AS SEEN ON BARACK OBAMA'S 2021 SUMMER READING LIST'THE MOST ENJOYABLE HARD SF I HAVE READ IN YEARS' THE GUARDIANOUT NOW from the bestselling author of THE MARTIAN'Weir's finest work to date. . . This is the one book I read last year that I am certain I can recommend to anyone, no matter who, and know they'll love it.' BRANDON SANDERSON'If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you. . . This one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love.' GEORGE R.R. MARTIN'Brilliantly funny and enjoyable. One of the most plausible science fiction books I've ever read' TIM PEAKE, astronaut________________________________________A lone astronaut.An impossible mission.An ally he never imagined.Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it's up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery-and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he's got to do it all alone.Or does he?An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could imagine it, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian -- while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.________________________________________'One of the most original, compelling, and fun voyages I've ever taken.' ERNEST CLINE, author of Ready Player One and Ready Player Two'Undisputedly the best book I've read in a very, very long time. Mark my words: Project Hail Mary is destined to become a classic.' BLAKE CROUCH'Andy Weir's brilliant Project Hail Mary...is one of those stirring sci-fi novels about every government on Earth banding together, through science, to save civilisation from collapse. I loved it.' THE TIMES'A suspenseful portrait of human ingenuity and resilience [that] builds to an unexpectedly moving ending. A winner.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'Weir returns with gusto . . . his writing flows naturally, and his characters and dialogue crackle with energy. With this novel, he takes his place as a genuine star in the mainstream SF world.' BOOKLIST.. Read more

The sweeping love story of the year that everyone is talking about! Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Dani Atkins and Jojo Moyes.Liv is given the chance to live one life-changing week over, but can she change her future...? And does she want to?When Liv’s boyfriend Kit disappeared on a hike, seven years earlier, she thought her life was over. But with the help of their family and friends, she’s pushed her way through the grief, and now, miraculously, she's found a way to love again.Until the morning of her wedding, when Liv steps through a doorway, and finds herself, somehow, back at the flat she shared with Kit: seven years earlier, six days before he left. Now, Liv has a chance to live those six days over, and change everything. If she gets this right, she can find out why Kit leaves and stop him.But can she save him? And if she does, how will she choose, between the man she loved then, and the one she loves now?'My favourite read of the year, all the stars!' Josie SilverReaders are falling in love with The One Before The One:‘This book read like a Taylor Jenkins Reed book in the best possible way! It was unique and surprising and I could not put it down! I loved every minute of this book.’ – Reader review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'THIS BOOK. WOW. It's been a while since I've read something this good, and I mean it. This story felt completely new and refreshing, with its own unique twist on love, loss, and second chances.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review‘I was hooked from the start and if I could give this one 10 stars I would. I loved the multiple POVs, the mystery aspect and how it touched my heart. It's a tearjerker! It is amazing.’ – Reader review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‘This book is by far my new favorite books of all time!’ – Reader review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'A genius premise with a bit of time travel thrown in for good measure and the writing is to die for. All the stars.' Laura Pearson, bestselling author of The Last List of Mabel Beaumont''A wonderfully original love story that oozes intrigue and suspense - Emma Cooper just went straight to my "must read” list.’ Shari Low'A masterpiece of pace and emotion. This story grips your heart and doesn’t let go until the last page.' Sam Tonge'I absolutely adored this beautiful book. A clever premise, wonderful characters and a story that had me hooked from the very first page!' Clare Swatman'I completely lost myself in this poignant, witty and wise novel. A beautiful take on the idea of first and lost loves.' Holly Seddon'THIS BOOK. WOW. It's been a while since I've read something this good, and I mean it. This story felt completely new and refreshing, with its own unique twist on love, loss, and second chances.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review‘This was one of my favorite reads of 2024! I absolutely enjoyed every second.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review‘A true masterpiece in split-time storytelling. It’s unique, heart-wrenching, and filled with suspense, making it an unforgettable read. Highly recommended for fans of emotional, character-driven stories that keep you on the edge of your seat!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review‘I absolutely loved this book, sat up reading it until dawn as I was so enraptured with the story and the characters, I couldn’t bear to put it down.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review‘Wow what can I say another brilliant read from this fabulous author who has the capability to tear your heart into about a million pieces and put it back together again.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review Read more

Soon to be a major motion picture by Academy Award-winning director Bong Joon-Ho.Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal— the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. Mickey signed on to escape from both bad debts and boredom on Midgard.After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.When he goes missing and is presumed dead at the hands of deadly indigenous creatures, Mickey8 reports for duty, and their troubles really begin. Read more

'Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James' TELEGRAPHBOUND BY BLOOD.TEMPTED BY DESIRE.UNLEASHED BY DESTINY.Bryce Quinlan loves her life. Every night is a party, and Bryce is going to savour all the pleasures Lunathion - also known as Crescent City - has to offer. But when a brutal murder shakes the very foundations of the city, Bryce's world comes crashing down.Two years later, Bryce still haunts the city's most notorious nightclubs - but seeking only oblivion now. Then the murderer attacks again. And when an infamous Fallen angel, Hunt Athalar, is assigned to watch her every footstep, Bryce knows she can't forget any longer.As Bryce and Hunt fight to unravel the mystery and their own dark pasts, the threads they tug ripple through the underbelly of the city, across warring continents and down to the deepest levels of Hel, where things that have been sleeping for millennia are beginning to stir ...Perfect for fans of Jessica Jones and True Blood, this is a blockbuster modern fantasy set in a divided world where one woman must uncover the truth to seek her revenge.With unforgettable characters and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom - and the power of love. Read more

Discover the haunting, heart-breaking post-apocalyptic tale of female friendship and intimacy set in a deserted world.Deep underground, thirty-nine women are kept in isolation in a cage. Above ground, a world awaits. Has it been abandoned? Devastated by a virus?Watched over by guards, the women have no memory of how they got there, no notion of time, and only vague recollection of their lives before. But, as the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl - the fortieth prisoner - sits alone an outcast in the corner.Soon she will show herself to be the key to the others' escape and survival in the strange world that awaits them above ground. The woman who will never know men.WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY SOPHIE MACKINTOSH, BOOKER PRIZE-LONGLISTED AUTHOR OF THE WATER CURE Read more

THE NEW THRILLER FROM THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER1190 - Humble layman Will Bowman lives in the countryside with his pregnant wife, when soldiers from Richard Lionheart's army tear through his home. Will is beaten unconscious, and awakes to find his wife murdered, his farm burnt down, and his life forever changed. In vengeance, Will infiltrates Richard's army to find the marauding gang, and finds himself swept along in the march of the Crusades. With the help of new allies and fuelled by his loss, Will crosses Europe with the King's army.Can Will avenge his wife? Or will he be swept away by the unstoppable force of Richard's Crusade? Read more

⭐ The sensational Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller, longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction ⭐'The hit of the year'GuardianA civil servant is offered a lucrative job in a mysterious new government ministry gathering 'expats' from across history to test whether time-travel is feasible. Her role is to work as a 'bridge': living with, supporting and monitoring expat '1847' - Commander Graham Gore, a former Victorian polar explorer. Gore, an adventurer by trade, soon adjusts to this bizarre new world of washing machines, feminism and Spotify; and during a long, sultry summer the pair move from awkwardness to friendship to something more.But as the true shape of the project that brought them together begins to emerge, Gore and the bridge are forced to confront their past choices and imagined futures. Can love triumph over the histories that have shaped them? And how do you defy that history when it is living in your house?'Addictive'Independent'Crack this book open and you'll see how time can disappear'Financial Times'Readers, I envy you: there's a smart, witty novel in your future'Washington Post⭐ A Barack Obama reading pick⭐ Shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize⭐ Shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction⭐ Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award⭐ Shortlisted for the Climate Fiction Prize⭐ Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction⭐ Longlisted for the Jhalak Prize⭐ Longlisted for a British Book Award⭐ One of the 18 best novels of the year for the Sunday Times⭐ A book of the year for: New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Spectator, Red, NPR, Vanity Fair, People, Slate, Advocate, Sydney Morning Herald, Globe and Mail, Den of Geek, Good Housekeeping, Goodreads, NetGalley and Smithsonian Magazine*** This book has been printed with four different colour cover designs, available for limited time only. Colours will be assigned at random when your order is despatched. *** Read more

Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James' TELEGRAPHTHE DEADLIEST POWER.THE FIERCEST PASSION.THE CRUELLEST FATE.The #1 Sunday Times bestseller and sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller. Sarah J. Maas's sexy, groundbreaking CRESCENT CITY series continues with this second instalment.Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar have made a pact. As they process the events of the Spring they will keep things platonic until Winter Solstice. But can they resist when the crackling tension between them is enough to set the whole of Crescent City aflame?And they are not out of danger yet. Dragged into a rebel movement they want no part of, Bryce, Hunt and their friends find themselves pitted against the terrifying Asteri - whose notice they must avoid at all costs. But as they learn more about the rebel cause, they face a choice: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight. And they've never been very good at staying silent.In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode - and the people who will do anything to save it. Read more

'Seldom is a book as funny, important and timely … I was laughing out loud at the same time as my blood was running cold' JOHN CLEESE ‘Viciously funny… an exhilarating satire’ THE TIMES'Merciless… a welcome distraction' ECONOMIST, Best Books of 2024What if calling someone stupid was illegal?In a reality not too distant from our own, the worst thing you can call someone is 'stupid'.Everyone is equally clever, and discrimination based on intelligence is 'the last great civil rights fight'. Exams and grades are discarded and you don't need a qualification to be a doctor.When best friends Pearson and Emory find themselves on opposing sides of this new culture war, their relationship begins to fracture. And soon, Pearson’s determination to cling onto the 'old, bigoted way of thinking' begins to endanger her job, her safety and even her family…Hilarious, deadpan and scathing, MANIA is a frighteningly plausible glimpse into what the world could become – or is already – from the pen of a master storyteller. Read more

"One of the best apocalyptic series of the year! Unputdownable!" -Book RiotIn the dead of winter, an EMP attack destroys the U.S. power grid.No electricity. No cars or phones. The country is plunged into instant chaos.But for Hannah Sheridan, it's the best day of her life. For the last five years, she's been the captive of a sadistic psychopath--until the EMP releases the lock of her prison.Battered but not broken, she emerges from her underground cell into a hostile winter wilderness with nothing but the clothes on her back and her determination to survive.Reclusive Special Forces soldier Liam Coleman is headed nowhere fast. He believed he was prepared for any disaster. Then everything he cared about was taken from him in a matter of seconds.Two hundred frozen, perilous miles stand between Hannah and Liam and their destination in rural Michigan.But the killing cold isn't the only threat, for Hannah's captor isn't about to let her go...When the country goes dark, ordinary people find themselves facing the end of the world as they know it. With society collapsing before their eyes, they'll have to risk everything to protect their home and the people they love.From USA Today Bestselling Author Kyla Stone comes the acclaimed Edge of Collapse series, a post-apocalyptic EMP survival thriller featuring complex characters and high-octane action adventure. Perfect for fans of The Last of Us, The Walking Dead, SILO, and The Road.*Million copy bestseller**Amazon Top 100**Kindle All-Star Award Winner* *This is the first book in a series. Rated PG-13 for mild language and moderate violence*Praise for Edge of Collapse:"I started reading an EMP Apocalypse book and came out with so much more than I ever could have imagined! I'm pretty sure I read the majority of this book with my mouth hanging open in shock. Five stars!" -Amazon reviewer"Intense and spellbinding, and you won't want to put it down except to catch your breath!" -Amazon reviewer"This one kept me on the edge of my seat, up past my bedtime with nonstop tension. I love post-apocalyptic fiction, and Kyla Stone is one of the best in this genre." -Amazon reviewer"I woke up at midnight to read this book when it released. Kyla, you have once again outdone yourself with this series which is like non other I've read!" -Amazon reviewer"Wow! What a story! A nail-biting apocalyptic end of the world scenario. Five stars!" -Amazon reviewer "I absolutely loved the twist to the normal EMP story! What an action-packed and emotional story. I can't wait to see what happens next."-Amazon reviewer"I am an avid post-apocalyptic reader, but this book combines that genre with a suspense/thriller component and is a step above the usual Post Apocalypse fiction. Five stars!" -Amazon reviewer"A thrilling read from start to finish!" -Amazon reviewer Read more

The new Black Mirror-esque thriller from the author of the word-of-mouth sensation THE ONE - now a Netflix original series!Five strangers guard our secrets. Only four can be trusted...In the 21st century, information is king. But computers can be hacked and files can be broken into - so a unique government initiative has been born. Five ordinary people have been selected to become Minders - the latest weapon in thwarting cyberterrorism. Transformed by a revolutionary medical procedure, the country's most classified information has been taken offline and turned into genetic code implanted inside their heads.Together, the five know every secret - the truth behind every government lie, conspiracy theory and cover up. In return, they're given the chance to leave their problems behind and a blank slate to start their lives anew.But not everyone should be trusted, especially when they each have secrets of their own they'll do anything to protect...From author of THE ONE and soon to be published THE FAMILY EXPERIMENT!_________________________'Marrs is brilliant at twists and for the addicts of adrenaline-fuelled twisty rides' PETER JAMES'One of the most exciting, original thriller writers out there. I never miss one of his books' SIMON KERNICK_________________________"Gripping! It's so incredibly intense; a twisted roller coaster so fast-paced you literally cannot move or attempt to do anything else. John Marrs has a unique formula and it's magnificent."- Totally Booked"A total delight. A hugely enthralling thriller, I will read more John Marrs, as he's one not to be missed from now on in my bookish world." - What Do I Read Now?"The Minders is an absolute belter of a book. John Marrs is a genius writer who reeled me in again with an addictive, more-real than real, edge-of-your-seat and twisty tale of what might await us sooner than we think." - Chocolate'n' Waffles Read more

Earth is gone and they're on the runThe Imperium does not take it lightly when its slaves revolt. Earth's population has been decimated, and Captain Bill Henderson is fleeing imperial attack dogs with his crew and two million refugees - the last of humanity.Starship Omega could be the answer to turning the tide and finally ending the Imperium's tyranny. But not in its current form.The Omega is capable of so much more - but to unlock the enormous ship's true power, Bill must lead those under his command into the heart of empire space.To do that, they're going to need some help.Can Omega's crew convince the Imperium's other vassal species to finally start fighting back? Find out in Book 2 of Starship Omega, an engrossing new space opera from bestselling authors Scott Bartlett and Joshua James. Read more

They thought we were safe. They were wrong.Lee and Mal went looking for monsters on Bodmin Moor four years ago, and only Lee came back. She thought she’d lost Mal forever, now miraculously returned. But what happened that day on the moors? And where has Mal been all this time? Mal's reappearance hasn’t gone unnoticed by MI5 either, and their officers have questions.Julian Sabreur is investigating an attack on top physicist Kay Amal Khan. This leads Julian to clash with agents of an unknown power – and they may or may not be human. His only clue is grainy footage, showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.Dr Khan’s research was theoretical. Then she found cracks between our world and parallel Earths. Now these cracks are widening, revealing extraordinary creatures. And as the doors come crashing open, anything could come through . . .Adrian Tchaikovsky brought us far-future adventure with Children of Time. Now The Doors of Eden takes us from Bodmin Moor to London and alternate versions of earth. This is an extraordinary feat of the imagination and a page-turning adventure.'Inventive, funny and engrossing, this book lingers long after you close it' - Tade Thompson, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of Rosewater Read more

A retired captain. An experimental starship. A war like no other.When the research starship Galileo vanishes without a trace, the powers-that-be are quick to bury the incident, eager to prevent escalating tensions that could lead to war. As a former POW, Soren refuses to give the ship up for lost.His daughter is one of the missing.Taking matters into his own hands, Soren starts pulling strings and calling in favors, determined to launch a clandestine mission to bring Galileo home. When an old friend offers him a ship for the operation, he expects a rusty relic headed for the scrapyard.Instead, he's given the Wraith—an unfinished, experimental starship with plenty of potential and just as many problems. A marvel of engineering…if his crew can keep her running. They’d better. Because Galileo’s disappearance is just the beginning. War is coming to the Federation from the most unlikely of places.And Soren may be the only one who can stop it. Read more

In this dystopian fairy tale from the New York Times bestselling author of Starling House, a small town’s storyteller struggles to protect a local demon from the knight hired to kill it.Hundreds of years after the end of the world, the Appalachian community of Iron Hollow finds itself beset by demons. Such horrors are common these days in the outlands, where most folks die young—if they don’t turn into monsters first.When a legendary knight is summoned to hunt down the latest unearthly beast to haunt their woods, the town’s new oral historian, Shrike, has more reason than most to be concerned. Because that demon was her wife. And while Shrike is certain that May still recognizes her—that May is still herself, somewhere beneath it all—she can’t prove it.Determined to keep May safe, Shrike stalks the knight and his demon-hunting hawk through the recesses of the forest. But as they creep through toxic creeks and overgrown kudzu, Shrike realizes the knight has a secret of his own. And he’ll do anything to protect it. Read more

Relive the 1980s in this rip-roaring time travel adventure from bestselling author, Jason Ayres.As the 2020s dawn, Keith Diamond, the self-styled ‘Diamond Geezer’, works as a shock jock presenter at controversial radio station, ChatFM. When the station comes under new management, Keith finds himself surplus to requirements. His employment prospects look bleak until a stranger gives him a bracelet that catapults him forty years back in time. Soaking up the culture, Keith immerses himself in the music scene, going to see legendary bands like The Clash, Blondie, and The Specials, but soon there are more important tasks at hand.Working in Fleet Street, Keith finds himself thrust into the news stories of the day. These range from the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper to the death of John Lennon, plus the world’s obsession with “Who Shot JR?” From a personal perspective, 1980 is a pivotal year on which both his and many of his friends’ destinies depend. Can he rectify past mistakes, avert disasters, and reshape both his future and that of others?Join Keith, as he revisits the culture and events of 1980, in this humorous and thought-provoking time travel story.1980 is part of the anthology series, A Year in the Life. Each book revisits a different aspect of life in the 1980s, and each story can be enjoyed standalone. Read more

BLACKWELL'S BOOK OF THE YEAR'Mesmerising' Sunday Times'Magnificent' Guardian'Monumental' The Telegraph Leigh grew up in Rotterdam, drawn to the waterfront as an escape from her unhappy home life and volatile father. Enchanted by the undersea world of her childhood, she excels in marine biology, travelling the globe to study ancient organisms. When a trench is discovered in the Atlantic ocean, Leigh joins the exploration team, hoping to find evidence of the earth's first life forms - what she instead finds calls into question everything we know about our own beginnings. Her discovery leads Leigh to the Mojave desert and an ambitious new space agency. Drawn deeper into the agency's work, she learns that the Atlantic trench is only one of several related phenomena from across the world, each piece linking up to suggest a pattern beyond human understanding. Leigh knows that to continue working with the agency will mean leaving behind her declining mother and her younger sister, and faces an impossible choice: to remain with her family, or to embark on a journey across the breadth of the cosmos.'Utterly compelling' The Times, Books of the Year 'Profound and thrilling' New Statesman, Books of the Year 'A far-reaching epic' Financial Times, Books of the Year Read more

Meet Wendy Wood. The pop star that never was…In 1982, Wendy Wood was poised on the brink of stardom. Lead singer with talented local band, Velvet Temptation, she was a rising star of the Oxford music scene. Tipped for fame by the music press, success seemed inevitable.But conflict within the band, a series of betrayals and infidelities, and an unwelcome run of bad luck all played a part in shattering her dreams.Forty years later, her health failing, Wendy’s only comfort is in karaoke nights, where every song is a poignant reminder of what might have been.Then, out of the blue, she’s handed the means to return to the past. Determined to rewrite her destiny, Wendy is steadfast in her pursuit of the fame that once slipped through her fingers.Join Wendy as she immerses herself in the vibrant music scene of 1982, navigating the complexities of love, ambition, and second chances in this thought-provoking time travel story.1982 is part of the anthology series, A Year in the Life. Each book revisits a different aspect of life in the 1980s, and each story can be enjoyed standalone. Read more

'Marvellous' Bridget Collins, The Sunday Times bestselling author of The BindingSometimes the greatest spectacle hides the darkest secrets . . . In an alternate London, the city's Theatre District is a walled area south of the river where an immersive production - the Show - has been running for centuries, growing ever bigger, more sprawling and lavish. The Show is open to anyone who can afford a ticket but the District itself is a closed world; even the police have no jurisdiction within its walls.Juliet's mother died when she was a baby. Brought up by her emotionally distant father and even more distant stepmother, she has never felt wanted. It's only when her father passes away that Juliet - now nineteen - learns her birth was registered in the District. Desperate to belong somewhere at last, she travels to London where she hopes to unearth the truth about her identity, her mother's death and her father's years of silence - and claim her birthright. But in the District, there is only one central truth: the Show must go on. And in a world where illusions abound, and powerful men control the narrative, Juliet has no idea of just how far some will go to ensure certain stories are never told . . .For fans of The Miniaturist and The Doll Factory, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is a place where nothing is as it seems.'Original and captivating' Karen Coles, author of The Asylum Read more

Keith A Pearson's time-travel adventure, 'In Lieu of You', centres on a relationship question many have pondered: where would I be today if I hadn't met that one person? Hypothetically, we might want to know the answer. In reality, though?Gary and Clare Kirk are set to celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary … except they’re not. Childless, and with so little in common, the couple finally accept there’s no good reason to remain married.However, Gary’s idea of an amicable divorce settlement differs significantly from Clare’s, and tensions between the couple soon mount. Money, as is often the case, is at the root of their disagreement.As Gary explores every avenue to evade his wife’s financial demands, he inadvertently finds himself sitting opposite a relationship resolution advisor by the name of Edith Stimp. The mysterious Mrs Stimp then suggests a solution as unorthodox as it is unbelievable — a brief journey back in time to the day Gary first met Clare.If he accepts the unlikely trip back to 1996, all Gary has to do is prevent his teenage self from meeting his future wife. If they never meet, they never marry, and there won’t be a financially-crippling divorce — what could be simpler?For better or for worse, Gary Kirk is about to find out. Read more