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The Better Mousetrap
by Tom HoltIt touches all our lives; our triumphs and tragedies, our proudest achievements, our most traumatic disasters. Alloyed of love and fear, death and fire and the inscrutable acts of the gods, insurance is indeed the force that binds the universe together.Hardly surprising, therefore, that Frank Carpenter, one of the foremost magical practitioners of our age, felt himself irresistibly drawn to it. Until, that is, he met Jane, a high-flying corporate heroine with an annoying habit of falling out of trees and getting killed. Repeatedly.It's not long before Frank and Jane find themselves face to face with the greatest enigma of our times: When is a door not a door? When it's a mousetrap.
Better Than Chocolate: Life In Icicle Falls (Life in Icicle Falls #1)
by Sheila RobertsThe best treat of all… Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations. But now it looks as if they’re about to lose their beloved shop to the bank. How can the town of Icicle Falls possibly cope without the famous Sterling treats?
Better Than Fiction: A perfectly bookish, opposites-attract rom-com to curl up with this autumn!
by Alexa MartinA book-hating bookshop owner and a hopeless romantic author discover that love isn't always by the book in this charming bookish, opposites-attract romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Talia Hibbert and Lyssa Kay Adams. One of Buzzfeed's New Romances to Read This Fall! ⭐ Early readers are giving Better Than Fiction five shining stars! ⭐'This might be my favorite rom com I've read this year!''I ate this book up! It was just what I needed right now''Ooh this was a yummy book. The characters, the setting, the story, the journey, just everything about it. It is such a happily-ever-after book and I'm here for it!''My queen, Alexa Martin, knows exactly how to write perfect banter and this book will not disappoint . . . A romance that will tug at all your heartstrings''I honestly loved this amazing book! The characters, the story, the love, the friendships, every single thing . . . just simply a wonderful book!''A swoon-worthy new release . . . featuring some of your favorites in romance tropes, Friends to Lovers, One Bed, Forced Proximity, Better than Fiction will not disappoint!'................................................................................Love isn't always by the book...Self-declared book hater Drew Young never expected to inherit her grandmother's old bookshop, the Book Nook. And now, as she prepares to host a signing for bestselling author (and hopeless romantic) Jasper Williams, she finds herself caught between a bookshelf and a hard place. Sensing sparks between the unlikely match, a group of mischievous old ladies - otherwise known as the Book Nook's resident book club - spot the opportunity to do what they do best: meddle. Pushed together, Drew and Jasper soon come to an agreement. If Jasper can create a book bucket list to introduce Drew to the joy of reading, she'll help him explore beautiful Colorado for his next book. With the shop's future in jeopardy, Drew is determined not to get distracted by the love story Jasper wants to write for them.She knows that real life isn't like it is in the books, but could Jasper be the plot twist Drew never saw coming?................................................................................'Alexa Martin is a powerhouse! In Better Than Fiction, she delivers another one of her signature stories - clever, relatable, flirty, and warm' ROSIE DANAN'Better Than Fiction is a charming, heartfelt rom-com, filled with great characters, laugh-out-loud banter and some very cheeky seniors' FREYA SAMPSON'Martin shines in this enchanting tale of a reluctant bookstore owner and the author who shows her love is possible . . . the result is utterly entertaining' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'Better than Fiction delights with bookish rom-com joy on every page, with a wonderfully relatable heroine . . . This is a romance for the reader and the dreamer in everyone' EMILY WIBBERLEY & AUSTIN SIEGEMUND-BROKA
Betting On The Rookie (The Bakers of Baseball #3)
by Stephanie DoyleSports agent Samantha Baker needs an epic comeback after the disaster that destroyed her career. All she needs is one client and she'll prove she can do this again. And that one client has to be Evan Tanner. A late-blooming rookie with talent for the record books, Evan’s got everything it takes to be her star client.
Betty Church and the Suffolk Vampire
by M.R.C. KasasianA man is murdered in broad daylight by a stealthy killer in this pitch-perfect WWII crime mystery. September 1939. Inspector Betty Church – one of the few female officers on the force – has arrived from London to fill a vacancy at Sackwater police station. But Betty isn't new here. This is the place she grew up. The place she thought she'd left for good. After a slow start, Betty's called to the train station to investigate a stolen bench. But though there's no bench, there is a body. A smartly dressed man, murdered in broad daylight, with two distinctive puncture wounds in his throat. While the locals gossip about the Suffolk Vampire, Betty Church steels herself to hunt a dangerous killer. Reviews for BETTY CHURCH AND THE SUFFOLK VAMPIRE: 'Betty Church is a wonderful creation... Had me laughing out loud' GOODREADS. 'I loved this... A cast of crazy characters, with a gruesome murder or two thrown in for good measure' GOODREADS. 'Loved Betty Church! No nonsense, in control with quirky crazy cast makes this a new series I can't wait to read more of' GOODREADS.
Betty Steady and the Toad Witch (Betty Steady and the Toad Witch #1)
by null Nicky Smith-DalePrepare to lick the toenails of adventure! Betty Steady’s faster than an angry goose and stronger than an ogre in yoga pants and she DON’T NEED NO STINKING HELP! But can she prevent disaster before the Toad Witch attacks Wobbly Rock? The funniest young fiction debut of 2024, for readers of You’re A Bad Man, Mr Gum and Grimwood! At twelve years old Betty Steady stands tall and dazzling, and is the Guardian of Wobbly Rock – a faraway kingdom which she protects fearlessly ALL ON HER OWN. But then the Toad Witch literally cuts Betty down to size. Can Betty prevent disaster before the Toad Witch and her evil army launch a terrible attack on Wobbly Rock? And when will she learn that she doesn't have to do stuff ALL ON HER OWN any more? Join us for fights and friendships! Lasagne-eating snails and slimy villains! Meet Betty and her crew: Figg the imp, Simon Anderson the stallion in tiger-print cycling shorts, Elle Emen O’Pea the trumpet-playing mouse in a bobble hat, and many, many more! Just jolly join us, OK? HOT CROSS BUNS!
Between a Mother and her Child
by Elizabeth NobleThe Number One bestselling author of The Reading Group will capture your heart with this heartrending yet magical exploration of love, loss and family*A Richard & Judy Book Club Pick*For Maggie and Bill it was love at first sight . . .One impulsive wedding later and with the arrival of three perfect children, Jake, Aly and Stan, the Barrett family seem to have it all. Until the day their world stops turning. When Jake dies suddenly, they're swept away on a tide of grief that fractures Maggie and Bill's marriage. She and the children are left clinging to the wreckage of their family. And they need help, because in her grief Maggie is in danger of losing Aly and Stan too.Enter Kate, housekeeper, companion and shoulder to cry on. She's here to pick up the pieces and fix what isn't completely broken. But can Maggie trust Kate? And why is Kate so keen to help?When Bill falls for another woman, Maggie realizes she will have to fight to put her family back together - but will they still want her?'A moving story about love, loss and family ties' Good Housekeeping'Poignant and realistic, you could be teary-eyed by the end' OK'A great writer. You'll be rooting for Noble's protagonists as soon as you meet them' Daily Mail**Elizabeth Noble's gloriously uplifting new novel, Letters to Iris, is out now!**
Between Laughter and Satire: Aspects of the Historical Study of Humour
by Conal CondrenThis book explores closely related aspects of the historical study of humour. It challenges much that has been taken for granted in a field of study for which history has been marginal. It disputes the conventional genealogical view that humour theory dates from antiquity and outlines an alternative conceptual history. It critically examines the nostrum that humour is universal. It then explores the methodological difficulties in treating both verbal and non-verbal humour historically, dealing with contextualisation, intentionality, translation and reception. It explores the variable relationships between satire and definition and concludes with a detailed case study from recent history: the iconic Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister television comedies. These are commonly seen as realistic, but better understood as presenting popularised theories for satiric and propagandistic effect. Only in their treatment of language can we assess a putative political realism. The satires are often highly perceptive but largely dependent on misleading and inadequate theories of political discourse.Conal Condren is an Emeritus Scientia Professor at UNSW, a member of two Cambridge Colleges and a fellow both of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and The Social Sciences in Australia. He has published widely and principally in early modern intellectual history. Among his books are The Status and Appraisal of Classic Texts; Argument and Authority in Early Modern England; Political Vocabularies: Word Change and the Nature of Politics.
Between the Assassinations: From the winner of the Man Booker Prize
by Aravind AdigaThe dazzling new book from the winner of the 2008 Man Booker Prize: one of the summer's most eagerly anticipated works of fiction. In his compelling new work of fiction, Aravind Adiga has imagined the small Indian city of Kittur, an everytown nestling on the coast south of Goa and north of Calicut. Through the myriad and distinctive voices of its inhabitants, an entire Indian world comes vividly and unforgettably to life. From a middle-aged Communist to an Islamic terrorist; from the young children of a Tamil building-site worker to a privileged and alienated schoolboy; from an idealistic journalist to a Brahmin housemaid, Adiga has produced a microcosm of Indian life in the 80s, the years between the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv. Muslim, Christian and Hindu, high-caste and low-caste, rich and poor: all of Indian life - the 'sorrowful parade of humanity' - is here. Journeying through Kittur's streets and schoolyards, bedrooms and businesses, its inner workings and outer limits, Adiga conjures a remarkable fictional landscape. Sizzling with acid observations, and textured with wicked humour and gentle humanity, Between the Assassinations is a triumph of voice and imagination.
Between the Covers: Jilly Cooper on sex, socialising and survival
by Jilly Cooper OBE'No one else can make me laugh and cry quite like Jilly Cooper.' Gill Sims'Jilly Cooper's non-fiction is just as entertaining as her novels.' Pandora Sykes____________________'One truth I have learnt, as middle age enmeshes me like Virginia creeper, is that I shall never change-because my capacity for self-improvement is absolutely nil.'Jilly Cooper's observations from her days as a much-loved newspaper columnist cover everything to do with sex, socialising and survival - from marriage, friendship and the minutiae of family life, to the tedium of going to visit people for the weekend, the stress of hosting dinner parties and the descent of middle age. Entertaining and full of heart, this classic collection of journalism from the legendary author explores the highs and lows of everyday life with wit, wisdom and warmth.Praise for Jilly Cooper:'Joyful and mischievous' Jojo Moyes'Fun, sexy and unputdownable' Marian Keyes'Flawlessly entertaining' Helen Fielding
Between Us
by Mhairi McFarlaneA SUNDAY TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2023 ‘Everything you want from a rom com and satisfyingly knotty with proper, recognisable characters. She just gets better and better’ JOJO MOYES ‘I LOVE her books PASSIONATELY and this is her best yet’ MARIAN KEYES
Beware! Killer Tomatoes
by Jeremy StrongJack's in trouble. Big trouble. Not only is he in hospital with a leg in traction (boring) but he knows the police are coming for him. Because of an accident – a tomato-related accident – involving a supermarket pyramid and an old-age pensioner. Whoops!Jeremy Strong knows exactly what makes kids laugh, and he's on top form in this very funny detective spoof. A major rebranding and repackaging programme in 2007 will ensure there's not a child in the country who hasn't laughed their socks off with Jeremy!Rowan Clifford's illustrations add to the fun.
Beware the Hellhound (Hotel of the Gods #1)
by Tom Easton (Author)Check in to Hotel of the Gods - where mythical guests cause magical mayhem! A hilarious new series perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart and David Solomons.When Atlas's parents get new jobs running a luxurious hotel he can't believe his luck. It sounds almost too good to be true . . .It is. The hotel has very unusual residents - ancient gods and goddesses, forgotten by humans who now worship TikTok celebrities. There's a water dragon in the swimming pool, an Egyptian cat goddess demanding treats, a Viking god throwing his magical hammer around the garden, and an Aztec god who thinks Atlas is a human sacrifice! When Atlas ventures into the basement, where the Greek god Hades lives, he accidentally unleashes a closet-full of mythical monsters - including a three-headed Hellhound! Can he get the monsters back into the basement before his parents lose their jobs?
Beyond a Joke: Inside the Dark World of Stand-up Comedy
by Bruce DessauBeyond a Joke is a celebration of comedy - one of the modern world's most dominant and compelling art forms - but it is also the story of comedy's dark side, homing in on the scandals that have surrounded some of light entertainment's biggest stars, and telling it as it is, featuring insight from one who was there at the time. While Beyond a Joke explores the extremes of this world it also addresses another question. Are comedians naturally dysfunctional, or does the stress and pressure of the job make them dysfunctional? Ruby Wax once told the author that she had builders in her house who were just as emotionally unstable as most stand-up comedians she had worked with. But they don't want to go on stage and plead with an audience to love them. Bruce Dessau is the only person who could write this book. From Russell Brand slashing his chest onstage to Jo Brand trashing a friend's car on the motorway, he has heard it all. Bruce Dessau knows where the bodies are buried.
Beyond Black: A Place Of Greater Safety; Beyond Black; The Giant O'brien (The\perennial Collection)
by null Hilary MantelA comically sinister tale of wicked spirits and suburban mediums from the Man Booker Prize-winning author of Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies and The Mirror & the Light. Alison Hart, a medium by trade, tours the dormitory towns of London’s orbital ring road with her flint-hearted sidekick, Colette, passing on messages from beloved dead ancestors. But behind her plump, smiling persona hides a desperate woman: she knows the terrors the next life holds but must conceal them from her wide-eyed clients. At the same time she is plagued by spirits from her own past, who infiltrate her body and home, becoming stronger and nastier the more she resists… Shortlisted for the Orange Prize, Hilary Mantel’s supremely suspenseful novel is a masterpiece of dark humour and even darker secrets.
Beyond Platform 13
by Sibéal PounderDiscover why the secrets are escaping in this fun, magical adventure by Sibéal Pounder, beautifully illustrated by Beatriz Castro. Beyond Platform 13 is inspired by characters from Eva Ibbotson's classic, The Secret of Platform 13.The Island of Mist is under siege and Odge Gribble and Prince Ben are in hiding. Desperate to find out why the mist is disappearing, Odge travels through the gump to Vienna, to find a mistmaker expert. But in yet another case of mistaken identity, Odge finds Lina, a nine-year-old girl looking for adventure. With the help of friends old and new, and some very interesting magic, Odge and Lina must discover the secret of the mist, before they lose their beloved island completely.Sibéal Pounder is the author of Witch Wars and is Eva Ibbotson's biggest fan. Her magical story celebrates twenty-five years of Eva's original, with an updated illustrated edition of The Secret of Platform 13 also available.
Beyond the Mountains (A Clock of Stars #2)
by Francesca GibbonsThe thrilling sequel to the best-selling middle-grade debut of Autumn 2020
Beyond the Ruby Veil (Beyond the Ruby Veil #1)
by Mara FitzgeraldA dark, queer YA fantasy that's perfect for fans of the Three Dark Crowns series and Wicked Saints. After Emanuela Ragno kills the one person in Occhia who can create water, she must find a way to save her city from dying of thirst.Emanuela Ragno always gets what she wants. With her daring mind and socialite schemes, she refuses to be the demure young lady everyone wants her to be. In her most ambitious move yet, she's about to marry Alessandro Morandi, her childhood best friend and the heir to the wealthiest house in Occhia. Emanuela doesn't care that she and her groom are both gay, because she doesn't want a love match. She wants power, and through Ale, she'll have it all.But Emanuela has a secret that could shatter her plans. In the city of Occhia, the only source of water is the watercrea, a mysterious being who uses magic to make water from blood. When their first bruise-like omen appears on their skin, all Occhians must surrender themselves to the watercrea to be drained of life. Everyone throughout history has given themselves up for the greater good. Everyone except Emanuela. She's kept the tiny omen on her hip out of sight for years.When the watercrea exposes Emanuela during her wedding ceremony and takes her to be sacrificed, Emanuela fights back . . . and kills her. Now Occhia has no one to make their water and no idea how to get more. In a race against time, Emanuela and Ale must travel through the mysterious, blood-red veil that surrounds their city to uncover the secrets of the watercrea's magic and find a way to save their people -- no matter what it takes.
The BFG: Plays For Children (The Roald Dahl Classic Collection)
by Roald Dahl‘We is in Dream Country,’ the BFG said. ‘This is where all dreams is beginning.’This beautiful edition of The BFG, part of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, features official archive material from the Roald Dahl Museum and is perfect for Dahl fans old and new.So, enter a world where invention and mischief can be found on every page and where magic might be at the very tips of your fingers . . .The Roald Dahl Classic Collection reinstates the versions of Dahl’s books that were published before the 2022 Puffin editions, aimed at newly independent young readers.
The BFG (New Windmills Ser.)
by Roald Dahl Quentin BlakeThe much-loved Roald Dahl story now in full colour format.When Sophie is snatched from her bed in the middle of the night by a giant with a stride as long as a tennis court she is sure she's going to be eaten for breakfast. But luckily for Sophie, the BFG is far more jumbly than his disgusting neighbours, whose favourite pastime is guzzling up whoppsy-whiffling human beans. Sophie is determined to stop all this, and so she and the BFG cook up an ingenious plan to rid of the world of the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater and all their rotsome friends forever.
The Bible According to Spike Milligan
by Spike MilliganThe Old Testament: but more mad, more merry, more... Milligan!"And God said, Let there be light; and there was light, but Eastern Electricity Board said He would have to wait until Thursday to be connected."There have been many interpretations of the Old Testament over the centuries but never one quite like this. Spike Milligan has rewritten, in his own inimitable style, many of the best-known stories of the Old Testament, featuring characters like King "my brain hurts" Solomon, the great oaf of a giant Goliath and the lesser-known crossword clue, Hushai the Archite.Believers and non-believers alike will enjoy this hilarious re-working, where the jokes, jests and jibes tumble over each other from Chapter One, Verse One until kingdom come.
The Bickford Fuse
by Andrey KurkovCatch-22 meets The Brothers Karamazov in the last great satire of the Soviet EraThe Great Patriotic War is stumbling to a close, but a new darkness has fallen over Soviet Russia. And for a disparate, disconnected clutch of wanderers - many thousands of miles apart but linked by a common goal - four parallel journeys are just beginning.Gorych and his driver, rolling through water, sand and snow on an empty petrol tank; the occupant of a black airship, looking down benevolently as he floats above his Fatherland; young Andrey, who leaves his religious community in search of a new life; and Kharitonov, who trudges from the Sea of Japan to Leningrad, carrying a fuse that, when lit, could blow all and sundry to smithereens.Written in the final years of Communism, The Bickford Fuse is a satirical epic of the Soviet soul, exploring the origins and dead-ends of the Russian mentality from the end of World War Two to the Union's collapse. Blending allegory and fable with real events, and as deliriously absurd as anything Kurkov has written, it is both an elegy for lost years and a song of hope for a future not yet set in stone.Translated from the Russian by Boris Dralyuk
A Bicycle Made For Two: A Hilarious Romance From The Queen Of Romcoms!
by Mary Jayne BakerEscape to the unspoilt Yorkshire Dales countryside and meet a hilarious community of colourful characters. Their bawdy wit in this romantic comedy is guaranteed to leave a smile on your face!In a beautiful lost corner of the Yorkshire Dales, Lana Donati hatches a plan to boost business for the area by having the Grand Départ route pass through their village. But it's not an easy task persuading the decision-makers that their village is Tour de France material...First, she must convince the small community to work together, a challenging mission when the people involved include Lana's unlucky-in-love brother Tom, the man-eating WI chair Yolanda, bickering spouses Gerry and Sue, and Lana's arch-nemesis, Stewart McLean, whose offbeat ideas might just cost them everything.A feel-good romance for lovers of Jenny Colgan, Fiona Gibson and Sue Moorcroft, this is the perfect antidote to fight the winter blues. Praise for Mary Jayne Baker: 'An affectionate, humorous and often moving look at the ties that bind us as we move through life' Debbie Johnson
Big Bad Biteasaurus: A Bloomsbury Young Reader (Bloomsbury Young Readers)
by Malachy DoyleBig Bad Biteasaurus is the biggest baddest bully. He frightens all the other dinosaurs with his big, bad bite. Until one day the other dinosaurs have had enough. Big Bad Biteasaurus is going to have to be nice – even if it means a trip to the dentist!This roaringly funny story from award-winning author Malachy Doyle is perfect for children who are learning to read by themselves and for Key Stage 1. It features engaging illustrations from David Creighton-Pester and quirky characters young readers will find hard to resist.Bloomsbury Young Readers are the perfect way to get children reading, with book-banded stories by brilliant authors like Julia Donaldson. They are packed with gorgeous colour illustrations and include inside cover notes to help adults reading with children, as well as ideas for activities related to the stories.Book Band: PurpleIdeal for ages 6+