Go on a gripping journey as a search and rescue team race against time when an experienced hiker mysteriously disappears on the Appalachian Trail in Maine.

In the heart of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker goes missing. She is forty-two-year-old Valerie Gillis, who has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping.

At the heart of the investigation is Beverly, the determined Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding Valerie, who leads the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, becomes an unexpected armchair detective. Roving between these compelling narratives, a puzzle emerges, intensifying the frantic search, as Valerie’s disappearance may not be accidental.

Heartwood is a “gem of a thousand facets—suspenseful, transporting, tender, and ultimately soul-mending,” (Megan Majumdar, New York Times bestselling author of A Burning) that tells the story of a lost hiker’s odyssey and is a moving rendering of each character’s interior journey. The mystery inspires larger questions about the many ways in which we get lost, and how we are found. At its core, Heartwood is a redemptive novel, written with both enormous literary ambition and love.

An imaginative insight into the sexual awakening of a young man (Monty Bellamy) who, at an early age, decides to live entirely for pleasure, using his God-given talents to bring a smile of considerable satisfaction (and so much more) to a seemingly endless chain of needy, grateful and generous women, regardless of age. The character is alive and identifiable and will strike a chord with many, highlighting a hedonistic lifestyle of which some may dream and others will envy. It kicks in with pacey intrigue and the momentum continues throughout almost forty years until it reaches a bitter-sweet and justified denouement. It is a strong and entertaining read, suggesting that we may be hearing a great deal more of Len Russell - Martin Pedrick - Author of In the Front Line and The Urbane Terrorist In his own inimitable style, Len Russell has done it again. Following on from his autobiography, Len's story on the high seas and his detailed knowledge of such a life, has us hooked from page one. The protagonist, Monty is a bold and colourful character, not unlike his creator and it's Len's undeniable understanding of how people tick that vibrantly brings all the characters to life in the most unusual way, giving us a peephole into a gigolo's life (and all those he 'touches'). The result is often funny, sometimes sad but always enthralling. - Ken Balneaves - Author of The Greatest Gift and Drifting Sands Drawing on a grand English tradition that harks back at least as far as Tom Jones and A Rake's Progress, author Len Russell creates a ribald and at times cautionary tale about 'Monty from Watford'; an earnest young man who unwittingly evolves from handsome seaman to one of international society's most sought after gigolos. Relying on a mix of charm and the reputed size of his 'Utensil', Monty cuts a swathe through the lives of socialites from Monaco to Miami. Erotic, hilarious and endearing in equal parts. - Dan Witters - Author of The Carrington Effect

Eviscerated Panda - So Far, So Good, So Panda is the fifth book in the Eviscerated Panda series. It follows the band and those close to them while they try to gain musical success and not get jaded and faded by life's many demands. There are gigs aplenty for the Pandas; in Coventry with Over-revved Engine, in their native Reading with Dick Trouble, Deep Red Mistress and Nightshade Milkshake, and in Camden with Horror Frog. Gigs take place against a backdrop of personal issues; Ian and Gav meet their estranged Mum, Suzy reluctantly celebrates her thirtieth birthday, Victor, the singer of Deep Red Mistress, irritates Phil. Paul plays at the swanky golf club with covers band the Bandits of Party City. Nick and Jenni move in together. Paul and Angie celebrate their wedding anniversary and daughter Rose's first birthday. Jez and Cleo visit a castle. The Pandas record their second album. They play in Bognor with Horror Frog and at a bike rally. Paul becomes the drummer for the Bandits of Party City as well as the Pandas. Phil outlines his Pandas on tour plan and buys a van then kicks a stressful aspect of his life to the kerb. Paul decides to leave the Pandas. They advertise for a new drummer. Cleo has doubts about Jez. Suzy is not pleased to see men in uniform. Gav and Cleo move back to Reading and a promising new drummer excites Phil. Eviscerated Panda has claws and potential, they aren't going to give up yet.

Jim just demobbed from the army and seeking employment, inadvertently finds himself working for a black marketeer.He descends into the grimy twilight world of his employer and is soon engaged in the same criminal pursuits. Then, upon meeting a respectable girl, he resolves to leave the clutches of his ruthless employer and make a fresh start.But that has its difficulties and his subsequent actions and that of his employer, result in a totally unexpected conclusion. Bob Chapman's gritty look at a post World War II Britain is both riveting and disturbing, based on the truth, it is not for the prudish or faint hearted.

This book tells the story of a former nun and the struggles she faces and finally overcomes after leaving her convent following the death of her mother. All the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to a charity which helps the homeless who live and sleep on our city streets.

Hamilton is confused and frightened. Heading he knows not where. The nightmare from which he is trying to escape will follow him wherever he goes. Salvation will come but not before tribulation...

This is the story of Chip the Chihuahua who goes on a grand adventure in his own magical garden. Chip meets Bert the Bee who thinks Chip is also a bee. Chip soon discovers just how busy the little bees that live in our gardens really are.

The ninth book in Jennifer Chiaverini's bestselling series--when two of Elm Creek Quilts' founding members decide to leave the fold, who can possibly take their place in the circle of quilters?When Elm Creek Quilts announces openings for two new teachers, quilters everywhere are vying to land the prestigious post. The impending departure of two founding members means untold changes for the Elm Creek Quilters. As they begin the interview process, a single question emerges: Who can possibly take the place of beloved colleagues and friends? "We must evaluate all of the applicants' qualities," advises Master Quilter Sylvia Compson. "Our choice will say as much about us as it says about who we decide to hire." Who merits a place among the circle of quilters? Will it be Maggie, whose love of history shines through in all her projects; Anna, whose food-themed quilts are wonderfully innovative; Russ, the male quilter with a completely original style; Karen, a novice teacher whose gifts for language complement her deep understanding of the quilters' mission; or Gretchen, the soulful veteran whose craft is inspired by quilting tradition?

Three love stories all set in the fair city of Verona and all linked to the overwhelming presence of The Arena, formerly a Roman amphitheatre. AD 30 - Can Lucius overcome the dangers of the arena to win Drusilla? AD 116 - Will Pietro recover his memory of an earlier love before she is lost to him forever? PRESENT DAY - Carletta has an ambition to sing opera in The Arena but many obstacles bar her way. Can the dark-haired man help her?

The year is 1998. The location is Reading, England. Cleo Howard is almost sixteen years old. It's going to be a big year. By the end of it she'll have seen Black Sabbath and Slayer, sat her GCSEs, been alone with a man and Opal Fruits will have been renamed Starburst. It's a time of great change. Cleo is lucky to have her constant companions Ian and Jenni to help her weather the storms of her world.

A BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE WINNER OF THE MAN ASIAN LITERARY PRIZE AND THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE Teoh Yun Ling was seventeen years old when she first heard about Aritomo and the garden. But a war would come to Malaya, and a decade pass before she would travel to see him. A man of extraordinary skill and reputation, Aritomo was once the gardener for the Emperor of Japan, and now Yun Ling needs him. She needs him to help her build a memorial to her beloved sister, killed at the hands of the Japanese. She wants to learn everything Aritomo can teach her, and do her sister proud, but to do so she must also begin a journey into her own past, a past inextricably linked with the secrets of her troubled country. A story of art, war, love and memory, The Garden of Evening Mists captures a dark moment in history with richness, power and incredible beauty.

Une histoire enchantA (c)e que les grands auront plaisir A lire aux enfants. Le monde sous-marin est un endroit magique pour Dilo le dauphin. Sa mAre montre A Dilo comment utiliser ses sens avant de s'aventurer A la recherche de l'ile aux Phoques.

Un cuento encantador que adultos disfrutar de la lectura a los niA+/-os. El mundo submarino es un lugar mA!gico para Dilo el delfA n. Su madre enseA+/-a a Dilo cA(3)mo utilizar su sonido mA!gico antes de salir en una aventura para encontrar La Isla de las Focas.

These twenty four short stories are ideal for advent reading or whenever you can fit them into the busy month of December. These festive snapshots into other people's lives aim to enliven and entertain. A handful of the stories are set in the recent past, because Christmas is a great time for nostalgia. There are stories about anticipation, hope and that tingling feeling you get when waiting for something pleasant to happen. There is a cast of characters of all ages and not all of them are human. There are themes of time and counting, dark and light, change and renewal. The book is two dozen slices of Christmas, waiting to bring cheer at the dark time of the year.

Fires In the Dark reveals the highly secretive and misunderstood world of the coppersmith gypsies.

In 1927, when prosperity still reigns in Central Europe, Yenko is born to two Coppersmith Gypsies. His parents, Josef and Anna, are nomads who raise their son during the relative calm of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Soon, though, dangerous times threaten to unsettle their family, as their heritage makes them vulnerable targets for ethnic cleansing. As Germany invades Czechoslovakia and the conflicts of World War II begin to unfold, Yenko and his parents become fugitives, forced on a journey that promises only great uncertainty and offers survival as a remote possibility. In the course of their flight, the burden of an ancient tradition rests entirely on Yenko's shoulders.

In capturing the desperation and perseverance of one family during an extraordinary time in history, Louise Doughty pays powerful homage to an insular and little-known culture.

This is a tale of a 13-year old girl, Jadesola Balogun, who is torn between two worlds. Her parents hail from Nigeria but as she is London-born and bred, her London friends are the source of her western life style. Jadesola's paternal grandmother is staying with the family. Mrs Balogun Snr is stubbornly steeped in tradition. 'Jadesola will henceforth be brought up the African way,' she vows. The West and South Looking Child delivers powerful messages about racism, teen pregnancy and generational differences. Its stance is positive. It encourages open-mindedness. It is a must read for anyone interested in inter-cultural issues.

Fancy a spot of peaceful, dignified golf? Then West Belby, with its dark past and present traumas, is not the place for you. Hard up and desperate, the club's novice managers turn to the services of a mysterious American, who promises what he may never deliver and keeps his past a secret. Fraud, vandalism and an unexplained fire put fragile friendships and rocky relationships to the test. Old rivalries re-emerge, past loves gain new energy, ancient wrongs cry out for revenge and John Winter, a decent man with one major weakness, women, is caught in the middle of a tale of deceit, revenge, passion and humiliation, as the past returns to haunt them all. Even the tightly regulated game of golf, with its strict etiquette, buttoned-up morality, and a rule for every situation proves an unreliable restraint on the explosive emotions of its players. Off the course, moreover, there are no rules, and precious little remains buttoned-up for long! 'Winter Rules' is a rip-roaring follow-up to the popular 'The Trophy Wife'. It deals with grown-up themes in a humorous, witty and down-to earth way. The style is delightful, the characters engaging and the story turns this way and that before reaching a satisfying and surprising conclusion.

Vir die eerste keer is vier van Deon Meyer se Afrikaanse filmdraaiboeke nou saam gebundel.

Jakhalsdans:
Die jong weduwee en onderwyseres Mara Malan wil keer dat die skooltjie op Loxton sy deure sluit. ’n Musiekkonsert kan uitkoms bring, maar Ruan Landman, die beroemde sanger wat hier woon en die ideale hoofkunstenaar sou wees, het ontaard in ’n stuurs kluisenaar.

Die laaste tango:
Ná hy die boosaardige reeksmoordenaar Basson aanrand, word werkverslaafde speurder Herkules de Wet na ’n klein dorpie gestuur om te gaan afkoel. Hier ontmoet hy vir Ella Winter, ’n mooi, passievolle vrou wat sterwend is aan kanker. Op die nag van hul laaste dans saam, maak Basson sy opwagting op die dorp.

Die ballade van Robbie de Wee:
Voorheen suksesvolle musiekvervaardiger Len van Jaarsveld het in volslae ellende verval. Sy ontdekking van die briljante rockster Robbie de Wee bied aan hom ’n tweede, lááste kans, maar net toe Len behoorlik op sy voete begin kom, dreig die dood van ’n jong meisie om alles weer in duie te laat stort.

Jagveld:
Die gewetenlose Bosman se bevele word áltyd deur sy manne uitgevoer, meedoënloos. Maar nou het Emma gesien wat hulle gedoen het . . . en word sy hier in die Groot-Karoo soos ’n dier gejag. Tog skuil daar ’n donkerte agter haar oë wat hulle nie verwag het nie . . .

Part of a motorcycle mounted special forces group, Tom Marshall roams his section of the deep, winter desert of Iraq alone, intercepting Islamic State patrols that occupy the region. Other riders are out there dead, alive and insane. When an early extraction date for the riders is given, Tom begins to withdraw, but into a world of brutal survival where suicide grows stronger with every step. His destiny will be shaped by the unforgiving winter conditions and the horror of religion at its most macabre. How far can too far go?