'Excellently lean and tense crime novel with a touch of the nouveau roman about it' Ian Rankin'Mason has been mainlining Simenon for a while, and it shows' Mick Herron'The very definition of unputdownable' David Peace'It's like the provincial British version of Maigret' Clare ChambersThe people I work with call me 'Finder'. I'm a specialist, a finder of missing peop...

'Mason has been mainlining Simenon for a while, and it shows' Mick Herron'The very definition of unputdownable' David Peace'It's like the provincial British version of Maigret' Clare ChambersBournemouth 2008, the height of the financial crash. Don Bayliss, a timid and well-mannered accountant, vanishes after leaving his office before a scheduled meeting. His wife is both perplexed and distraught. His ...

'The very definition of unputdownable' David Peace'Mason packs more into 200 pages than many writers do at twice the length' Sunday TimesIn the first months of 2020 there was a spate of murders of Black sex workers in northern cities. One of them was Ella Bailey, last seen talking to a punter in an alley in Sheffield city centre, and although no trace of her was ever found, the punter, Michael Godley, soon confessed to all three mur...

Warm, entertaining, and above all thought-provoking, Daemon Voices provides a remarkable insight into the mind of one of our greatest writers. He explains which storytellers have meant the most to him, including William Blake and John Milton, why their work has resonated with him, and how it has inspired his own thinking.In over 30 essays, written over 20 years, Philip Pullman reveals the narratives that have shaped his vision, his experience of writing, and the keys to mastering the art o...

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.This book uncovers the hidden chapters of American history, shedding light on the extraordinary tales that have shaped the nation. From the resilience of unsung heroes to the intricacies of historical events, this comprehensive account unveils the untold narratives that have long been overlooked.The book delves into the struggles of marginalized communities, revealing their enduring spirit and contributions to the American tapestry. It ...

'This is absolutely first class' Stephen Fry'Simon Mason has created crime fiction's most entertaining double act in decades' Mick Herron'Move over Morse' Val McDermid'My favourite UK series' M W CravenOn a warm and pleasant evening in Oxford, gentle city of poets and scholars, rioters outside a hotel full of asylum seekers set a young refugee on fire. The city - the country - convulses in shoc...

**CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF RYAN AND RAY? BUY THE LATEST BOOK, THE DANGEROUS STRANGER, NOW**DEEP DECEPTION. TWISTED FATE.'Move over morse' Val McDermid 'A superb series' Sunday TimesThames Valley has a new Superintendent - DCS Wainwright - young, charismatic and ruthless, charged with pushing through big reforms. Her in-tray is full of problems - and at the top of the pile is the problem of Wilki...

A Guardian best crime and thriller book of 2024'Mason has been mainlining Simenon for a while, and it shows' Mick Herron'The very definition of unputdownable' David Peace'It's like the provincial British version of Maigret' Clare ChambersBournemouth 2008, the height of the financial crash. Don Bayliss, a timid and well-mannered accountant, vanishes after leaving his office before a sc...

Lord Lyon of Normandy had saved William the Conqueror from certain death on the battlefield, yet neither his strength nor his skill could defend him against the defiant beauty the king chose for his wife.Ariana of Cragmere lost her lands and her virtue to the mighty warrior, but the willful beauty swore never to surrender her heart.Saxon countess and Norman knight, Ariana and Lyon were born enemies. And in a land rent asunder by bloody wars and shifting loyalties, they were...

Thoroughly revised and expanded for a new generation of readers, this classic guide to enjoying literature to its fullest—a lively, enlightening, and entertaining introduction to a diverse range of writing and literary devices that enrich these works, including symbols, themes, and contexts—teaches you how to make your everyday reading experience richer and more rewarding.While books can be enjoyed for their basic stories, there are often deeper literary meanings beneath the surfac...

This remarkable and monumental book at last provides a comprehensive answer to the age-old riddle of whether there are only a small number of 'basic stories' in the world. Using a wealth of examples, from ancient myths and folk tales via the plays and novels of great literature to the popular movies and TV soap operas of today, it shows that there are seven archetypal themes which recur throughout every kind of storytelling.But this is only the prelude to an investigation into how ...

Never has contemporary fiction been more widely discussed and passionately analysed; recent years have seen a huge growth in the number of reading groups and in the interest of a non-academic readership in the discussion of how novels work. Drawing on his weekly Guardian column, 'Elements of Fiction', John Mullan examines novels mostly of the last ten years, many of which have become firm favourites with reading groups. He reveals the rich resources of novelistic technique, settingrecent f...