Bestsellers

The Bay | L.J. Ross

SECRETS NEVER STAY BURIED FOR LONG…

In the picturesque seaside town of St Ives, Detective Sergeant Sophie Keane is a pillar of the community. Between the occasional collar and lazy weekends spent on the beach, it seems a perfect life.

But for Sophie, the golden sands and crystal waters hide a dark secret, one that’s lain buried for twenty years. When a body turns up on the opening night of a glittering new art gallery on the seafront, the town is left shaken-especially Sophie, who recognises the killer’s style but knows that what she fears just couldn’t be possible… With a killer on the loose, everyone’s a suspect-especially newcomer Gabriel Rowe, who seems to have settled in far too quickly for her liking.

For Sophie, he’s guilty until proven innocent… Suspense is peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced mystery, set amidst the spectacular Cornish landscape.

The Woman In Me | Britney Spears

The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope. In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice-her truth-was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others.

The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey-and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love-and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

The Winter Spirits

The tradition of a haunted tale at Christmas has flourished across the centuries.

These twelve stories – authored by some of today’s most loved and lauded authors of historical and gothic fiction – are all centred around Christmas or Advent, boldly and playfully re-imagining a beloved tradition for a modern audience. Taking you from a haunted Tuscan villa to a remote Scottish island with a dark secret, these vibrant haunted stories are your ultimate companion for frosty nights. So curl up, light a candle, and fall under the spell of Christmases past.

Christmas Eve at The Moon Under Water | Carol Ann Duffy *SIGNED*

Get ready to meet the goddesses.

In Divine Might, Natalie Haynes, The Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind and The New York Times bestselling author of Pandora’s Jar, introduces us to the stories of the Greek goddesses. As fearsome, powerful and beloved as their male counterparts, it’s time to look beyond the columns of a ruined temple to the awesome power within…

We meet Hera, who, whilst most often known for enacting vicious, creative revenge on the women – mortal or otherwise – who catch the wandering eye of her husband Zeus, turns out not to be such a villain after all.

We meet Demeter, a mother who will go to any lengths, no matter the cost, to retrieve her daughter Persephone from Hades’ clutches.

We’ll be introduced to The Furies, three women who will literally go to the ends of the earth to enact bloody vengeance but who, surprisingly, are the goddesses who can teach us the most about the way we live now.

Examining the role of these goddesses and more, Divine Might will change everything you thought you knew about our most ancient stories. Full of fire, fury and devotion, Natalie Haynes brings the divine women of Olympia kicking and screaming into the modern age.

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop | Hwang Bo-Reum

There was only one thing on her mind. I must start a bookshop. Yeongju did everything she was supposed to, go to university, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart.

Burned out, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, divorces her husband, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop. In a quaint neighbourhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge. From the lonely barista to the unhappily married housewife, and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju – they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live.

A heart-warming story about finding comfort and acceptance in your life – and the healing power of books.

The Twat Files | Dawn French

When I was younger I wanted to be an interesting, sophisticated, semi-heroic, multi-layered person.

BUT.

That kind of perfect is impossible. Being an actual twat is much more the real me. Sorry to boast, but I am a champion twat. In The Twat Files I will tell you about all the times I’ve been a total and utter twat. The moments where I’ve misunderstood stuff and messed up. In my life these have been key because:

Mistakes tell us about ourselves.
Mistakes tell us about others.
Mistakes are hilarious.
Mistakes expose our flaws.
Mistakes show us ourselves honestly.
Mistakes are gloriously human.

My hope is that these stories might fire up yer engines to remind you of just what a massive twat you also are. Let’s celebrate and revel in this most delightful of traits together.

That would be perfectly twatty.

A Stroke of the Pen : The Lost Stories | Terry Pratchett 

Far away and long ago, when dragons still existed and the only arcade game was ping-pong in black and white, a wizard cautiously entered a smoky tavern in the evil, ancient, foggy city of Morpork…

A truly unmissable, beautifully illustrated collection of unearthed stories from the pen of Sir Terry Pratchett: award-winning and bestselling author, and creator of the phenomenally successful Discworld series. Twenty early short stories by one of the world’s best loved authors, each accompanied by exquisite original woodcut illustrations.

These are rediscovered tales that Pratchett wrote under a pseudonym for newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s. Whilst none are set in the Discworld, they hint towards the world he would go on to create, containing all of his trademark wit, satirical wisdom and fantastic imagination. Meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and go on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, which begins in the ancient city of Morpork…

Secret Gardens of Cornwall | Tim Hubbard

Step inside the Secret Gardens of Cornwall for a private tour of the best horticultural destinations in the county. Discover what grows well, when and where to visit, understand the challenges that the owners have faced, and have a taste of the world-class gardens to be found in this corner of England. The 20 beautiful gardens included here celebrate the culture, beauty and diversity of the Cornish landscape – including unique micro-climates, rhododendrons and stunning scenery – through their sumptuous photography, fascinating stories and audiences with their owners.

From each garden we can learn about the creator’s style, their talent for exploiting the genius loci, and the specific challenges and rewards they have encountered.

Diddly Squat: Pigs Might Fly |  Jeremy Clarkson

Welcome back to Clarkson’s Farm. Since taking the wheel three years ago Jeremy’s had his work cut out.

And it’s now clear from hard-won experience that, when it comes to farming, there’s only one golden rule: Whatever you hope will happen, won’t. Enthusiastic schemes to diversify have met with stubborn opposition from the red trouser brigade, defeat at the hands of Council Planning department, and predictable derision from Kaleb – although, to be fair, even Lisa had doubts about Jeremy’s brilliant plan to build a business empire founded on rewilding and nettle soup. And only Cheerful Charlie is still smiling about the stifling amount of red tape that’s incoming .

. . But he charges by the hour.

Then there are the animals: the sheep are gone; the cows have been joined by a rented bull called Break-Heart Maestro;. the pigs are making piglets; and the goats have turned out to be psychopaths. But despite the naysayers and (sometimes self-inflicted) setbacks, Jeremy remains irrepressibly optimistic about life at Diddly Squat.

Because It’s hard not to be when you get to harvest blackberries with a vacuum cleaner. And, after all, it shouldn’t just be Break-heart Maestro who gets to enjoy a happy ending . .

Shakespeare : The Man Who Pays The Rent | Judi Dench

Taking a curtain call with a live snake in her wig… Cavorting naked through the Warwickshire countryside painted green… Acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head…

These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare. For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra. In a series of intimate conversations with actor & director Brendan O’Hea, she guides us through Shakespeare’s plays with incisive clarity.

While revealing the secrets of her rehearsal process, sharing her personal interpretations of Shakespeare’s most famous scenes and inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans. All brightened by her mischievous sense of humour, striking level of honesty and a peppering of hilarious anecdotes, many of which have remained under lock and key until now. Instructive and witty, provocative and inspiring, this is ultimately Judi’s love letter to Shakespeare, or rather, The Man Who Pays The Rent.