'A book designed to be read in a dark January chill; it begs for a fireside and the sound of wind and rain howling outside' THE LADY This winter, escape to a warm and wonderful clifftop hotel with the world's favourite storyteller. Now with brand new introduction by Cathy Bramley, bestselling author of Merrily Ever After. 'Sometimes she would go and walk the cliffs at night and look out over the ocean...' Set high on the cliffs on the west coast of Ireland, Stone House was falling into disrepair until one woman, with a past she needed to forget, breathed new life into the place. Now a hotel with a big warm kitchen and log fires, it provides a welcome few can resist. And so gather the guests: some with secrets, some longing to leave their old lives behind, and some hoping the break at Stone House will help them find a way to face the future... 'A book to treasure' HELLO 'Full of her trademark warmth, humour and lovable characters' WOMAN 'A master storyteller' MARIAN KEYES

In the Four Streets, a dreadful murder has been committed and 14-year-old Kitty Doherty is pregnant with the dead man's child. This secret is so dangerous that it is decided Kitty must go to Ireland to await the baby's birth. But in Liverpool, the police aren't giving up their search for the truth. Somewhere, in this tight-knit Irish Catholic community, someone must know something. The streets are alive with gossip and rumour, and it isn't easy to keep a secret that big. Another stunning novel from the bestselling author of The Four Streets.

Far from home, an adventure they'll never forget... 'A heart-warming read' My Weekly 'A delightful, nostalgic read' Woman June 1940. Evacuee twins Connie and Jessie are reminded every day of the differences between a Yorkshire summer and what they had previously known in London's Bermondsey. Life at Tall Trees vicarage, Harrogate, is full of adventure, with the arrival of a mischievous pony called Milburn who soon sets about showing who's boss. But Auntie Peggy is bracing herself for bad news - since the birth of their beautiful baby Holly, something has been very wrong between her and husband Bill and an unexpected visitor soon makes clear exactly what that is... In this heartwarming tale of evacuees far from home, Katie King returns with a novel full of nostalgia and delight. What readers are saying about Katie King: 'Can't wait for another book, lovely characters and storyline.' 'Five Stars' 'Loved it' 'A lovely story with strong characters that I loved from start to finish.' 'I am looking forward to more books in this series.'

Spain, over a span of forty turbulent years, is the theatre for a drama of love, friendship, ideals, ambition and revenge in this powerful and passionate novel about the Spanish Civil War. 'Gripping ... a cross between Harold Robbins and Hemingway' Sunday Express On the bitter battlefields of the Spanish Civil War, an unlikely friendship is forged. Tom, an idealistic American, and Adam, a wayward young Englishman, fight on opposing sides, yet they have one thing in common - a passionate love for Spain... With a fervour to match their own, a woman of Madrid is battling in the same bloody struggle. She is Ana, the Black Widow; young, beautiful, bereaved - and a dangerous freedom fighter. But the end of the armed conflict will not end the conflicting emotions that draw these people together. For over forty turbulent years, from the dark days of Franco's victory to the birth of modern Spain, they will be bound together in an intricate web - of love, betrayal, ambition and revenge... Derek Lambert, who knew and loved Spain for many years, uses his unique understanding of Spanish history and character in this sweeping novel which encompasses some of the most crucial events of twentieth-century Europe, creates characters of extraordinary depth and humanity, and tells a story of compelling power and vitality.

With the country at war, can they come together this winter? 'A heart-warming story perfect for saga lovers', Nancy Revell,Sunday Times bestselling author of The Shipyard Girls series 'Heartwarming, hopeful and inspiring, it will bring a nostalgic smile to your face' Daily Mirror Winter, 1939 As December draws nearer and with her family facing their first Christmas without Bert, Nancy is desperately trying to keep up her children's spirits and her own. Young Patty should be excited to be spending her first festive season with sweetheart Archie, but why does she worry he's keeping something from her? Betty is missing her beloved William as he continues his RAF training but she's determined not to sit around wallowing. In the midst of the coldest winter on record and with the introduction of rationing, times are tougher than ever but Betty has an idea to make sure nobody goes without this winter. And with our Steel Girls rallying around each other, can there still be hope this Christmas? The second novel in the new heartwarming Steel Girls series following our feisty factory sister's bravery and hope during wartime, perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Elaine Everest.

'Sure to delight her ever-growing legion of fans' Dilly Court A charming and evocative tale of family and fortune from the queen of West Country saga, Linda Finlay. Isabella Carrington has been brought up in a life of privilege in London. Her life seems perfect, until her father suddenly announces bankruptcy. To save Isabella from destitution he sends her to stay with family she has never met, far away on a violet farm deep in Devon. Isabella is horrified to find her uncle expects her to work for her keep, packing up the flowers and selling them in the nearby market. However she soon discovers that life on a violet farm may not be so bad, especially when she meets handsome local farmer Felix Furneaux... Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn. Praise for Linda Finlay: 'Sure to delight her ever-growing legion of fans' Dilly Court 'Warm and atmospheric, you can practically taste the sea breeze' The Express

'I loved it!' - Phillipa Ashley A gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance, set against the backdrop of New York's sizzling urban beach. Sisters Sophie and Celia haven't been on speaking terms for years. So it's a huge shock when they discover their grandmother has left them her quirky old house on Rockaway Beach, New York. Just a stone's throw from the bright lights of Manhattan, they spent many idyllic summers there as children, swimming in the Atlantic ocean, playing in the sand and watching day trippers come and go. Then suddenly, the visits stopped. Sophie knows her mother and grandmother fell out, but has never found out why. Together, the sisters return to Rockaway, and can't agree on anything. Sophie wants to keep the house, Celia's determined to sell. It seems they'll never see eye to eye, until Sophie makes a shattering discovery that forces her to question everything... Why do she and Celia have such different memories of their grandmother? What caused the rift with their mother? Can Sophie trust the handsome stranger who seems to take such an interest in her? And who is the mysterious old woman watching them from afar? Praise for The House on Rockaway Beach: 'Brilliant' Phillipa Ashley 'A novel to lose yourself in' Faith Hogan 'Step into a world of pure escapism in this gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance' Chat Magazine Praise for Emma Burstall: 'A charming, warm-hearted read... Pure escapism' Alice Peterson 'Burstall is a great writer, and this is not your usual run-of-the-mill chick lit... I was gripped from the start' Daily Mail 'Burstall has a true knack for transporting you to her world' Jane Corry

She must fight to save her family from ruin.Julia Longfield has a comfortable life. She lives on the fringes of the East End, in a prosperous and middle-class neighbourhood with her family, and is looking forward to the announcement of her engagement to Chester Morrison. But when Julia's father dies suddenly, the family are left in poverty and Julia is jilted by her fiance. It falls to Julia to look after her mother and younger siblings and find them new lodgings. Ambitious and determined to fight for her family, Julia seizes upon an opportunity when she meets Simon Layzell, the owner of a shop selling dress fabric. Together, they decide to go into business and a new partnership is formed, giving Julia the chance at a better future. An uplifting and engaging saga set in 1920s London, perfect for fans of Rosie Harris and Katie Flynn.

Enthralling and ambitious, Sunday Times bestseller Jeffrey Archer's As The Crow Flies brings to life one man's rise from rags to riches - a boy who inherits a barrow and ends up with the biggest supermarket chain in the world. Growing up in the slums of East End London, Charlie Trumper dreams of someday running his grandfather's fruit and vegetable stall. That day comes all too suddenly when his grandfather dies, leaving him his legacy, his barrow. The onset of World War I takes Charlie far from home to the trenches of Normandy where he learns to deal with any enemy. Returning to the East End, he finds his barrow stolen, and comes straight into conflict with a dangerous enemy whose legacy of evil will follow him and his family for generations, even as Charlie strives to fulfil the dream his grandfather inspired. In an epic journey set against the turbulent backdrop of a changing century and spanning three continents and sixty years, this mesmerizing tale showcases Archer formidable talents. 'If there were a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win' - Daily Telegraph

The Second World War has finally ended and so begins a new era of freedom and opportunity for the Cazalet family. Elizabeth Jane Howard's magnificent Cazalet Chronicles continues with Casting Off, the fourth novel in the saga. The Cazalet cousins are now in their twenties, trying to piece together their lives in the aftermath of the war. Louise is faced with her father's new mistress and her mother's grief at his betrayal, while suffering in a loveless marriage of her own. Clary is struggling to understand why her beloved father chose to stay in France long after it was safe to return to Britain, and both she and Polly are madly in love with much older men. Polly, Clary and Louise must face the truth about the adult world, while their fathers - Rupert, Hugh and Edward - must make choices that will decide their own, and the family's, future. With cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is the heartbreaking and heartwarming fourth instalment of Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling series. It is followed by All Change, the fifth and final book in the series. 'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' - The Times

Cara, Lillian and Emilia are three women of a certain age who have only one thing in common - a love of animals. Sadly, on the Mediter- ranean island they call home, they witness appalling animal cruelty and after learning of a puppy's death in a cardboard crushing machine, the three friends decide to do something about it. They then find themselves responsible for one of the most intriguing, and in some quarters celebrated, crime sprees in modern Cypriot history. Untethered is more than a tale about animal rescue, it's a story of love, loss and the incredible power of female friendship.

A must-read sweeping saga, full of intrigue, romance and page-turning drama . . . Marigold Bingham, though promised to Algie Stokes, the lock-keeper's son, reconsiders her dreams of marriage when she wrongly believes he has been two-timing her. With the sudden death of his father, as well as the loss of Marigold, Algie is consoled by Aurelia Sampson, the charming and beguiling wife of his employer, Benjamin. Yet Aurelia merely muddies the waters, adding to Algie's worries which weigh heavily on his shoulders as head of his increasingly troubled family. Marigold Bingham is unaware of Algie's spiralling burdens, yet she is in for a whole series of life-changing surprises. So too is Algie, the man she once called her own . . .

"I will probably be clutching Flowers in the Attic...on my deathbed." -Gillian Flynn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl Forbidden passions have shaped and haunted the Dollanganger family since their first novel-Flowers in the Attic-debuted forty years ago. Now discover how twisted the family roots truly are, and witness the clan's origins as a result of one wild and complicated relationship. In this evocative and thrilling tale from New York Times bestselling author V.C. Andrews, see Corrine Dixon as a young girl and discover the fascinating family history of the Dollanganger clan. Two generations before Corinne Foxworth locked her children in an attic, her grandmother, a gorgeous young girl named Corrine Dixon, is swept away by the charms of rich, sophisticated, and handsome Garland Foxworth. After discovering that she's pregnant, Garland does what appears to be the honorable thing and marries her in a huge ceremony on the luxurious Foxworth Hall grounds. Both families fervently overlook the pregnancy, happy for a suitable resolution. Now the mistress of a labyrinthine estate, Corrine discovers that nothing is what is seems. Garland is not the man once captivated by her charms, and she's increasingly troubled by his infatuation with memories of his departed mother. Can Corrine survive this strange new life? Or is her fate already sealed? Explore the origins of the legendary Dollanganger family in this page-turning, gripping gothic thriller.

'As heart-warming as it is heartbreaking, this novel is unputdownable' Sunday Express. It is 1953 and five very different girls are arriving at the nurses' home in Lovely Lane, Liverpool, to start their training at St Angelus Hospital. Dana has escaped from her family farm on the west coast of Ireland. Victoria is running away from a debt-ridden aristocratic background. Beth is an army brat and throws her lot in with bitchy Celia Forsyth. And Pammy has come from quite the wrong side of the tracks in Liverpool. The world in which they now find themselves is complicated and hierarchical, with rules that must be obeyed. Everyone has their place at St Angelus and woe betide anyone who strays from it. But when an unknown girl is admitted, after a botched late abortion in a backstreet kitchen, a tragedy begins to unfold which will rock the world of St Angelus to its foundations. Can't wait for the next one? THE CHILDREN OF LOVELY LANE is out now! What people are saying about THE ANGELS OF LOVELY LANE: 'Nadine Dorries's writing is sparkling and vibrant, her books are a joy to read' 'The book was like a dream - difficult to put down' 'You feel as if you know the characters personally!' 'Enthralling read, can't wait to read more'

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER 'Bravo; this is a big, complex and utterly involving portrait of 19th-century China' THE TIMES The internationally bestselling author portrays the great clash of East and West in his new epic: China China in the nineteenth century: a proud and ancient empire forbidden to foreigners. The West desires Chinese tea above all other things but lacks the silver to buy it. Instead, western adventurers resort to smuggling opium in exchange. The Qing Emperor will not allow his people to sink into addiction. Viceroy Lin is sent to the epicentre of the opium trade, Canton, to stop it. The Opium Wars begin - heralding a period of bloody military defeats, reparations, and one-sided treaties which will become known as the Century of Humiliation. From Hong Kong to Beijing to the Great Wall, from the exotic wonders of the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City, to squalid village huts, the dramatic struggle rages across the Celestial Kingdom. This is the story of the Chinese people, high and low, and the Westerners who came to exploit the riches of their ancient land and culture. We meet a young village wife struggling with the rigid traditions of her people, Manchu empresses and warriors, powerful eunuchs, fanatical Taiping and Boxer Rebels, savvy Chinese pirates, artists, concubines, scoundrels and heroes, well-intentioned missionaries and the rapacious merchants, diplomats and soldiers of the West. Fortunes will rise and fall, loves will be gained and lost. This is an unforgettable tale told from both sides of the divide. The clash of worldviews, of culture and heritage, is shown in a kaleidoscope of jaw-dropping set pieces. China is a feat of the imagination that will enthral, instruct and excite, and show us how things once were, and how the turmoil of the nineteenth century led to modern China's revolution and rebirth.

Whisked from the industrial Black Country to the dazzling clubs of New York City...1936 will be Maxine Kite's year! Plucked from obscurity, young cellist Maxine Kite is thankful for the chance given to her by Birmingham's esteemed orchestra, but a part of her is still unfulfilled. Music has always been her passion but she has dreams far too big for a girl from a simple family. When the jazz clubs of New York beckon, along with the sultry world of wayward musician Brent Shackleton, Maxine leaves safety and propriety behind. But a girl's good name can be all she has in the world... and once lost, is almost impossible, to reclaim...

War brings changes three friends could never foresee... 'Highly recommended' Anna Jacobs 'A warm domestic drama' People's Friend It's 1942 and as shortages of staff - and goods - begin to bite, young Lily Collins is nervously stepping up to sales junior at Marlow's department store. Bombs are still falling and Lily and fellow shop girls Gladys and Beryl need a stiff upper lip to wave boyfriends, husbands and brothers goodbye, especially with a baby on the way and grim news on the wireless. Jim, who works with Lily at the store, seems restless, and nothing can prepare Lily for the secrets that come tumbling out when her favourite brother comes home on leave... Somehow, she must keep smiling through. Community, family and friends rally round as her home town - and the whole country - is tested once again.

Brenda Stuart returns to her late husband's home devastated by his loss only to find herself accused of bestowing favours upon the Germans. Life has been difficult for her over the war, having been held in an internment camp in France simply because of her nationality. Thankful that her son at least was safe in the care of his grandmother, she now finds that she has lost him too, and her life is in turmoil. Prue, her beloved sister-in-law, is also a war widow but has now fallen in love with an Italian PoW who works on the family estate. Once the war ends they hope to marry but she has reckoned without the disapproval of her family, or the nation. The two friends support each other in an attempt to resolve their problems and rebuild their lives. They even try starting a business, but it does not prove easy.

A compelling tale of one girl's brave escape from a world of poverty in her search for true love. Is true love worth risking everything for? Sixteen-year-old Poppy Silk is one of the navvy community - a group of poor, rough-living men who work the railways and take their families wherever the tracks lead. When Poppy is left fatherless, her world becomes fraught with danger, men vying to claim her as their own. Her one ray of hope is Robert, a young engineer, who she meets one day by the tracks. But his wealthy family have different plans for him... Can Poppy ever hope to win his heart? And would she give up her whole way of life for him? A compelling, heart-warming story about one girl's brave search for happiness against all odds... What readers are saying about Poppy's Dilemma: 'Absolutely wonderful. Poppy's Dilemma had me glued to it right to the last page.' Reader review 'Her writing is well researched, tastefully portrayed, and a good pace. Be warned though, every page is a page turner, so you may find it difficult to put down!' Reader review 'A great book to escape into.' Reader review 'What a charming, fabulous read! Full of evocative details about the period and setting, and with a really admirable heroine. It sweeps you away and doesn't let go.' Reader review 'Loved it, and heading straight back to the same author again for my next read.' Reader review

A Sunday Independent Book of the Year Against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution and Europe's sexual revolution, the fates of two families in London and Beijing become unexpectedly intertwined, in this dazzling new novel from the author of Mrs Engels. Revolution is a Family Affair. In London, sisters Iris and Eva, members of a radical performance collective, plan an attack on the West End theatre where their mother is playing the title role in Miss Julie. Meanwhile in Beijing, Jiang Qing, Chairman Mao's wife, rehearses a gala performance of her model ballet, The Red Detachment of Women, which she will use to attack her enemies in the Party. As the preparations for these two astonishing performances unfold, Iris, Eva, and Jiang Qing are transformed into unforgettable protagonists in a single epic drama. The three 'sisters', although fighting very different personal battles, find themselves bound together by the passions of love, by the obsessions of power, and by the forces of history. Exquisitely observed, relevant, and wise, The Sisters Mao shows us that the political is always personal.

Winner of the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the Hans Fallada Prize, The End of Days, by the acclaimed German writer Jenny Erpenbeck, consists essentially of five "books," each leading to a different death of the same unnamed female protagonist. How could it all have gone differently?-the narrator asks in the intermezzos. The first chapter begins with the death of a baby in the early twentieth-century Hapsburg Empire. In the next chapter, the same girl grows up in Vienna after World War I, but a pact she makes with a young man leads to a second death. In the next scenario, she survives adolescence and moves to Russia with her husband. Both are dedicated Communists, yet our heroine ends up in a labor camp. But her fate does not end there.... A novel of incredible breadth and amazing concision, The End of Days offers a unique overview of the twentieth century.

The new heart-stopping instalment in the Four Streets saga, from the Sunday Times bestseller Nadine Dorries. Summer is coming to the four streets - but so is trouble, especially for its redoubtable women, who've struggled through a bitter winter to put food on the table. The Dock Queen Carnival is only weeks away, but there's no money for the usual celebrations. No sign of a tramp ship with illicit cargo to be quietly siphoned off by the dockers. Peggy Nolan, with seven boys and a husband too lazy to work, has hit rock bottom and is hiding a terrible secret. Little Paddy, her mischievous eldest, is all too often in trouble, but he'd do anything for the mother he loves. How can he save her from selling herself on the streets - or worse? Maura and Tommy Doherty always looked out for any neighbour in trouble, especially Peggy, but they're far away, running a pub in Ireland and corrupt copper, Frank the Skank, is moving into their old house on the four streets. Can anything bring them home in time?