Search Results for: there will come a darkness

‘Thrilling, inventive, and fierce – a tale of chained magic and giant mechs, of malevolent empire and those who stand against it. Not to be missed’ Max Gladstone

There is no escaping the Empire. Even in death, you will serve.

In an Empire run on necromancy, dead sorcerers are the lifeblood. Their corpses are wrapped in chains and drained of magic to feed the unquenchable hunger for imperial conquest.

Born with magic, Arienne has become resigned to her dark fate. But when the voice of a long-dead sorcerer begins to speak inside her head, she listens. There may be another future for her, if she’s willing to fight for it.

Miles away, beneath a volcano, a seven-eyed dragon also wears the Empire’s chains. Before the imperial fist closed around their lands, it was the people’s sacred guardian.

Loran, a widowed swordswoman, is the first to kneel before the dragon in decades. She comes with a desperate plea, and will leave with a sword of dragon-fang in hand and a great purpose before her.

Blood of the Old Kings begins an epic fantasy adventure in which three strangers fight back against an all-powerful Empire, from award-winning author Sung-il Kim and translated by the highly-acclaimed Anton Hur.

The new epic love story from Anna Todd continues. After The Falling and The Burning, comes the highly anticipated and heart-wrenching conclusion to the Brightest Stars trilogy, from the No. 1 internationally bestselling author of the After series.

‘Anna Todd has done it again!’ COLLEEN HOOVER

‘Todd is the biggest literary phenomenon of her generation’ COSMOPOLITAN
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Karina and Kael have been trying to make it work for as long as they’ve been together. The two broken souls have a lot of individual healing to do before they’ll be able to find happiness anywhere, never mind with each other.

As the world around them starts to crumble, Kael is consumed by the darkness of his PTSD, and Karina struggles to overcome her anxiety, which is at an all time high. Then someone from their past returns to invade their lives and wreak havoc on the fragile peace they’ve created. If they’re going to have the future they dream of, they’ll have to commit to fighting this battle together.

‘Goodwin is a natural-born storyteller, effortlessly compelling whether he’s talking about the draconian policies of his bosses, the mad ramblings of his regulars or his own forays into chemical-induced debauchery . . . However, the true secret to Servo‘s brilliance is that beneath its irreverent, gonzo stylings it’s actually a heartfelt, coming-of-age memoir’ READINGS

An odyssey of drive-offs, spiked slurpees, stale sausage rolls and sleep-deprived madness.

Most of us have done our time in the retail trenches, but service stations are undoubtedly the frontline, as Melburnian David Goodwin found out when he started working the weekend graveyard shift at his local servo.

From his very first night shift, David absorbed a consistent level of mind-bending lunacy, encountering everything from giant shoplifting bees and balaclava-clad goons hurling cordial-filled water bombs from the sunroof of their BMW, to anarcho-goths high on MDMA releasing large rats into the store from their matching Harry Potter backpacks.

Over the years, David grew to love his mad servo, handing out free pies and chocolate bars on the sly as he grew a backbone and became street smart. Amidst the unrelenting chaos, he eventually made it out of the servo circus – and lived to tell the tale.

For anyone who’s ever toiled under the unforgiving fluorescent lights of a customer service job, SERVO is a side-splitting and darkly mesmeric coming-of-age story from behind the anti-jump wire that will have you gritting your teeth, then cackling at the absurdity, idiocy and utterly beguiling strangeness of those who only come out at night.

‘A rewarding read . . . This journey into the “servoverse” is full of wild and sometimes poignant characters . . . [A] mix of fellow-feeling, social commentary and black humour’ SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

In this dead city, the vultures are circling…
Berlin 1944. The beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. And the beginning of a dark journey for Garda detective Stefan Gillespie as he makes his way through war-ravaged Europe to the German capital. He carries secret instructions for the Irish ambassador, who is clinging on in the growing chaos – even though it’s time to get out. Bombs fall and bodies fill the streets. People starve. The true horrors of Nazi terror are everywhere now… and the Russians are coming. As Stefan searches for an Irishman trapped in Berlin who has betrayed his country and his friends, who cares if people are murdered along the way? And Stefan has to ask himself if saving one life matters in this devastation. And if it does, is it worth him risking his own?

From the author of The Book of Gothel comes the queer, magical story behind Shakespeare’s sonnets, as told
by one of his most famous subjects – the incendiary and mysterious Dark Lady.

England, 1603. Rose Rushe’s passion for life runs deep-she laughs too loudly, meddles with astrology and music, and pays no heed to her mother’s warnings to guard her reputation. When Rose’s father dies and a noble accuses her and her best friend Cecely of witchcraft, they flee to London and make their way as occultists, secretly selling love charms and astrological advice. Their thriving underground business leads them to young noble Henry and playwright Will Shakespeare, and so begins a brief, tempestuous, and powerful romance – one filled with secret longings and deep betrayals.

Praise for The Book of Gothel:

‘Mary McMyne is a magician’ Gregory Maguire, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked

‘McMyne’s shimmering debut gives a fresh, exciting backstory to one of the most famous villains in fairy tale lore . . . the result is a sprawling epic, full of magic, love, and heartbreak. Fans of Circe and The Wolf and the Woodsman will devour this taut, empowering fairy tale’ Publishers Weekly

COMING SOON: THE TWISTY NEW THRILLER FROM THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SANATORIUM AND THE RETREAT

Out here, it’s easy to get lost…

After the dark events that scarred her childhood, Kier Templer escaped her hometown and twin to live her life on the road. They’ve never lost contact until, on a trip to a Portuguese national park, Kier vanishes without a trace.

Detective Elin Warner arrives in the same park ready to immerse herself in its vast wilderness – only to hear about Kier’s disappearance, and discover a disturbing map she left behind. The few strangers at the isolated camp close ranks against her questions, and the park’s wild beauty starts to turn sinister.

Elin must untangle the clues to find out what really happened to Kier. But when you follow a trail, you have to be careful to watch your back…

‘A delicious web of grief, sex and obsession that will leave you guessing until the very end . . . fast-paced and addictive’ ELLE KENNEDY

‘Wow, that ending! A sizzling ride down a dark path, with a twist that you won’t see coming’ SARINA BOWEN

This isn’t a love story.

This is obsession.

Meredith McCall was once a respected New York City psychiatrist. But the night of the accident she lost everything: her husband, her reputation and almost her mind.

When she crosses paths with the man whom she shares the most tragic connection, Meredith can’t help but follow him. How is Gabriel Wright doing so well when her life is in shambles?

Watching Gabriel from afar becomes a compulsion she just can’t shake – her newest obsession. But when he walks into her office as a patient, seemingly unaware of who she is, she knows it crosses all ethical bounds to treat him. Yet, Meredith can’t bring herself to turn him away…

Could delving into Gabriel’s mind give her the answers that she needs? Or will their relationship set off a chain of events that she can no longer control?

An sizzling, addictive thriller from the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author – perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover’s Verity and Tarryn Fisher.

A MASTERFUL THRILLER ABOUT FORGETTING, REMEMBERING, AND THE DANGERS OF BOTH… FROM THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE SUSPECT, THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS AND LYING BESIDE YOU

‘A razor-sharp and emotionally charged thriller that explores both the darkness of men’s hearts and the resiliency of human spirit’ LISA GARDNER

‘Tension and tenderness – Michael Robotham is that rare thing, a writer who does both brilliantly. An utterly thrilling emotional ride’ WILLIAM SHAW

The storm is coming…

The most painful of Evie Cormac’s memories have been locked away, ever since she was held prisoner as a child – a child whose rescue captured hearts and headlines.

Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven’s mission is to guide her to something near normality. But today, on a Lincolnshire beach, seventeen bodies wash up in front of them. There is only one survivor, with two women still missing. And Evie’s nightmares come roaring back…

Whatever happened all those years ago lies at the core of this new tragedy. Because these deaths are no accident. The same dark forces are reaching out, dragging her back into the storm.

Evie must now call upon Cyrus’s unique skills, and her own, in their search for the missing pieces of this complex and haunting puzzle. But will that be enough to save them? And who will pay for the past?

‘A modern masterpiece . . . As deep, dark and stormy as the North Sea, this is truly compelling crime writing’ ***** Reader Review

‘Robotham’s storytelling is engrossing, capturing the shades of dark and light in his characters, with a fast pace and many twists and turns’ ***** Reader Review

‘Moving and emotional, breaking your heart and warning it at the same time. Another tremendous and well-written read which is action-packed, full of tense and suspenseful moments’ ***** Reader Review

‘CLAIRE NORTH BRINGS A POWERFUL, FRESH AND UNFLINCHING VOICE TO ANCIENT MYTH’ Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

Following the critically acclaimed Ithaca and House of Odysseus comes the final novel in Claire North’s Songs of Penelope trilogy – an exquisite, gripping tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before.

Many years ago, Odysseus sailed to war and never returned. For twenty years his wife Penelope and the women of Ithaca have guarded the isle against suitors and rival kings. But peace cannot be kept forever, and the balance of power is about to break . . .

A beggar has arrived at the Palace. Salt-crusted and ocean-battered, he is scorned by the suitors – but Penelope recognises in him something terrible: her husband, Odysseus, returned at last. Yet this Odysseus is no hero. By returning to the island in disguise, he is not merely plotting his revenge against the suitors – vengeance that will spark a civil war – but he’s testing the loyalty of his queen. Has she been faithful to him all these years? And how much blood is Odysseus willing to shed to be sure?

The song of Penelope is ending, and the song of Odysseus must ring through Ithaca’s halls. But first, Penelope must use all her cunning to win a war for the fate of the island and keep her family alive, whatever the cost . . .

Praise for the Songs of Penelope series:

‘Darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking’ Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

‘Richly poetic . . . This is an impassioned plea for the lost, disenfranchised queens of ancient Greece, a love letter to the silenced women of history’ Booklist

‘Everything I’ve wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice – this is an absolute masterpiece’ Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin

‘Penelope is proving to be an outstanding epic hero in her own right. The world building is sensational‘ Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den

‘Conjures up a world in which women, abandoned by their men, must weave their own destinies‘ The Times

‘Claire North has set a new standard for Ancient Greek retellings. Absolutely sublime’ Hannah Lynn, author of Athena’s Child

The Songs of Penelope series:
Ithaca
House of Odysseus
The Last Song of Penelope

A thought-provoking exploration of Bruce Springsteen’s iconic album, Born in the U.S.A.-a record that both chronicled and foreshadowed the changing tides of modern America

On June 4, 1984, Columbia Records issued what would become one of the best-selling and most impactful rock albums of all time. Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. would prove itself to be a landmark not only for the man who made it, but rock music in general and even the larger American culture over the next 40 years. Because this record ended up being much more than just an album-it is a document of what this country was in its moment, a dream of what it might become, and a prescient forecast of what it actually turned into decades later.

In There Was Nothing You Could Do, veteran rock critic Steven Hyden explores the essential questions that explain this classic album – what it means, why it was made, and how it changed the world. By mixing up his signature blend of personal memoir, criticism, and journalism, Hyden digs deep into the songs that made Born In The U.S.A. as well as the scores of tunes that didn’t, including the tracks that make up the album’s sister release, 1982’s Nebraska. He investigates how the records before Born In The U.S.A. set the table for the album’s tremendous success, following Springsteen as he tries to balance his commercial ambitions with his fear of losing artistic control and being co-opted by the machine. Hyden also takes a closer look how Springsteen’s work after Born In The U.S.A. reacted to that album, discussing how “The Boss” initially ran away from his most popular (and most misunderstood) LP until he learned to once again accept his role as a kind of living national monument.

But the book doesn’t stop there. Hyden also looks beyond Springsteen’s career, placing Born In The U.S.A. in a larger context in terms of how it affected rock music as well as America. Though he aspired to be as big as Elvis and as profound as Dylan, he was equally aware of his heroes’ shortcomings and eager to avoid their mistakes-all while navigating the tumultuous aftermath of Vietnam and Watergate, a time when America was coming apart at the seams. Born In The U.S.A. simultaneously chronicles that coming apart and pushes for a more united future, a duality that made him a hero to a younger generation of bands – from Arcade Fire to The Killers to The War On Drugs – who openly emulated the sound of Born In The U.S.A. in the hopes of somehow, in their own way, achieving a measure of that album’s impact in the 21st century. By the aughts, when Springsteen fan (and future podcast partner) Barack Obama entered the White House, it appeared that the hopeful promise of Born In The U.S.A. might be realized. But the election of Donald Trump seemed to confirm an opposite truth that was closer to the darkness of songs like “My Hometown” and “Born In The U.S.A.” than Springsteen’s revival-like shows. As Springsteen himself reluctantly conceded, the working-class middle American progressives he wrote about in 1984 had turned into the resentful and scored Trump voters of the 2010s.

How did we lose Springsteen’s heartland? And what can listening to these songs teach us about the American decline that Born In The U.S.A. forecasted? In There Was Nothing You Could Do, Hyden takes readers on a journey to find out.

From the author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird comes the second book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy – a hate-to-love dark romantic comedy packed with danger, chaos, and heat.

‘Brynne is a master weaver of words in this dark, decadent and delicious story of serial killers, sexy spice, and sensational fun!‘ RuNyx, USA Today bestselling author of the Dark Verse series

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Every killer claims a soul.
Every phantom wants revenge.

All contract killer Lachlan Kane wants is a quiet life. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld. At least, not until Lark Montague offers him a deal: use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom.

The catch? He has to marry her first. And they can’t stand each other.

Indie singer-songwriter Lark may seem like sunshine and glitter personified but she has her own secrets hiding in the shadows. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend’s happiness on the line, she’s willing to make a vow to the man she’s determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be.

As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world that binds them together, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. But it’s not just familiar dangers that haunt them. There’s another phantom lurking on their doorstep . . . And this one has come for blood.

***

Reader praise for Butcher & Blackbird

‘The chemistry is explosive. The romance will make your heart squeeze painfully. The banter will have you giggling and kicking your feet. The one-liners and screwball scenarios are laugh-out-loud hysterical’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘Butcher and Blackbird is indulgent and decadent; reading it feels like eating chocolate cake’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘If I could rate this book infinity stars, trust me, I would in a heartbeat’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘One of the most creative dark romances I’ve EVER read . . . perfection from start to finish’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘I was so engaged I couldn’t put it down’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘The banter was chef kiss’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘There is nothing more I can say except . . . I think I am in love with a serial killer‘ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘Writing a romantic comedy about vigilante serial killers who kill other serial killers for fun, and somehow making it cute is no small feat’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

“Holy dark and delicious angst. Carian Cole did not hold back. I dare you not to shed a tear.”
?L.J. Shen, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author of VICIOUS

My innocence was stolen when I was abducted at five years old. For eleven years I held on by clinging to childhood fairytales. I waited for a prince to someday save me and carry me off to a happily ever after.

I had no idea my saviour would come as a scarred recluse, covered in tattoos, who can’t-or won’t-speak a word. Nevertheless, the moment our eyes met I knew he was the one.? My prince.

With his bare hands, he killed the monster who kept me captive. But people have a way of distorting the truth when the hero looks like a villain. As it turns out, Tyler Grace is many things: A myth. An outcast. A nightmare. Haunted by tragedy, he lives secluded in the forest. Some say they see him ride through town at night-straddling a black motorcycle, his face covered by a skeletal mask.

I’ve been warned to stay away, yet I can’t stop thinking about him. I ache to hear his voice. And I want nothing more than to break through his walls. I know he’s the only one who can break through mine.

Do we dare dream of a love that once felt impossible to find? Or will only our horrible, twisted past tie us together?

?Fans of angsty romance from Lauren Asher and Mia Sheridan will be hooked by this emotional novel following two broken souls connected by a dark, haunting past.

An eerily brilliant and spooky tale of spiritualism and deception

‘Now you know why you are drawn to me – why your flesh comes creeping to mine, and what it comes for. Let it creep.’

From the dark heart of a Victorian prison, disgraced spiritualist Selina Dawes weaves an enigmatic spell. Is she a fraud, or a prodigy? By the time it all begins to matter, you’ll find yourself desperately wanting to believe in magic.

‘Refined, repressed and simmering… a delicious tale of Victorian spiritualism’ Independent on Sunday

‘Spooky, spellbinding, exquisitely written’ Val Hennessy

‘Beautifully, atmospherically written, this is a tale to thrill your very soul’ Metro

‘Sexy, spooky, stylish… a wonderful book’ Guardian

‘What a ride this is! A big wide book. An amazingly vivid piece of writing, from the hilarious to the horrifying and everything in between’ BRIAN ENO

Meet Seth Brakes. Musician. Reluctant romantic. Inherent troublemaker. Addict.

And three hundred and twenty days sober.

After a near-death experience, Seth is carving a new path for himself. Having reformed the band – the infamous Lucky Fuckers – things are looking up for Seth: gigs are falling back into the diary, he’s in love and finally getting back to what he enjoys most: writing music.

That is until his past starts to creep up on him . . .

A dark comedy that is painfully honest, original and dynamically told, When I Died For the First Time is a raw account of a man tested his uppermost limits, hitting legendary highs and crashing to catastrophic lows. It’s a tale of second chances, love lost and gained, and coming back to yourself: a story that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

‘Reading The Honey Witch is like dreaming in a fragrant sunlit garden while bees sing around you. It’s a gorgeous book, with a lovely cottagecore ambience and a heart-warming sapphic romance intertwined with unique magic that enchants the imagination‘ India Holton, internationally bestselling author

The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.

Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.

When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home-at the risk of losing her magic and her heart..

A delicious debut that combines the swoon-worthy romance of Bridgerton and the whimsical sorcery of Practical Magic, with a dash of The Secret Life of Bees thrown in for good fun.

Praise for The Honey Witch:

‘As effervescent as a bottle of sparkling mead, The Honey Witch charms with every sentence. Shields writes with a fierce, uncynical honesty that will have you believing in soulmates, uncovering magic everywhere, and embracing your own wildness’ S.T. Gibson, author of An Education in Malice

‘The Honey Witch is a sweet feast, brimming with whimsy, magic, and tender longing. . . sugar-glazed and heart warming and thoroughly enjoyable’ Rachel Gillig, author of One Dark Window

‘As sweet and warm as honeyed tea. Shields’ debut deftly explores love, loss, and loneliness-and the joy of seeing magic in all things, however small. With charming characters and a lush setting, The Honey Witch will delight fans of cosy fantasy’ Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic

‘Gorgeously lyrical and utterly addicting’ Rebecca Thorne, author of Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea

‘Enchanting, whimsical, and firmly rooted in finding yourself after loss, this novel will break your heart and then soothe it with magic honey. Pour yourself a cup of tea, drizzle in some local honey, and let this decadent book transport you’ Breanne Randall, author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

‘The Honey Witch will charm you with its setting and its love for all things natural – especially bees! This tale of a young witch dealing with a curse and a battle between dark magic and light, with her romance in the balance, is one all fans of witches and folk magic will love’ Louisa Morgan, author of The Secret History of Witches

‘Shields has written a cosy confection of a book-full of whimsy, spice, and heart. The Honey Witch is an ode to love, and just how sweet it can be’ Maiga Doocy, author of Sorcery and Small Magics

‘For anyone who has ever known what the mundane world wants them to be isn’t possible or even desirable, The Honey Witch takes a luminous, divergent path’ Willa Reece, author of Wildwood Magic

THE RIOTOUSLY FUNNY NEW NOVEL FROM KING OF THE MODERN ROM-COM JUSTIN MYERS

Leo’s content to be in the background, letting his louder, more charismatic best friends shine. For a thirty-something gay people pleaser it’s always been safer that way.

But, suddenly, a gorgeous love interest from the past steps out of the wings, Leo’s pushed to his limits by his overenthusiastic new boss and – strangest of all – he begins to question whether the friends he loves so dearly have been holding him back.

For the first time ever, the spotlight is on Leo. But a spotlight reveals everything. And now all the things Leo has hidden away in darkness are in full focus. If he’s to get everything he’s ever wanted, Leo will need to face his past, and the future, head on. But he might not like everything he sees.
__________

Praise for Justin Myers

‘A razor-sharp tale, with fabulously drawn characters, crackling dialogue, real emotional heft and a wonderfully acerbic turn of phrase. Great fun’ Sunday Mirror

‘A book we can all relate to . . . Myers’ original take on modern dating is refreshing and timely’ GQ

‘Myers has a wonderful style… [his] lines are sharp enough to murder’ Independent

‘Extremely funny, with real heart, depth and resonance’ Daisy Buchanan

‘Raw and honest, more complex and real than most coming out stories’ i Paper

‘Everything I want from a rom com. It’s warm, funny and whip smart’ Laura Kay

A riveting tell-all biography that delves into the extraordinary life of Hollywood’s most infamous private detective and “fixer” to the stars, revealing newly discovered shocking revelations from his never-before-seen investigative files.

During the height of Hollywood’s golden age, one man lorded over the city’s lurid underbelly of forbidden sin and celebrity scandal like no other: Fred Otash. An ex-Marine turned L.A.P.D. vice cop, Otash became the most sought-after private detective and fixer to the stars by specializing in the dark arts that would soon dominate the entertainment industry.

Otash was notorious for bugging the homes, offices, and playpens of movie stars, kingmakers, and powerful politicians, employing then state-of-the-art methods of electronic surveillance and wiretapping for a who’s who list of clients for whom he’d do “anything short of murder.” He lied to federal authorities to protect Frank Sinatra from criminal liability; recorded Rock Hudson’s coming out confession to his estranged wife; moved in with Judy Garland to help her get sober; taped President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy’s tragic love affairs with the greatest sex symbol of all time, and he listened to Marilyn Monroe die.

Based on Otash’s never-before-seen investigative files and personal archives, THE FIXER takes readers inside the sensational and nefarious world of the man whose art imitating life inspired the private eye characters portrayed by Jack Nicholson in Chinatown and Russell Crowe in LA Confidential.

‘I was blown away by this dark, enchanting story of witchcraft, power and injustice. ..nothing short of brilliant’ Mary Chamberlain

Erzsébet Báthory, whose infamous place in history characterises her as the ‘Blood Countess’, was accused of the murder of over 600 peasant girls in Hungary, 1610. The Nightingale’s Castle tells the story of a woman fighting for her survival and the complicated, often cruel, household over which she presides.

Praise for The Nightingale’s Castle

‘Moving, fascinating and haunting.. A mesmerising combination of gothic horror and elegant restraint’ Francesca De Tores, author of Saltblood

‘Gripping… a fascinating exploration of women’s struggle to have their truth heard’ Louise O’Neill

In 1573, Countess Erzsébet Báthory gave birth to an illegitimate child. The infant, a girl, was swiftly bundled up and handed to a local peasant family to be brought up in one of the hamlets surrounding the Castle. Many years later, 15-year-old Boróka reluctantly leaves the safety of the only home she has ever known in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Trusted members of the countess’s household have been sent out to gather new serving girls, and the kindly old man who has taken care of Boróka for almost all her life knows that it is dangerous to turn them away.

Boróka struggles to find her place at Cachtice Castle: she is frightened of the countess’s reputation as an alleged murderer of young girls, and the women who run the castle are terrifyingly cruel. When plague comes into the heart of the castle, a tentative bond begins to form between Boróka and the Countess Báthory. But powerful forces are moving against a woman whose wealth poses such a threat to the king: can the countess really trust the women who are so close to her? And when the show trial begins against the infamous ‘Blood Countess’ where will Boróka’s loyalties lie?

‘You’ll be lucky if you read a more engaging novel this year’ The Times Thriller of the Month

‘Small Mercies is thought-provoking, engaging, enraging, and can’t-put-it-down entertainment’ Stephen King

‘A jaw-dropping thriller… a resonant, unflinching story written by a novelist who is simply one of the best around’ Gillian Flynn

New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane returns with a masterpiece to rival Mystic River: an all-consuming tale of revenge, family love, festering hate, and insidious power, set against one of the most tumultuous episodes in Boston’s history.

‘Mrs. Fennessy, please go home.’
‘And do what?’
‘Whatever you do when you’re home.’
‘And then what?’
‘Get up the next day and do it again.’
She shakes her head. ‘That’s not living.’
‘It is if you can find the small blessings.’
She smiles, but her eyes shine with agony. ‘All my small blessings are gone.’

In the summer of 1974 a heatwave blankets Boston and Mary Pat Fennessey is trying to stay one step ahead of the bill collectors. Mary Pat has lived her entire life in the housing projects of ‘Southie’, the Irish American enclave that stubbornly adheres to old tradition and stands proudly apart.

One night Mary Pat’s teenage daughter Jules stays out late and doesn’t come home. That same evening, a young Black man is found dead, struck by a subway train under mysterious circumstances.

The two events seem unconnected. But Mary Pat, propelled by a desperate search for her missing daughter, begins turning over stones best left untouched – asking questions that bother Marty Butler, chieftain of the Irish mob, and the men who work for him, men who don’t take kindly to any threat to their business.

Set against the hot, tumultuous months when the city’s desegregation of its public schools exploded in violence, Small Mercies is a superb thriller, a brutal depiction of criminality and power, and an unflinching portrait of the dark heart of American racism.

Dr Jessica Taylor grew up on a council estate where brutality and coercion were normalised, and where substance abuse was a day-to-day occurrence. Now one of the UK’s most spirited advocates for women’s rights, and a leading chartered psychologist helping women and girls subjected to violence and trauma, Jessica shares her own personal journey for the very first time.

Told through a series of absorbing vignettes spanning from her childhood days to gaining her PhD in forensic psychology, Underclass is a memoir about extraordinary strength, the complexities of belonging, and finding your power even when it feels as though the world is against you. Do you bend to fit in, or do you accept that you will always stand out? Do you run away from your roots, or love them for making you who you are? Do you fade into mediocrity, or do you change the world?

Taylor recounts with dark humour and unflinching detail the various lives she’s lived, covering the violence suffered at the hands of her abusers, the realities of becoming a mother in her teenage years, coming to terms with her sexuality, putting herself through university, and overcoming underhand discrimination at work. She poignantly delves into both the classist and misogynistic double standards that she has faced throughout her life, whether she was waking up on a roundabout by the estate or chairing a parliamentary conference. You can take the girl out of the council estate, but you can’t take the council estate out of the girl. Especially when it made her who she is today.

The result is deeply moving, searingly honest, horribly funny and, above all, unforgettable; a memoir that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

‘Hannah Whitten is my new favourite obsession’ Jodi Picoult, New York Times-bestselling author

In this epic sequel to the Sunday Times bestseller, The Foxglove King – Hannah Whitten’s lush, romantic fantasy – the glittering and dangerous world of the Sainted King’s royal court is forever changed by Prince Bastian’s ascension to the throne – and the dark forces gathering beneath it.

The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore – a necromancer and former smuggler – to his right-hand side. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the royal court and help the people of Dellaire. But not everyone is happy with the changes. The nobles are sowing dissent and the Kirythean Empire is beating down their door. Even Prince Bastian has changed. No longer the hopeful, rakish, charismatic man Lore knows and loves, instead he’s become reckless, domineering and cold.

And something has been whispering in her ear. A voice, dark and haunting, that’s telling her there’s more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. A truth buried deep that could change everything.

With Bastian’s coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides, Lore must figure out how to protect herself, her prince and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed .

Praise for The Foxglove King:

‘Sinister, deadly and so seductive you won’t be able to tear yourself away from this dark gem of a book’ Stephanie Garber, New York Times-bestselling author

‘Beautifully written, lushly cinematic, unsettling, mysterious – an unputdownable story’ Ali Hazelwood, New York Times-bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

‘Dripping with dark opulence and sizzling intrigue, The Foxglove King proves Hannah Whitten is a force to be reckoned with. Never before have I been so completely captivated’ Erin A. Craig, New York Times-bestselling author

‘Darkly sumptuous and beautifully dangerous, The Foxglove King wraps you up in a velvet gown and then holds a knife to your throat’ Ava Reid, Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman

‘I am obsessed with this book! Hannah Whitten just keeps getting better and better’ Katee Robert, New York Times-bestselling author

‘CLAIRE NORTH BRINGS A POWERFUL, FRESH AND UNFLINCHING VOICE TO ANCIENT MYTH’ Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

From the author of the critically acclaimed Ithaca – A Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Year – comes an exquisite and gripping new tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before.

On the isle of Ithaca, Queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband, Odysseus, sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace – but this is shattered by the arrival of Orestes, king of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra.

Orestes’s hands are stained with his mother’s blood. Not so long ago, the son of Agamemnon took Queen Clytemnestra’s life on Ithaca’s sands. Now, racked with guilt, he is slowly losing his mind.

Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the Furies circle him. His uncle, Menelaus, the battle-hungry king of Sparta, longs for Orestes’s throne – and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims.

Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope fights to keep war from Ithaca’s shores. Her only allies are Elektra and Helen of Troy, Menelaus’s enigmatic wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own.

Each woman has a secret. And their secrets will shape the world.

Praise for the Songs of Penelope series:

‘Darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking’ Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

‘Richly poetic . . . This is an impassioned plea for the lost, disenfranchised queens of ancient Greece, a love letter to the silenced women of history’ Booklist

‘Penelope is proving to be an outstanding epic hero in her own right. A sensational retelling’ Elodie Harper, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf Den

‘Everything I’ve wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice – this is an absolute masterpiece’ Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin

‘Conjures up a world in which women, abandoned by their men, must weave their own destinies‘ The Times

‘Claire North has set a new standard for Ancient Greek retellings. Absolutely sublime’ Hannah Lynn, author of Athena’s Child

The Songs of Penelope series:
Ithaca
House of Odysseus
The Last Song of Penelope

From the #1 bestselling author of Breaking Point and winner of Crime Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards, November 2022.

‘Edel Coffey is like an Irish Jodi Picoult! In Her Place examines “the other woman” conundrum from two different perspectives. It’s propulsive, thought-provoking and unputdownable’
MARIAN KEYES

Who is the other woman? That’s for you to decide.

Ann devoted years to her mother’s care – and now she’s gone, Ann feels lost.

Justin is also grieving, but his wife is still alive. Deborah is in a coma and she doesn’t have long left.

When the two meet, they are instantly drawn to one another and, before long, they’ve fallen deeply in love.

Ann quickly moves in with Justin and his little girl, making them the perfect family. But just as Ann settles into her new life, Justin’s is turned upside down. Unexpectedly, his wife has survived. Deborah is coming home.

Neither knows what to do. But one thing is certain: Ann has earned the life Deborah left behind, and she plans to keep it . . .

‘Non-stop pace, a stellar example of dilemma-noir. Clever, fresh, dark and thought-provoking’
ANDREA MARA

‘Goes right to the heart of human relationships. Emotionally complex, compelling and thought-provoking’
JANE CASEY

‘An incredible read of despair, love, hope and betrayal. I thoroughly enjoyed it’
LIZ NUGENT

‘A thought-provoking thriller with a brilliant premise’
LOUISE O’NEILL

‘Page-turning, twisty, captivating’
SINEAD MORIARTY

‘Gripping’
ELAINE FEENEY

‘Amazing. I’d give someone else’s right arm to write so beautifully’ Sarah Pinborough

‘Superb! The Devil’s Playground is imagination on steroids… breathtaking!’ Jeffery Deaver

‘A terrifying tale of the true power in Hollywood… (Russell’s) precise, gorgeous prose shines’ New York Times

‘A masterpiece. Captivatingly authentic, steeped in Hollywood lore’ Chris Brookmyre

‘Addictive. . . the most sheerly entertaining novel I’ve raced through in at least a year. . . fresh, forceful, elegant but wild’ A.J. Finn

‘The Devil’s Playground is definitely on the shortlist for best mystery of the year’ Bookpage.com

‘When it comes to Gothic crime, Craig Russell is peerless. Absolutely stunning’ M W Craven

FROM CWA DAGGER AND DOUBLE McILVANNEY AWARD WINNER CRAIG RUSSELL COMES ANOTHER DARK, GRIPPING MASTERPIECE . . .

A dark, riveting thriller set in 1920s Hollywood about “the greatest horror movie ever made”, the curse said to surround it, and a deadly search, decades later, for the single copy rumoured still to exist.

1927: Hollywood studio fixer Mary Rourke is called to the palatial home of “the most desirable woman in the world”, silent movie actress Norma Carlton, star of The Devil’s Playground. When Rourke finds Carlton dead, she wonders if the dark rumours she’s heard are true: that The Devil’s Playground really is a cursed production. But nothing in Hollywood is ever what it seems, and cynical fixer Rourke, more used to covering up the truth for studio bosses, finds herself seeking it out.

1967: Paul Conway, film historian and fervid silent movie aficionado, is on the trail of a tantalizing rumour: that a single copy of The Devil’s Playground-a Holy Grail for film buffs that was supposedly cursed and lost to time-may exist. His search takes him deep into the Mojave Desert, to an isolated hotel that hasn’t changed in forty years but harbours only one occupant-and a shocking secret.

Separated by decades, both Rourke and Conway begin to suspect that the real Devil’s Playground is in fact Hollywood itself.

Praise for The Devil’s Playground

‘Horrifying, mesmerising, beautifully imagined. The Devil’s Playground is Craig Russell at his unrivalled best’ Chris Whittaker

‘The Devil’s Playground has a depth of period detail and atmosphere that lifts it above the ordinary. It’s elegant, absorbing and thrilling’ Michael Malone

‘Totally engaging’ Kathy Reichs, New York Times bestselling author of the Temperance Brennan series

‘Brilliantly written, with repeated surprises’ The Critic

‘Seamlessly blends noir, gothic and mystery in a way that’s unique to crime fiction. Populated with a truly memorable cast, Playground is a guaranteed one-sitting read…and how can you resist a novel about the scariest movie of all time? Bravo!’ Jeffery Deaver, author of The Bone Collector

Praise for Hyde

‘Stephen King meets Robert Louis Stevenson… an imaginative gothic tale guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine the next time you walk a dark Edinburgh night’ David Hewson

‘Gloriously diabolical. A terrifying thrill ride through the hidden chasms of the human soul’ Chris Brookmyre

‘I absolutely adored it. Intense, harrowing and hugely entertaining. . . Spectacular’ Chris Whitaker

‘The story is a thrilling ride through the murky depths of madness and horror, written with all Craig’s trademark skill and style. Definitely five stars from me’ James Oswald

‘An engaging Gothic thriller full of atmosphere and surprises’ Irish Independent

‘Russell writes a pacy, ever-twisting mystery that will keep you turning the pages’ Ian Rankin


Praise for Craig Russell

‘A masterclass in suspenseful, character-driven prose fiction. Simply exceptional’
Frank Darabont, writer & director of The Shawshank Redemption & The Green Mile