Private Detective Lew Archer doesn't believe in coincidences...A forest fire has mysteriously broken out in the hills above southern California. Meanwhile, Lew Archer has been asked by a desperate mother to find her six-year-old son. Instead, he discovers the boy's wealthy father, murdered, and buried in a hole in the ground. The mystery will lead Archer to unearth a tragic, years-old history of abandonment, obsession and illusion, where the past won't let go of the present - and everything is connected.
To catch a criminal, he must become oneJonathan Pine, night manager of a luxury Swiss hotel, has a secret. He knows that the guest he awaits, billionaire trader Richard Roper, is 'the worst man in the world.' And he knows why. Pine will do whatever it takes to help the Intelligence services bring Roper down - even if it means going deep undercover into a ruthless, lawless world, up against forces more dangerous than he can imagine.
Who stole George Matthews' life?'Doctor, I think I'm losing my mind...'When a wealthy young man turns up at respected psychiatrist Dr George Matthews' office uttering these words, it changes his safe existence forever. Suddenly Matthews finds himself dragged into a strange, surreal world where nothing is certain. And when an actress is found murdered, a horse tied up outside her apartment, Matthews loses his memory - and must find it in a nightmarish urban jungle of mistaken identities, secrets and insanity.
Can an ace detective outwit a thief with many faces?They call him 'Gold Mask': a fiendishly clever master of disguise whose crime spree has shocked Tokyo. The dogged detective Akechi Kogoro is on the trail, and soon the two become locked in a frenzied battle of wits as his seemingly superhuman nemesis leads a chase across Japan, gleefully tricking the police at every turn. Will this ingenious villain's true identity be revealed - and will he, eventually, make a mistake?
Is Carl Andersen innocent of murder, or a very good liar?Detective Chief Inspector Maigret has been interrogating the enigmatic Danish aristocrat for seventeen hours. A diamond merchant was found dead, shot at point-blank range, in the garage of Andersen's mansion, yet he will not confess to the crime. To get to the truth, Maigret must delve into the secrets of Three Widows Crossroads, the isolated neighbourhood where he lives with his mysterious, reclusive sister Else - and where, it seems, everyone has something to hide.
James Bond, the secret service's most lethal agent, is a marked manDeep inside the Soviet Union, a plot is taking shape. Under the fiendish Colonel Rosa Klebb, the Russian counter-intelligence organisation SMERSH are laying a trap that will not only eliminate Bond, but strike at the very heart of the British establishment. The bait is the irresistible 'defector' Tatiana Romanova and a precious coding machine. The weapon is the psychotic assassin, Grant. As 007 is lured to Istanbul, a deadly game begins.
'Great fun - Loretta is glorious!' Lucy Diamond'Sparkles with fun and wit' Libby Page'A fun, gossipy glimpse into Golden Era Hollywood' Julie Cohen-----You're Loretta Darling now, welcome to your brand-new flipping life.Dreams don't come true for girls like Loretta but she won't let that stop her. With her sights set on becoming a make-up artist to the stars, Loretta wangles her way from Lancashire to the bright lights of Golden Age Hollywood.Only it turns out that Sunset Boulevard is less about dashing fellas and chilled martinis - more sticky floors and misbehaving men. The gift of the gab can only get her so far but she refuses to go quietly.Hollywood has its secrets ... and so does Loretta.For a start, that's not her real name, and much more than lipstick lurks inside her beauty case.After all, revenge is a dish best served with a perfectly painted smile.-----'What a delicious dark delight of a book!' JENNA BLUM, bestselling author of Those Who Save Us'So sassy and delicious. Loretta is one cool character' JOSIE SILVER, Sunday Times bestselling author of One Day in December'Sharply observed, full of scene-stealing characters, this book is a wildly enjoyable ride. Loretta is a force of nature, truly unforgettable!' LAURA WOOD, author of Under Your Spell'Absolutely loved this romp of a book. So feisty and fun' TANIA TAY, author of The Other Woman
'The perfect beach read' Harriet Tyce, Blood Orange'Wonderfully escapist and nail-bitingly suspenseful' Laura Marshall, Friend Request-----WELCOME TO PARADISE! Or so the staff say as they greet the Hamiltons on the pristine shores of the idyllic Maldives resort.And it starts off that way: snorkelling in the serene blue sea, champagne picnics on powder-white sand, and moonlit walks under the stars.But lies lurk beneath the luxury, because each of the guests has a secret... and they're not the only ones.Months later, a grisly discovery is made.Whatever happened to the Hamiltons? And how did their once-in-a-lifetime trip turn into the holiday from hell?From the author of THE BEACH PARTY comes a novel of sun, sea and secrets for fans of ONE OF THE GIRLS and WHITE LOTUS.PRAISE FOR NIKKI SMITH'A sumptuous blend of glossy luxury and dark underbelly' Andrea Mara, No One Saw A Thing'The new queen of the glamorous destination thriller' Ellery Lloyd, The Club'Set to be another summer scorcher' BA Paris, Behind Closed Doors'Bound to be the hit thriller of the summer!' T. M. Logan, The Holiday'Thrilling, twisting...a heart stopping read ' Chris Whitaker, We Begin at the End'Deliciously gripping and twisty' Shalini Boland, The Secret Mother'A cocktail of questionable motives... set against a backdrop to die for' Liv Matthews, The Twins'Dark secrets and twists that will knock you sideways' Lesley Kara, The Rumour
Hello friends, come on down to our wonderful town,You'll be welcomed with arms open wide. Because here, every year, our town blossoms with cheer,As tomorrow we'll celebrate . . . Pride!Join a group of friends preparing to celebrate Pride, learning about its positive messages and creating banners and costumes that reflect what they're passionate about. This is a beautiful, moving story that shows it's never too early to start celebrating love, acceptance and inclusion.
From the award-winning author-illustrator Ed Vere comes a lyrical tale that reminds us all to chase our dreams.Meet Gabriel. A young elephant who lives in a village by the sea.He has one dream and it's to join the lifeboat crew. He wants to help people in the water, bravely sailing out to sea! But elephants don't fit in lifeboats. He's too big to help the sailors. But one STORMY, WINDY day, the lifeboat crew run into trouble and Gabriel might be the only one who can help. Can Gabriel save the day?One growing elephant. One smallish lifeboat. One BIG dream . . ."A charming winner about purpose, bravery, and making one's dreams come true." - Kirkus Reviews
Bluey and Bingo are drawing Father's Day cards for Dad.Bluey wants hers to be perfect but soon realises perfect is tough. It's a good thing Bluey is tough!A brilliant picture book about how sometimes perfect doesn't have to be . . . perfect? "Dad will love anything you do as long as you put some care into it."Happy Father's Day!Want more Bluey? Also available:Bluey: SleepytimeBluey: Bob BilbyBluey: Charades
Bluey and her family love arts and crafts, especially for Father's Day fun! Join them and find out what they've been up to . . .Guide them through a maze, search for Dad's lost footy, and make your own charades cards!Join in the fun and start crafting!Want more Bluey? Also available:Bluey: Bluey's Beach A Craft Activity BookBluey: What Games Should We Play? A Lift-the-Flap BookBluey: Super Stickers
Sparkle and Splodge are opposites. Sparkle likes everything neat! Splodge loves mess!But when Splodge's crayons are lost, can Sparkle face their worries and help Splodge to find the missing crayons?This positive picture book celebrates the importance of creative fun, making mistakes, and learning from others.
Introducing the latest edition of this much-loved anthology, with brand-new Fifteenth and Fourteenth Doctor stories.Fifteen wonderful tales of adventure, science, magic, monsters and time travel - featuring all fifteen Doctors - are waiting for you in this very special Doctor Who volume.Includes a bonus story starring the Fourteenth Doctor (and a very familiar foe), and a brand-new, very exciting and very exclusive, new tale that will feature the Fifteenth Doctor - written by bestselling author Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéOther authors featured include: Eoin Colfer, Michael Scott, Marcus Sedgwick, Philip Reeve, Patrick Ness, Richelle Mead, Malorie Blackman, Alex Scarrow, Charlie Higson, Derek Landy, Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Naomi Alderman and Steve Cole.
The first book in a hilarious series for 7+ readers from bestselling author Rachel Morrisroe, packed with laughs, heart and superhero pets! Nine-year-old Harry has always wanted a dog and when he sees Dottie at the local animal shelter he knows she's the perfect puppy for him. What he doesn't realise is that Dottie is a dog with a difference . . . she can talk and fly!And Harry's not the only one interested in Dottie, and soon they are both scooped up in their very first mission with the SuperPets, a secret league of very special pets who keep the world safe from harm.But the other SuperPets have been kidnapped by Sparkletta Crystal, can "Super Sausage" (aka Dottie) and Harry stop the evil supervillain in her tracks before it's too late?Full of friendship, fun and silly superhero antics, this is the perfect new series for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn, Wigglesbottom Primary and The Secret Life of Pets!
SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024An introduction to the wondrous world of clouds, by the internationally bestselling founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society and a prize-winning children's book author and illustratorHave you ever watched a cloud being born?Clouds come in all manner of shapes and sizes, from low-lying Stratus to high-flying Cirrus via roll clouds, banner clouds and tornados. This beautifully illustrated guide reveals the facts, secrets and stories of all the major cloud types, and how they shape the weather around them. We learn their fancy Latin names, explore the parts of the sky where they like to hang out, marvel at the ways they play with sunlight - and even visit them on other planets, where they are sometimes made of acid.Cloudspotting for Beginners will inspire curious minds with a lifelong sense of meteorological wonder.
Can opposites ever really attract? When star-crossed lovers Karim and Zara's worlds collide, they have to work out just how far they're willing to go to give their love a chance. When Karim and Zara meet, sparks shouldn't fly. They've got nothing in common: Karim - with his on-and offline clique, The Exes - is a globally renowned influencer. Zara is just a normal teen, trying to get into uni, and not bring shame to the family by getting distracted by silly boys. Sparks do fly though. With Zara, Karim can finally let his guard down, while his glamorous world offers Zara an escape from her parent's control. But someone has their eye on them - a secret gossip who's been spilling truths about The Exes for years. While Karim and Zara's dates get swoonier, the blogger's posts get more personal - and more threatening. Can Karim and Zara unmask their tormentor in time to get their happily ever after? Or does fate have other plans in store for them?
In every generation since the legendary 'whale rider', a male descendant inherits the title of chief. But now there is no male heir-there's only Kahu. She should be next in line for the title, but her great-grandfather is blinded by tradition and sees no use for a girl.But Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle, she has a unique ally: the ancient whale rider himself. With a fierce determination and the power of her gifts, Kahu may be able to strengthen her tribe's ancestral connections, earn her great-grandfather's attention-and lead her community to a bold new future.Can she embrace her destiny and become the next whale rider?
'A book to get the neurons firing. As a passionate game player I loved reading a neuroscientist's perspective on the role games have played in humanity's attempts to navigate the game of life. A dopamine hit on every page' Marcus du SautoyA sweeping intellectual history of games and their importance to human progress.We play games to learn about the world, to understand our minds and the minds of others, and to practice making predictions about the future. Games are thought to be older than written language, and have now become the dominant cultural media-bigger than movies, TV, music, and literature combined. They are also fun. But as neuroscientist and physicist Kelly Clancy argues, it's time we started taking them more seriously. In Playing With Reality, she chronicles the riveting and hidden history of games since the Enlightenment, weaving an unexpected path through military theory, biology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and the future of democracy. Games, Clancy shows us, have been deeply intertwined with the arc of history. War games shaped the outcomes of real wars in nineteenth and twentieth century Europe. Game theory warped our understanding of human behaviour and brought us to the brink of annihilation-yet still underlies basic assumptions in economics, politics, and technology. We used games to teach computers how to learn for themselves, and now we are designing games that will determine the shape of society and future of democracy. Games also inform the basic systems that govern our daily lives: the social media and technology that can warp our preferences, polarise us, and manufacture our desires. Lucid, thought-provoking, and masterfully told, Playing With Reality makes the bold argument that the human fascination with games is the key to understanding our nature.
Quite simply, this book is a work of genius - Matthew Parris, The SpectatorAn essential study of post-war gay London life... one of the best anthologies I have ever read - John Self, The ObserverWith it's wide-ranging selection, generous biographical notes and provocative bibliography, Some Men in London is a serious and important contribution to our understanding of Britain up to today - Fiona Sampson, The TabletAn absolutely extraordinary book ... about actually what life was like for homosexual men in London in the 1940s and the 1950s... It's amazing - Dominic Sandbrook The first part of a major new anthology which uncovers the rich reality of life for queer men in LondonIn the 1940s, it was believed that homosexuality had been becoming more widespread in the aftermath of war. A moral panic ensued, centred around London as the place to which gay men gravitated.In a major new anthology, Peter Parker explores what it was actually like for queer men in London in this period, whether they were well-known figures such as John Gielgud, 'Chips' Channon and E.M. Forster, or living lives of quiet - or occasionally rowdy - anonymity in pubs, clubs, more public places of assignation, or at home. It is rich with letters, diaries, psychological textbooks, novels, films, plays and police records, covering a wide range of viewpoints, from those who deplored homosexuality to those who campaigned for its decriminalisation.This first volume, from 1945 to 1959, details a community forced to live at constant risk of blackmail or prison. Yet it also shows a thriving and joyous subculture, one that enriched a mainstream culture often ignorant of its debt to gay creators. Some Men In London is a testament to queer life, which was always much more complex than newspapers, governments and the Metropolitan Police Force imagined.
This is the history of the institutions and individuals who have managed the global economy, from the World Monetary and Economic Conference in the wake of the Great Depression to the present, as leading nations tackle the fallout from Covid-19 and the threats of inflation, food security and climate change. Since the Second World War, organisations created at Bretton Woods - the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development - and afterwards - the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - have left an indelible mark on our contemporary world.Martin Daunton examines the swings of the pendulum over ninety years between the forces of democracy, national determination and globalization. He shows that the structures of economic government have been overwhelmingly shaped by 'first world' powers, often to the dismay of developing countries. He argues that whilst structures cannot be separated from the politics of and between the biggest economies, future global recovery rests on the reduction of inequality and that multilateral institutions are fundamental in fostering inclusive growth.
A grand new vision of cognitive science that explains how our minds build our worlds'One of the most important books yet published this century' SpectatorFor as long as we've studied the mind, we've believed that information flowing from our senses determines what our mind perceives. But as our understanding has advanced in the last few decades, a hugely powerful new view has flipped this assumption on its head. The brain is not a passive receiver, but an ever-active predictor.At the forefront of this cognitive revolution is widely acclaimed philosopher and cognitive scientist Andy Clark, who has synthesized his ground-breaking work on the predictive brain to explore its fascinating mechanics and implications. Among the most stunning of these is the realization that experience itself, because it is guided by prior expectation, is a kind of controlled hallucination. We don't passively take in the world around us; instead our mind is constantly making and refining predictions about what we expect to see. This even applies to our bodies, as the way we experience pain and other states is shaped by our expectations, and this has broader implications for the understanding and treatment of conditions from PTSD to schizophrenia to medically unexplained symptoms. From the most mundane experiences to the most sublime, it is our predictions that sculpt our experience.A landmark study of cognitive science, The Experience Machine lays out the extraordinary explanatory power of the predictive brain for our lives, mental health and society.
What can the fall of Rome teach us about the decline of the West today? A historian and a political economist, both experts in their field, investigateOver the last three centuries, the West rose to dominate the planet. Then, suddenly, around the turn of the millennium, history reversed. Faced with economic stagnation and internal political division, the West has found itself in rapid decline.This is not the first time the global order has witnessed such a dramatic rise and fall. The Roman Empire followed a similar arc from dizzying power to disintegration - a fact that is more than a strange historical coincidence. In Why Empires Fall, historian Peter Heather and political economist John Rapley use this Roman past to think anew about the contemporary West, its state of crisis, and what paths we could take out of it.In this exceptional, transformative intervention, Heather and Rapley explore the uncanny parallels - and productive differences - between the two cases, moving beyond the familiar tropes of invading barbarians and civilizational decay to learn new lessons from ancient history. From 399 to 1999, the life cycles of empires, they argue, sow the seeds of their inevitable destruction. The era of western global domination has reached its end - so what comes next?
'Exquisite... intelligent, illuminating, mischievous ... delightful The TimesThe acclaimed author of Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts introduces us to the extraordinary keepers and companions of medieval manuscripts over a thousand years of historyThe illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages are among the greatest works of European art and literature. We are dazzled by them and recognize their crucial role in the transmission of knowledge. But we generally think much less about the countless men and women who made, collected and preserved them through the centuries, and to whom they owe their existence.This entrancing book describes some of the extraordinary people who have spent their lives among illuminated manuscripts over the last thousand years. A monk in Normandy, a prince of France, a Florentine bookseller, an English antiquary, a rabbi from central Europe, a French priest, a Keeper at the British Museum, a Greek forger, a German polymath, a British connoisseur and the woman who created the most spectacular library in America - all of them were participants in what Christopher de Hamel calls the Manuscripts Club.This exhilarating fraternity, and the fellow enthusiasts who come with it, throw new light on how manuscripts have survived and been used by very different kinds of people in many different circumstances. Christopher de Hamel's unexpected connections and discoveries reveal a passion which crosses the boundaries of time. We understand the manuscripts themselves better by knowing who their keepers and companions have been.In 1850 (or thereabouts) John Ruskin bought his first manuscript 'at a bookseller's in a back alley'. This was his reaction: 'The new worlds which every leaf of this book opened to me, and the joy I had in counting their letters and unravelling their arabesques as if they had all been of beaten gold - as many of them were - cannot be told.' The members of de Hamel's club share many such wonders, which he brings to us with scholarship, style, and a lifetime's experience.
The Sunday Times Sports Book of the YearA Times Book of the YearA Financial Times Book of the YearA Guardian Book of the YearA New Statesman Book of the Year'The heartwarming story of the collaboration and friendship between English football's oddest couple, Elton John and Graham Taylor' The Times' A wonderful, feel-good account of an ultimately English provincial story' Simon Kuper_____________________ An unforgettable British underdog story from one of our greatest narrative nonfiction writers, John Preston, and the international musical icon and bestselling author, Sir Elton John.Britain in the 1970s was beset by unrest and unemployment, as inflation soared, fuel was scarce, and hooliganism was on the rise. And for Watford FC, the outlook was even gloomier. Rundown and rat-infested, Watford were an ailing side with holes in their kit and barely enough fans to fill a stand. Of the 92 clubs in the Football League, spread across four divisions, Watford were in 92nd place.Meanwhile, Elton John was the most successful rockstar in the world. With six-inch platforms, spangled jumpsuits, and peroxide hair, he was glamorous, gay, and seemingly a world away from the semi-detached house in Pinner where he had supported Watford FC as a child. Many assumed he would move to America. Instead, he bought the football club.Watford Forever is the remarkable story of Elton John's ownership of Watford FC and its transformational journey to the top of the First Division under iconic manager Graham Taylor. Perhaps most remarkably, four of the same players who had been written off as has-beens went with them all the way from the bottom to the top. Inspiring and infectiously funny, this is a tribute to football's unlikeliest friendship as Elton John and Taylor, a straight-talking former fullback with a love of Vera Lynn, beat the odds and their personal demons to save a club and a community.Immersed in the grime and glamour of '70s Britain, Watford Forever is one of sport's great underdog stories and a love letter to the beautiful game.
Why have we failed so badly to end men's violence against women? What can we actually do about it? This insightful, provocative and practical handbook suggests a bold and potentially game-changing solution.Pioneering educator, expert scholar, and activist Jackson Katz has spent the last 30 years educating people around the world on men's violence against women, and advocates that although not all men are part of the problem, every man can -- and should -- be part of the solution.In this galvanizing book, Jackson reveals indispensable everyday tools that will help men from all walks of life become part of the solution to gender-based violence. Find out how to respond when a friend or colleague makes a misogynistic comment; learn how to intervene in incidents that may seem small but can lead to violence; and discover how you can become a role model for boys and men who need positive leadership in their lives.This is the essential reading for every man who wants help build a healthier and safer society.
Science is a serious business, right? Wrong. Scientists have been participants in the best reality show of all time, with all the highs, lows, bust-ups, and strange personalities of any show on telly today. From Luke O'Neill - the science teacher you wish you'd had - this hugely accessible history of science reveals the human stories behind the biggest discoveries. For example, we meet Charles Darwin as he weighs up the pros and cons of marrying his cousin: 'constant companion' vs 'less money for books'. Tough call. To Boldly Go Where No Book Has Gone Before covers everything from space travel and evolution to alchemy and AI. Written by one of our leading scientists, this is an insider's account that celebrates the joy of science. It is filled with all the juicy bits that other histories leave out.
Come and join us in the magical world of Anxietyland, a theme park like no other. Here, there's so much to see and do: revel in the ups and downs of the Hormonal Rollercoaster, feel the twists and turns of the Overcaffeinated Teacups, and take a scenic ride on the Train of Overthinking to Comorbid Park. There's no better place for making new friends such as our fun mascot Scaredy Cat, enjoying world-class entertainment, from the Parade of the Therapists to the Well-Meaning Advice Jamboree, and making memories that you'll never forget - even if you want to!In Welcome to Anxietyland! cartoonist, writer, and long-time-anxious-person, Gemma Correll takes us on a riotous journey through her struggles with anxiety, to the desperate search for relief and finally to the realization that it really is possible to feel OK again. Because sometimes all that's left to do when you've tried every possible remedy you can imagine is laugh.
A gripping novel set inside a cult, where the obedient daughter of the Pastor is the only survivor of a tragedyPerfect for fans of Louise O'Neill, Girl A and Good me, Bad Me by Ali Land 'A stark, stunning and deeply affecting thriller. I loved it' Chris Whitaker 'A powerful Southern Gothic thriller about the dangers of blind faith, the strength of women, and the deceptive nature of memory' Anna Bailey---- A fire burns Abigail's parents' house to the ground. Takes her parents too. She's the only survivor. The congregation of South Carolina's New America Baptist Church rallies round. They won't let troublemakers near: gawkers, outsiders, the police. All they ever wanted was to protect innocents like Abigail from a corrupt world. And hasn't Abigail always been perfect? A good daughter? So why have the police got questions? Why doesn't Abigail's story add up? And when did the church get so suspicious? Abigail survived the fire. But can she survive the coming storm?----'An eerie, chilling, gorgeously written novel that is unafraid to challenge and question its subject matter' Laurie Elizabeth Flynn'Thrilling' Prima PRAISE FOR LAURE VAN RENSBURG 'Reads like a glossy 90s thriller . . . OBSESSED' Juno Dawson 'Not to be missed' Evening Standard 'Fresh & sharp. It grips like a vice' Will Dean 'Brutal, tense, utterly compelling, Laure Van Rensburg is an electrifying new voice' Louise O'Neill
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