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Happy Medium: the unmissable new romcom sizzling with opposites-attract chemistry
by Sarah AdlerPerfect for fans of Emily Henry, Beth O'Leary and Tessa Bailey: the new romcom from the author of Mrs Nash's Ashes.Fake medium. True love.Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her wealthiest client hires her to look into the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner's struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a complete fraud, but she's a beneficent one. So if 'cleansing' the historic property will help a nice old man get on with his retirement and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who's she to say no? Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn't quite who Gretchen imagined - Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced by Gretchen. Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with Everett: the very real, very chatty ghost that's been wreaking havoc. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that's had Everett haunting Gilded Creek Farm since the 1920s. Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie of the dangers that will befall him should he sell up. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the best way to win over the stubborn farmer - not exactly Gretchen's strengths. She has to try though, because trust isn't the only thing growing between them. To save the goat farm, its resident phantom, and the man she's beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her life: being fully, genuinely, messily herself.EVERYONE LOVES SARAH ADLER'S ROMCOMS'A sparky, bright, hilarious road-trip rom com with a heroine who is 100% pure sunshine' BETH O'LEARY'Heartfelt and hilarious in equal measure' 5* READER REVIEW'Sarah Adler nails the ultimate rom-com alchemy' CARLEY FORTUNE'Beautiful and charming and poignant' 5* READER REVIEW'I laughed. I sobbed. I loved it!' ASHLEY POSTON'Sarah Adler's voice is hilarious and unique' 5* READER REVIEW(P)2024 Penguin Audio
The Periodic Table of HIP HOP
by Neil KulkarniWelcome to The Periodic Table of Hip Hop. Instead of hydrogen to helium, here you'll find James Brown to Kanye West - 94 artists that have defined Hip Hop arranged following the logic of The Periodic Table of Elements. MCs, DJs, rappers and producers are the elements here, and this expert guide orders them to reveal their contrasts and connections, along with key movements and moments in the history of this music genre. Includes: James Brown, P-Funk, Kool Herc, Melle Mel, Sugarhill Records, Fab Five Freddy, Whodini, Run DMC, Rick Rubin, LL Cool J, Kanye West and Jay Z and many, many more...
The Periodic Table of FOOTBALL
by Nick HoltYou can never take what you love too seriously and The Periodic Table of Football celebrates this fact.Welcome to The Periodic Table of Football. Instead of hydrogen to helium, here you’ll find Pelé to Sepp Blatter – 108 elements from the football pantheon arranged by their properties and behaviour on and off the pitch.This expert guide and accompanying poster spans over 150 years to offer an original perspective of the beautiful game.
You Are Here: A Novel
by David NichollsTHE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA Good Housekeeping "Book We're Most Looking Forward To" * An Independent Today "Best Fiction Books to Read" * A GQ Magazine (UK) "Best Book of 2024" * A Harper’s Bazaar (UK) "Best Novels to Read" * A Daily Record "Best Novel" "I finished this novel in two breathless sittings, as invested in its outcome as I would be in the happiness of a friend. This is the magic of You Are Here: warm, generous and funny, it invites readers into the world of Marnie and Michael with the promise that everyone is welcome, and that choosing happiness and being courageous in any small way we can is always possible. I loved this book." — Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of TimeFrom the internationally bestselling and Booker Prize-longlisted author of One Day, one of the most enduring love stories of its generation, comes an uplifting and unputdownable love story about second chances.Sometimes you need to get lost to find your way . . .Michael is coming undone. Adrift after his wife's departure, he has begun taking himself on long, solitary walks across the English countryside. Becoming ever more reclusive, he’ll do anything to avoid his empty house.Marnie, on the other hand, is stuck. Hiding alone in her London flat, she avoids old friends and any reminders of her rotten, selfish ex-husband. Curled up with a good book, she’s battling the long afternoons of a life that feels like it’s passing her by.When a persistent mutual friend and some very unpredictable weather conspire to toss Michael and Marnie together on the most epic of ten-day hikes, neither of them can think of anything worse. Until, of course, they discover exactly what they’ve been looking for.Michael and Marnie are on the precipice of a bright future . . . if they can survive the journey.A hilarious, hopeful, and heartwarming love story—the novel beloved New York Times bestselling author David Nicholls calls “my funniest book yet”—You Are Here is a bittersweet and hopeful story of first encounters, second chances, and finding the way home.
The Winner: A Novel
by Teddy Wayne“Be prepared to fully lose yourself in The Winner—a book I started and then simply couldn’t stop reading. Teddy Wayne has written a timely, topical novel that still somehow feels like a classic.”—Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River Conor O’Toole has never been anywhere like Cutters Neck, a gated community near Cape Cod. It’s a sweet deal for the summer: in exchange for tennis lessons, he receives free lodging in a luxurious guest cottage, far from the cramped Yonkers apartment he shares with his diabetic mother.In this oceanfront paradise, however, new clients prove hard to come by, and Conor has bills to pay. When Catherine, a sharp-tongued divorcée, offers double his usual rate, he soon realizes she is expecting additional, off the court services for her money, and Conor tumbles into a secret erotic affair unlike anything he’s experienced before.Despite his steamy flings with a woman twice his age, he simultaneously finds himself falling for an artsy, outspoken girl he meets on the beach. With cautious, strategic planning, Conor somehow manages this tangled web—until he makes one final, irreversible mistake.A dark, explosive literary thriller that brilliantly skewers the elite, Whiting Award winner Teddy Wayne’s unputdownable novel is cinematic, shocking, and a psychological masterpiece.
Plum to the Rescue!
by Matt PhelanIt’s baby animal season at the Athensville Zoo! Is Plum responsible enough to watch over five exuberant peachicks? From award-winning author-artist Matt Phelan—creator of Knights vs. Dinosaurs—Plum to the Rescue! is the fourth book about a young peacock whose adventures are funny, hopeful, and always kindhearted. A hilarious and highly illustrated novel perfect for reluctant readers and animal lovers everywhere.Plum is sure he can handle supervising five energetic—and mischievous—peachicks. How hard could it be? When one of the chicks ends up in the clutches of two notorious, badly behaved young zoo patrons, Plum will face his most thrilling adventure yet—a rescue mission outside the zoo walls!With short chapters and energetic black-and-white illustrations, these novels about Plum and his friends at the zoo are just right for newly independent readers, tackling an emotional theme relevant and accessible to the audience. Full of heart and humor, Plum to the Rescue! is a great choice for fans of the Mercy Watson and the Princess in Black series.
Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities
by Casey LyallSometimes it’s hard to rest in peace. A young trainee witch, a family power gone haywire, a dearly departed grandma, an undead boy, and an evil witch—that’s a recipe for the perfect summer vacation. Both hilarious and heartfelt, this fast-paced mystery about life and death (and afterlife) is for fans of Spirit Hunters and The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl.Twelve-year-old Kimmy Jones wants to excel at the unique (and secret) aspect of her family’s funeral home business. Under the watchful eye of Grandma Bev, Kimmy learns how to raise the recently deceased, request their last wish, and break the connection to send them on. But when Grandma unexpectedly dies herself, Kimmy can’t reach her spirit, and nothing seems like it’s ever going to be right again.Then a boy dies under mysterious circumstances on the night of a meteor shower. With no witnesses, Kimmy’s the only one who can get answers about what happened. So she breaks into the hospital morgue, and for the first time in months, her power works. She Wakes the boy up. Except then Kimmy can’t break the connection and so he stays Awake. Even worse, the boy has no memory of what happened to him. As Kimmy works to unravel the mystery, she discovers secrets about her heritage and learns about a witch who has been wreaking havoc for centuries.Casey Lyall’s supernatural mystery is heartfelt, thrilling, and hilarious. Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities is perfect for fans of Avi’s School of the Dead and Suzanne Young’s What Stays Buried.
The Ride of Her Life: A Novel
by Jennifer DuganFrom the author of Love at First Set, a new irresistible enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine queer romcom for fans of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, about a wedding-obsessed city girl who inherits a horse farm from her estranged late aunt, and clashes with the cocky, unfairly hot farrier who thinks she’s going to run the barn into the ground.Molly McDaniel’s life is falling apart. Between her day job as a barista, her night job at a call center, and her crushing student loans, she’s barely getting by. And that dream she has of starting a wedding event planning business? The dream that led to all those student loan in the first place? She can feel it slipping farther and farther out of reach every day. So the absolute last thing she needs is to discover she’s inherited a run-down, struggling horse barn out of the blue, courtesy of her estranged late aunt.Molly is so ill-equipped to run the barn, it’s laughable. She certainly doesn’t have the money, time or knowledge needed to save it, no matter how much faith everyone who loved her aunt has that she will. But the more Molly gets involved, the more she starts to wonder: maybe the barn is a blessing in disguise. If she can sell the land, the profits could be the small-business seed money miracle she’s been waiting for. So what if she’s starting to love everyone in the mismatched family she’s found here?Well, everyone except Shani, the resident farrier and family friend who took care of Molly’s aunt in her last days. Judgmental, grouchy Shani, who refuses to give up on the barn; who walks around like she so much better than Molly; who’s actually really good with the horses…and kind of thoughtful. And obnoxiously hot. And unfailingly loyal.And suddenly, Shani has become an entirely different kind of problem, one Molly can’t possibly solve, not without risking her whole future, no matter how much her heart wishes she could.
Goyhood: A Novel
by Reuven FentonReuven Fenton's novel Goyhood is a brilliant debut about a devoutly Orthodox Jewish man who discovers in middle age that he's not, in fact, Jewish, and embarks on a remarkable road trip to come to grips with his fate; it's Chaim Potok's The Chosen meets Planes,Trains and Automobiles.Funny, poignant, and revelatory while plumbing the emotional depths of the relationship between estranged brothers, Goyhood examines what happens when one becomes unmoored from a comfortable, spiritual existence and must decide whether coincidence is in fact destiny. When Mayer (née Marty) Belkin fled small town Georgia for Brooklyn nearly thirty years ago, he thought he'd left his wasted youth behind. Now he's a Talmud scholar married into one of the greatest rabbinical families in the world - a dirt poor country boy reinvented in the image of God. But his mother's untimely death brings a shocking revelation: Mayer and his ne'er-do-well twin brother David aren't, in fact, Jewish. Traumatized and spiritually bereft, Mayer's only recourse is to convert to Judaism. But the earliest date he can get is a week from now. What are two estranged brothers to do in the interim? So begins the Belkins' Rumspringa through America's Deep South with Mom's ashes in tow, plus two tagalongs: an insightful Instagram influencer named Charlayne Valentine and Popeye, a one-eyed dog. As the crew gets tangled up in a series of increasingly surreal adventures, Mayer grapples with a God who betrayed him and an emotionally withdrawn wife in Brooklyn who has yet to learn her husband is a counterfeit Jew.
Question Quest (The Xanth Novels #14)
by Piers AnthonyA magician sends a melancholic maiden on a rescue mission in Hell in this humorous fantasy adventure by a New York Times–bestselling author. As one of the trouble-making twins of Castle Zombie, Lacuna used to have so much fun when she was a little girl. But now at thirty-four, she&’s bored stiff and wonders where her life went horribly wrong. To escape her funk, she heads to Good Magician Grey to pose a question. Of course, in Xanth, getting an answer is far from simple . . . Grey sends Lacuna to Hell in a handbasket . . . literally. There, she meets Good Magician Humfrey, who&’s spent the last ten years waiting to get his wife back from a terrible demon. With her magical talents—and a few gorgons—Lacuna just might be able to help Humfrey, escape Hell alive, and fix her boring life, once and for all.
All's Fair in Love and War (Miss Prentice’s Proteges)
by Virginia Heath'A refreshing array of dazzling wit, hidden depths, lip curling humour and heartmelting fun, in all its entangling intimacy!!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader praise for the Merriwell Sisters series!'Virginia Heath's fun characters and situations will have you laughing out loud!' SABRINA JEFFRIES'Filled with fabulously British banter, wit, and heart' EVIE DUNMORE'Heath is carving a name for herself in historical rom-coms' BOOKLIST starred reviewALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR is the first in a new Regency romp of a series from the author of the Merriwell Sisters series!________________________When former naval captain, Harry Kincaid, is left in the lurch with his flighty older sister's three unruly children, he hasn't a clue how to handle it. Desperate, and prepared to pay whatever it takes, he turns to Miss Prentice's School for Young Ladies for an emergency governess who can get his formerly ordered house running shipshape again.After a strict and miserable upbringing, fledgling governess Georgie Rowe doesn't believe that children should be seen and not heard. She believes that childhood should be filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery (. . . everything hers wasn't). Thankfully, the three Pendleton children are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional approach. However, their staid, stickler-for-the-rules uncle, is another matter entirely.Georgie and Harry are soon butting heads over their differences, but as time passes, their attraction soon becomes undeniable and, after all, all's fair in love and war . . .________________________Readers LOVED the Merriwell Sisters!!'An utterly heartwarming and hilarious romp through regency England . . . Virginia Heath's new series is the perfect blend of humour and romance that Bridgerton fans will fall head over heels for' 5⭐ NetGalley review'A fresh, fun and a totally original take on the regency romance genre . . . the witty banter is brilliant and so entertaining! . . . I can't wait to read more from this author' 5⭐ NetGalley review'I absolutely loved this book . . . A historical romance with humour. Looking forward to the next book by Virginia Heath' 5⭐ NetGalley review'What a fun story! . . . Hugh and Minerva have fantastic chemistry, and they send up sparks every time they are on the page together . . . A great read all the way around!' 5⭐ NetGalley review'The first in a new series & boy what a starter, it had me hooked & giggling from the first page . . . If you want a humorous, entertaining often farcical yet romantic read look no further' 5⭐ NetGalley review'I loved, loved, loved this story!' 5⭐ NetGalley review
Dreadful
by Caitlin RozakisA sharp-witted, debut high fantasy farce featuring killer moat squid, toxic masculinity, evil wizards and a garlic festival - all at once. Perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, K. J. Parker and Travis Baldree.It&’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard&’s workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you horribly and then turn your skull into a goblet or something.It&’s a lot worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is… you.Gav isn&’t really sure how he ended up with a castle full of goblins, or why he has a princess locked in a cell. All he can do is play along with his own evil plan in hopes of getting his memories back before he gets himself killed. But as he realizes that nothing – from the incredibly tasteless cloak adorned with flames to the aforementioned princess – is quite what it seems, Gav must face up to all the things the Dread Lord Gavrax has done. And he&’ll have to answer the hardest question of all – who does he want to be?A high fantasy farce featuring killer moat squid, toxic masculinity, an evil wizard convocation, and a garlic festival. All at once. All in all, Dread Lord Gavrax has had better weeks.
A Question of Belonging: Crónicas
by HEBE UHART"An exemplary compendium of brief glimpses into the quotidian concerns of everyday South Americans . . . [that] exudes the author&’s characteristically bright insight and sense of attentive amusement." – Kirkus Reviews, starred review25 Crónicas – uniquely Latin American short stories – from a master of the form, a star heralded alongside Samanta Schweblin and Mariana Enríquez for blending insight, honesty, and humorUhart reinvigorates our desire to connect with other people, to love the world, to laugh in the face of bad intentions, and to look again, more closely: from lapwings, road-side pedicures, and the overheard conversations of nurses and their patients, to Goethe and the work of the Bolivian director Jorge Sanjinés.&“It was a year of great discovery for me, learning about these people and their homes,&” Hebe Uhart writes in the opening story of A Question of Belonging, a collection of texts that traverse Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Spain, and beyond. Discoveries sprout and flower throughout Uhart&’s oeuvre, but nowhere more so than in her crónicas, Uhart&’s preferred method of storytelling by the end of her life. For Uhart, the crónica meant going outside, meeting others. It also allowed the mingling of precise, factual reportage and the slanted, symbolic narrative power of literature.Here, Uhart opens the door on all kinds of people. We meet an eccentric priest who conducts experiments down by the riverside hoping to land on a cure for cancer; a queenly (read: beautiful and relentlessly indolent) teenage girl; a cacique of the Pueblo Nación Charrúa clan, who tells her of indigenous customs and histories.She writes with characteristic slyness. In the last lines of the title story, Uhart writes, &“And I left, whistling softly.&” Wherever she may have gone, we are left with the wish we could follow alongside.
Jurassic Jeff: (A Graphic Novel) (Jeff in the Jurassic #2)
by Royden LeppJeff the alien is ready to take his dino-friends on a quest to find their missing family. . .that is if he can remember where he put his warp drive first. Embark on a hilarious adventure filled with zany lizard adversaries, and the heartwarming strength of friendship in this must-read Middle Grade graphic novel. Perfect for fans of Cat Kid Comic Club.Having just made his first friend, Hungry, the T-rex, Jeff wants to make a good impression and that means helping out, right? Like maybe helping Hungry find his missing family. (At least, that is what Jeff thinks they are supposed to do? ...He's still very new to this friend thing.)Jeff decides to fix his ship so they can fly around for their search but first they'll need to find his lost warp drive! Too bad a rival group of flying reptiles wants to use the it for themselves! Dive into this dino-dilemma and find out if Jeff can save the day and be a good friend!
Look on the Bright Side
by Kristan HigginsFrom the author of Pack Up the Moon comes a funny, romantic, and deeply moving novel about the unexpected rewards that come from life&’s detours.Lark Smith has always had a plan for her life: find a fantastic guy, create a marriage as blissful as her parents&’, pop out a couple of kids and build a rewarding career as an oncologist.Things aren&’t going so well.For one, the guy didn&’t work out. Theoretically, she&’d love to find someone else, but it hasn&’t happened. Two, she&’s just been transferred out of oncology for being too emotional. (Is it her fault she&’s a weeper?) Three, her parents just split up.Deviating from the plan was…well, not in the plan. A potential solution comes from the foul-tempered and renowned surgeon Lorenzo Santini (aka Dr. Satan). He needs a date this summer for his sister&’s wedding. His ancient Noni wants to see him settled. In exchange, he could make a few introductions and maybe get Lark back into the field of her choice.As a sucker for old people and fake relationships, Lark agrees. Teeny problem—she instantly falls for his big, warm family. Especially his estranged brother.Meanwhile, Lark&’s mom has moved in with Lark&’s colorful landlady, Joy, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. The three women have a long summer and a big beautiful house on the ocean to figure out what&’s next…and quite possibly learn that the best things in life aren&’t planned at all.
Braided (Sisters Ever After #5)
by Leah CypessThe fifth book in the Sisters Ever After series of fairy tale retellings from the point of view of the siblings in the background, this is the thrilling and mysterious story of Cinna and her older sister, Rapunzel, who was stolen from their castle as a baby. Now she&’s back, leaving Cinna with more questions than answers.Princess Cinna has grown up longing for her older sister, Rapunzel, who was kidnapped before Cinna was born. Now that Rapunzel has returned home, Cinna couldn&’t be happier. She can&’t wait to help Rapunzel take her rightful place as heir to the throne.But Rapunzel is not what anyone—including Cinna—expected. And whoever took her might still be lurking in the castle. When magical creatures begin attacking both princesses, Cinna finds herself with no one to trust…except, maybe, Rapunzel herself.Will she risk everything for a sister with whom she may have nothing in common except their long, magical hair?
Mood Swings: A Novel
by Frankie BarnetIn a pre-apocalyptic world not unlike our own, a young Instagram poet starts an affair with a California billionaire who&’s promised a time machine that will make everything normal again—whatever that means.Everyone knows something&’s off, but nobody can agree on just what it is. Maybe it&’s the weather; maybe it&’s because everyone&’s so sensitive these days.Jenlena and Daphne are two aimless humanities grads living in a crumbling Montreal when animals besiege cities and towns across the world, terrorizing their human residents. Though shocking, the threat is quickly neutralized when the animals are killed en masse for the safety of humanity. In the post-fauna world, Jenlena is transformed, shaking off her characteristic passivity to capitalize on other people&’s heartbreak and grief by selling plants that have come to replace pets, and impersonating dogs for pay. Meanwhile, Daphne, a once-promising student, flounders in a deep depression, smoking weed and slacking off at work to hang out with her cancelled boyfriend. When Jenlena meets the California billionaire Roderick Maeve, and the two become romantically entangled, she is exposed to a new understanding of wealth, power, and the gender economy—just as the world hurtles toward its alleged salvation.Marked with Frankie Barnet&’s poignant intelligence and sly sense of humour, Mood Swings is a stand-out debut.
Help I S*xted My Boss: The Sunday Times Bestselling Guide to Avoiding Life’s Awkward Moments
by William Hanson Jordan North'Funny, filthy and fantastic. Cackled from start to finish' - Rylan ClarkHow do you ask your mate for that £50 back?When is OK to trump in front of your partner?And what should you do if you've accidentally sexted your boss?William and Jordan are from very different worlds.William's an etiquette expert, with his tongue firmly in his teacup and unparalleled knowledge of table linen. Jordan's a TV and radio presenter, the patron saint of Burnley and an expert in all things common. Together they've entertained millions of listeners worldwide with their hit podcast Help I Sexted My Boss.Now, they’ve pooled all of their wisdom on how to get through life’s most awkward moments.From candlelight suppers to picky teas, first dates to flatmate dramas, Help I Sexted My Boss is full of both useful and useless advice. This is your indispensable guide to navigating the trepidation and challenges of modern life.'Hilarious lads.. and weirdly useful. This generation’s Ant and Dec. If one of them was really posh. Great read' - Vicky PattisonSunday Times Bestseller, November 2023
Lil' Muffin Drops the Mic: The brand-new children’s book from comedian Romesh Ranganathan!
by Romesh RanganathanFrom comedy superstar Romesh Ranganathan comes a hilarious and heartfelt tale that proves rap battles and baking muffins really can mix. The perfect story for readers age 8+ and fans of David Baddiel and Adam B Wins the Internet!Ever since his dad left, James can't seem to stop worrying about everything. His favourite hobby, baking, is a fun (and delicious!) distraction, but no matter how many AMAZING brownies he makes, James still feels like there's a missing ingredient in his life . . .Until he discovers rapping, and he's COMPLETELY hooked. It's not long before James starts writing his own raps about everything - from music and cakes to his giant pet rabbit, Graham!So when he hears that grime artist star Brukka is on the hunt for young talent, James starts to wonder: could this be his chance to share his MUFFINS, his MUSIC, and maybe even his feelings with the whole school? If he could only find the confidence . . .Full of laugh-out-loud illustrations from bestselling illustrator James Lancett, this is the children's read of the summer!
The Therapy Crouch: In Search of Happy (N)ever After
by Peter Crouch Abbey ClancyJoin the nation's favourite married couple and chart-topping podcast hosts, Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch, as they discuss the realities of modern relationships in this hilarious and relatable guide.From the moment you swipe right or lock eyes across a crowded bar, you step onto a rollercoaster ride of dating, first kisses and romantic weekends away. Then before you know it, you're meeting the in-laws, moving in together and walking down the aisle. It's not all highs, there are lows too: you've got your other half's annoying habits to discover and you need to learn how to win every argument in pursuit of always being right.When kids come along, sexy text messages make way for school whatsapp groups and suddenly you have no time for one another. Life is a blur of nappies, sleepless nights and chauffeuring as your offspring embark on a more colourful social life than you could dream of. That first date might just be the start of a relationship that lasts for the rest of your life, so choose wisely.From hooking up to breaking up and getting together to staying together, join us as we navigate our way through the trials and tribulations of dating and relationships. Celebrating all that's good and bad about being in pursuit of love, we ask can you ever find you happy ever after?
Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum #30)
by Janet EvanovichINSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Janet Evanovich, the &“most popular mystery writer alive&” (The New York Times), is in top form as she sends Stephanie Plum on the trail of a stolen stash of dirty diamonds.Stephanie Plum, Trenton&’s hardest working, most underappreciated bounty hunter, is offered a freelance assignment that seems simple enough. Local jeweler Martin Rabner wants her to locate his former security guard, Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy), who he is convinced stole a fortune in diamonds out of his safe. Stephanie is also looking for another troubled man, Duncan Dugan, a fugitive from justice arrested for robbing the same jewelry store on the same day. With her boyfriend Morelli away in Miami on police business, Stephanie is taking care of Bob, Morelli&’s giant orange dog who will devour anything, from Stephanie&’s stray donuts to the upholstery in her car. Morelli&’s absence also means the inscrutable, irresistible security expert Ranger is front and center in Stephanie&’s life when things inevitably go sideways. And he seems determined to stay there. To complicate matters, her best friend Lula is convinced she is being stalked by a mythological demon hell-bent on relieving her of her wardrobe. An overnight stakeout with Stephanie&’s mother and Grandma Mazur reveals three generations of women with nerves of steel and driving skills worthy of NASCAR champions. As the body count rises and witnesses start to disappear, it won&’t be easy for Stephanie to keep herself clean when everyone else is playing dirty. It&’s a good thing Stephanie isn&’t afraid of getting a little dirty, too.
Going Rogue: Rise and Shine Twenty-Nine (Stephanie Plum #29)
by Janet EvanovichStephanie Plum breaks the rules, flirts with disaster, and shows who&’s boss in this whip-smart and fast-paced thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling &“crown princess of detective fiction&” (BookPage) Janet Evanovich.Monday mornings aren&’t supposed to be fun, but they should be predictable. However, on this particular Monday, Stephanie Plum knows that something is amiss when she turns up for work at Vinnie&’s Bail Bonds to find that longtime office manager Connie Rosolli, who is as reliable as the tides in Atlantic City, hasn&’t shown up. Stephanie&’s worst fears are confirmed when she gets a call from Connie&’s abductor. He says he will only release her in exchange for a mysterious coin that a recently murdered man left as collateral for his bail. Unfortunately, this coin, which should be in the office—just like Connie—is nowhere to be found. The quest to discover the coin, learn its value, and save Connie will require the help of Stephanie&’s Grandma Mazur, her best pal Lula, her boyfriend Morelli, and hunky security expert Ranger. As they get closer to unraveling the reasons behind Connie&’s kidnapping, Connie&’s captor grows more threatening and soon Stephanie has no choice but to throw caution to the wind, follow her instincts, and go rogue. Full of surprises, thrills, and humor, Going Rogue reveals a new side of Stephanie Plum, and shows Janet Evanovich at her scorching, riotous best.
L.A.WOMAN
by Eve BabitzSoon to be a TV show on Hulu Eve Babitz is a writer like no other—she &“is to prose what Chet Baker is to jazz&” (Vanity Fair)—and she has influenced a generation of writers and readers with her sophisticated, witty, and delightful work. L.A. Woman is quintessential Babitz, the story of Sophie, a twenty-something blonde Jim Morrison groupie gliding through a golden existence in L.A. and Lola, a German immigrant who settles in Hollywood in the twenties to drive Pierce Arrows recklessly down Sunset Boulevard and who knows that Maybelline mascara cakes and Rudolph Valentino are the essence of life. Sophie and Lola, like the many other women who move in and out of this electric saga know that while L.A. is constantly changing it is essentially eternal; through their eyes we see the mixture of high culture and low, the promises of youth and the fulfillment of nostalgia, the pink sunsets and the palm trees that are L.A. And through this fantastic tale, Babitz shares what it is to be a woman in what she convinces us is the capital of civilization.
Tracy Flick Can't Win: A Novel
by Tom PerrottaSoon to be a major motion picture starring Reese Witherspoon &“Tom Perrotta is…one of the great writers that we have today. I love this book.&” —Harlan Coben An &“engrossing and mordantly funny&” (People) novel about ambition, coming-of-age in adulthood, and never really leaving high school politics behind—featuring New York Times bestselling author Tom Perrotta&’s most iconic character of all time.Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck and underappreciated in midlife, Tracy gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal, Jack Weede, abruptly announces his retirement, creating a rare opportunity for Tracy to ascend to the top job. Energized by the prospect of her long-overdue promotion, Tracy throws herself into her work with renewed zeal, determined to prove her worth to the students, faculty, and School Board, while also managing her personal life—a ten-year-old daughter, a needy doctor boyfriend, and a burgeoning meditation practice. But nothing ever comes easily to Tracy Flick, no matter how diligent or qualified she happens to be. Her male colleagues&’ determination to honor Vito Falcone—a star quarterback of dubious character who had a brief, undistinguished career in the NFL—triggers memories for Tracy and leads her to reflect on the trajectory of her own life. As she considers the past, Tracy becomes aware of storm clouds brewing in the present. Is she really a shoo-in for the principal job? Is the Superintendent plotting against her? Why is the School Board President&’s wife trying so hard to be her friend? And why can&’t she ever get what she deserves? A sharp, darkly comic, and pitch-perfect chronicle of the second act of one of the most memorable characters of our time, Tracy Flick Can&’t Win &“delivers acerbic insight about frustrated ambition&” (Esquire).
One For The Money: A Stephanie Plum Novel (Stephanie Plum #1)
by Janet EvanovichDiscover where it all began—the first &“snappily written, fast-paced, and witty&” (USA TODAY) novel in the beloved Stephanie Plum series featuring a feisty and funny heroine who &“comes roaring in like a blast of very fresh air&” (The Washington Post), from Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dirty Thirty. Meet Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter with attitude. In Stephanie&’s opinion, toxic waste, rabid drivers, armed schizophrenics, and August heat, humidity, and hydrocarbons are all part of the great adventure of living in Jersey. She&’s a product of the &“burg,&” a blue-collar pocket of Trenton where houses are attached and narrow, cars are American, windows are clean, and (God forbid you should be late) dinner is served at six. Out of work and out of money, Stephanie blackmails her bail-bondsman cousin Vinnie into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. Stephanie knows zilch about the job requirements, but she figures her new pal, el-primo bounty hunter Ranger, can teach her what it takes to catch a crook. Her first assignment: nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one. Morelli&’s the inamorato who charmed Stephanie out of her virginity at age sixteen. There&’s still powerful chemistry between them, so the chase should be interesting…and could also be extremely dangerous.