Bestsellers

Publishes 16th April 2026 Signed copies available to pre-order while stocks last. The ever-witty Brian Bilston gives us a sparkling insight into his craft in this entertaining writing guidebook, including over 100 new poems.  Why do we write poetry? Where did it all begin? Who can write it, and most  importantly, how? In How to Lay an Egg With a Horse Inside, Brian Bilston, one of the  UK's funniest and best-loved poets, takes us through the how's, why's and what's of  reading and writing poetry. Bilston accompanies us through the jungle of imagination to the source of inspiration, takes us under the bonnet of a sonnet and over the fear of literary devices, gives us a whirlwind tour through the history of poetry, and shows us why we will always write better than any robot. Showcasing over a hundred brand new poems, and also  including practical criticisms of some of his greatest hits, every section is an  accessible, funny, and deeply pleasurable deep-dive into the craft. Charming, warm-hearted and comforting, for readers of poetry or those just getting started, How to Lay an Egg With a Horse Inside is for anyone who loves  words, and loves all the things they can do.

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Set in the valleys of the Welsh iron country, this turbulent, unforgettable novel begins the saga of the Mortymer family. A family of hard men and beautiful women, all forced into a bitter struggle with their harsh environment, as they slave and starve for the cruel English ironmasters. But adversity could never still the free spirit of Wales, or quiet its soaring voice, and the Mortymers fight and sing and make love even as the iron foundries ravish their homeland and cripple their people. The Mortymer’s struggle has become emblematic of a nation’s history and struggle, it is a unique story of the people of Wales.

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Publishes 21st May 2026. Limited signed Copies available. ‘An exceptional piece of work; powerful, vivid and compelling’ Rowland White, author of Vulcan 607The Second World War was not only fought in the skies above Europe or on distant beaches. Between 1939 and 1945, Hitler’s aerial onslaught crashed into lives across the UK night after night, killing more than 60,000 civilians and leaving millions homeless. May 2026 marks the 85th anniversary of the end of the Night Blitz. But the aerial assault on Britain did not stop in May 1941. For too long, ‘The Blitz’ – from the German ‘Blitzkrieg’ or lightning war – has been framed as a few desperate months from September 1940 that mainly affected London. In reality, the scope of the attack on the home front was far more widespread, and far more devastating. Now, John Nichol tells this supposedly familiar narrative – one of the most important events in British history – afresh.  Beginning with a search to understand his mother’s experiences of the blitz on Tyneside – drawing on fragments of memory and the unanswered questions she left behind – Nichol ranges outward to reveal a truly national history. From Dover to Glasgow, Cardiff to Manchester, he uncovers astonishing accounts of catastrophe and resilience. Of ‘ordinary’ men, women and children catapulted into harm’s way. Of heroic firefighters battling infernos, the unflinching bravery required to defuse unexploded bombs, families wiped out in an instant, communities left bereft by a single blast. Using interviews with survivors, official records and eyewitness testimonies, Nichol gives voice to the unsung heroes who endured explosions, fire and fear, but found the courage to run towards danger. He brings the story up to date by speaking to people involved in similar situations: mass casualty events, the deadly blaze at Grenfell Tower, bomb disposal in modern warfare and individual acts of astonishing bravery. And as new military threats emerge, Nichol asks whether the country still has such resilience today. At once gripping and compassionate, BLITZ is the definitive account of a nationwide struggle that shaped the course of the war and the spirit of a generation. The book includes maps, colour endpapers, and two plate sections with 38 photos and archival images. ‘The story of a whole nation as only Nichol can write, BLITZ is a wonderful book perfectly anchored in the human experience’ Dr Robert Lyman MBE FRHistS, co-author of Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918–40‘A truly powerful and engaging narrative. The way Nichol weaves the story of the Blitz with more recent accounts makes for an excellent read’ Andy Saunders, military historian and author  

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Published 1st September 2026 Special Independent Bookshop Edition There was a moment, just over two thousand years ago, when the whole Mediterranean world could have been ruled by a woman. The Roman Republic was crumbling, torn apart by rivalries. Egypt was a wellspring of wealth. But its rulers had squandered their advantage and ended up hopelessly indebted to the protection racket that called itself Rome. Now a woman, as Pharaoh, had a chance to reclaim what Egypt had lost, to forge an alliance which would save both Rome and Egypt. Ancient history, high politics, sex and power collide in this dramatic story of the Egyptian queen who confronted and contested the power of Rome. This is Cleopatra and Antonius as you've never seen them before, in the first novel from number one bestselling author Alice Roberts.

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** All was quiet in the deep dark wood, until . . .10th September 2026… PRE-ORDER NOW ** The brand new Gruffalo picture book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is coming. Return to the deep dark wood with the first new Gruffalo story in over 20 years. This fresh and exciting new Gruffalo adventure features the return of much-loved characters and is destined to become a classic. Get your claws on this brand new Gruffalo story first – pre-order now! Julia Donaldson said, “I really hope that children – and adults too – will enjoy the new story, as I know what a wonderful experience shared reading can be. I was delighted when Axel came on board, and am even more so now that I’ve seen the brilliant sketches he’s already done for the new book.” Axel Scheffler said “. . . One day out of the blue there came a wonderfully clever and inspired new text by Julia. How does she do this? Could I decline? Of course not! As I have had to draw the odd Gruffalo and his daughter over the last 20 years, I’m not completely out of practice.”

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Once a shy young man from a town in Hungary, István is carried gradually upwards on the currents of the 21st century's tides of money and power, moving from the army to the company of London's super-rich, with his own competing impulses for love, intimacy, status and wealth winning him unimaginable riches, until they threaten to undo him completely. Spare and penetrating, 'Flesh' asks profound questions about what drives a life: what makes it worth living, and what breaks it.

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Shocking and darkly funny, this is the bestselling explosive inside story of a senior executive at Meta (formerly Facebook).

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A once-in-a-generation debut from a major new talent, The Names is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. 'I've just been blown away by the best debut novel in years . . . A genius idea for a book'Sunday Times'Wildly original and emotionally profound'Observer'An unadulterated success: moving, evocative and utterly convincing'The TimesTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERIt is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends for her to follow a long-standing family tradition and call the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates. Going against his wishes is a risk that will have consequences, but is it right for her child to inherit his name from generations of domineering men? The choice she makes in this moment will shape the course of their lives.Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, and one that will prove as cataclysmic as the storm from which it emerged. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will enable him to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his cruel image - but is there still a chance to break the mould?Powerfully moving and full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family, and love's endless capacity to endure, no matter what fate has in store.CHOSEN AS A SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY MAIL, RED, PRIMA, STYLIST and EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF 2025 A READ WITH JENNA BOOKCLUB PICK 'The viral literary hit of the summer'Grazia'A beautiful, heartwrenching, utterly original novel'Miranda Cowley Heller'The 2025 book that will be everywhere . . . One of those rare books that makes you glad to be alive'Stylist'Magnificent . . . Read it. It's very special'Chris Whitaker'Beautifully written, and wise and tender . . . An utter original'Jojo Moyes'Exceptional . . . will stay with me for a very long time'Anita Rani, Woman's Hour'Heart-shattering . . . a sucker punch of a novel'Pandora Sykes'A modern classic'Jenna Bush Hager'Heartbreaking and yet brimful of hope . . . Exceptional'Mail on Sunday'Brilliant . . . one of those books that will make you irritable with anyone who interrupts you, but which you'll finish wanting to press into the hands of a friend'The Times'Astonishing, unique and incredibly moving, The Names is a beautiful novel about the courage of a mother in the moment she names her child . . . I know it will stay with me for a long time'Jeanine Cummins

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'Extravagantly enjoyable' THE TIMES'William Boyd once again brings to the spy novel his particular storytelling genius' MICK HERRON'Boyd is one of my favourite authors - he never disappoints' KATE ATKINSON'The Predicament is ingenious, thrilling and wonderfully entertaining' JOHN BANVILLE'Boyd's addictive storytelling is at its very best as he navigates a collision of chance, ambition and human frailty' HER MAJESTY QUEEN CAMILLA---Gabriel Dax, travel writer and accidental spy, is back in the shadows. Unable to resist the allure of his MI6 handler, Faith Green, he has returned to a life of secrets and subterfuge. Dax is sent to Guatemala under the guise of covering a tinderbox presidential election, where the ruthless decisions of the Mafia provoke pitch-black warfare in collusion with the CIA.As political turmoil erupts, Gabriel's reluctant involvement deepens. His escape plan leads him to West Berlin, where he uncovers a chilling realisation: there is a plot to assassinate magnetic young President John F. Kennedy. In a race against time, Gabriel must navigate deceit and danger, knowing that the stakes have never been higher . . .In The Predicament, Britain's most beloved storyteller returns with a twisting adventure of obsessive love and elegant espionage from, from Sunday Times bestseller William Boyd.

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From the Baillie Gifford Prize-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing comes a riveting story of wealth, violence and deceit at the heart of a glittering city.'It will become a defining book of our time' Johanna Thomas-Corr, The Times'Gripping, rigorous, smart . . . breathtaking' - Jon Ronson'A phenomenal book that will stay in your soul long after the last page . . . it captures how easily a life can go wrong in the shadows of a city bankrolled by billionaires' - Emily Maitlis'More addictive than any box set . . . will make you see London in a completely new light' - Sathnam SangheraIn 2019, a London teenager, Zac Brettler, fell to his death from a luxury apartment building on the banks of the Thames. On a desperate quest to understand how their son had died, his grieving parents made a terrible discovery: Zac had been leading a fantasy life, posing as the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch.Patrick Radden Keefe follows Zac's parents on a dark journey to find out what brought him to the balcony that night - and how a teenager's life of make-believe drew him into the city's terrifying underworld.

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'This book is a complete delight, not only a fairytale for adults that transports you on a magical journey of childlike wonder, but also a parable that helps you lead a better life' - JAMES NORTON'Magically hopeful. This story will speak to your soul and your monkey mind and bring them back into harmony. Beautiful and uplifting, charming and soul-nurturing, this is another glorious triumph from the beloved Matt Haig' - DONNA ASHWORTH 'If you enjoyed The Midnight Library, you'll love this. The Midnight Train is exquisite storytelling and utterly brilliant. One of the most beautiful stories you'll ever experience' - JOANNA CANNONWhen your life flashes before your eyes, what will matter most?For Wilbur it was his time with Maggie, the love of his life. Their honeymoon in Venice. Before he threw it all away. Years later, on the brink of his own death, a train arrives. It can take Wilbur back in time. To relive his most important moments. Soon he realises just how much he would have changed…An adventure through time, The Midnight Train is a story of love and second chances, from the world of The Midnight Library.

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The incredible first memoir from the Booker-winning radical icon Arundhati Roy, author of The God of Small ThingsTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMENS PRIZE FOR NONFICTION 2026'Heart-smashed' by the death of the mother she ran from at age eighteen and shaken by the intensity of her response, Arundhati Roy began this remarkable memoir - a soaring account, both intimate and inspiring, of how the author became the person and the writer she is: shaped by circumstance, but above all by her relationship to her extraordinary, singular mother, Mary, who she describes as 'my shelter and my storm'.With the scale, sweep and depth of her novels, and the passion, political clarity and warmth of her essays, Mother Mary Comes to Me is an ode to freedom, a tribute to thorny love and savage grace - a memoir like no other.'I loved Arundhati Roy's memoir; raw, tender, honest about the ferocity of mother-daughter relationships and the making of a writer' Nilanjana Roy, Financial Times (Books of the Year)'Outstanding. Roy's life story is truly remarkable' Nicola Sturgeon, Observer (Books of the Year)FOYLES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025AUDIBLE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025BLACKWELL'S NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025WINNER OF THE GOOGLE PLAY BEST OF 2025 AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2026SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2026

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Now updated with a new chapter on the 7 October attacks and more.A Sunday Times Paperback of the YearA Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year'An illuminating and riveting read' - Jonathan Dimbleby'Arresting . . . excellent, doom-freighted' - The TimesJeremy Bowen, the International Editor of the BBC, has been covering the Middle East since 1989 and is uniquely placed to explain its complex past and its troubled present. In The Making of the Modern Middle East he offers a gripping and invaluable guide, showing how it came to be and what its future might hold.In part based on his acclaimed podcast, 'Our Man in the Middle East', Bowen takes us on a journey across the Middle East and through its history. He meets ordinary men and women on the front line, and their leaders, whether brutal or benign. He explores the power games that have so often wreaked devastation on civilian populations as those leaders, whatever their motives, jostle for political, religious and economic control.Clear throughout is Bowen's deep understanding of the political, cultural and religious differences between countries as diverse as Erdogan's Turkey, Netanyahu's Israel and Palestine, whether Hamas-controlled Gaza or the West Bank. His long experience of covering events in the region make this an extraordinarily powerful account of one of the world's greatest problems.

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An extraordinary historical journey through England. From Alice Loxton, author of the acclaimed bestseller EighteenA Waterstones Best History Book of 2025'Joyous. The perfect walk through history' - Sir Tony Robinson, actor, presenter and author'Whimsical, charming and cosy. Will make you want to take a long walk, look at some churchyards, and drink a lovely cup of tea' - Alice Winn, bestselling author of In MemoriamIn 1290, England mourned the death of a queen, Eleanor of Castile, beloved wife of King Edward I, the warrior king. Her body was carried on a 200-mile journey from Lincoln to London, a solemn procession that would become immortalized in stone. To mark the places where it stopped overnight, a heartbroken Edward commissioned twelve magnificent Eleanor Crosses.More than seven centuries later, bestselling historian Alice Loxton set herself an epic challenge: following in history's footsteps by walking the entire 200-mile funeral route on the corresponding dates.As Alice journeys in search of England's forgotten Queen, over ancient paths and modern motorways, history comes alive in surprising ways. Lively and entertaining, Eleanor uncovers the extraordinary life and formidable character of this lesser-known royal, revealing her inspiring legacy and the hidden history of Britain.'Beautiful, elegiac, honest and compelling . . . a modern-day pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of one of the great forgotten queens' - Kate Mosse, bestselling author of The Map of Bones'Loxton has the novelist's skill of seeing the world through her characters' eyes, and the historian's accuracy of vision' - Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women'Eleanor is dazzling, alive with wit, elegance and insight. A book that makes history feel urgent, intimate and unforgettable' - Rob Rinder, bestselling author of The Trial

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