FICTION

Curl up with this collection of classic scary stories from the masters of the genre. With dozens of stories of the macabre, fantastic, and supernatural, Classic Horror Tales is sure to keep readers on the edges of their seats. This collection of works by classic writers spans more than a century—from nineteenth-century trailblazers such as John William Polidori, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Washington Irving to twentieth-century masters like Saki, Edith Wharton, and Franz Kafka. The fear of the unknown is a driving force in literature, and the horror genre surpasses all others in bringing this idea to the forefront of the reader’s consciousness. A wide range of cultures and classes of society are represented in this volume, reminding us that dark forces lurk all around us—for even in broad daylight, a shadow exists somewhere. Featuring colorful sprayed edges and a heat-burnished cover with foil stamping, this collection of stories is a stylish addition to your bookshelf.

The Cia Book Club  'Entertaining and vivid… This is a gripping account of an intriguing and little-known Cold War moment' OBSERVER 'Reads like a thriller' THE SUN The astonishing story of the ten million books that were smuggled across the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. For almost five decades after the Second World War, Europe was divided by the longest and most heavily guarded border on earth. The Iron Curtain, a near-impenetrable barrier of wire and wall, tank traps, minefields, watchtowers and men with dogs, stretched for 4,300 miles from the Arctic to the Black Sea. No physical combat would take place along this frontier: the risk of nuclear annihilation was too high for that. Instead, the conflict would be fought in the psychological sphere. It was a battle for hearts, minds and intellects. No one understood this more clearly than George Minden, the head of a covert intelligence operation known as the ‘CIA books programme’, which aimed to win the Cold War with literature. From its Manhattan headquarters, Minden’s global CIA ‘book club’ would infiltrate millions of banned titles into the Eastern Bloc, written by a vast and eclectic list of authors, including Hannah Arendt and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, George Orwell and Agatha Christie. Volumes were smuggled on trucks and aboard yachts, dropped from balloons, and hidden in the luggage of hundreds of thousands of individual travellers. Once inside Soviet bloc, each book would circulate secretly among dozens of like-minded readers, quietly turning them into dissidents. Latterly, underground print shops began to reproduce the books, too. By the late 1980s, illicit literature in Poland was so pervasive that the system of communist censorship broke down, and the Iron Curtain soon followed. Charlie English tells this true story of spycraft, smuggling and secret printing operations for the first time, highlighting the work of a handful of extraordinary people who risked their lives to stand up to the intellectual strait-jacket Stalin created. People like Miroslaw Chojecki, an underground Polish publisher who endured beatings, force-feeding and exile in service of this mission. And Minden, the CIA’s mastermind, didn’t waver in his belief that truth, culture, and diversity of thought could help free the ‘captive nations’ of Eastern Europe. This is a story about the power of the printed word as a means of resistance and liberation. Books, it shows, can set you free.

‘A blackly funny twist on the Country House mystery, with bodies and wit galore’ John ConnollyAnd Then There Were None meets The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.Ten strangers. An old dark house. A killer picking them off one by one. And a missing girl who's running out of time. . . Ten strangers wake up inside an old, locked house. They have no recollection of how they got there. In order to escape, they have to solve the disappearance of a young woman. But a killer also stalks the halls of the house, and soon the body count starts to rise. Who are these strangers? Why were they chosen? Why would someone want to kill them? And who – or what – is the Beast in the Cellar? Forget what you think you know.Because while you can trust yourself, can you really trust THE OTHER PEOPLE? ‘The Other People chilled me to the bone, made me laugh out loud - and everything in between. This devilishly clever mystery holds you captive from its explosive opening, right up to its shocking final pages. I never saw the twist coming, yet it made perfect sense. Brilliant!’ Alison Gaylin

'Edgy, gripping and full of menace' Hannah Richell An abandoned resort seems the perfect place to hide, but is Barren Cape a refuge or a trap? Former housemates Mac and Erika are homeless. Well, Erika is fine, she just has to live with her parents until she can find another rental. Mac's situation is much worse – family isn't an option and she's surfing the couches of her increasingly exasperated friends. Driving around one lonely afternoon, Mac discovers Barren Cape. Once destined to be a luxury escape, now it's just wire fence and gray cement. It's stark, but quiet. There's no harm in staying a little while… From the bestselling author of The Rush comes a spine-chilling thriller about what happens when people are pushed to the edge and forced to make unthinkable choices. ‘Taut, terrifying and timely’ B.M. Carroll ‘Prak’s books keep you reading long into the night’ Vikki Petraitis

The fifth book in Lynda's brilliant Detective Jack Warr crime series.

The Marlow Murder Club Mysteries (3) - The Queen Of Poisons ‘I love the audacity of the Marlow gang, those ladies sure know how to live’ Reader review ?????‘Fiendishly clever and a satisfying puzzle to try and solve’ Reader review ?????‘A brilliant whodunnit mystery that keeps you guessing’ Reader review ?????* * *Who killed the Mayor? It’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find out …Geoffrey Lushington, Mayor of Marlow, dies suddenly during a Town Council meeting. When traces of aconite – also known as the queen of poisons – are found in his coffee cup, the police realise he was murdered. But who did it? And why?The police bring Judith, Suzie and Becks in to investigate as Civilian Advisors right from the start, so they have free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence to their heart’s content, which is perfect because Judith has no time for rules and standard procedure. But this case has the Marlow Murder Club stumped. Who would want to kill the affable Mayor? How did they even get the poison into his coffee? And is anyone else in danger? The Marlow Murder Club are about to face their most difficult case yet …* * *Praise for The Marlow Murder Club Mysteries:‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ Peter James‘Cosy crime at its best’ Crime Monthly‘Cleverly plotted and laugh-out-loud funny’ Yours magazine‘The perfect cosy crime to curl up with’ Heat

Death Comes To Marlow ‘I was hooked from the first page, wonderful’ Reader review, ????? ‘Brilliant, brilliant book … this was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time’ Reader review, ????? ‘Entertaining, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable . . Wonderful escapism’ Reader review, ????? ‘Never a dull moment, lots of red herrings, plenty of humour and a plot worthy of Agatha!!!’ Reader review, ????? * * * It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne. But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study. The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she's concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again… * * * Praise for Robert Thorogood ‘Keeps you guessing right to the end’ Good Housekeeping ‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ Peter James ‘Lots of laughs, a quick pace and an easy read to escape into’ Glamour ‘A perfect locked room mystery’ My Weekly ‘Cosy crime at its best’ Crime Monthly ‘Satisfying locked-room mystery’ Saga ‘The perfect cosy crime to curl up with’ Heat

The Marlow Murder Club‘I want to be Judith Potts when I grow up’ Reader review ?????‘Read the whole thing in one day . . . I was hooked. It had me laughing to myself all day. Would recommend' Reader review ?????‘Comedy, thrilling, suspenseful. It was a brilliant read’ Reader review ?????‘A deftly plotted, funny and unexpected murder mystery . . . Highly recommended!’ Reader review ?????* * *To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…Seventy-seven-year-old Judith Potts is blissfully happy. She lives alone in a faded mansion in Marlow, sets crosswords for The Times, and there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink.One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. When the local police don’t believe her story, Judith and two unlikely friends decide to investigate for themselves. Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club.But soon another body turns up, and it seems they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. Now the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape…* * *Praise for Robert Thorogood ‘Agatha Christie with a modern twist’ Sun‘This brilliantly crafted, hugely enjoyable and suitably goosebump-inducing novel is an utter delight from start to finish’ HEAT‘A hugely enjoyable murder mystery written with wonderful verve, humour and compassion. Utterly delightful’ Robert Webb

The brand new action-packed novel in the Sunday Times bestselling Martini Club series. Includes an exclusive short story with Lee Child featuring Jack Reacher and Maggie Bird.The Summer Guests is the exhilarating and gripping new thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author of The Spy Coast.'The Thursday Murder Club on steroids' SAGA MagazineTHE MARTINI CLUB ISN'T OPEN TO EVERYONE . . .Maggie Bird's 'book group' is an unusual one - a group of retired spies living an anonymous life in the seaside town of Purity. And this summer they plan little more than 'reading' (whilst sipping martinis), and some gentle birdwatching.But trouble is just around the corner as the summer guests arrive.For acting Police Chief Jo Thibodeau, summer brings its own problems - packed streets, bar brawls, petty theft. And now, a missing teenager down by the lake.When their good friend becomes a prime suspect in the girl's disappearance, Maggie and her Martini Club must put down their binoculars and roll up their sleeves. Leaving Jo to deal with not only a powerful family desperate for answers, but a meddlesome group of retirees.Can Jo and the Martini Club find a way to work together, as they uncover one of the deadliest scandals their small town has ever seen?

A no-holds-barred queer gangland thriller from Japanese debut Akira Otani for fans of Chain Gang All Stars, Bullet Train and Tender is the Flesh

Look who's back in hot water! The delightful and witty second novel in The Tea Ladies mystery series. Ideal for fans of Richard Osman and Bonnie Garmus. In ZigZag Lane, in the heart of Sydney's rag-trade district, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene find themselves in hot water. Having already solved a murder, kidnapping and arson case, and outwitting an arch criminal, they have proved themselves a useful resource and earned the respect of a local police officer. Now he needs their help to solve a plot that threatens security. As if that's not enough, Irene gets a coded message directing her to the spoils of a bank robbery, which sends the tea ladies on a treasure hunt with an unexpected outcome. There's also trouble brewing within the walls of Empire Fashionwear, where an interloper threatens not just Hazel's job but the very role of tea lady. It's up to Hazel to convince her friends to abandon their trolleys and take action to save their livelihoods - before it's too late. Praise for The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson- 'A total joy!' Joanna Nell 'Sheer delight.' Country Style 'The Thursday Murder Club wish they had Hazel.' GOODREADS 'This hilariously dark crime novel about a group of tea ladies who accidentally become sleuths will have you enthralled!' Woman's Day 'The Tea Ladies is a delightfully intriguing romp, full of twists, turns, shocking discoveries... and scones.' Better Reading 'Crime, comedy and fashion, it's a layer cake of which any tea lady would be proud.' The Age 'A satisfying mystery, a trio of intrepid older women discovering their own strengths, and a window into a vanished past. I give it five TimTams.' Readings Books

Bonded In Death: An Eve Dallas Thriller (In Death 60) The brand-new crime thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author, J. D. Robb."J.D. Robb is a fantastic storyteller who knows how to keep the pages flying by" - #1 International Bestselling Author, Karin Slaughter"One of my all-time favorite authors hitting a golden moment in one of my all-time favorite series. J.D. Robb never disappoints!" Lisa GardnerLt. Eve Dallas is back with a murder case with its roots in loyalty, treachery, espionage and the long shadow of war...His passport reads Giovanni Rossi, retired businessman. But decades ago, during the Urban Wars, he was part of a small, secret organization called The Twelve. Responding to an urgent summons from an old compatriot, he returns to New York. To his death..."If you're a crime fiction fan and haven't discovered them yet, welcome to the very best day of your life" Heat Magazine'Eve Dallas - tough as nails and still sexy as hell' - Stephen King"J.D. Robb's novels are can't-miss pleasures" - Harlan Coben"Curious corpses, tangled twists and one sizzling sleuth" - Kathy Reichs

An utterly chilling, compulsive story of a murder among teenagers, on the eve of the historic Brexit vote, by a major new voice in British fiction.

The WreckageBAGHDAD. Journalist Luca Terracini is living outside the wire and investigating a series of deadly million-dollar bank robberies. But he's about to make some powerful enemies who seek to bury secrets and manipulate the truth, regardless of the cost.LONDON. A thousand miles away, ex-cop Vincent Ruiz rescues a young woman, Holly Knight, from a violent boyfriend - but wakes next morning to find she's robbed him. It was an elaborate scam. Furious at himself, and at her, he sets off to find Holly.Set in the turbulent aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, THE WRECKAGE is a compulsively gripping political thriller from world-renowned author Michael Robotham.

Marble Hall MurdersFrom bestselling author Anthony Horowitz comes a new novel in the bestselling Magpie Murders series. In this installment, editor Susan Ryeland uncovers the clues in an Atticus Pünd mystery to solve a murder."Expect plenty of puzzles, red herrings, and juicy murders" - ExpressSusan Ryeland is tired of murder. After editing two novels about the famous detective Atticus Pünd, she has nearly been killed twice. Now back in England, she reluctantly agrees to work on a third novel.The new novel, a 'continuation' by Eliot Crace, grandson of the late Miriam Crace, features a story where Miriam was believed to have been deliberately poisoned. When Eliot reveals to Susan that he has hidden the identity of the killer in his book, Susan knows she's in danger once again.As Susan delves into "Pünd's Last Case," set in a villa in the South of France, she uncovers striking parallels between the past and present, fiction and reality. Suddenly, she becomes a target herself as it becomes apparent someone in Eliot's family will stop at nothing to prevent the book from being written.Praise for the Magpie Murders series:'A beautiful puzzle - fiendishly clever and hugely entertaining. A masterpiece.' - Lucy Foley'Ingenious' - Sunday Times'Thrilling and compelling with a stunning twist' - Daily Mail