The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.

Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.

Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?

Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.

SLAVE. ESCAPE-ARTIST. MURDERER. TERRORIST. SPY. LOVER. MOTHER. TRICKSTER.

At the Golden Sunset retirement home, it is not unusual for residents to invent stories. So when elderly Ms Mook first begins to unspool her memories, the obituarist listening to her is sceptical.

Stories of captivity, friendship, murder, adventure, assumed identities and spying. Stories that take place in WWII Indonesia; in Busan during the Korean war; in cold-war Pyongyang; in China. The stories are so colourful and various, at times so unbelievable, that they cannot surely all belong to the same woman. Can they?

As playful and thought-provoking as it is compelling, as brutal and harrowing as it is achingly poignant and tender, this is a novel about love and war, deceit and betrayal, about identity, storytelling and the trickery required for survival.

In 1814, the war being raged on the seas of the Indian Ocean by the all-powerful Franco-British naval forces trying to dominate the lucrative trade routes to India, had ended with a truce. At the stroke of a pen, far away in the city of Paris, the exotic, tropical islands of the Seychelles became a British colony. Forged from their French descendants and African slave roots, and moulded by their new British rulers, a small nation had emerged. It is July 1912 on the island of Mahe, and Anna Savy has just turned sixteen. Anna is a passionate, nature-loving and rebellious young woman at a time when women are confined to specific roles and expectations, and custom and tradition prevail with reverence. Strongly-held beliefs in the goodness and righteousness of God, and in the secret and evil forces of witchcraft, hold equal sway in a closely-knit Catholic community. As a young nurse, Anna experiences both the joy and pain of her people, for survival is a daily struggle for the majority. A smallpox epidemic brings tragedy to Mahe's Victoria Hospital, with the hatred and conflict between Anna's British and Irish colleagues laid bare, whilst forbidden love brings the missing dimension to her life. But then, the First World War brings the worst possible disaster...

The author's exciting new take on Roman Britain continues with this fast-moving novel when senior investigator Felix finds that overcoming one conspirator simply identifies another, as each seeks to usurp the benign Roman governance of British governor Urbicus. Danger is never far away but ably supported by son-in-law Clemens they employ ingenuity, subterfuge and sheer doggedness to face another storm of political intrigue.

Ellis Island, 1902: Two women band together to hold America to its promise: "Give me your tired, your poor ... your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." A young Italian woman arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life. That same day, a young American woman reports to her first day of work at the immigration center. But Ellis Island isn't a refuge for Francesca or Alma, not when ships depart every day with those who are refused entry to the country and when corruption ripples through every corridor. While Francesca resorts to desperate measures to ensure she will make it off the island, Alma fights for her dreams of becoming a translator, even as women are denied the chance. As the two women face the misdeeds of a system known to manipulate and abuse immigrants searching for new hope in America, they form an unlikely friendship-and share a terrible secret-altering their fates and the lives of the immigrants who come after them. Inspired by true events and for fans of Kristina McMorris and Hazel Gaynor, The Next Ship Home holds up a mirror to our own times, deftly questioning America's history of prejudice and exclusion while also reminding us of our citizens' singular determination. This is a novel of the dark secrets of Ellis Island, when entry to "the land of the free" promised a better life but often delivered something drastically different, and when immigrant strength and female friendship found ways to triumph even on the darkest days.

Papa whispered to Chana, 'If we get separated, if something happens to me, look after Mama and Aron. And one last thing-' He smoothed an affectionate hand over her hair. 'Remember everything I've taught you, and all your gifts. Promise me this.'

1946. Having survived a concentration camp, Chana Rosenzweig arrives in Vienna seeking not only protection for her and her family, but also the freedom to be a baker, just as her father had once been. Torn between a black-market dealer who offers escape to Europe, and an apprentice baker who shares her dreams, Chana battles to stay true to herself and the promise she made her father to live against all odds...

2018. When Zoe Rosenzweig's beloved grandfather dies, Zoe travels to Vienna to speak to an elusive man who may be the only person who can help her unearth the hidden story of her grandparents. Haunted by what she does not know, Zoe risks her journalism career and her home to find the truth.

Inspired by the extraordinary experiences of the author's mother and her family during and after the Holocaust, The Lost Baker of Vienna is a testament to the courage and defiance of women in a world torn apart.

'Truly special, a tale of grit, bravery, and humanity that will not soon be forgotten' KATE QUINN
'Family love and sacrifice drive this heart-wrenching story of the struggle to survive after the Holocaust' DIANE CHAMBERLAIN
'By turns mysterious, tender, suspenseful and moving.. I was captivated from the first page... A powerful must-read' THERESE ANNE FOWLER
'A story of love, family, survival and second chances...moving and unforgettable' PAM JENOFF

Daniel Godwin is determined to join the British Army to fight against the Nazi scourge. His impetuousness leads him to having a brief affair with the wife of a good friend and mentor who ran the local cadet force. She bears a child. Initially guilt ridden he marries her after hearing of his friend's death in northern France. Another child is born. Having served in Palestine, luckily surviving at Dunkerque and returning safely from North Africa he joins the 1st Airborne battalion whose mission was to take the bridge at Arnhem. Shortly before leaving England he receives a letter which shocks him to the core. He became adamant he would not return home and was taken prisoner in Oosterbeek. In the meantime, back in the city of Bath, Robbie Goode, along with some old acquaintances, unravels the mystery of a series of murders. Stella, Daniel Godwin's wife is implicated, but why?

A tale of wool-trading and church-building in the Cotswolds, against a background of changing loyalties, conflict and danger when there were two Kings of England. In the foreground is Lydia Woolman of Northleach whose friends are Isabel and Anne Neville, the daughters of the Earl and Countess of Warwick. The magnificence and sure foundation of the Church, both building and institution, contrast with the shifting fortunes of the warring factions.

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film – perfect for fans of The Night Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

1968: Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Now she’s on the cusp of obscurity. When she’s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma believes her luck has changed – but her dream is about to turn into a nightmare. One night, between the shadows of an alleyway, Gemma disappears on set and is never seen again. Yet she’s still alive. She’s been pulled into the film. And the script – and the monsters within it – are coming to life. Gemma must play her role perfectly if she hopes to survive.

2007: Gemma Turner’s disappearance is one of Hollywood’s greatest mysteries – one that’s haunted film student Christopher Kent ever since he saw L’Étrange Lune for the first time. The screenings only happen once a decade, and each time, there is new, impossible footage of Gemma that shouldn’t exist. Curiosity drives Christopher to unravel the truth. But answers to the film’s mystery may leave him trapped by it forever . . .

Towards the latter part of the 16th century, the power held by the Catholic Church in Scotland was to be wrested from Rome and replaced by the reformed movement of Protestantism. Various methods of coercion were employed to recruit converts, accusations of witchcraft and direct aggravation against the Catholic establishment were common ploys. When Fyreback's family becomes embroiled in this reformation, it becomes personal. Once again the cleaver sings its anthem of death, this time to protect the rights of the common man.

This is a novel that opens in 1900 and is set in the cotton mills area around Rochdale, Lancashire. Lord James lives in a manor house with his family. He owns a mill and the workers' cottages. He is a good employer, ahead of his time. Life was grim in 1900 and life expectancy short. The author transports us back to glimpse life as it was over 100 years ago, through the sad and happy times. Her style is flowing and the book is entertaining and realistic. Read it and enjoy it. Recommended.

Winning the Battle of the Atlantic was crucial to Britain's survival in the Second World War. Submarine Commander Scott Hardy's life was in turmoil. His search for a solution to the spy ring in Portland Dockyard and his wife's infidelity left him in a state of confusion. Long and arduous patrols fighting the U-Boat Wolf Packs were a priority over his personal life. Co-opted to unearth the traitors at the Portland Underwater Research Centre, his discoveries lead him into a world of subterfuge nearer to home than he expected. Countess Annalisa de Lorraine, a mysterious refugee from Nazi persecution is not what she seems. As the war ends Scott joins her in her search for her roots in war torn Germany with an explosive ending that shatters her dream of finally finding peace.

Suggested by actual events this historical crime novel presents Roman Britain in a new and exciting light. Taking place in the 140s A.D (Roman years 892-897) it features the problems and dangers encountered by senior investigator Albinus Felix in a land of 105 towns and a population of 2.5 million, often with governor Lollius Urbicus away in the north which had never been pacified as had the south east. A new wall beyond Hadrian's was demanded by the emperor, causing more problems than it solved by taking troops from the midlands and south. The governor, admiral and many other characters actually lived at this time.

What if the greatest writer of all time isn’t who we think he is?
What if he isn’t even a he?
Step back four hundred years and discover the female author who hid behind the mask of the man we know as William Shakespeare . . .

In 1581, Emilia Bassano is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress she has access to the theatre, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at a great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history. His name? William Shakespeare . . .

In modern day New York, playwright Melina Green is determined to see one of her shows make the stage. After years of struggle to be recognised she has finally written again, inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor — Emilia Bassano, England’s first published female poet. Although the challenges are different for her, four hundred years later, a woman’s voice is still not heard like a man’s. But what lengths will she be willing to go to in order to achieve her dreams?

Moving between Elizabethan England and modern day Manhattan, By Any Other Name is a beautifully written, compelling novel that explores the theme of identity and the ways in which two women, centuries apart—one of whom might just be the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.

It is the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Rabbi Howell of Sheffield United, the first Romany to play for England, knows his career is peaking and the only way is down. His fate seems to be a return to obscurity, literally and metaphorically, back down the pit, his life ruled by the winding wheel and the domestic pattern set by his wife, Selina, her parents and family. He then meets Ada and risks throwing away career, home, everything. Follow Rab, Selina, Ada and the United through this turbulent, historic year.

Governess-turned-sleuth Miss Silver must follow a trail of poison-pen letters to save an heiress from murder. Rachel Treherne has always had a steady head on her shoulders; it's why her late father named her the sole trustee of his considerable fortune. But the decision galled a number of Rachel's relatives, including her married older sister, her socialist nephew, and her father's ambitious young cousin. Rachel fears she may be overreacting to the anonymous letters she's received threatening her life, but then someone tampers with the chocolates she bought herself. If her cousin hadn't partaken first and noticed an unwholesome taste, who knows what may have happened? Miss Silver suspects someone in Rachel's inner circle has grown tired of being a poor relation, and she travels incognito to the Treherne country home to unmask the culprit--before it's too late--in this intriguing entry in the beloved series featuring a contemporary of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. Lonesome Road is the 3rd book in the Miss Silver Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.