From the million-copy bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop'A delicious book that I couldn’t resist devouring in one sitting. It was a delight to lose myself in the world of Edie and the mysterious baker. I would recommend to pastry lovers and book lovers alike!' Sally Page, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of StoriesNestled among the cobblestone streets of Compiègne, there existed a bakery unlike any other. Rumours were whispered through the town that its pastries offered a taste of magic, chasing away the darkest of sorrows. Just one bite of a croissant might bring luck, unlock a precious memory or reveal hidden longings.But dark clouds were looming on the horizon…For Edie Lane, a recipe for disaster doesn’t require that many ingredients. Take an unhealthy amount of wishful thinking and a sprinkle of desperation and that’s how Edie left everything behind in Ireland for her dream job at a bakery in Paris. Except the bakery isn’t in Paris – and neither is Edie.This might not be where Edie intended to be but she soon realizes it's exactly where she needs to be…Praise for Evie Woods‘Beautifully written and captures the wonder and awe that a story can bring to its reader…a delightful story for any book lover…an ode to storytelling and the connections that books can make!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Wowwww!! It’s been awhile since I read something so fascinating, captivating and special all in one…It takes you on a journey like most books do, but this one, I just want to inscribe on my back and hope that it becomes a part of me so that I can carry it with me always’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A must read for readers that love books’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A beautiful story that begs to be read in one sitting…a magical story filled with beautiful prose and many surprises that readers will not soon forget’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This spellbinding book hooked me from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down til the end’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Evie Woods's book 'The Lost Bookshop' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-12-18. Read more

The book that has stolen hearts everywhere, the breath-takingly powerful Sunday Times bestseller and Richard & Judy Book Club pick, perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and Great Circle.'A sweeping story of survival and becoming' Women's Prize For Fiction'Spellbinding' The Times'Tragic, uplifting and completely unforgettable' Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in ChemistryWhen a moment changes everything, how do you live the rest of your life?1940s Colorado: Teenage Victoria Nash is the only woman in a family of troubled men.When she meets Wilson Moon, a young drifter with a mysterious past, on a street corner, their connection is immediate. And dangerous.But then tragedy strikes, and Victoria is forced to leave her home and face a decision that will change her life forever.Loved deeply by readers, this is the epic coming-of-age adventure of Victoria Nash, determined to save her family’s generational peach farm from destruction, as she falls in love, faces devastating tragedy, and finally faces what she must do to survive.Readers are loving Go as a River:'Beautiful' Daily Mail'A powerful love story with an unforgettable heroine at its heart' Sunday Express'A book that will stay with me forever' ***** Reader review'Oh, how I loved this book. Going to be Christmas presents for all my family' ***** Reader Review'A book to be treasured.' ***** Reader review'An incredible read. Emotional heartbreaking, but very 'real' ***** Reader Review'After reading non-stop all night, I’m feeling very emotional, still' ***** Reader Review'From the moment I started reading, I found it very hard to put down' ***** Reader Review'A beautiful book' ***** Reader reviewSunday Times bestseller, April 2023Richard And Judy Book Club Pick, Spring 2024 Read more

Step into the world of classic crime fiction and join the relentless Inspector Borges as he solves five captivating murder cases in over 1000 pages of entertainment.Talented, observant, and always methodical, Inspector Borges is the very definition of a detective who trusts only in logic, no matter how twisted the case. Haunted by personal demons and the weight of his past, he’s a man who has sacrificed a lot for the badge, so he prefers to stay distant from others, focusing only on his work.But the cases Borges faces are far from ordinary, and the line between good and evil isn't always as clear as he'd like it to be.London, 1960s — a city pulsing with post-war transformation, and a place where wealth and power collide with treachery and death. As the city grapples with the remnants of war, the rise of new cultural movements and the evolving social landscape, Inspector Borges works to unravel crimes hidden in plain sight. From a prominent actor's sudden death in a grand theatre to a mysterious death in a coastal town, each case pushes Borges to the brink of his intellect and stamina.Can you help solve these five intricate mysteries alongside Borges? These exciting mysteries are perfect for fans of Freeman Wills Crofts, John Dickson Carr, Henry Wade and Ruth Rendell.Dive into this high-value box set and experience five thrilling crime novels that will keep you on the edge of your seat.PRAISE FOR JOHN BONETT:‘Top recommendation for lovers of that clever, urbane detection.’ Birmingham Mail‘Amusing puzzles that entertain and beguile.’ Books and Bookman‘Neatly devised plot . . . Borges is a good creation in the tradition of the best fictional detectives.’ Nottingham Guardian Journal‘…claims attention as a crime novel depending on painstaking police work and careful deduction.’ Aberdeen Press and Journal‘A real masterpiece of detective fiction. Form takes shape under the cloudless skies of the Costa Brava.’ British Books Read more

As read on BBC Radio 4A Sunday Times Best Book of 2025An Observer Best Debut of 2025'Compassionate, lyrical and full of devilment' - Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses'A joy . . . vivid, loving and genuinely funny' The Sunday Times'I didn't want it to ever end' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious ThingsIn 1973 on the west coast of Ireland, a baby is found abandoned on the beach. Who is he? Where is he from? What changes will he bring?Ambrose, a local fisherman, is far more interested in who he will become and – with a curious community looking on – takes the baby home and adopts him. But for Declan, the baby’s new brother, this arrival is surely bad news. Rivalries can be decades in the making . . .Set over twenty years, Garrett Carr’s The Boy from the Sea is about a restless boy trying to find his place in the world, and a town caught in the storm of a rapidly approaching future.Readers love The Boy from the Sea:'Left me feeling warm and satisfied when I finished it and I’ve thought about it daily since then' *****'Books are meant to change you, to shape you, and to heal you, and The Boy from the Sea does all those things' *****'You feel like you’re right there in the village' *****'Stunning. I found myself waking up at 5am because I was desperate to read more' *****'Felt like I was stepping off life's treadmill and immersing myself in another world' ***** Read more

Previously published as The Wars of the Roses Omnibus by Edwards, Rhoda (AUTHOR).DISCOVER THREE MASTERFUL HISTORICAL NOVELS IN ONE DEFINITIVE VOLUME.'The depth of the research and her love for her subject show through on every page... a compelling moving and sometimes haunting novel''— Times Literary SupplementWinner of the Yorkshire Post Best First Work AwardRhoda Edwards does for Richard III what Hilary Mantel did for Thomas Cromwell—she gives voice, depth, and dignity to a man history misunderstood.England, late 15th century. The crown is no longer a symbol of unity, but a prize in a bitter feud between two great houses—York and Lancaster. Amidst the chaos, one man’s destiny is forged in loyalty, loss, and an unrelenting struggle for truth.In Some Touch of Pity, Anne Neville, Duchess of Gloucester, offers a unique and personal perspective on the enigmatic Richard, Duke of Gloucester (the future Richard III). Raised among kings and forged in civil war, Richard is shown not only as soldier and statesman, but as husband, father, and quiet idealist—committed to justice, loyalty, and the burdens of responsibility.Anne herself emerges as one of the novel’s most moving voices—intelligent, introspective, and quietly resilient. Through her eyes we see a deeply human marriage, built on mutual trust and private grief. Their young son Edward, beloved but fragile, carries the hope of a family shaped by ambition and sorrow.In Fortune’s Wheel and None But Elizabeth, the story expands across generations. The court of Edward IV is brought vividly to life through the eyes of his physician, Dr William Hobbes—a rational observer who watches the king’s fall into illness and the dangerous ambitions of Elizabeth Woodville, the Queen. Her Woodville kin rise fast, and fall hard, sparking political divisions that will haunt the kingdom long after Edward’s death.The trilogy culminates in the raw drama of a realm on the brink—where secrets unravel, loyalties divide, and the true cost of power is laid bare. Richard’s rise to kingship and its shattering aftermath are told with rare insight, emotional truth, and lyrical power.For fans of Hilary Mantel, Sharon Kay Penman, Philippa Gregory, Elizabeth Chadwick, and Anya Seton.The Wars of the Roses and their Tudor legacy spring vividly to life in these three classic novels by expert author Rhoda Edwards.Includes· Some Touch of Pity (published in USA as The Broken Sword)· Fortune’s Wheel· None But ElizabethPraise for Rhoda Edwards:“The most moving novel about Richard III I have ever read.” — Rosemary Sutcliff“Her interpretive flair and accurate descriptive detail… puts her head and shoulders above the rest of the country.” — Times Literary Supplement“An excellent book and very persuasive.” — The Times“Rich in texture.” — The Observer“A profoundly satisfying experience.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer Read more

The new novel from the Booker-shortlisted, internationally bestselling author of The Island of Missing Trees and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World*****There Are Rivers in the Sky is a rich, sweeping novel set between the 19th century and modern times, about love and loss, memory and erasure, hurt and healing, centred around three enchanting characters living on the banks of the River Thames and the River Tigris – their lives all curiously touched by the epic of Gilgamesh.*****WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL GOOD HOUSEKEEPING GOOD BOOKS SPRING COLLECTION‘Elif Shafak is a unique and powerful voice in world literature’ Ian McEwan'Shafak makes a new home for us in words' Colum McCann'One of the best writers in the world today' Hanif Kureishi Read more

The fifth book in the new Penguin Maigret series: Georges Simenon's gripping tale of small town suspicion and revenge, in Linda Asher's timeless translation.There was an exaggerated humility about her. Her cowed eyes, her way of gliding noiselessly about without bumping into things, of quivering nervously at the slight­est word, were the very image of a scullery maid accustomed to hardship. And yet he sensed, beneath that image, glints of pride held firmly in check. She was anaemic. Her flat chest was not formed to rouse desire. Nevertheless, she was strangely appealing, perhaps because she seemed troubled, despondent, sickly.In the windswept seaside town of Concarneau, a local wine merchant is shot. In fact, someone is out to kill all the influential men and the entire town is soon sent into a state of panic. For Maigret, the answers lie with the pale, downtrodden waitress Emma, and a strange yellow dog lurking in the shadows...Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as A Face for a Clue.'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian Read more

**Evie Woods' stunning new novel The Story Collector is available now**The Echo of Old Books meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.Readers have fallen in love with The Lost Bookshop:‘Beautifully written and captures the wonder and awe that a story can bring to its reader…a delightful story for any book lover…an ode to storytelling and the connections that books can make!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Wowwww!! It’s been awhile since I read something so fascinating, captivating and special all in one…It takes you on a journey like most books do, but this one, I just want to inscribe on my back and hope that it becomes a part of me so that I can carry it with me always’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A must read for readers that love books’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A beautiful story that begs to be read in one sitting…a magical story filled with beautiful prose and many surprises that readers will not soon forget’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This spellbinding book hooked me from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down til the end’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A love story, one with books and booklovers at its heart. A warm, wonderful novel that sweeps up the reader into an absorbing, magical tale’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘If you enjoy books by the Brontë sisters … then I would fully recommend you read this book’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This novel has it all: wit, a dash of magic, and a large heart. A fantastic read’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Evie Woods's book 'The Lost Bookshop' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-12-18. Read more

'[A] sweet tale about the healing power of kindness' Irish TimesIn a quiet village in Ireland, a mysterious local myth is about to change everything…One hundred years ago, Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor translate fairy stories from Irish to English. But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens her very way of life.In New York in the present day, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the West Coast of Ireland. But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets – secrets that tread the line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen.With a taste for the magical in everyday life, Evie Woods's latest novel is full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell.Praise for The Story Collector:'An engaging story about unsettled grief…the possibility that magic and the fairies are real is dangled tantalisingly before the reader, but not in a way that might make a sceptic roll their eyes' Historical Novel Society'Woods weaves a great tale of past, present and that timeless other realm, making for a very satisfying read' Sunday IndependentReaders have fallen in love with The Story Collector:‘I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction and want to learn more about Ireland and its folklore history surrounding the faeries.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Romantic and magical, an adventure to be enjoyed.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Painted beautifully.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A bewitching story which I will treasure.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A mystical treasure that echoes with the fairy world power of Ireland. A mesmerising tale told in two timelines where the past unfolds and ripples like a wave into the future.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This is the perfect book to read on a winter afternoon in front of the fire.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A delightful tale of love and loss and magical stories.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Previously published as The Story Collector by Evie Gaughan.Evie Woods's book 'The Lost Bookshop' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-12-18. Read more

DI Jade Tanner is finally allowing herself to be happy. She’s got a new relationship and is balancing being a single mum and heading up the Complex Crimes Unit.But her team aren’t doing so well. Petra has made yet another relationship misstep and DS Mo Uddin is teetering on the brink of depression.Then a body is found at Lochranza Castle on the Isle of Arran. Somehow the killer has placed a boat inside the castle and the body inside the boat, in a way that suggests ritual.The victim is a member of an eco encampment a mile away, a group with secrets and tensions brewing. But the team aren't sure if his killer is another member of the group, or a disgruntled local.How will Mo cope with being sent up to Arran to investigate? Will the remoteness finally send him into the grip of despair? Or will it allow him to discover a love of Scotland?And can he and Petra solve the crime before the killer strikes again?Secrets and History is the fourth and final book in the McBride and Tanner series, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Val McDermid and JD Kirk. Read more

The beautiful family drama from the international bestselling author of THE MURDERS AT FLEAT HOUSE and The Seven Sisters series 'Stunning, enchanting, evocative. You can feel the wind in your hair' 5***** Reader Review'A beautiful story, brilliantly woven through generations' 5***** Reader Review'Takes you on a journey. Beautifully written' 5***** Reader Review ________How did one secret cause a century of heartache?Walking along the windswept cliffs of Ireland, Grania Ryan meets young Aurora.Mysteriously drawn to her, Grania discovers that their families are strangely and deeply entwined.From a bittersweet romance in wartime London, to a troubled relationship in contemporary New York, the two families, past and present, have been entangled for a century.Can Aurora help Grania understand the past, and change her future?From wartime London, through modern day New York and to the windswept cliffs of Ireland, The Girl on the Cliff is a sweeping tale of love, loss and hope.________Praise for Lucinda Riley 'Thoroughly addictive storytelling with a moving, emotional heart' Dinah Jefferies'A brilliant page-turner' Daily Mail'An absolutely fantastic storyteller' Katherine Webb'Brilliant escapism' Red Read more

* * * Shortlisted for the 2014 Costa Novel Awards and the 2015 Folio Prize * * * Nora Webster is the heartbreaking new novel from one of the greatest novelists writing today.It is the late 1960s in Ireland. Nora Webster is living in a small town, looking after her four children, trying to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. She is fiercely intelligent, at times difficult and impatient, at times kind, but she is trapped by her circumstances, and waiting for any chance which will lift her beyond them. Slowly, through the gift of music and the power of friendship, she finds a glimmer of hope and a way of starting again. As the dynamic of the family changes, she seems both fiercely self-possessed but also a figure of great moral ambiguity, making her one of the most memorable heroines in contemporary fiction. The portrait that is painted in the years that follow is harrowing, piercingly insightful, always tender and deeply true. Colm Tóibín's Nora is a character as resonant as Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary and Nora Webster is a novel that illuminates our own lives in a way that is rare in literature. Its humanity and compassion forge an unforgettable reading experience. 'A profoundly gifted world writer' Sebastian Barry Read more

BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR INTRODUCED BY JILLY COOPER'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' RICHARD OSMAN'I devoured all her books, but Jane and Prudence remains my favourite' JILLY COOPER 'Barbara Pym is the rarest of treasures; she reminds us of the heartbreaking silliness of everyday life' ANNE TYLERIf Jane Cleveland and Prudence Bates seem an unlikely pair to be walking together at an Oxford reunion, neither of them is aware of it. They couldn't be more different: Jane is a rather incompetent vicar's wife, who always looks as if she is about to feed the chickens, while Prudence, a pristine hothouse flower, has the most unsuitable affairs. With the move to a rural parish, Jane is determined to find her friend the perfect man. She learns, though, that matchmaking has as many pitfalls as housewifery.'This comedy of manners is a salutary reminder of just how good Barbara Pym was . . . This book is a gem' THE TIMES Read more

Fear stalks familiar ground...Acting DCI Rob Marshall is back in the Borders with a permanent promotion dangled in front of him – but storm clouds are gathering, with his new boss eyeing cutting Marshall’s Major Investigation Team.When a seventeen-year-old boy is found murdered in Hawick, Marshall finds a community on the edge. As his team struggles to connect the dots, what seems like a straightforward case unravels into something far more sinister – the details echo another investigation and Marshall finds himself following a trail of secrets hidden in plain sight.With his team's future hanging by a thread, Marshall must determine if he's hunting a copycat or just chasing shadows. But the deeper he digs, the more he realises some fears are founded in truth. With his team under threat and pressure mounting, can Marshall separate truth from deadly misdirection?Fear of Any Kind is the seventh book in the DI Rob Marshall series, following a sharp-witted detective haunted by his past. Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride, JD Kirk and LJ Ross.If you love darkly funny crime fiction, binge the DI Rob Marshall series now:The Turning of our BonesWhere the Bodies LieA Lonely Place of DyingA Shadow on the DoorWith Soul So DeadHis Path of DarknessFalse Dawn (Sgt Rakesh Siyal)Fear of Any Kind (31st March 2025)Our Debts to the Past (30th September 2025) Read more

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize'A triumph' – The Observer'A masterly achievement' – The IndependentIn January 1895 Henry James anticipates the opening of his first play, Guy Domville, in London. The production fails, and he returns, chastened and humiliated, to his writing desk. The result is a string of masterpieces, but they are produced at a high personal cost.In The Master Colm Tóibín captures the exquisite anguish of a man who circulated in the grand parlours and palazzos of Europe, who was astonishingly vibrant and alive in his art, and yet whose attempts at intimacy inevitably failed him and those he tried to love. It is a powerful account of the hazards of putting the life of the mind before affairs of the heart. Read more

Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, and Sal by Mik Kitson, with its celebration of the natural world, its misunderstood central characters living on the outside of society's norms, their survival in the wilderness, and the ultimate fight for justice.Tommy struggles with people, with communicating, preferring solitude, drifting off with nature. He is protected by his Scottish Tinker family who keep to the old ways. A way of life that is disappearing. A life of quiet seclusion under canvas is all that he knows.Charlotte cares for her sickly father. She meets Tommy by the riverside and an unexpected friendship develops. Over the years it becomes something more, something crucial to both of them. But when tragedy strikes each family they are torn apart.Charlotte is sent far away.Tommy might have done something very bad.Before the Swallows Come Back is a beautiful story of love, found family, and redemption that will break your heart and have it soaring time and time again as you sit, desperately hoping for the triumph of goodness over adversity. For justice. Read more

'A fantasy, impossible but delicious ... an exuberance of life and wit' The Times Literary SupplementFirst masculine, then feminine, Orlando begins life as a young sixteenth-century nobleman, then gallops through the centuries to end up as a woman writer in Virginia Woolf's own time. Written for the charismatic, bisexual writer Vita Sackville-West, this playful mock biography of a chameleon-like historical figure is both a wry commentary on gender and, in Woolf's own words, a 'writer's holiday' which delights in its ambiguity and capriciousness.Edited by Brenda Lyons with an Introduction and Notes by Sandra M. Gilbert Read more

This wonderfully witty and heart-warming series about life-long female friendship continues!'It’s sad, it’s funny, it’s every woman’s life.' Reader Review'Brilliantly written, with so many twists that you just won’t see coming.' Reader Review'I feel as though I am part of their friendship group now.' Reader ReviewMeet Helen. Back from her Cyprus holiday, feeling like a new woman, she's determined to reclaim her future and enjoy the second half of life! But just as the freedom of divorce is within her grasp, an unexpected surprise enters her life.Meet Caro. At fifty, wealthy and successful, she is on the verge of fulfilling what had seemed an impossible dream.Meet Kay. Fighting to find some time for herself, she is wracked with guilt at the decisions she must make on behalf of her elderly parents. Trying to walk the tricky tightrope of family responsibilities, Helen pours out her heart to her loyal girlfriends. But when the close group try to help her move forward, they find themselves instead on a direct path to conflict as strained friendships and family ties collide in an act of unforgivable pain.Prepare to meet three new friends you'll feel you've known all your life!A Midlife Baby is the bittersweet second tale in the Midlife Trilogy women’s fiction series. Read more

A cruise down the Nile, a camel ride around the pyramids, lunch in the shadow of the Sphinx… And a very dead body!1924. Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford are touring the great, ancient sights of Egypt on a much-anticipated extended vacation. But when the pair arrive at the docks in Cairo expecting to board the luxurious paddle steamer advertised in their brochure, they are baffled by the crumbling old cruiser waiting for them. And things only go from bad to worse as death stalks the decks of the SS Cleopatra…Two days into the trip one of their fellow passengers, Lieutenant Baxter, is found shot dead in his locked cabin. Immediately suspicious and desperate to see justice done, Eleanor discovers a half-finished note addressed to her hidden in Baxter’s travelling trunk. In it he asks her to deliver a vitally important letter to the authorities at their next stop down river: a priceless treasure worthy of a king has been stolen and an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance.But before the sands of time wipe away all evidence on board, Eleanor must uncover who among the other travellers wanted Baxter dead. Was it the anxious archaeologist who doesn’t have an alibi, the reptile expert with a passion for the murderous Nile crocodile or the art dealer with a devious secret?With the killer readying to strike again much closer to home, can Eleanor dig up the truth before she’s trapped in a tomb under the pyramids forever?A gripping and twisty 1920s murder mystery set in Egypt, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss!Readers adore Murder on the Nile:‘‘MY FAVOURITE BOOK… Had me hooked… I absolutely devoured this brilliant read in one sitting as I just could not put it down … I was gutted when I came to the end… Amazing!!!’ bookwormwhitlock86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘LOVE… I finished this book in one day!’ DianeLikesToRead, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Brilliant… I love it… Fabulous… An excellent mystery that kept me guessing.’ BookLoverWorm, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Wonderful… One of my all time favourite series… I wish there was the possibility to give more than 5 stars!!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Fabulous… Charming… A nail-biting page-turner… Fabulous… I gobbled it up in a single sitting.’ Bookish Jottings, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Wonderful… Full of the atmosphere, colour and spice of 1920s Egypt... A total delight.’ Tales Before Bedtime, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A fantastic, rip-roaring adventure... I love these brilliant books. Top notch!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read more

INTRODUCED BY ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' RICHARD OSMANMildred Lathbury is one of those excellent women who are often taken for granted. She is a godsend, 'capable of dealing with most of the stock situations or even the great moments of life - birth, marriage, death, the successful jumble sale, the garden fête spoilt by bad weather'. Her glamorous new neighbours, the Napiers, seem to be facing a marital crisis. One cannot take sides in these matters, though it is tricky, especially as Mildred has a soft spot for dashing young Rockingham Napier. This is Barbara Pym's world at its funniest and most touching.'One of the most endearingly amusing English novels of the twentieth century' ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH'Barbara Pym is the rarest of treasures; she reminds us of the heartbreaking silliness of everyday life' ANNE TYLER'Not only was Pym a comic genius but she was ever so wise' THE TIMES Read more