interest for him, however, apart from as it pertained to trial strategy, and in his spare time he began to write for the pulp magazines that gave Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler their start. Not long after the publication of his first novel, The Case of the Velvet Claws, featuring Perry Mason, he gave up his legal practice to write full time. He had one daughter, Grace, with his first wife, Natalie, from whom he later separated. In 1968 Gardner married his long-term secretary, Agnes Jean Bethell, whom he professed to be the real 'Della Street', Perry Mason's sole (although unacknowledged) love interest. He was one of the most successful authors of all time and at the time of his death, in Temecula, California in 1970, is said to have had 135 million copies of his books in print in America alone.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40056116543573,"sku":"9781471920875N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/39ee3796-16da-4a7e-a9f0-312f828beb5a.jpg?v=1651491160"},{"product_id":"the-quicksilver-court-rooks-and-ruin-rooks-and-ruin-book-two","title":"The Quicksilver Court (Rooks and Ruin): Rooks and Ruin, Book Two","description":"Review      Caruso is a terrific writer who weaves fascinating and intricate fantasy tales -- GRIMDARK MAGAZINEThis is a truly ex­cellent fantasy, and an epic beginning for a new trilogy. I can't wait to see what [Caruso] does next -- LOCUS on THE OBSIDIAN TOWERWith this novel, Melissa Caruso solidifies herself as one of my favourite authors. The Obsidian Tower is a masterpiece of character driven fantasy . . . I was enthralled from the first page -- FANTASY BOOK REVIEW on THE OBSIDIAN TOWERCaruso's world-building is brilliant and complex -- LIBRARY JOURNALBlock out time to binge this can't-stop story filled with danger and unexpected disaster . . . The Obsidian Tower is a must-read for lovers of high fantasy -- C. L. Polk, World Fantasy Award-winning author of WITCHMARKA classic, breathtaking adventure brim-full of dangerous magic and clever politics. This is a book that will thrill and delight any fantasy fan -- Tasha Suri on THE OBSIDIAN TOWER      Product Description      The Quicksilver Court continues the wildly original epic fantasy series bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic that began with The Obsidian Tower.Ryxander has failed. Unsealed by her blood, the Door hidden within the black tower of Gloamingard has opened. Now, for the first time since the age of the Graces, demons walk the world.As tensions grow between nations, all eyes-and daggers-are set on Morgrain, which has fallen under the Demon of Discord's control. When an artefact with the power to wipe out all life in a domain is stolen, Ryx will do whatever it takes to save her home from destruction. But success may demand a larger sacrifice from Ryx than she could have imagined.Praise for Melissa Caruso'Caruso is a terrific writer who weaves fascinating and intricate fantasy tales' Grimdark Magazine'With this novel, Melissa Caruso solidifies herself as one of my favourite authors. The Obsidian Tower is a masterpiece of character-driven fantasy . . . I was enthralled from the first page' Fantasy Book Review'This is a truly ex­cellent fantasy and an epic beginning for a new trilogy. I can't wait to see what [Caruso] does next' Locus      Book Description      Following The Obsidian Tower, The Quicksilver Court is the thrilling second instalment in an epic fantasy series bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties and dangerous magic       About the Author      Melissa Caruso was born on the summer solstice and went to school in an old mansion with a secret door, but despite this auspicious beginning has yet to develop any known superpowers. She has spent her whole life creating imaginary worlds, and in addition to writing is also an avid larper and tabletop gamer. Melissa graduated with honours in creative writing from Brown University and has an MFA in fiction from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her first novel, The Tethered Mage, was shortlisted for a Gemmell Morningstar award for best fantasy debut. Melissa lives in Massachusetts with her video game designer husband, two magical daughters and assorted pets. You can find her on Twitter, where she posts about writing, tea and sword-fighting in ballgowns.","brand":"orbit","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40056120180821,"sku":"9780356513201N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/791098d1-46ce-4447-bda4-8b832a0e9999.jpg?v=1651491628"},{"product_id":"the-splinter-king-the-god-king-chronicles-book-2","title":"The Splinter King: The God-King Chronicles, Book 2","description":"Book Description      The second volume in the God-King Chronicles, The Splinter King is the sequel to The Black Coast, and tells an epic fantasy tale of gods and thieves, of kings and assassins, of dragons and the warriors who ride them into battle . . .      Product Description      THE WORLD FRACTURES AS A DEAD GOD RISES . . .Darel, dragon knight and the new leader of Black Keep, must travel to the palace of the God-King to beg for the lives of his people. But in the capital of Narida, Marin and his warrior husband will be drawn into a palace coup, and Princess Tila will resort to murder to keep her hold on power.In the far reaches of the kingdom an heir in exile is hunted by assassins, rumours of a rival God-King abound, and daemonic forces from across the seas draw ever nearer...A saga of truly epic proportions, The Splinter King is the captivating sequel to Mike Brooks' The Black Coast. A spectacular adventure featuring a large cast of dragon riders, royalty, knights and deities, this new series is an unmissable treat for any fantasy reader.      About the Author      Mike Brooks was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and now lives in Nottingham with his wife, cats, snakes, and a collection of tropical fish. He worked for a homelessness charity for over fifteen years, before deciding that he preferred making up stories for a living. When not writing, he plays guitar with his punk band and DJs wherever anyone will tolerate him. He is the author of three science fiction novels, Dark Run, Dark Sky and Dark Deeds, and various works for Games Workshop's Black Library.","brand":"Orbit","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40056120311893,"sku":"9780356513928N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/97aa74a4-19ba-4ef8-940c-72f98ce56025.jpg?v=1651491636"},{"product_id":"we-cry-for-blood-the-reborn-empire-book-three","title":"We Cry for Blood: The Reborn Empire, Book Three","description":"Review      SPECTACULAR . . . I was hooked from page one and there is truly not enough time in the day to have read this one as quickly as I would have liked to. Great characters, twisty plots, cool fight scenes that are like a complicated song and dance, and an interesting world of different cultures clashing. The last quarter of this book was a ride. I cannot wait to see how this series ends. Devin Madson has created such a wonderful and evocative world -- SUPERSTARDRIFERSet in an Asian-inspired world with echoes of ancient China and the Mongol Empire, this is a tale that hits all the right spots. Imaginative world-building, a pace that builds perfectly to a heart-pounding finale and captivating, believable characters. There's a lot to love here. Highly recommended -- John Gwynne on WE RIDE THE STORMA complex tale of war, politics and lust for power -- GUARDIAN on WE RIDE THE STORMMadson has crafted a complex and immersive story that catapults the reader through a gripping series of adventures and doesn't let go until the final electrifying pagesI loved this book so much it's almost ridiculous . . . We Ride the Storm is dark fantasy done right. There's a lot going on and it never stops. It's also beautiful and deep, with characters that jump off the page -- BOOKWORM BLUES on WE RIDE THE STORMA visceral, intriguing, intense and emotionally charged ride. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us and eagerly await its arrival. I'd strongly recommend thisbloody and boldtale to fans of Mark Lawrence [and] George R. R. MartinBreathtakingly triumphant . . . it has become one of my favourite books of all time . . . a gripping, evocative hurricane of emotions that constantly took my breath away -- NOVEL NOTIONS on WE RIDE THE STORMBreathtakingly triumphant . . . it has become one of my favourite books of all time . . . a gripping, evocative hurricane of emotions that constantly took my breath awayA visceral, intriguing, intense and emotionally charged ride. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us and eagerly await its arrival. I'd strongly recommend this bloody and bold tale to fans of Mark Lawrence [and] George R. R. Martin -- GRIMDARK MAGAZINE on WE RIDE THE STORMI loved this book so much it's almost ridiculous . . . We Ride the Storm is dark fantasy done right. There's a lot going on and it never stops. It's also beautiful and deep, with characters that jump off the page. This book really surprised me. I expected to like it. I didn't expect to love itMadson is an exciting new author in fantasy -- Mark LawrenceBuckle your seatbelts and prepare for a hell of a rideI loved this book! A lotIntricate, compelling and vividly imagined, this is the first in a new series that I am hugely excited about. Visceral battles, complex politics and fascinating worldbuilding bring Devin's words to lifeI loved this book . . . It is-hands down-one of thebest self-published books I've ever read      Product Description      The empire has fallen and another rises in its place in the action-packed continuation of Devin Madson's sweeping epic fantasy quartet.Ambition and schemes have left the Kisian Empire in ashes. Empress Miko Ts'ai will have to move fast if she hopes to secure a foothold in its ruins. However, the line between enemies and allies may not be as clear-cut as they first appeared. After failing to win back his Swords, former Captain Rah e'Torin finds shelter among the Levanti deserters. But his presence in the camp threatens to fracture the group, putting him on a collision course with their enigmatic leader. Assassin Cassandra Marius knows Leo Villius's secret-one that could thwart his ambitions to conquer Kisia. But her time in Empress Hana's body is running out and each attempt they make to exploit Leo's weakness may be playing into his plans. And, as Leo's control over the Levanti emperor grows, Dishiva is caught in his web. To successfully challenge him, she'll have to decide how many of her people are worth sacrifi","brand":"Orbit","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40056122245205,"sku":"9780356514116N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/44b7cd06-294c-462c-8b19-3114c4ba6ef3.jpg?v=1651491788"},{"product_id":"bloodsucking-fiends-book-1-love-story-series","title":"Bloodsucking Fiends: Book 1: Love Story Series","description":"Product Description\n\n\nJody never asked to become a vampire. But when she wakes up under an alley Dumpster with a badly burned arm, an aching neck, superhuman strength, and a distinctly Nosferatuan thirst, she realises the decision has been made for her. Making the transition from the nine-to-five grind to an eternity of nocturnal prowlings is going to take some doing, however, and that's where C. Thomas Flood fits in. A would-be Kerouac from Incontinence, Indiana, Tommy (to his friends) is biding his time night-clerking and frozen turkey bowling in a San Francisco Safeway. But all that changes when a beautiful, undead redhead walks through the door ... and proceeds to rock Tommy's life - and afterlife - in ways he never imagined possible.\n\n\nReview\n\n\nIn a genre filled with cosy vampires and caring werewolves, Moore stands alone. Not only does his fiction reference Kerouac and Stoker rather than Buffy, but he also comes with plaudits from Carl Hiaasen, a man who knows more than most about mixing absurdity with seriousness and hiding political fury under running gags and slick dialogue. Like Hiaasen, Moore has another advantage: he can really write. ―\nThe Guardian\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nSink your teeth into Christopher Moore's hilarious new comic novel - a fiendishly clever modern-day tale of vampires and turkey bowling.\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nChristopher Moore was born in Ohio and lived there until he was nineteen, when he moved to California. Before publishing his first novel, Practical Demonkeeping, in 1992, he worked as a roofer, a grocery clerk, a hotel night auditor, and insurance broker, a waiter, a photographer, and a rock and roll DJ. Chris divides his time between Hawaii and San Francisco.","brand":"smeikalbooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40106101342293,"sku":"9781841497228N","price":5.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/4bf7dbba-313f-493e-98d9-5783a605c6f8.jpg?v=1654098775"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/collections\/01_Col_Reference.png?v=1725040640","url":"https:\/\/smeikalbooks.co.uk\/en-us\/collections\/reference-information-interdisciplinary-studies.oembed","provider":"smeikalbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}