BOOKSIMO

  Description Set in London in 1968, A CURTAIN TWITCHER'S BOOK OF MURDER follows the lives of the inhabitants of a suburban London street. But this is no ordinary road. "Ask anyone on Atbara Avenue how well they know their neighbours, and they'll answer 'well'. After all, they see each other across the vast distance afforded by close proximity, and that is probably for the best...". For the best, because Atbara Avenue is a street where, all too often, murder feels like the solution. With a delicious cast of characters, dazzling plotting and an utterly unique voice, Gay Marris' first book is remarkably accomplished. If you've been longing for a fresh and compelling new voice in the world of crime fiction, your wait is over. Review It took me a few pages to get into this book as at first it seemed a little banal. Set in the 1960s it felt unfamiliar and hard to regain that era.  That soon changed as the story or rather stories began to unfold. Not really ...

DESCRIPTION Meet Daphne St Clair: glamorous ninety-year-old grandmother, care home resident, and your new favourite serial killer. Meet Ruth Robinson: aspiring true crime podcaster, hunting for a killer story. Who are you going to trust? . . . When Daphne confesses to killing a number of men throughout her lifetime, she chooses Ruth to produce the podcast reporting her story. Each episode charts Daphne's humble beginnings from the Dust Bowl in Canada to her glittering life in 70s New York - and a string of murders in her wake. Daphne tells her story. Ruth listens. And edits it. The public are hooked. Is she a feminist icon taking revenge on bad men? Or just a ruthless criminal? Then, as the podcast finale approaches, it becomes clear that neither woman has been entirely honest with the other. Who has been controlling the narrative? After all, the truth doesn't always make for the best story... A darkly witty thriller, sparking conversations around true crime and female serial k...

Description A GUARDIAN 'BEST BOOK TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2025' It’s the 1990s: Britpop is dominating the charts, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell stare out from the cover of every glossy magazine and British fashion is ripe for reinvention. Leading the charge is a twenty-something Mary Portas who has been brought in to revitalise the department store Harvey Nichols, at the time more likely to be associated with dowagers than daring designers. With department stores in decline and an alpha male leadership team watching closely, the pressure is immense: make it profitable and make it relevant. Mary steps into a world she doesn’t fully understand – and at first, it shows. But what seems like vulnerability quickly reveals itself as vision. She doesn't rely on fitting in; she leans into instinct, takes bold creative risks and reimagines what luxury could be. By the millennium, the store would be renowned for its outrageous, headline-grabbing, traffic-stopping window displays; patrona...

  Description Welcome to the Time Hop Coffee Shop, where wishes can come true . . . Greta Perks was once the shining star of the iconic Maple Gold coffee commercials, the quintessential TV wife and mom. Now, fame has faded, her marriage is on the rocks, her teenage daughter has become distant, and Greta’s once-glittering career feels like a distant memory. So when Greta stumbles upon a mysterious coffee shop, serving a magical brew, she wishes for the perfect life in those past Maple Gold commercials. Next thing she knows, Greta wakes in the idyllic, make-believe town of Mapleville, where the sun always shines and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and second chances fill the air. Given the opportunity to live the life she dreamed, Greta is determined to rewrite her own script. But can life ever be like a coffee commercial? And what will happen when Greta has to choose – between perfection and real life, with no turning back? 'Original, perceptive and supremely enjoyable'- Haze...

  Description For fans of  Before the Coffee Gets Cold ,  What You Are Looking for Is In the Library , and  Days at the Morisaki Bookshop  comes an enchanting novel that will linger in your heart long after the last page is turned. As the last petal falls, the final page is turned… Welcome to The Cherry Blossom Bookshop , a haven for book lovers that only appears during the fleeting cherry blossom season. Nestled amidst the bloom of delicate petals, you’ll find a sanctuary for those burdened by regrets and past sorrows. Here, Sakura, the mysterious young owner, and her wise calico cat, Kobako, patiently await the arrival of souls in need of solace and healing. Told over four seasons, each visitor to the bookshop holds a book that bridges their past and present, guiding them towards understanding and acceptance. Within the antique charm of the shop and the soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee, Sakura and Kobako help their guests confront their lingering sadnes...

  Description Saffy Huntley-Oliver returns in the long-awaited sequel to Julie Mae Cohen's blockbuster thriller, BAD MEN. Bad men beware . . . Serial killer Saffy Huntley-Oliver's life is going great. She's got a fabulous new boyfriend, Jonathan. She has literally got away with murder. And now that she's no longer single, she can get back to her favourite hobby: killing bad men. Particularly Sir Thomas West, a children's TV star who truly deserves to die. But there are a few little snags. For one, her beloved sister Susie is still dating that insufferable Finlay. For another, Sir Thomas has a very large bodyguard. And Jonathan himself has given up his job investigating true crime, despite all the tempting corpses that Saffy keeps putting in his way. All of this would be easy to ignore in the flush of new love. Except Saffy's never been in love before, and it's weird. She's having difficulty separating romance from homicide. Especially when someone discov...