In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people - and countries - will pay to cling on to them. Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike. When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them? Helena's desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth - and to understand the origins of her grandfather's collection. Helena's attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather's actions sees her wrestle with the meaning of 'home', both in relation to looted objects of antiquity ... and herself.

In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people - and countries - will pay to cling on to them. Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike. When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them? Helena's desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth - and to understand the origins of her grandfather's collection. Helena's attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather's actions sees her wrestle with the meaning of 'home', both in relation to looted objects of antiquity ... and herself.

'A return to Hislop's thyme-scented, Aegean-lapped fictional Greece' The Sunday Times Beloved author Victoria Hislop returns to Crete in this long-anticipated sequel to her multi-million-copy Number One bestseller, The Island. 25th August 1957. The island of Spinalonga closes its leper colony. And a moment of violence has devastating consequences. When time stops dead for Maria Petrakis and her sister, Anna, two families splinter apart and, for the people of Plaka, the closure of Spinalonga is forever coloured with tragedy. In the aftermath, the question of how to resume life looms large. Stigma and scandal need to be confronted and somehow, for those impacted, a future built from the ruins of the past. Number one bestselling author Victoria Hislop returns to the world and characters she created in The Island - the award-winning novel that remains one of the biggest selling reading group novels of the century. It is finally time to be reunited with Anna, Maria, Manolis and Andreas in the weeks leading up to the evacuation of the island... and beyond. Discover for yourself why ten million readers worldwide love the novels of Victoria Hislop... 'This dramatic, absorbing and good-natured novel abounds Greek Island atmosphere' Daily Mail on One August Night 'Immersive storytelling sweeps you along' Mail on Sunday on One August Night 'A dramatic story of love, betrayal and allegiances . . . Hislop evokes Greece beautifully' Woman & Home on One August Night 'Hislop's love for Greece shines through this wonderfully descriptive and compelling tale' Sunday Express on One August Night 'This love letter to Greece will sweep you away to another time and place' The Sunday Mirror on One August Night 'Hislop expertly delves into the complex history of a fascinating country in this beautifully written family saga' Daily Mirror on One August Night 'Compelling and moving, this is a real page turner' Woman's Weekly on One August Night 'The descriptions of Greece leave you feeling like you're right there' Good Housekeeping on One August Night 'A beautifully written story that will enchant the reader' The Express on One August Night 'A dramatic story of love, betrayal and allegiances' Woman magazine on One August Night

In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people - and countries - will pay to cling on to them. Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike. When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them? Helena's desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth - and to understand the origins of her grandfather's collection. Helena's attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather's actions sees her wrestle with the meaning of 'home', both in relation to looted objects of antiquity ... and herself.

'Excellent as ever. Victoria Hislop at her best.' Reader review 'Within a few pages I was back in Greece and almost feeling the sun on my face.' Reader review Beloved author Victoria Hislop returns to Crete in this long-anticipated sequel to her multi-million-copy Number One bestseller, The Island. 25th August 1957. The island of Spinalonga closes its leper colony. And a moment of violence has devastating consequences. When time stops dead for Maria Petrakis and her sister, Anna, two families splinter apart and, for the people of Plaka, the closure of Spinalonga is forever coloured with tragedy. In the aftermath, the question of how to resume life looms large. Stigma and scandal need to be confronted and somehow, for those impacted, a future built from the ruins of the past. Number one bestselling author Victoria Hislop returns to the world and characters she created in The Island - the award-winning novel that remains one of the biggest selling reading group novels of the century. It is finally time to be reunited with Anna, Maria, Manolis and Andreas in the weeks leading up to the evacuation of the island... and beyond. 'A return to Hislop's thyme-scented, Aegean-lapped fictional Greece' The Sunday Times Discover for yourself why ten million readers worldwide love the novels of Victoria Hislop... 'This dramatic, absorbing and good-natured novel abounds Greek Island atmosphere' Daily Mail on One August Night 'Immersive storytelling sweeps you along' Mail on Sunday on One August Night 'A dramatic story of love, betrayal and allegiances . . . Hislop evokes Greece beautifully' Woman & Home on One August Night 'Hislop's love for Greece shines through this wonderfully descriptive and compelling tale' Sunday Express on One August Night 'This love letter to Greece will sweep you away to another time and place' The Sunday Mirror on One August Night 'Hislop expertly delves into the complex history of a fascinating country in this beautifully written family saga' Daily Mirror on One August Night 'Compelling and moving, this is a real page turner' Woman's Weekly on One August Night 'The descriptions of Greece leave you feeling like you're right there' Good Housekeeping on One August Night 'A beautifully written story that will enchant the reader' The Express on One August Night 'A dramatic story of love, betrayal and allegiances' Woman magazine on One August Night In 2018, The Island was awarded a Nielsen Platinum Bestseller Award in recognition of selling over one million copies in the United Kingdom. Those Who Are Loved was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in paperback for four weeks in August and September 2020.

From the internationally bestselling author of The Island comes a dazzling new novel of family betrayals, forbidden love, and historical turmoil.

Sonia knows nothing of Granada's shocking past, but ordering a simple cup of coffee in a quiet cafe will lead her into the extraordinary tale of a family's fight to survive the horror of the Spanish Civil War.

Seventy years earlier, in the Ramirez family's cafe, Concha and Pablo's children relish an atmosphere of hope. Antonio is a serious young teacher, Ignacio a flamboyant matador, and Emilio a skilled musician. Their sister, Mercedes, is a spirited girl whose sole passion is dancing, until she meets Javier and an obsessive love affair begins. But Spain is a country in turmoil. In the heat of civil war, everyone must take a side and choose whether to submit, to fight, or to attempt escape.

A special reissue from Head of Zeus's bestselling anthology collection of the best 100 short stories written by women, selected by Victoria Hislop, one of the nation's favourite novelists. Witty, heartbreaking, shocking, satirical: the short story can excite or sadden, entice or repulse. The one thing it can never be is dull. Now Victoria Hislop has collected 100 stories from her favourite women writers into one volume. Here are Man Booker Prize-winners and Nobel Laureates, feminists and famous wits, national treasures and rising stars, all handpicked by one of the nation's best-loved novelists. Featuring an all-star cast of authors including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Angela Carter, Margaret Drabble, Penelope Fitzgerald, Miranda July, Doris Lessing, Katherine Mansfield, Alice Munro, Dorothy Parker and Virginia Woolf, The Story is the biggest and most beautiful collection of women's short fiction in print today.

'Intelligent and immersive... a poignant, compelling family saga' The Sunday Times The No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller from the million-copy best-selling author of The Island, The Thread, and The Return. In the summer of 1972, Famagusta in Cyprus is the most desirable resort in the Mediterranean, a city bathed in the glow of good fortune. An ambitious couple are about to open the island's most spectacular hotel, where Greek and Turkish Cypriots work in harmony. Two neighbouring families, the Georgious and the OEzkans, are among many who moved to Famagusta to escape the years of unrest and ethnic violence elsewhere on the island. But beneath the city's facade of glamour and success, tension is building. When a Greek coup plunges the island into chaos, Cyprus faces a disastrous conflict. Turkey invades to protect the Turkish Cypriot minority, and Famagusta is shelled. Forty thousand people seize their most precious possessions and flee from the advancing soldiers. In the deserted city, just two families remain. This is their story. Praise for The Sunrise. . . 'Fascinating and moving' The Times 'An imaginative tour de force, and a great read' Daily Mail 'An absorbing tale about family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal' Good Housekeeping 'Heartbreaking' Essentials 'Vibrant... Hislop brings history to life in this compelling tale' Tatler 'Fascinating' Sunday Mirror

'Victoria Hislop's view of history in her novels is, like the writer herself, a compassionate and generous one' Scotsman Beloved author Victoria Hislop returns to Crete in this long-anticipated sequel to her multi-million-copy Number One bestseller, The Island. 25th August 1957. The island of Spinalonga closes its leper colony. And a moment of violence has devastating consequences. When time stops dead for Maria Petrakis and her sister, Anna, two families splinter apart and, for the people of Plaka, the closure of Spinalonga is forever coloured with tragedy. In the aftermath, the question of how to resume life looms large. Stigma and scandal need to be confronted and somehow, for those impacted, a future built from the ruins of the past. Number one bestselling author Victoria Hislop returns to the world and characters she created in The Island - the award-winning novel that remains one of the biggest selling reading group novels of the century. It is finally time to be reunited with Anna, Maria, Manolis and Andreas in the weeks leading up to the evacuation of the island... and beyond. Discover for yourself why ten million readers worldwide love the novels of Victoria Hislop... 'Anyone who reads Victoria Hislop's novels falls in love with Greece - and not just the beaches and ancient sites but with the people and their recent history' S Mag 'Nobody writes about Greece quite like Victoria Hislop' Red 'Brilliantly researched historical fiction' Observer 'Brings Greek history to compelling life' Sunday Times 'When it comes to tales about Greece, Hislop is an undisputed queen' Heat

***A beautiful 10th anniversary paperback edition that includes a new essay by Victoria Hislop on the impact of this million-copy bestseller.*** 'A moving and absorbing holiday read that pulls at the heartstrings' Evening Standard The acclaimed million-copy number one bestseller and winner of Richard & Judy's Summer Read 2006. Victoria Hislop tells a dramatic tale of four generations, illicit love, violence and leprosy, from the thirties, through the war, to the present day. On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more. Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fotini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion. She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip... Praise for The Island. . . 'A vivid, moving and absorbing tale' Observer 'Victoria Hislop . . . brings dignity and tenderness to her novel about lives blighted by leprosy' Telegraph 'Wonderful descriptions, strong characters and an intimate portrait of island existence' Woman & Home 'War, tragedy and passion unfurl against a Mediterranean backdrop in this engrossing debut novel' You magazine 'Hislop's deep research, imagination and patent love of Crete creates a convincing portrait of times on the island' Evening Standard 'A page-turning tale that reminds us that love and life continue in even the most extraordinary of circumstances' Sunday Express 'A beautiful tale of enduring love and unthinking prejudice' Express In 2018, The Island was awarded a Nielsen Platinum Bestseller Award in recognition of selling over one million copies in the United Kingdom.

A dramatic and moving story set in the same world as the international bestseller The Island from the celebrated novelist Victoria Hislop. The absorbing story of the Cretan village of Plaka and the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony - is told to us by Maria Petrakis, one of the children in the original version of The Island. She tells us of the ancient and misunderstood disease of leprosy, exploring the themes of stigma, shame and the treatment of those who are different, which are as relevant for children as adults. Gill Smith's rich, full-colour illustrations will transport the reader to the timeless and beautiful Greek landscape and Mediterranean seascape.

From the internationally acclaimed author of The Island and The Return comes a sweeping and unforgettable story of love and friendship and the choices that must be made when loyalties are challenged.

Thessaloniki, Greece, 1917: As Dimitri Komninos is born, a fire sweeps through the thriving multicultural city where Christians, Jews, and Muslims live side by side. It is the first of many catastrophic events that will forever change this place and its people. Five years later, as the Turkish army pushes west through Asia Minor, young Katerina loses her mother in the crowd of refugees clambering for boats to Greece. Landing in Thessaloniki's harbor, she is at the mercy of strangers in an unknown city. For the next eighty years, the lives of Dimitri and Katerina will be entwined with each other and--through Nazi occupation, civil war, persecution, and economic collapse--with the story of their homeland.

Thessaloniki, Greece, 2007: A young Anglo-Greek hears his grandparents' remarkable story for the first time and understands he has a decision to make. For decades, Dimitri and Katerina have looked after the treasures of those who have been forced from their beloved city. Should he stay and become their new custodian?

'Aims to open the eyes and tug the heartstrings' Independent An atmospheric, vibrant and moving tale of pain and passion at the heart of war-torn Spain from Victoria Hislop, the million-copy bestselling author of The Island. Beneath the majestic towers of the Alhambra, Granada's cobbled streets resonate with music and secrets. Sonia Cameron knows nothing of the city's shocking past; she is here to dance. But in a quiet cafe, a chance conversation and an intriguing collection of old photographs draw her into the extraordinary tale of Spain's devastating civil war. Seventy years earlier, the cafe is home to the close-knit Ramirez family. In 1936, an army coup led by Franco shatters the country's fragile peace, and in the heart of Granada the family witnesses the worst atrocities of conflict. Divided by politics and tragedy, everyone must take a side, fighting a personal battle as Spain rips itself apart. Praise for The Return. . . 'Hislop deserves a medal for opening a breach into the holiday beach bag' Independent 'Captivating and deeply moving' Look 'Hislop marries an epic family saga with meticulous historical research, and it's a captivating partnership' Easy Living 'Executed with verve and sensitivity' Sunday Telegraph

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Cartes Postales from Greece is an extraordinary new book from Victoria Hislop, the Sunday Times Number One bestselling author of The Island, The Return, The Thread, and The Sunrise. A beautifully depicted love affair with Greece, and a spellbinding tale of love and loss. It is fiction with a distinctive photographic framework - magical and unique. 'Hislop's passionate love of the country breathes from every page' Daily Mail 'When it comes to tales about Greece, Hislop is an undisputed queen - and this is easily her best novel yet' Heat Week after week, the postcards arrive, addressed to someone Ellie does not know, each signed with an initial: A. These alluring cartes postales of Greece brighten her life and cast a spell on her. She decides she must see this country for herself. On the morning Ellie leaves for Athens, a notebook arrives. Its pages tell the story of a man's odyssey through Greece. Moving, surprising and sometimes dark, A's tale unfolds with the discovery not only of a culture, but also of a desire to live life to the full once more. Praise for Cartes Postales. . . 'When it comes to tales about Greecem Hislop is an undisputed queen' Heat magazine 'A lavish love letter to Greece' Sunday Mirror 'A beautiful tale of love, struggle and redemption' Prima 'This wonderful, illuminating novel is a perfect escape' Woman & Home 'This beautiful novel is illustrated with gorgeous photos to really bring the country to life' Sun on Sunday

'She brings Greek history to compelling life' The Sunday Times 'Hislop has done her research and handles the great sweep of complex Greek history with skill and confidence' Daily Mail Athens, 1941. Nazi forces occupy Greece ... and a nation falls apart. Victoria Hislop's NEW Sunday Times Number One bestseller takes you into the darker days of Greek history and, through the eyes of its extraordinary heroine, illuminates the courage it takes to live in peace. After decades of political uncertainty, Greece is polarised between Right- and Left-wing views when the Germans invade. Fifteen-year-old Themis comes from a family divided by these political differences. The Nazi occupation deepens the fault-lines between those she loves just as it reduces Greece to destitution. She watches friends die in the ensuing famine and is moved to commit acts of resistance. In the civil war that follows the end of the occupation, Themis joins the Communist army, where she experiences the extremes of love and hatred and the paradoxes presented by a war in which Greek fights Greek. Eventually imprisoned on the infamous islands of exile, Makronisos and then Trikeri, Themis encounters another prisoner whose life will entwine with her own in ways neither can foresee. And finds she must weigh her principles against her desire to escape and live. As she looks back on her life, Themis realises how tightly the personal and political can become entangled. While some wounds heal, others deepen. This gripping new novel from bestselling author Victoria Hislop sheds light on the complexity and trauma of Greece's past and weaves it into the epic tale of an ordinary woman compelled to live an extraordinary life. Victoria Hislop. Discover for yourself why 10 million readers worldwide love her books... Here's what the critics said about Those Who Are Loved: 'A searing and powerful story full of passion, showing how one woman's ideals and beliefs shape everything that she becomes. It's both a beautifully woven love story and a spellbinding, heart-breaking depiction of a country torn apart by hatred' Daily Express 'A glorious Greek setting and rich historical detail form the backdrop of this captivating and poignant story' Woman & Home 'An eye-opening and moving read' Mirror 'Anyone who reads Victoria Hislop's novels falls in love with Greece ... A moving read that sweeps you through time' S Magazine 'A wonderfully researched and beautifully written piece of historical fiction' CultureFly Those Who Are Loved was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in paperback for four weeks in August and September 2020.

'Lyrical, twisty short stories' Evening Standard A collection of stunning short stories from the million-copy bestselling author of The Island. Three of these stories were previously published in Victoria Hislop's ebook collection, One Cretan Evening. In ten powerful stories, Victoria Hislop takes us through the streets of Athens and into the tree-lined squares of Greek villages. As she evokes their distinct atmosphere, she brings vividly to life a host of unforgettable characters, from a lonesome priest to battling brothers, and from an unwanted stranger to a groom troubled by music and memory. These bittersweet tales of love and loyalty, of separation and reconciliation, captured in Victoria Hislop's unique voice, will stay with you long after you reach the end. Praise for The Last Dance and Other Stories. . . 'A master at evoking a sense of place' Mail on Sunday 'Stunning... Intricate, beautifully observed' Express 'Beguiling... her characters are utterly convincing' Daily Mail 'A vivid portrait of a country in upheaval' Tatler

'A return to Hislop's thyme-scented, Aegean-lapped fictional Greece' The Sunday Times Beloved author Victoria Hislop returns to Crete in this long-anticipated sequel to her multi-million-copy Number One bestseller, The Island. 25th August 1957. The island of Spinalonga closes its leper colony. And a moment of violence has devastating consequences. When time stops dead for Maria Petrakis and her sister, Anna, two families splinter apart and, for the people of Plaka, the closure of Spinalonga is forever coloured with tragedy. In the aftermath, the question of how to resume life looms large. Stigma and scandal need to be confronted and somehow, for those impacted, a future built from the ruins of the past. Number one bestselling author Victoria Hislop returns to the world and characters she created in The Island - the award-winning novel that remains one of the biggest selling reading group novels of the century. It is finally time to be reunited with Anna, Maria, Manolis and Andreas in the weeks leading up to the evacuation of the island... and beyond. Discover for yourself why ten million readers worldwide love the novels of Victoria Hislop... 'This dramatic, absorbing and good-natured novel abounds Greek Island atmosphere' Daily Mail on One August Night 'Immersive storytelling sweeps you along' Mail on Sunday on One August Night 'A dramatic story of love, betrayal and allegiances . . . Hislop evokes Greece beautifully' Woman & Home on One August Night 'Hislop's love for Greece shines through this wonderfully descriptive and compelling tale' Sunday Express on One August Night 'This love letter to Greece will sweep you away to another time and place' The Sunday Mirror on One August Night 'Hislop expertly delves into the complex history of a fascinating country in this beautifully written family saga' Daily Mirror on One August Night 'Compelling and moving, this is a real page turner' Woman's Weekly on One August Night 'The descriptions of Greece leave you feeling like you're right there' Good Housekeeping on One August Night 'A beautifully written story that will enchant the reader' The Express on One August Night 'A dramatic story of love, betrayal and allegiances' Woman magazine on One August Night

'Sweeping, magnificently detailed and ambitious' The Sunday Times The enthralling novel from Victoria Hislop, the million-copy bestselling author of The Island and The Return. Thessaloniki, 1917. As Dimitri Komninos is born, a devastating fire sweeps through the thriving Greek city where Christians, Jews and Muslims live side by side. Five years later, Katerina Sarafoglou's home in Asia Minor is destroyed by the Turkish army. Losing her mother in the chaos, she flees across the sea to an unknown destination in Greece. Soon her life will become entwined with Dimitri's, and with the story of the city itself, as war, fear and persecution begin to divide its people. Thessaloniki, 2007. A young Anglo-Greek hears his grandparents' life story for the first time and realises he has a decision to make. For many decades, they have looked after the memories and treasures of the people who were forced to leave. Should he become their next custodian and make this city his home? Praise for The Thread. . . 'A history lesson that doesn't feel like one' Daily Mail 'This is storytelling at its best' Sunday Express 'A rare treat' Guardian 'The Thread will entertain and enlighten legions of readers' Independent 'Pleasingly complex' Spectator

The Petrakis family lives in the small Greek seaside village of Plaka. Just off the coast is the tiny island of Spinalonga, where the nation's leper colony once was located--a place that has haunted four generations of Petrakis women. There's Eleni, ripped from her husband and two young daughters and sent to Spinalonga in 1939, and her daughters Maria, finding joy in the everyday as she dutifully cares for her father, and Anna, a wild child hungry for passion and a life anywhere but Plaka. And finally there's Alexis, Eleni's great-granddaughter, visiting modern-day Greece to unlock her family's past.

A richly enchanting novel of lives and loves unfolding against the backdrop of the Mediterranean during World War II, "The Island" is an enthralling story of dreams and desires, of secrets desperately hidden, and of leprosy's touch on an unforgettable family.

A dramatic and moving story set in the same world as the international bestseller The Island from the celebrated novelist Victoria Hislop.

The absorbing story of the Cretan village of Plaka and the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga – Greece's former leper colony – is told to us by Maria Petrakis, one of the children in the original version of The Island. She tells us of the ancient and misunderstood disease of leprosy, exploring the themes of stigma, shame and the treatment of those who are different, which are as relevant for children as adults. Gill Smith's rich, full-colour illustrations will transport the reader to the timeless and beautiful Greek landscape and Mediterranean seascape.