The Other Half is a unique collaboration between the leading lights of mystery fiction and country music. An original story by bestselling crime writer Mark Billingham, soundtracked by the powerful and poignant songs of internationally acclaimed Americana duo My Darling Clementine. Pain, loss, violence. The lifeblood of crime fiction, but also the dark seam that runs through the very best country music. With her best years seemingly behind her, a former Las Vegas showgirl works double shifts in a rundown Memphis bar. Alone and estranged from her daughter, Marcia lives life vicariously through her customers and the everyday tragedies of people falling in and out of love. These are moving tales of grief and heartbreak, lust, murder and domestic horror. Serving beer and burgers as these very different stories unfold, Marcia reflects on her single doomed shot at happiness. Then one day, she receives a phone call that changes everything...

This beautiful hardcover keepsake package will be the perfect gift for loved ones at Christmas, offering readers fascinating history and behind-the-scenes stories of 100 Christmas songs and their everlasting impact. 'Tis the season! Break out the eggnog, hang the mistletoe, blast those Christmas songs, and settle down in your favourite armchair with this beautifully illustrated volume exploring well-known and lesser-known behind-the-scenes stories of the 100 most cherished holiday songs of all time and their everlasting impact. From artists such as Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald all the way up to Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande, this all-encompassing collection of holiday favourites is sure to warm your heart during the merriest season of the year. What song was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling single of all time? Which popular Christmas tune was reportedly written to commemorate Thanksgiving? What holiday song led to a special meet-and-greet between the song's 10-year-old singer and a 700-pound hippopotamus? Spanning musical genres and decades of classics and modern hits, some of the featured songs include: - "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby - "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey - "Deck the Halls" by Mannheim Steamroller - "Christmas Tree Farm" by Taylor Swift - "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" by The Beatles - "Feliz Navidad" by José Feliciano - "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry - "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" by Gwen Stefani - "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt - "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee - "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" by NSYNC - "Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry And many more! Including full-colour illustrations throughout, this gorgeously packaged compendium is the perfect gift for you and your loved ones to experience the holiday magic year after year.

It's Lily's last summer before the terrifying move to high school, but instead of hanging out with her primary-school friends at home in Edinburgh, she's stuck on an island in a cottage in the pouring rain. Her parents are completely immersed in their archaeological dig, so Lily is alone with her worries about September - until she meets Jess. Soon, while her parents are making discoveries about the island's ancient past, Lily is discovering a new best friend - and the island transforms from a lonely wet rock into a land of thrilling storms, wide-eyed seals and Viking legends. Reflect is a series of emotionally powerful books with realistic settings, carefully crafted to promote thoughtful discussions and develop higher-level reading comprehension. Written by top childrens authors and developed with Literacy expert and Series Editor Nikki Gamble, these are books you can trust to engage, entertain and support childrens personal development. The books are finely levelled, making it easy to match every child to stories with the right depth and complexity for them, and helping them to progress. Each book contains inside cover notes to help children deepen their understanding and support their reading comprehension. Teaching notes on Oxford Owl offer cross-curricular links to relationships education and support literacy skills.