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  • 1954-2013

    Iain Banks

    On behalf of Iain's wife, Adele, it is with enormous sadness that Little, Brown announces the death of Iain Banks. Banks has been one of the country's best loved novelists for both his mainstream and science fiction books since the publication of his first novel, The Wasp Factory, in 1984. After his own recent announcement of his cancer Iain Banks was hugely moved by the public support for him via his website.
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Imprints

Find out more about our imprints: Abacus, Atom, Hachette Digital, Little Brown, Orbit, Piatkus, Sphere and Virago.
Exclusive author piece

Taylor Downing introduces Night Raid

Out now in hardback and ebook
Read Taylor Downing's introduction to his new book Night Raid - the gripping true story of the first victorious para raid that helped to change the course of the Second World War.
Sphere

Bad Monkey

By Carl Hiaasen
Carl Hiaasen's latest brilliant take on the worldWhen a severed arm is discovered by a couple on honeymoon in the Florida Keys, former police detective - now reluctant restaurant inspector - Andrew Yancy senses that something doesn't add up. Determined to get his badge back, he undertakes an unofficial investigation of his own.Andrew's search for the truth takes him to the Bahamas, where a local man, with the help of a very bad monkey (who allegedly worked on the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) is doing everything in his power to prevent a developer from building a new tourist resort on the island, with deadly consequences . . .Outrageous, hilarious and addictive, this is the unique Carl Hiaasen at his absolute best. Bad Monkey will have you on the edge of your seat and laughing out loud.[Hiaasen] amplifies the grotesque aspects of everyday criminality in order to cut to the heart of human natureCarl Hiaasen writes crime thriller like no other, stories so funny they can make you sick . . . Read it and weep: in a good wayCarl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida, where he still lives. He is a prize-winning journalist with a regular column in the Miami Herald and many articles in varied magazines. He started writing crime fiction in the early 1980s and has recently branched out into children's books; he has also had several works of non-fiction published.Star Island was Hiaasen's bestselling hardback since Bookscan records began reaching number 11 in the chartAuthor has a passionate and dedicated fan baseFantastic new novel from New York Times bestselling author
Cover Reveal

The Beatles Biography

Orbit

Love Minus Eighty

By Will McIntosh
From the Hugo Award-winning Will McIntosh comes Love Minus Eighty - a chilling and touching novel that imagines love and loss one hundred years in the future.A NOVEL OF LOVE AND DEATH, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDERThe words were gentle strokes, drawing her awake."Hello. Hello there."She felt the light on her eyelids, and knew that if she opened her eyes they would sting, and she would have to shade them with her palm and let the light bleed through a crack."Feel like talking?" A man's soft voice.And then her mind cleared enough to wonder: who was this man at her bedside?She tried to sigh, but no breath came. Her eyes flew open in alarm.The Minus Eighty . . . Where millionaires browse the catalogue of icy women, judging on beauty ratings and revival costs. Where a freezer's gentle hum plays the background symphony for the world's most expensive first dates. Where death is only the beginning.Love Minus Eighty is a disquieting vision of our romantic future, as hopeful as it is horrifying, by a Hugo Award-winning author.A clever premise, brilliantly executed . . . chilling and touching at the same timeSpeculative fiction at its most personal and powerful . . . Intriguing, quirky, perversely charming and definitely affectingHow can love succeed in the techno-surround we've trapped ourselves in? . . . Will McIntosh explores in this tightly plotted tangle of love stories. The stirring result casts a clear and knowing eye on our current society, from the best viewpoint of all: the futureA dystopian novel of manners set in a social media-saturated world. It's also about a future where one company has the power to cryogenically freeze beautiful women who die young - and rich men can revive them briefly for "dates," or long-term binding marriage contracts . . . the novel immerses you in a world that is a surprisingly charming cross between Philip K. Dick and Jane Austen . . . manages to deliver a light, romantic story without ever sacrificing its dark vision of the futureMcIntosh intertwines three futuristic stories about individuals looking for love . . . The author's high-tech New York City is both fascinating and plausible . . . McIntosh manages to show how technology can both divide and unite us while delivering a highly entertaining taleMcIntosh paints an intriguing picture of a society ruled by celebrity cultureWill McIntosh is a Hugo award winner and Nebula finalist whose short stories have appeared in Asimov's, Strange Horizons and Interzone, among others. He is the author of the novels Soft Apocalypse and Hitchers, and is the father of twins. He lives in Virginia.LOVE MINUS EIGHTY is the expansion of a 2010 Hugo Award-winning and Nebula Award-nominated short storyA novel that explores the world of love and dating in a frightening future worldPerfect for fans of intelligent, mind-expanding science fiction such as Paolo Bacigalupi's THE WINDUP GIRL, Hannu Rajaniemi's THE QUANTUM THIEF and Lauren Beukes' ZOO CITYAlso great for anyone who enjoys Charlie Brooker's TV series BLACK MIRROR, examining how society will be affected by the increasing invasion of social media in the futureWill McIntosh is admired for his inventive and subtle approach to science fiction - writing books as conceptually cool as they are deeply humanPublished internationally by Orbit for worldwide coordinated promotion
Welcome To Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams

Jenny Colgan Wins Romantic Novel of The Year

Jenny Colgan awarded the Romantic Novelists' Association's highest accolade: the Romantic Novel of the Year 2013 for Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams.
from Jane Gardam

Old Filth - Introduction

An Abacus 40 Publication
Introduction to the Abacus 40 edition of Jane Gardam's 'Old Filth': the book that made the stiff upper lip tremble.
Admire

Big Bears

Read an extract from The Collector of Lost Things by Jeremy Page
Fiona Walker

Introducing The Summer Wedding

11Jun
Belfast Book Festival

Linda Grant event

7:00pm
Linda Grant event at Belfast Book Festival
Does there come a day in every man’s life when he looks around and says to himself, “I’ve got to weed out some of these owls”?

David Sedaris

Understanding Owls

Piatkus

Joanna Hall's Walkactive Programme

By Joanna Hall, Lucy Atkins
Change the way you put one foot in front of the other and you'll change your life - Joanna HallAs an exercise physiologist, Joanna Hall knows without doubt that it is possible to get the body you long for without hassle, pain, guilt or cost. You don't need sophisticated, state-of-the-art exercise kit. You don't need a personal trainer or two hours a day of blood, sweat and tears in a gym. You have everything you need right here, right now - your body. You can use it in the simplest, most natural way imaginable to see an amazing transformation in your shape. All you have to do is walk - the Walkactive way! This inspiring and practical new book will teach you a more intelligent and active way to walk - a way that uses your body to its full capacity and in the process will change your shape and your fitness levels dramatically. Walkactive can help you drop inches from your waist, improve your fitness and muscle tone, reduce stress and low mood, and keep the signs of ageing at bay. It will work, whatever your age, fitness, health, or stage of life. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other.Packed with step-by-step advice and photographs to help you master the technique, motivational case studies and quotes, tips and strategies, plus specific plans to help you lose weight, improve your fitness and your health, Joanna Hall's Walkactive Programme is the book we've all been waiting for.Simple yet incredibly effective, Joanna's Walkactive technique is easy to learn and incorporate into your daily life and is a great way to permanently boost your health, fitness and weight loss.The Walkactive guidebook, which features straightforward step-by-step guides and photos, is a great reference point for mastering the technique. There are spceific training plans included, in case you want to focus on losing weight or getting fitter. And the best part? I can do it any time and anywhere.Joanna Hall is a highly respected fitness professional with a strong online presence - www.joannahall.com. She is the author of 12 books, translated into 6 languages. She has received over 2 million hits for her online exercise clips.Lucy Atkins is a respected health journalist who writes for a wide range of newspapers and magazines. Her book, The Cancer Survivor's Companion, co-authored with Dr Frances Goodhart, won a 'highly commended' rating from the BMA as well as being voted The Guild of Health Writers' Best Health Book 2012.Joanna's clients report that they start seeing results within two weeks - it's quick, simple and effective, and you don't need any special equipment so it's cheap tooJoanna is an established fitness professional and has received over 2 million YouTube hits for her online exercise clipsJoanna was ITV's resident Diet and Fitness expert for three years. She has also worked with the Royal Navy, the All Party Parliamentary Health Select Committee, schools and celebritiesOver 6000 people have now participated in Walkactive events around the UK and there are over 12,000 active users on the Walkactive database and website. Walkactive events are held in more than 20 cities nationwide including London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester and Southampton. And there are now 35 registered trainers in the UK.Joanna's Walking Diet promotion in The Telegraph in June 2012 was one of the newspapers most successful everWalkactive programmes are now supported by BUPA, Terra Plana and operate in partnership with Champneys Health Spas, The Forestry Commission, Ragdale Health Hydro, Calcot Manor, La Manga Club Spain and others
The start of a magnificent new trilogy

An Extract from The Summer Queen

Overflowing with scandal, sex, triumph and tragedy. Read the first chapter of The Summer Queen, the gripping new novel from New York Times Bestseller, Elizabeth Chadwick.
Little, Brown Young Readers

Frankie's Magic Football: Frankie vs The Pirate Pillagers

By Frank Lampard, Mike Jackson
A brand new series for 5+ readers combining magic and football, by superstar footballer Frank LampardFrankie and his team love playing football. There's always time for a game.But when they win an old football at a carnival, they're going to be transported to a magical world of football they never knew existed!Can Frankie and his team beat the Pirate Pillagers and make their way home?Fun and easy to read.The book is deft and well-structured: a magic football . . . takes Frankie and his friends into assorted fantasy worlds, where they must play high-stakes matches against pillaging piratesFrank Lampard is the vice-captain for Chelsea FC and is also an England international. He began his career at West Ham United, for whom his father, Frank Lampard Senior, also played, and in 2001 he moved to Chelsea. Having won every domestic honour with Chelsea, in 2012 Frank captained the Club to their first UEFA Champions League title. A three-time Chelsea Player of the Year, Frank is the club's highest scorer of all time. In 2005 he was voted FWA Footballer of the Year and in 2009 he was named the Premier League's player of the decade, receiving the FWA Tribute Award the following year. Internationally, Frank was voted England Player of the Year for two consecutive years in 2004 and 2005, and was the top scorer for England in their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign. He is England's most prolific penalty taker with eight goals.Frank enjoys reading aloud to his two daughters, who are aged 8 and 5. When they requested stories about football, Frank decided to create his own characters and adventures to entertain them. These tales provided the inspiration for Frankie's Magic Football. Frank is passionate about promoting child literacy and hopes to inspire both young girls and boys to read with his new series. He lives in London.Frank Lampard is an internationally famous footballer with a huge and dedicated fanbaseFrank is passionate about children's literacy and, with two daughters of his own, knows exactly the type of stories that get kids excited about readingFrankie's Magic Football is the start of a fantastic new 5 book series
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Abacus

A Shed Of One's Own

By Marcus Berkmann
A hilarious book about male midlife, from the inimitable humour of Marcus BerkmannFor many men, middle age arrives too fast and without due warning. One day you are young, free and single; the next you are bald, fat and washed-up, with weird tendrils of hair growing out of your ears. None of it seems fair. With age should come dignity and respect, but instead everyone makes tired jokes about buying a motorbike.Marcus Berkmann isn't having it. Having marked his fiftieth birthday by hiding under the duvet for six weeks, the author of the cricket classics Rain Men and Zimmer Men is now determined to find some light in the all-consuming darkness. Musing over birth, death and all the messy stuff in between, he concludes that however dreadful you look in the mirror today, it will be much worse in ten years' time. His brutally candid despatch from the frontline is not for the faint-hearted, which is to say anyone under thirty-five.Wise, touching and funny . . . Berkmann is a master of observation. On every page you will find yourself nodding in agreement at some thought you've shared but never expressed quite so pithily . . . Middle-aged men should read this book for all the bumps of recognitionA laugh or carefully crafted insight on almost every pageWarm, funny and wise . . . A sort of Zen and the Art of Midlife ManagementWill reconcile every bloke to the remorseless lawnmower of TimeMarcus Berkmann writes for the DAILY MAIL and a monthly pop music column for the SPECTATOR, and has written columns on sport for the INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY and PUNCH.Rain Men sold more than 57,000 copiesMarcus Berkman always gets lots of review coverage and is very well connectedWas a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller
Sasha Grey talks about her intensely sexy debut novel

The Juliette Society

by Judy Finnigan

Eloise - An Extract

The ultimate book club read.
Compulsively-readable and incredibly haunting, this is the debut novel from broadcaster, journalist and Book Club champion, Judy Finnigan. Read chapter one.
author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul

Q&A with Deborah Rodriguez

Deborah Rodriguez, author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, shares her experiences of Afghanistan in this fascinating Q&A.
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03May
Warwick Words Festival

Sarah Dunant event

7:30pm
Sarah Dunant at Warwick Words Festival
Virago

Careless People

By Sarah Churchwell
A fascinating look at the autumn of 1922, when F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda returned to New York and the seeds for The Great Gatsby were sownSince its publication in 1925, The Great Gatsby has become one of the world's best-loved books, delighting readers across the world. Careless People tells the true story behind F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece, exploring in newly rich detail the relation of Fitzgerald's classic to the chaotic world he in which he lived. Fitzgerald set his novel in 1922, and Careless People carefully reconstructs the crucial months during which Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald returned to New York in the autumn of 1922 - the parties, the drunken weekends at Great Neck, Long Island, the drives back into the city to the jazz clubs and speakeasies, the casual intersection of high society and organized crime, and the growth of celebrity culture of which the Fitzgeralds themselves were the epitome. And for the first time it returns to the story of Gatsby the high-profile murder that provided a crucial inspiration for Fitzgerald's tale.With wit and insight, Sarah Churchwell traces the genesis of a masterpiece, discovering where fiction comes from, and how it takes shape in the mind of a genius. Blending biography and history with lost and forgotten newspaper accounts, letters, and newly discovered archival material, Careless People is the biography of a book, telling the extraordinary tale of how F. Scott Fitzgerald created a classic and in the process discovered modern America.Sarah Churchwell is Professor of American Literature and Public Understanding of the Humanities at the University of East Anglia. She is the author of The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe (Granta 2004), co-editor of Must Read: Rediscovering the Bestseller (Continuum 2012), and author of various scholarly articles, chapters and introductions. Her journalism has appeared in the Guardian, the New Statesman, the Independent, the New York Times Book Review, the TLS, the Observer, the Times, the Telegraph, the Spectator, and the Financial Times, among others, and she frequently appears on UK television and radio, discussing arts, culture, and all things American. Although she remains an American, she lives in London with her English husband.This is going to be wonderful piece of literary detective work, a reconstruction of the crucial months before The Great Gatsby was written.
Love Minus Eighty

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Jeremy Page discusses

The Collector of Lost Things

Discover what Jeremy Page's new novel The Collector of Lost Things means to him
Little, Brown Book Group

Autumn Catalogue 2013

Little, Brown Book Group catalogue covering titles published in Autumn 2013.
Sphere

Shadows on the Nile

By Kate Furnivall
A dramatic story of adventure, excitement, love and romance from the author of The Russian Concubine and The White Pearl'I'll find him. I will.'It's 1932 and 27-year-old Jessica is living London life to the full when her younger brother Tim, an ancient Egyptian archaeology expert, goes missing. Teaming up with Sir Montague Chamford - who can resist neither a damsel in distress nor the chance of adventure - Jessie vows to find her beloved brother.Following the clues Tim has left in his wake, Jessie and Monty head to Egypt. In the relentless heat of the desert, romance is kindled between them, but danger also lurks in every shadow. And then Jessie starts to wonder how much Monty really knows about her brother's disappearance . . .A dramatic story of adventure, excitement, love and romance can all be found in the SHADOWS ON THE NILEPerfect holiday escape materialKate Furnivall was born in Wales, has worked in publishing and TV advertising and now lives by the sea in Devon with her husband, with whom she has two sons. This is her sixth novel.Sales of The Russian Concubine are over 150,000 copies in all editions - it has been a bestseller in South Africa, US, Germany and Australia tooA powerful and evocative setting combined with dramatic storytelling
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Virago

The Painted Girls

By Cathy Marie Buchanan
A heartrending, gripping novel about two sisters in Belle ?poque Paris.1878 Paris. Following their father's sudden death, the van Goethem sisters find their lives upended. Without his wages, and with the small amount their laundress mother earns disappearing into the absinthe bottle, eviction from their lodgings seems imminent. With few options for work, Marie is dispatched to the Paris Op?ra, where for a scant seventeen francs a week, she will be trained to enter the famous ballet. Her older sister, Antoinette, finds work as an extra in a stage adaptation of ?mile Zola's naturalist masterpiece L'Assommoir.Marie throws herself into dance and is soon modelling in the studio of Edgar Degas, where her image will forever be immortalized as Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. There she meets a wealthy male patron of the ballet, but might the assistance he offers come with strings attached? Meanwhile Antoinette, derailed by her love for the dangerous ?mile Abadie, must choose between honest labour and the more profitable avenues open to a young woman of the Parisian demimonde.Set at a moment of profound artistic, cultural and societal change, The Painted Girls is a tale of two remarkable sisters rendered uniquely vulnerable to the darker impulses of 'civilized society'. In the end, each will come to realize that her salvation, if not survival, lies with the other.Cathy Marie Buchanan's previous novel was The Day the Falls Stood Still and her fiction has appeared in some of Canada's premier journals. She lives in Toronto.
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