As a little boy, climbing through the lochs and mountains of Argyll with his Irish Setter Don, all James Herriot wanted to be was a 'dog doctor' so he could care for man's best friend. In this classic collection of stories, we are introduced to some of the dogs who won a special place in the country vet's heart - from Tricki Woo, the little Pekinese suffering from 'flop-butt' to Clancy the dog who nobody would go near and Gyp, the sheepdog who only ever barked once in his life. They're joined by lovable dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes, celebrating the limitless affection and loyalty of our closest companions. Filled with magical storytelling and from the treasured author of All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot's Dog Stories is told with his usual wit and human compassion - the perfect gift for dog-lovers everywhere.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FICTION PRIZE 2017

SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE 2018

'Brilliantly inventive and blazingly smart' Garth Greenwell

'Impossible, imperfect, unforgettable' Roxane Gay

'A wild thing ... covered in sequins and scales, blazing with the influence of fabulists from Angela Carter to Kelly Link and Helen Oyeyemi' New York Times

In her provocative debut, Carmen Maria Machado demolishes the borders between magical realism and science fiction, comedy and horror, fantasy and fabulism.

A wife refuses her husband's entreaties to remove the mysterious green ribbon from around her neck. A woman recounts her sexual encounters as a plague spreads across the earth. A salesclerk in a mall makes a horrifying discovery about a store's dresses. One woman's surgery-induced weight loss results in an unwanted house guest.

A dark, shimmering slice into womanhood, Her Body and Other Parties is wicked and exquisite.

Horror master Junji Ito explores a new frontier with a grand cosmic horror tale in which a mysterious woman has her way with the world! A woman walks alone at the foot of Mount Sengoku. A man appears, saying he's been waiting for her, and invites her to a nearby village. Surprisingly, the village is covered in hairlike volcanic glass fibers, and all of it shines a bright gold. At night, when the villagers perform their custom of gazing up at the starry sky, countless unidentified flying objects come raining down on them-the opening act for the terror about to occur! A woman walks alone at the foot of Mount Sengoku. A man appears, saying he's been waiting for her, and invites her to a nearby village. Surprisingly, the village is covered in hairlike volcanic glass fibers, and all of it shines a bright gold. At night, when the villagers perform their custom of gazing up at the starry sky, countless unidentified flying objects come raining down on them-the opening act for the terror about to occur!

An imprisoned man is certain that his supposed murder victim is very much alive . . . A female driver is pursued relentlessly by a menacing figure in another vehicle . . . A young artist gets the biggest break of her career . . . A restless beauty manages the perfect birthday celebration . . . An escaped Iraqi on Saddam Hussein's death list pays an involuntary visit to his homeland . . . How will they react? How would you? Twelve Red Herrings is the third collection of irresistible short stories from master storyteller, Jeffrey Archer. Cleverly styled, with richly drawn characters and ingeniously plotted story lines, each of the twelve tales ends with a delightfully unexpected turn of events.

At last – the complete collection of over 50 Hercule Poirot short stories in a single volume!

Hercule Poirot had a passion for order, for rational thought, and had a justified confidence in his deductive genius. No matter what the provocation, he always remained calm.

The shrewd little detective with the egg-shaped head and the enormous black moustache was created by one of the world's greatest storytellers, Agatha Christie, who excelled at the art of short story writing. Only she could have devised the cases worthy of Poirot's skill, the ingenious mysteries that challenge the reader as well as the detective.

There is a spectacular diversity in the plots and themes of these cases, ranging from very brief tales to full-length novellas. Violent murders, poisonings, kidnappings and thefts, all are solved or thwarted with Poirot's usual panache – and the characteristic application of his 'little grey cells'.

“Little masterpieces of detection – Poirot and Agatha Christie at their inimitable best”
SUNDAY EXPRESS

“There is no more cunning player of the murder game.”
SUNDAY TIMES

In the eight stories presented in The Song of Youth, Montserrat Roig (Barcelona, 1946-1991) employs language as a weapon against political and social "dismemory", enabling the stories of those silenced by the brutal Franco regime to come to the fore. Feminist, critical but always lyrical, Roig's writing gives shape and meaning to the human experience.

Shortlisted for Oscar's Book Prize 2021 Shortlisted for Children's Illustrated Book of the Year at The British Book Awards 2021 'A wonderful, warm bear-hug of a story with sumptuous illustrations. A modern classic.' - Jim Field, illustrator of Oi Frog Wherever you're going, I'm going too. Whatever you're doing, I'm sticking with you. It's wonderful to have good friends to see you through the good times and the bad. But sometimes, friends can also be a bit . . . well . . . overbearing. This completely irresistible rhyming text by Smriti Halls is perfectly complemented by artwork from fantastic new picture book illustrator, Steve Small.

Kevin Wilson's characters inhabit a world that moves seamlessly between the real and the imagined, the mundane and the fantastic. "Grand Stand-In" is narrated by an employee of a Nuclear Family Supplemental Provider--a company that supplies "stand-ins" for families with deceased, ill, or just plain mean grandparents. And in "Blowing Up On the Spot," a young woman works sorting tiles at a Scrabble factory after her parents have spontaneously combusted.

Southern gothic at its best, laced with humor and pathos, these wonderfully inventive stories explore the relationship between loss and death and the many ways we try to cope with both.

'Sleeping is a modern superpower. Stories are old magic.' Whether you find yourself struggling to fall asleep, awake in the middle of the night or simply feeling anxious, the calming bedtime stories in Nothing Much Happens will help ease your mind and lull you into peaceful slumber. As the unnamed, gender-neutral narrators recount their days they evoke the distinct comforts offered by each of the four seasons and gently lead their reader towards sleep. With evocative illustrations throughout, Nothing Much Happens is the ideal accompaniment to your bedtime routine. 'A charming collection of short almost-stories intended as an antidote to insomnia and restlessness. [...] Nicolai accomplishes what no other author would want to hear: these stories can put people to sleep.' Publishers Weekly

Discover Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson through the eyes of those who knew them best. From familiar faces like Mrs Hudson to minor characters like Lomax the sub-librarian, Observations by Gaslight - told through diaries, telegrams, and even grocery lists - paints a masterful portrait of Holmes and Watson as you have never seen them before. See Irene Adler team up with her former adversary in an eerie and near-deadly enquiry. Learn of the case that cemented the friendship between Holmes and Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard. And witness Stanley Hopkins' first meeting with the remote logician he idolizes. Lyndsay Faye, two-time Edgar Award nominee, debuted with Dust and Shadow, her much-admired novel pitting Sherlock Holmes against Jack the Ripper. Now Faye is back with a thrilling volume of new and previously published short stories and novellas narrated by those who knew the Great Detective best. Reviewers on Observations by Gaslight: 'Faye is an expert on all things Sherlockian, she has unparalleled flair.' CrimeReads 'Meat and drink for fans of the Canon of the Sacred Writings.' Kirkus

In Kiss Kiss you will find eleven devious, shocking stories from the master of the unpredictable, Roald Dahl. What could go wrong when a wife pawns the mink coat that her lover gave her as a parting gift? What happens when a priceless piece of furniture is the subject of a deceitful bargain? Can a wronged woman take revenge on her dead husband? In these dark, disturbing stories Roald Dahl explores the sinister side of human nature: the cunning, sly, selfish part of each of us that leads us into the territory of the unexpected and unsettling. Stylish, macabre and haunting, these tales will leave you with a delicious feeling of unease. 'Roald Dahl is one of the few writers I know whose work can accurately be described as addictive' Irish Times Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were most recently the inspiration for the West End play, Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl's stories continue to make readers shiver today.

Trent Dalton, Australia's best-loved writer, sat on a busy street corner with a sky-blue Olivetti typewriter and asked the world a simple, direct question: Can you please tell me a love story? A blind man yearns to see the face of his wife of 30 years. A divorced mother has a secret affair with a travelling priest. A widower miraculously finds a three-minute video recorded by his wife before she died. A lumberjack's heart falls in a forest. A working mum contemplates taking the photographs of her late husband down from the fridge. A girl writes her last letter to the grandfather she adored, then sets it on fire. A palliative care nurse helps a dying woman converse with the angel at the end of her bed. A renowned 100-year-old scientist ponders the one great earthly puzzle he was never able to solve: What is love? Endless stories. Human stories. Love stories.

CAPTIVATING LOVE STORIES CELEBRATED AND RETOLD THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND GLOBAL HIT As seen on BBC2 Between the Covers 'Perfection in short story form. So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully.' CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS 'Beautifully written and full of joy. Bolu Babalola is a star.' MEG CABOT 'Here is love as freedom, love as deep joy. Romance will never be dead, as long as Bolu is writing it.' JESSIE BURTON __________ Bolu Babalola takes the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology and rewrites them with incredible new detail and vivacity in her debut collection. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines iconic Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from countries that no longer exist in our world. A high-born Nigerian goddess feels beaten down and unappreciated by her gregarious lover and longs to be truly seen. A young businesswoman attempts to make a great leap in her company, and an even greater one in her love life. A powerful Ghanaian spokeswoman is forced to decide whether to uphold her family's politics, or to be true to her heart. Whether captured in the passion of love at first sight, or realising that self-love takes precedent over the latter, the characters in these vibrant stories try to navigate this most complex human emotion and understand why it holds them hostage. Moving exhilaratingly across perspectives, continents and genres, from the historic to the vividly current, Love in Colour is a celebration of romance in all of its forms. __________ PRAISE FOR LOVE IN COLOUR: 'Captivating.' Vice 'Smart and joyful, witty and heartbreaking.' Stylist 'Epic.' Bustle 'Vibrant.' Refinery29 'Brilliant and beautiful.' Net-a-Porter

Vaults of Secretsalso reveals notable capacity for tackling difficult subjects within a range of diverse settings. From the miserable confines of a Nigerian prison to Western suburbia, we are made to come to terms with the universality of the human condition: that we all suffer and hurt, regardless of the places we inhabit, or the social statuses we bear.

Author of the bestselling Clifton Chronicles, Jeffrey Archer, gives us fifteen gripping and rewarding short stories for readers to return to time and again.

Find out what happens to the hapless young detective from Naples who travels to an Italian hillside town to solve a murder and the pretentious schoolboy whose discovery of the origins of his father’s wealth changes his life forever. Follow the stories of the woman who dares to challenge the men at her Ivy League university during the 1930s, and another young woman who thumbs a lift and has an encounter of a lifetime.

From the master of the short story, the refreshingly original stories in Tell Tale prove why Archer has been described by the Mail on Sunday as ‘probably the greatest storyteller of our age’.

Vir sommige is Ravensmead in die Kaap die gatkant van onse wêreld. Vir ander – soos Anastasia de Vries – hul komvandaanplek, speelplek en droomplek.

Hul hartsgronde. Want dis hier in die Lane waar oud en jonk om ’n ghellie kan staan en kan stukke sny; kan lag en kan ghai en kan leef. Jy moet hier gebore word om te verstaan hoe jou hart teen jou ribbes begin skop as jy op Vlaktegrond uitstap en hoe jou “jippe somma so in die loop saam die een-vir-jou-een-vir-my ritme van die Vlaktevrou se lyf optel…”

Hier word baie gehuil, maar nog meer gelag – want waar mooi en onmooi half onverskillig deurmekaargeklits is, daar gebeur die lewe.

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR One year after movie star Joseph Strike swept schoolteacher Alice off her feet, they are spending Christmas together in snowy Cambridge. But despite the romantic setting Alice can't help but question whether life in the spotlight is really what she wants. Will a Christmas provide some perspective? Or will the life she'd be leaving behind be too much to lose? In this irresistible collection, bestselling author Paige Toon reunites a much-loved cast from across her fifteen novels, including Johnny Be Good, The One We Fell In Love With and Thirteen Weddings. Fall in love with nine witty and heartfelt romantic stories, published in print for the very first time. Praise for Paige Toon: 'Tender, heartbreaking and magical' GIOVANNA FLETCHER 'You'll love it, cry buckets and be uplifted!' MARIAN KEYES 'Poignant and lovely, warm and wise' MILLY JOHNSON 'Wonderfully heartfelt' HEAT 'Gave me all the feels . . . I loved it' LINDSEY KELK 'A warm, wise novel that is romantic and yet real' ADELE PARKS 'Filled with warmth and poignancy' CATHERINE ISAAC 'Witty, fun and impossible to put down' CLOSER 'Yet another stunning read from Paige Toon . . . I couldn't put it down' HEIDI SWAIN 'A wonderful book that will gently break your heart' DANI ATKINS 'For smart, romantic fiction look no further than the new book from bestselling Paige Toon' RED MAGAZINE 'A heart-thumping, breath-taking, tear-inducing love story' PENNY PARKES 'Simply gorgeous' SUN *Includes A Christmas Wedding, One Perfect Christmas and Johnny's Girl, previously published as eBooks* *Includes content previously exclusive to The Hidden Paige*

From Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling author of the Clifton Chronicles and Kane and Abel, comes his captivating sixth collection of short stories, And Hereby Hangs a Tale, full of magnificent characters and shocking plot twists. In 'High Heels' discover what happens in a loss adjuster's memorable first case where his wife has to explain why a pair of designer shoes couldn't have gone up in flames. While on the streets of Delhi in 'Caste-Off' a man and woman fall in love while waiting for a traffic light to turn green. And in 'A Good Eye' a priceless Renaissance oil painting remains in the same family for generations until its current owner is faced with a difficult choice . . . Jeffrey demonstrates his natural aptitude for short stories which are stylish, witty and entertaining. His mastery of characterization and suspense, combined with a gift for the unexpected, jaw-dropping plot twist, show him at the height of his powers and demonstrate why he is one of world's bestselling authors.

"Without a doubt, Christi Nogle is one of my favorite new voices in horror. Her fiction is by turns devastating, horrifying, and beyond beautiful. With her collection, The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future, she's created something truly remarkable, the kind of horror that's filled with grit and heart. Don't miss this book; it's sure to be one of the very best collections of 2023."- Gwendolyn Kiste, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens and Reluctant Immortals The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future collects Christi Nogle's finest psychological and supernatural horror stories. Their rural and small-town characters confront difficult pasts and look toward promising but often terrifying futures. The pieces range in genre from psychological horror through science fiction and ghost stories, but they all share fundamental qualities: feminist themes, an emphasis on voice, a focus on characters' psychologies and a sense of the gothic in contemporary life. Stories here may recall Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," Shirley Jackson's "The Renegade," or Kelly Link's "Stone Animals."