Meet MacKenzie Bly, as he navigates the trials of life while struggling with the vexed issue of being a teenage boy. Perfect for fans of Sue Townsend.'MacKenzie Bly is the Adrian Mole of our times… A work of comic genius' India Knight'Loved it, so many laugh out loud scenes... a joyous escape from this messed up world' Clare ChambersI am fourteen years old and I’m called MacKenzie Bly. It’s a good name, isn’t it? Unf...

The secrets of a woman and her adopted son struggling to survive the London Blitz are about to be exposed in this "darkly comic" ( Booklist ) novel.It's late 1944. Hitler's rockets are raining down on London with vicious regularity and it's the coldest winter in living memory. The Allies are gaining ground, but victory is certainly dragging its feet.In a large house next to Hampstead Heath, Vee Sedge is barely scra...

Ed and his sister Roo are faced with the most boring half-term holiday in history: five days spent in the company of their elderly neighbour Miss Filey, and her ancient, smelly cat. But when they find a box of birthday candles in a cupboard in Miss Filey's house, their world is changed completely. These are no ordinary candles, every single one of them comes with a wish.There's only one problem: some of those wishes actually belong to someone else . . .

From the acclaimed author of Crooked Heart comes another "smart, funny, ingenious, revealing tale of London life during the Second World War" ( The Independent).It is 1940. France has fallen, and only a narrow strip of sea lies between Great Britain and invasion. Now is the time when everyone must do their part. Young copywriter Catrin Cole is drafted into the Ministry of Information to help "write women" into propaganda films—something that the me...

Stuart Horten, ten years old and small for his age, is about to have the strangest ADVENTURE of his life.After moving to the boring town of Beeton, he finds himself swept up in an INCREDIBLE QUEST to find his great-uncle's lost legacy: a magician's workshop stuffed with trickery and MAGIC. There are clues to follow, unbearable neighbours to avoid and PUZZLES to solve, but what starts as FUN ends up as DANGER, and Stuart begins to realise that he can't finish the task on his own . ....

'A book to be treasured and returned to again and again' The Independent'Funny, moving and utterly life-enhancing' Daily Mail___SHORTLISTED FOR HWA Crown Awards 2021It's late 1944. Hitler's rockets are slamming down on London with vicious regularity and it's the coldest winter in living memory. Allied victory is on its way, but it's bloody well dragging its feet.In a ...

"A wonderfully old-fashioned Dickensian novel . . . both darkly funny and deeply touching" from the bestselling author of Old Baggage ( The New York Times Book Review).When Noel Bostock—aged ten, no family—is evacuated from London to escape the Nazi bombardment during World War II, he lands in a suburb northwest of the city with Vera Sedge—a thirty-six-year old widow drowning in debts and dependents. Always desperate for money, she's unsc...

You're called Fidge and you're nearly eleven. You've been hurled into a strange world. You have three companions: two are unbelievably weird and the third is your awful cousin Graham. You have to solve a series of nearly impossible clues. You need to deal with a cruel dictator and three thousand Wimbley Woos (yes, you read that sentence correctly).And the whole situation - the whole, entire thing - is your fault.Wed Wabbit is an adventure story about friendship, danger and the terror of ne...

#1 UK Bestseller. "A thoughtful, funny, companionable novel . . . executed with verve" from the bestselling author of Their Finest and Crooked Heart ( The London Times).1928. Riffling through a cupboard, Matilda Simpkin comes across a small wooden club—an old possession that she hasn't seen for more than a decade. Immediately, memories come flooding back to Mattie—memories of a thrilling past, which only further serve to remind her of her ...

A nostalgic, warm-hearted memoir from one of the producers of the cult-hit TV show Father Ted.'What a treat - it brought the whole experience flooding back. A feast for fans of the show or indeed anyone interested in the creative chaos of making television' Graham NortonThree decades after it first appeared on screen, Father Ted is still cherished, quoted and endlessly re-watched. Its beloved main characters, unforgettable...

**A nostalgic, warm-hearted memoir from one of the producers of the cult-hit TV show Father Ted.'What a treat - it brought the whole experience flooding back. A feast for fans of the show or indeed anyone interested in the creative chaos of making television'** Graham NortonThree decades after it first appeared on screen, Father Ted is still cherished, quoted and endlessly re-watched. Its beloved main characters, unforgettable lines and extraordinary visua...

Discover the heartwarmingly witty new historical novel about changing (sometimes reluctantly) with the times in the aftermath of WW2, perfect for fans of Maggie O'Farrell and Rachel Joyce.‘A deeply pleasurable postwar tale' Guardian'Generous, touching and romantic' Clare Chambers‘One of our finest writers of literary entertainment’ Spectator'Sometimes books that are th...