Hardback / Paperback Original Titles
The Trade
Life is tough. Women are tougher.
Karen Woods
When Gina Gilbert’s husband, Scott, is sent down for a ten-year stretch, her world falls apart. It’s not just that she misses her husband, but the fact that the Proceeds of Crime team are gunning for all the couple had: her home, her lifestyle, her safety could all be snatched from under her.
But she’s not alone. Her friends Lola and Jess have seen their partners get slammed in jail too. Gina has an idea that could save all of them, but it means no more turning a blind eye – instead it’s an eye for an eye…
For husband and wife, on the inside and out, it’s time to work out who they can trust – enemies, lovers, friends… or no-one?
‘The northern Martina Cole’ – Melanie Blake, bestselling author of Ruthless Women
‘Wow! Karen Woods has delivered a gripping read full of grit and with characters to keep you turning the pages. And that ending! I didn’t see that coming at all. Loved it. 5 huge stars from me’
– Caz Finlay,
author of the Bad Blood series
Woods writes about the world she grew up in and her beloved Manchester is in every book. A reluctant reader until the age of 39 when an adult literacy course unlocked her future career, Karen has been writing ever since. She has appeared on Loose Women, The One Show and in national press. Alongside her writing, Karen works in the school system and runs writing workshops to unlock the power of creativity.
Find her on X and Instagram @karenwoodsbooks.
Crime & Mystery
2/1/25 PBO
£9.99 9780008680893
Karen
Upgrade
The no bullsh*t guide to getting the life you want
Paul Mort
Paul Mort lives the change he empowers in other people. Following on from his audiobook and his sold-out coaching programmes, Upgrade shows how to break out of your rut, build a happier, healthier life and quit the excuses we tell ourselves
Paul breaks down big goals and big dreams into actions and mindsets that demolish excuses, negativity and procrastination. No BS, no judgements, just support and clarity.
Chapters include:
• You’re just a white belt – how to deal with self-sabotage
• ‘Great story, bro,’ – the bullshit we tell ourselves
• How to survive without Social Media
• We all need something to slay – the need for purpose
• Sh*t smells but it’s warm – escaping comfort zones
Written with support from Richard Waters (who’s written for James Haskell, Ant Middleton, the Fury family and more) the book captures Paul’s trademark no-bullsh*t, no excuses inspiring voice and gives readers a clear, accountable way of achieving their goals, wherever they’re starting from.
Praise for Paul Mort:
‘This isn’t a self-help book – it’s the sequenced DNA of happiness’
– Russell Kane
‘Challenging, supportive but above all authentic’
– Diren Kartal
Twice UK Mastercoach of the Year, Paul Mort is a coach, mentor and author who’s impacted thousands of people all over the world. Based in South Shields, he is known for his no nonsense and hands on approach. But his life wasn’t always this way. 10 years ago Paul was suicidal. The video he posted about his near suicide attempt has been viewed over 5 million times and was the catalyst in reaching the many men who felt completely overwhelmed and changed their lives.
Non-Fiction 16/1/25
HB
£20
9780008718022
The Resurrectionist
Death is only the beginning...
A. Rae Dunlap
In this gothic, twisty debut historical novel, a young medical student is lured into the underworld of body snatching in 19th-century Edinburgh … and unexpectedly falls in love.
1828. James Willoughby arrives in Edinburgh with empty pockets and a lifelong dream of studying surgery. Desperate to scrape together fees for the city’s leading anatomy school, he strikes a deal with Nye MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist who shows James a way into this elite academic realm … via the cemetery.
James descends with Nye into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists – men infamous for stealing fresh corpses and selling them to professors as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, they are caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.
Praise for The Resurrectionist:
‘Hauntingly gothic, intimately told, and wickedly, wonderfully grotesque’
– Marielle Thompson
‘With wit as sharp as a scalpel, and a plot as dark and twisted as Edinburgh’s alleys, The Resurrectionist will have readers turning pages deep into the night’
– Hester Fox
‘Devilishly macabre … an enthralling debut from a writer to watch’
– Patrice McDonough
A. Rae Dunlap works as a trailer editor at Disney, bringing to life the magic of the world’s most influential storytellers for audiences everywhere. She lives in a small mountain town in California. The Resurrectionist is her first novel.
Fiction 30/1/25
HB
£14.99 9780008711535
The Garden Club Murders
Growing, growing gone...
Jonathan Whitelaw
Penrith, in the heart of the Lake District, is not the kind of place you can easily vanish.
Certainly not when the members of the Penrith Bingo Club are trying to track you down. But even stalwart sleuth, Amita Khatri, and her son in law, Jason, are foxed this time when a local woman tells them her husband, a mildmannered academic, has gone missing.
And he’s not the only person to disappear. Soon Amita, Jason, and irascible retired copper, Frank, are searching for more people – and some missing money. From the veg patches of Penrith to the shores of Ullswater, as Jason and Amita comb the Cumbrian countryside for clues, they soon realise they’ve stumbled a case where planting the evidence takes on a whole new meaning. And unless they can unearth some answers soon, they might be the next people to disappear…
Praise for Jonathan Whitelaw’s previous books:
‘A masterclass in cosy crime’
– Janice Hallett
‘A warm-hearted and funny story’
– The Sun
‘A cracking cosy crime mystery – I loved it!’
– Marion Todd
‘Sharp, unforgettable, hugely enjoyable’
– Emma Christie
Jonathan Whitelaw is a writer, award-winning journalist and broadcaster. After working on the frontline of Scottish politics, he moved into journalism, covering everything from sports to music to radioactive waste – and everything in between. He’s also a regular reviewer, panellist and commentator. Find him on X @JDWhitelaw13.
Fiction 30/1/25
PBO
£9.99
9780008626457
The Voices
I heard you. I know what you did.
Natalie Chandler
For three years, criminal psychiatrist Tamsin Shaw has been lying unresponsive in hospital.
But while she may not be able to open her eyes, she is awake, and listening to her visitors:
• The husband
• The best friend
• The ex-boyfriend
• The former patient
• The nurse
All of them are hiding something.
One of them will kill for it.
Can Tamsin wake up before it’s too late?
Praise for The Voices:
‘Gripping and emotional, with creeping suspense that keeps building until the final shocking twist’
– Karin Slaughter
‘A standout thriller’
– Abigail Dean
‘Perfect for fans of The Silent Patient’
– Rhiannon Barnsley
Natalie Chandler is the international bestselling author of two psychological thriller ebooks, Believe Me Not and What We Did. The Voices is her hardback debut. She was educated at St Chad’s College, Durham and has a professional background in behavioural education. She lives with her husband and a collection of cockapoos in the North of England.
Crime & Mystery
13/2/25
HB
£16.99
9780008666729
The Rebel Daughters
For freedom, for sisterhood, for love...
Lady Cecil Cameron
“It was the season of the beliye nochi when days slipped effortlessly into pearlescent nights. Tiny stars appeared, clusters of yellow in a paper sky. When you looked again, they were gone…”
Young Anna Brianski has led a charmed life between St Petersburg and the peace of the Russian countryside, until one terrible day in December 1825. A day that starts with winter sun and ends with blood on the ice. Until now, the only thing Anna has risked has been her naïve heart. But one day – the Decemberist Revolt – changes everything. Her family, her freedom and her friends are all in grave danger, as she sees the caprice and cruelty of the Tsar at first hand.
Sweeping from high society to the frozen gulag, from the embrace of a lover to the tears of separated friends, The Rebel Daughters tells the story not just of the brave women who defied everyone by following the revolutionaries into the wilds of Siberia, but also how courage comes in many forms.
Praise for Cecil Cameron’s previous novels:
‘A heady brew of passion and treachery, intrigue and adventure’
– Alan Titchmarsh
‘My historical novel of the year – a journey to Italy to fall in love with’
– Rupert Everett
‘Spirited, suspense-filled and gorgeously romantic’
– Miranda Seymour
Cecil Cameron grew up on the Scottish border near Jedburgh, daughter of the Marquess and Lady Lothian. Her grandmother came from Naples and is the inspiration behind her writing. Cecil read history at London University and subsequently worked for Save the Children in Vietnam and the UK.
Fiction 27/2/25
HB
£16.99 9780008540906
Broken Biscuits
And Other Male Failures
Adam Farrer
When it comes to the challenge of being a man, Adam Farrer always seems to find a way to fall short…
In his second collection of candid personal essays, he vividly recounts his struggles to live up to masculine expectations. From the calamity of his first serious relationship, an obsession with Prince that sees everyone questioning his sexuality, the repercussions of his adult circumcision and his doubts about his ability to survive the apocalypse to his morbid fear of physical combat and his brush with Satanic Panic in 1980s rural Suffolk, this is a book about growing up, trying to define yourself as a man but somehow always missing the mark.
Praise for Broken Biscuits:
‘A bold new voice in nonfiction writing’
– Jenn Ashworth
‘Tender, disarmingly honest and achingly funny’
– Tawseef Khan
‘It will make you cry with laughter’
– Miranda France
‘Adam writes like he knows me, the tiniest things he recalls uncover huge truths that resonate even now. I loved it’
– Justin Moorhouse
‘Brilliant, funny, occasionally wince-inducing, and incredibly moving’
– Sarah Brooks
Adam Farrer is a writer, a lecturer and the editor of the creative nonfiction journal The Real Story. He has been a photo lab technician, an illustrator, a ceramicist, a musician, a music journalist and currently works at the University of Salford, where he is the Writer in Residence for Peel Park. His first book, Cold Fish Soup, won the Northbound Book Award.
Non-Fiction
27/2/25
HB
£16.99
9780008710699
The Departed
No peace for the living, if you can’t bury your dead...
Sarah Mellor
Liverpool, 1979. New CID recruit Leigh Borrowdale is seconded to a disturbing murder inquiry: a mysterious death in a decaying building, where the remains of a young man have been found.
Tasked with looking into missing persons’ cases to track down the identity of the victim, Leigh comes into contact with the disappeared of a city living through its darkest days of the winter of discontent.
As she faces her own family demons and battles the maledominated world at work, Leigh discovers a connection to two boys feared drowned in the Mersey and links to the murky Liverpool underworld. Through it all her only ally is her colleague, DS Des Chung, who knows what it means to be an outsider in the police force, albeit one who takes a very different approach.
Twisting, deeply atmospheric and never losing sight of the human cost at the centre of every case, The Departed marks the debut of a major new talent in crime-writing.
Sarah Mellor is a first-time novelist and therapist in her adopted city of Liverpool, where she has lived for nearly 30 years. As a psychotherapist in the NHS, she worked daily with the people of Liverpool, mainly in the inner-city areas of Toxteth and Kensington, where many lives were affected by crime. She kickstarted the process of writing this novel by attending an Arvon crime-writing course and taking part in the Literary Consultancy’s mentoring programme.
Crime & Mystery
13/3/25
HB
£16.99
9780008716219
The Hotel at the Heart of the Lakes
Sometimes a holiday can change your life...
Ellie Wood
Welcome to the Lake Island Hotel, on a small island in the centre of beautiful Derwentwater, offering an escape from it all like no other destination. With a 360-degree view of the hills, and the water lapping at your feet on the private shore, you can’t help but be enchanted.
Anna bought the hotel with her husband five years ago, and has lovingly transformed it from a near ruin to a mustvisit luxury destination, with its seven stylish rooms and a sister restaurant to the renowned Hesta.
The guests who come here to unwind see only the stunning views and the five-star service – but behind the scenes are the team who work hard to make relaxing seem easy. On an island this small, it’s inevitable that tempers will fray, hearts will break, romances will bloom – and above all, if you think you’ve got a secret, it won’t stay that way for long…
Praise for The Wildwater Women:
‘It’s a beautiful, warm, touching and evocative read’
– Phillipa Ashley
‘Beautifully written, full of gentle undercurrents that bring floods of emotion... A real curl-up-in-yourarmchair read’
– Sue Moorcroft
‘Wonderful…the perfect mix of love, loss, friendship and family’
– Helen Phifer
Ellie Wood was born and raised in the Lake District where she still lives. Passionate about the benefits of getting out into the wild, she’s swum and walked the landscape that inspires her writing since she was small. She loves cooking for friends and family and has worked at the Lakes most wellknown restaurant. Find her online @elliewoodauthor.
Fiction 27/3/25
PBO
£9.99
9780008626334
Bad Manners
Would it kill you to smile, darling?
Perhaps...
Amy Beashel
A men-only charity dinner. A clutch of young waitresses.
The jokes are uncomfortable. The hands linger. The collars loosen.
Behind closed doors, the wine flows.
The night is dark. The faces blur. The memories warp.
Behind closed doors, the money flows.
But revenge is sweet and justice is a burning flame.
Behind closed doors, the blood flows…
A fierce and addictive read about lust and power, the love we want versus the love we take, and the tinderbox secrets that hide so well in the heart of families, this is the searing new novel from the author of Spilt Milk
Praise for Bad Manners:
‘Unflinchingly honest and brilliantly told... A magnificent achievement, this is truly a story for our times’
– Louisa Reid
‘A brave and important book, but it is also a brilliant and addictive read’
– Emma Robinson
‘A powerful and timely read that made me simultaneously shake with rage and whoop with solidarity. Every woman should read it’
– Katy Brent
Amy Beashel is the author of three previous novels, including two for young adults, which have been nominated for the Carnegie and the Branford Boase awards among others. She lives and works in Shropshire.
Fiction
27/3/25
HB
£16.99
9780008526474
Sunday Best Travels Through the Day of Rest
Daniel Gray
An evocative celebration of the seventh day in all its rich variety.
Closed shops and roast dinners. Bulky newspapers and the hum of lawnmowers. Strolls to nowhere in particular and visiting snoozing grandparents. Television theme tunes cueing bath time and a sudden dread of the looming week ahead…
Sundays are the unique day in our week – whether tedious, pleasant or somewhere in-between. But how did they change over time? Has anything interesting ever happened on a Sunday? Have we forgotten how to do Sunday? And, in our rushed modern lives, should we now try to recapture that distinctive, unhurried Sunday feel?
Offering answers to those questions and more through a mix of travelogue and social history, Sunday Best entertainingly charts the story of what author Daniel Gray argues is the People’s Day, from the Hebrides to Hyde Park.
Praise for Daniel Gray’s work:
‘Lyrical, amiable and educational’
– Stuart Maconie
‘Daniel Gray writes with great humour and takes tender delight in the people he meets’
– Peter Ross
‘Gray is a master of observing and amplifying the things we love’
– The Times
Daniel Gray is a writer, broadcaster and magazine editor. He has published a host of critically acclaimed books on football and social history, edits Nutmeg magazine and presents the When Saturday Comes podcast. His books have been shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards, the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards and the Guild of Food Writers Awards.
History 10/4/25
HB
£12.99 9780008628925
The Darkening Globe
Each time the globe turns, murder strikes…
Naomi Kelsey
1597, London. When Beatrice’s husband Hugh returns from his excursion to the New World, he is not alone. Accompanying him are an unnamed pregnant woman and an enormous painted globe. No one will explain who Hugh’s mysterious female house guest is. Meanwhile, Beatrice’s resentment of the globe grows. To her, it represents a world that belongs entirely to her husband –a world where she will never belong.
Then at night, the great hulking globe begins to turn. Terrifying new illustrations appear on its face – and when a chain of untimely deaths ensues, Beatrice is sure the drawings are connected.
As the globe plays more tricks and the body count rises, Beatrice is becoming paranoid. Are these killings part of a cruel revenge plot, or something more sinister? And on this otherworldly map of murders, who will be painted as the ultimate victim?
Praise for The Burnings
:
‘I was mesmerised’
– Laura Shepperson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Heroines
‘A beautifully written re-imagining … clever and tantalising’
– SG Maclean
‘This gripping, vividly evoked novel takes the reader to the dark heart of the 16th century … unforgettable’
– Tracy Borman
Naomi Kelsey is the author of The Burnings, and the winner of two Northern Writers’ Awards and of the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Competition 2021. Her fiction has been published in Mslexia magazine and shortlisted for several further awards including the Bridport Prize and the Bristol Prize. She also writes book reviews for ‘On the Tudor Trail’. By day she is an English teacher in Newcastle, where she lives with her husband, their two children and their dog.
Fiction
10/4/25 HB £16.99
9780008534806
Birdland A Journey Around Britain on the Wing
Jon Gower
A joyous celebration of Britain’s rich bird life.
In Birdland, journalist and lifelong twitcher Jon Gower explores our intimate connection with the bird life around us. From the symphonic song of the wren to the clack of a puffin’s beak and from epic migrations to sunset murmurations, birds are commonplace miracles. No wonder they have inspired Jon Gower to visit some of the best places in Britain to watch birds, searching for some species he has always wanted to spot such as wryneck, dotterel and barred warbler.
But all is not well in Birdland. Over the last 50 years, the countryside has seemingly emptied and in many ways fallen silent. Gower considers the effects of the climate emergency, the decline in biodiversity and warming oceans on birdlife and looks at work being done to mitigate these developments. But above all this is a celebration of birds and their being, and a call to arms to defend them. As Great Bustards return to our plains and eagles to our mountains, Jon Gower’s book examines the future from a bird’s-eye view.
Praise for Jon Gower’s The Turning Tide:
‘Fascinating, spellbinding, erudite and great fun’
– Roddy Doyle
‘Remarkable. Lively … Gower writes beautifully [and] the book is profoundly popular’
– Times Literary Supplement
‘A dazzle of storytelling, an enthralling trove of history and a joyful work of travel and reportage’
– Horatio Clare
Jon Gower grew up in Llanelli, Wales and studied English at Cambridge University. A former BBC Wales Arts and Media correspondent, he has been making documentary programmes for television and radio for several decades. He has over thirty books to his name, in both Welsh and English. His first book for HarperNorth, The Turning Tide, was an Irish and Welsh Waterstones Book of the Month.
Natural History
24/4/25
HB
£22
9780008688189
Lest We Forget War and Peace in 100 British Monuments
Tessa Dunlop
What monuments to conflict, and the people they commemorate, tell us about our history and ourselves.
Published for the eightieth anniversary of VE Day, this poignant book examines the inspirations and individuals behind our statue-studded country to rediscover war-torn Britain in 100 monuments.
Why did Scotland take nearly 600 years to commemorate its most famous freedom fighter? When did Wellington become anti-Establishment? Who are the Glorious Dead? Can the Cenotaph stay above politics? Why does Balmoral Estate’s memorial have swastikas on it?
Through veteran testimony, newspaper archive and oral history, acclaimed historian Tessa Dunlop will bring to life will bring to life the personalities and the pitfalls, the pride and the pain involved in marking war across Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales in a monumental British story.
Praise for Tessa Dunlop’s work:
‘Thrilling, gripping and often painfully moving’
– Kate Williams
‘Tessa writes just the best kind of history’
– Lucy Worsley
‘Fascinating and joyful’
– Jonathan Coe
‘Wonderfully fresh’
– Alan Titchmarsh
Tessa Dunlop, PhD, is a historian, author and broadcaster. She was a presenter on the BBC’s BAFTAwinning series Coast and has appeared on numerous history documentaries and talk shows, often commenting on royal news. Tessa grew up in Scotland and now lives in London with her family.
History
24/4/25
HB
£22
9780008713140
Couple Goals
Good Game 1
Kit Williams
The hottest sports romance of summer 2025!
When a harsh new manager takes over the Tigresses football team, bringing a new star striker Kira with her, morale is rocked. The team’s current MVP Maeve clashes immediately with Kira – she remembers playing against her all too well in a distinctly unfriendly “friendly” last year. Now, Kira is threatening Maeve’s chances at being selected for the England squad. But despite the animosity between them, Maeve can’t help secretly admiring Kira’s annoyingly perfect form… Is there more to this obsessive rivalry than they’re letting on?
Meanwhile, sunny midfielder Adriana is determined to keep the team motivated. As she gets to know the new manager’s grumpy son Jacob she spies an opportunity to boost the team’s spirits, and live happily ever after…
Tropes:
- enemies to lovers - grumpy x sunshine - opposites attract
Kit Williams is a romance author based in London, who plays on her local women’s football team. She has also written two novels under the name Lily Lindon: Double Booked (‘the bisexual romcom of your wildest dreams,’ DIVA Magazine), which was translated into multiple languages and optioned for screen, and My Own Worst Enemy. She has worked as a fiction editor at Vintage and The Novelry, and won a Comedy Women in Print Prize for ‘Funniest Sex Scene.’ Yes, she is single.
Fiction 19/5/25
PBO
£9.99 9780008762995
The Royal Mint Puzzle Book
The Royal Mint
A richly rewarding puzzle book from one of Britain’s most venerable and renowned institutions – trusted by monarchs and governments for 1100 years.
Sharpen your wits and delve into the fascinating world of British currency with The Royal Mint Puzzle Book, offering a treasure trove of challenges for history buffs and puzzle enthusiasts alike.
Journey through over a thousand years of British coinage, from the enigmatic reigns of early monarchs to the modern-day minting process. Crack cryptic codes inspired by precious metals, untangle brain teasers fit for a royal court, and decipher ancient secrets hidden in plain sight.
With 125 unique puzzles, this lustrous book caters to both seasoned solvers and curious newcomers. Whether you’re a history buff, a dedicated numismatist, or simply enjoy a good mental workout, The Royal Mint Puzzle Book promises hours of entertainment and intellectual stimulation. So, grab a cup of tea, put on your thinking cap, and prepare to embark on a richly rewarding adventure.
The Royal Mint is the United Kingdom’s official maker of British coins. It is currently located in Llantrisant, Wales, where it moved in 1968. It dates back 1100 years. As well as minting circulating coins for the UK and international markets, The Royal Mint is a leading provider of precious metal products and luxury collectibles. The Royal Mint Experience, which opened in 2009, is one of Wales’ most visited tourist attractions.
Quizzes & Games
22/5/25
HB
£16.99
9780008723477
The Quiet Wife A Speke Hall Scandal
Felicity York
All he wants is a quiet wife. But she wants more . . .
1867, Liverpool. Wife to an errant husband, the art patron Frederick Leyland, Frances is losing her sense of self. So when Frederick announces they are moving into the crumbling Speke Hall, she throws herself into the all-consuming task of renovating their once-magnificent new home.
But when one of Frederick’s protegés – the handsome, brooding American artist James Whistler – offers to help Frances decorate, she and the painter form an instant connection. And under the painter’s gaze, Frances begins to see that like the house, there is neglected splendour within her, too. Inspired by the possibilities the artist arouses in her, she begins to wonder if love might still be in the picture for her, after all…
Based on a true story, this is the heady, slow-burn tale of a woman reinventing herself, while embarking on a daring, forbidden love affair with James Whistler.
Readers love The Runaway Bride:
‘Honestly the best book I’ve read in a long time’ HHHHH
‘The romance was beautiful’ HHHHH
‘All the more thrilling for being based on a true story’ HHHHH
‘I recommend this to anyone who loves romance’ HHHHH
‘Can’t wait for the next book!’ HHHHH
Felicity York is the author of the Stately Scandals series, of which the first instalment – The Runaway Bride: A Lyme Park Scandal –has been translated into three languages. A further education consultant by day, she has also written nine MM Regency romance novels under the name Ruby Moone. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, whose blog she runs alongside two colleagues, and she was a founding member of the RNA’s Rainbow Chapter. She lives in Lancashire.
Fiction 22/5/25
PBO
£9.99
9780008535797
Why I Care A Journey of Love, Resilience, and Change
Ed Davey
Caring for others is the thread that runs through the life of Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Ed Davey’s father was from a mining family in Nottinghamshire; his mother the daughter of domestic servants As a boy Ed lost his father, John, to cancer and a few short years later his mother, too, became ill with cancer. Ed and his brother nursed her at home, administering morphine and electric shocks, until she died when Ed was just 15. His grandfather died unexpectedly a few years later, leaving Ed to look after his grandmother too. And Ed and his wife now care for their son John, who is severely disabled, as well as raising their daughter.
Why I Care is a deeply personal and impactful memoir-cummanifesto, drawing on Ed’s own profound experiences as a carer and those of countless others he has encountered. Through a blend of heartfelt storytelling, in-depth interviews, and thoughtful analysis, Ed sheds light on the often-invisible world of carers and issues a clarion call to society to recognize, support, and lift up the millions of carers who form the backbone of our communities.
Sir Ed Davey MP has been the leader of the Liberal Democrats since 2020, having acted in the position from 2019 to 2020. He has been MP for Kingston and Surbiton since 2017, having previously held the role from 1997 until 2015. He was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and is married with two children.
Biography & Autobiography 22/5/25
HB
£20.00
9780008757915
Live Forever
The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Oasis
John Robb
Think Oasis was just Britpop and brawls? Think again.
In this, the definitive book on Britain’s biggest band, John Robb peels back the layers of Manchester’s best known musical export, revealing a tale of ambition, ego, talent, and a whole lot of attitude. From the gritty pubs of Manchester to the dizzying heights of global stardom, this unauthorised biography is a rollercoaster ride through the Gallagher brothers’ turbulent lives and the music that defined a generation. But it is also a portrait of Britain around the turn of the millennium and the cultural forces and places that shaped, and were shaped by, two cocksure autodidacts from Burnage – from art to fashion, and from football to politics.
Playful, funny and irreverent, and drawing on dozens of interviews and first-hand stories, Live Forever puts Oasis squarely in the Pantheon of Rock ‘n Roll royalty as the last great band of the pre-internet age.
Praise for John Robb’s work:
‘Brother John Robb knows. He was there!’
– Ian Brown
‘I’ve read this book three times now and finally it has a happy ending’
– Noel Gallagher
‘An encyclopaedia of excitement’
–Chris Packham
‘Fascinating, thoughtful, surprising and freakishly detailed’
– Grace Dent
John Robb is a best-selling author, radio and TV presenter, journalist, DJ, publisher, model and talking head, who also runs his own music and book events. Bassist and singer for post-punk dark energy mainstays The Membranes, he runs culture website Louder Than War, invented the word Britpop and was the first person to interview Nirvana. His most recent book is The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth
Music
22/5/2025
HB
£22
9780008751364
Kiln Me Softly
B.B. Woods
Love is a delicate craft
When Juniper arrives at the prestigious Royal Academy of Ceramics, she’s shocked to find Aiden in her class. She and Aiden have hated each other since high school. Now, he’s the most talented potter in their cohort, annoyingly arrogant – and hotter than ever.
Juniper gave up trying to mould Aiden into a decent guy a long time ago. But as a casual fling, he’s already perfectly formed. When they are forced to team up on a project together, the kiln isn’t the only thing that heats up fast.
But as Juniper starts to see past Aiden’s sculpted jawline to his softer side, secrets from their past emerge which threaten to reshape everything Juniper thought she wanted.
Time is running out and Juniper must decide: can she carve out space for Aiden in her future? And if not, will they both walk away in one piece?
18+ content
Tropes:
• Enemies to lovers
• Forced proximity
• Campus romance
• HEA
B.B. Woods is a bestselling author, ghost writer, freelance writer and editor, from and based in Manchester. As Bonnie Woods, she has written the #2 Kindle bestselling holiday romance, Kindling (HarperNorth). As Rachel Bowdler, she has written Honeymoon for One and Summer at the Scottish Castle (Embla).
Fiction 22/5/25
PBO
£9.99
9780008753450
With A Little Help from Their Friends
The Beatles changed the world. But who changed theirs?
Stuart Maconie
The most engaging, surprising and revealing look at the Beatles story you’ll read.
Everyone knows a Beatles tune. But their story goes beyond the omnipresent songs and iconic albums. Theirs is a tale that has become one of the core stories we tell about ourselves as a nation. Four lads from Liverpool have taken a seat alongside Shakespeare as one of our key cultural exports to the world, a world they changed and re-made in their own image in a blaze of creativity. But these four distinct personalities changed the world not in isolation but with more than a little help from their friends.
Like all the best stories there’s an incredible supporting cast, and all the most compelling elements of the great dramas: ambition, power, triumph, disaster, heartbreak, tragedy, drama, intrigue, lust…and of course, love.
Split into 3 sections, Before The Beatles, With the Beatles and Beyond the Beatles, bestselling writer and broadcaster Stuart Maconie tells the epic tale of the people who made the band who made Britain.
Praise for Stuart Maconie:
‘Maconie is a funny, astute writer, alert to the absurd’
– Sunday Times Book of the Week
‘Observant and witty’
– The Times
Stuart Maconie is a writer, broadcaster and journalist. Previous bestsellers have included Cider with Roadies, Pies and Prejudice and Adventures on the High Teas. He hosts a show for BBC Radio 6 Music (with Mark Radcliffe) every weekend morning between 8 and 11am. Based in Birmingham and Manchester, he can also often be spotted on top of a mountain in the Lake District with a Thermos flask and individual pork pie.
Biography & Autobiography
5/6/25
HB
£20
9780008705862
The Counting Game
Into the woods. Count to ten. Only one of us comes home again.
Sinéad Nolan
1995, Ireland. Panic grips the village of Drumsuin when a teenage girl goes missing in the nearby forest.
Saoirse is not the first girl to disappear in those woods. And when it’s revealed she was playing the Counting Game that day – a ritual believed to ward off the forest’s evils –old superstitions send the community into turmoil.
One person saw what happened to Saoirse. But 9-year-old Jack won’t tell the Gardai. Freya, an English psychotherapist with her own history of grief, is brought in to help the investigators break his silence.
As the race to find Saoirse alive accelerates, can Freya make Jack talk? Why is he keeping the forest’s secrets? And who is hell bent on driving Freya out of Drumsuin before the truth is discovered?
The Counting Game is a deeply haunting, atmospheric and emotional mystery, from an unmissable new voice in Irish crime fiction, perfect for fans of Tana French, Erin Kelly and Belinda Bauer
Sinéad Nolan grew up playing between the forests and beaches of leafy County Dublin, Ireland. She holds a degree in Creative Writing from University of Derby, has been a regular feature writer for the SundayWorld and Irish Independent, and has had short stories shortlisted for the Momaya Press Awards and the Francis McManus awards for RTE Radio. By day, she works as a BACP Registered Counsellor. The Counting Game is her first novel.
Crime & Mystery
19/6/25
HB
£16.99
9780008668976
The Dying Light
Orkney Mysteries 2
Daniel Aubrey
The longest day. The deadliest sins.
The residents of Orkney can’t sleep.
Through 18-hour summer days, the islands are drenched in unrelenting sunshine.
But a killer with a shadowy past is living undetected on the archipelago.
As the heat rises, reporter Freya will not rest until she’s brought the truth to light. Can she stop the murderer before they strike again?
The highly anticipated second instalment of the celebrated Orkney Mysteries series, The Dying Light is perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths and Val McDermid
All of Daniel Aubrey’s books can be read as standalones.
Praise for Dark Island (Orkey Mysteries 1):
*Shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award 2024*
*Shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2024*
*Longlisted for the Scottish National Book Award for Best First Book of the Year 2024*
Daniel Aubrey is the author of the acclaimed Orkney Mysteries series. Dark Island, the series’ first instalment, was shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award 2024 and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2024, and longlisted for Scotland’s National Book Award for First Book of the Year. It has been translated into four languages, and is in development for TV adaptation. A former journalist living in Scotland, Daniel was diagnosed with autism and ADHD in his early forties.
Crime & Mystery
19/6/25
PBO
£9.99
9780008624439
All At Sea
A death on the ocean, a secret below deck…
Jonathan Whitelaw
Below Deck meets Knives Out in this breathless voyage into murder and mayhem on the high seas…
Howie Temple is down on his luck and desperate for cash. Once an action movie star, he now lives off a crumbling reputation. On his way to film a new reality TV show, which casts a team of c-list celebrities as crew aboard a luxury yacht, he meets fellow contestant, influencer-ofthe-moment Cassandra Troy. The duo take an immediate dislike to each other.
After a hectic first day of filming, the pair are shocked discover that the captain of the ship has been murdered –locked in his control room, slumped over the wheel, a knife in his back. Convinced by the show’s ever-opportunistic director to keep the cameras rolling, the pair team-up to hunt the murderer.
Will the show make Howie and Cassandra bigger stars than they could ever dream of? And can they crack the case before the killer strikes again, or will they go down with this sinking ship?
Jonathan Whitelaw is a writer, award-winning journalist and broadcaster. After working on the frontline of Scottish politics, he moved into journalism, covering everything from sports to music to radioactive waste – and everything in between. He’s also a regular reviewer, panellist and commentator. Find him online @JDWhitelaw13.
Fiction 19/6/25
PBO
£9.99 9780008705947
Waking the Giant
Inside the Rebirth of Aston Villa
Gregg Evans and Matt Maher
The inside story of one football’s club’s astonishing revival.
In early July 2018, Aston Villa were staring into the abyss. One of English football’s most historic and successful clubs stood on the brink of financial catastrophe. But barely six years later, Villa were celebrating qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history. How did they get there?
WakingTheGiant takes you inside one of the most extraordinary revival acts in modern football, from the last-minute takeover by billionaire duo Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens which saved the club, through the promotion and Premier League survival spearheaded by boyhood supporter Dean Smith, right up to the present day and their return to the European elite under Unai Emery.
It is a tale of triumph plucked from the jaws of despair, several times over, with Villa frequently defying the odds to keep climbing and reclaim their place at English football’s top table.
From club record runs to great escapes from relegation and British record transfers, this is a rollercoaster ride not to be missed.
Gregg Evans writes for The Athletic and the New York Times. Previously, he covered West Midlands football for Reach PLC. He’s also a regular on the 1874 Aston Villa Podcast. He’s on X as @greggevans40.
Matt Maher is chief sportswriter at the Express & Star and has covered sport in the West Midlands for more than 15 years. His coverage of Aston Villa saw him named regional sportswriter of the year in 2021. He’s on X as @mjmarr_star.
Sports
19/6/2025
HB
£20
9780008741006
Boater Life on England’s Waterways
Jo Bell
Step aboard Boater, a mesmerising voyage along the tranquil waterways of England, written by the inaugural Canal & River Trust Laureate, Jo Bell.
From her mooring in Macclesfield in the north-west of England to the storied Bristol Harbour, Jo invites readers to join her on a 30-day odyssey, beginning with the end of a tempestuous relationship and echoing a journey previously taken by LTC Rolt, a legendary engineer and advocate of the waterways.
In this exquisitely crafted memoir, Jo Bell seamlessly weaves together personal anecdotes with the rich tapestry of British waterway culture. As a trained archaeologist and seasoned boater, Jo offers unparalleled insights into the lives of those who call the waterways their home, inviting readers to delve into the depths of its history, culture and society along the banks.
Jo Bell is best known as the inaugural Canal Laureate for the Canal & River Trust and as director of National Poetry Day. Originally from Sheffield and raised on the edges of the Derbyshire Peak District, her fascination with historic narrowboats ignited her passion for poetry, leading to a remarkable career that included managing a fleet of these vessels.
Jo lives on her 67-foot narrowboat Tinker. Boater is Jo’s first work of non-fiction.
Memoir 19/6/25
HB
£16.99
9780008716295
The Escape
Friends or rivals? There’s a fine line...
Karen Woods
A deadly choice. A secret between friends or a stab in the back?
Four friends as close as they come. Until a girl’s weekend away leaves them with a shared secret that could destroy them all.
But a secret is safe among friends, isn’t it? That’s what they think until in turn they all in turn receive a letter with the grim truth written down in black and white. Someone wants money for their silence – and quick…
With the clock ticking, the girls must work out who they can trust and who’s been watching them. And ultimately, discover what they’d do to keep the truth among friends.
Praise for Karen Woods:
‘The northern Martina Cole’ – Melanie Blake, bestselling author of Ruthless Women
‘Wow! Karen Woods has delivered a gripping read full of grit and with characters to keep you turning the pages’
– Caz Finlay, author of the Bad Blood series
Karen Woods writes about the world she grew up in and her beloved Manchester – in all its light and shade – is in every book. A reluctant reader until the age of 39 when an adult literacy course unlocked her future career, Karen has since written twenty-seven books set in and around the dark side of the city. She has appeared on Loose Women, The One Show and in an array of national press. Alongside her writing, Karen works in the school system and runs writing workshops to unlock the power of creativity. Find her on X and Instagram @karenwoodsbooks.
Crime & Mystery
19/6/25
PBO
£9.99
9780008700393
What Would Dolly Do?
Sometimes it’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world...
Suzan Holder
I Will Always Love You? More like ‘I’ll only love you until someone better comes along…’
Becky Mooney thinks her life is over when her boyfriend (and Kenny Rogers to her Dolly Parton in their tribute act) walks out on her. She knows she’ll never have the confidence to sing by herself, even in her Dolly outfit. So what’s a girl to do?
In this sparkling rom-com from the author of Shake It Up, Beverly and Rock & Rose, you’ll find not just a love song to Dolly Parton but a wake-up call for anyone who thinks they’ve missed their chance.
Sometimes we don’t know who we really want to be – but with a little advice from Dolly, Becky is determined to learn to shine. And which of us couldn’t use a bit of sparkle?
Praise For Suzan Holder’s work:
‘A romcom that speaks to me – a single woman in her forties who still has a rock-chick streak!’
– Woman & Home
Suzan trained as a newspaper journalist and worked on regional and national newspapers before moving into TV production. She worked on a variety of television news and lifestyle programmes and was Series Producer of ITV’s network daytime talk show Loose Women. Married to musician, actor and presenter Noddy Holder, Suzan has one son, two step-daughters and two stepgrandchildren. She loves music, dancing, dirty martinis and clunky (rather than kinky) boots.
Fiction 19/6/25
PBO
£9.99 9780008738686
Paperback Titles
Phoebe Smith is an award-winning adventurer, presenter, broadcaster, author, photographer, and speaker. She hosts the Wander Woman podcast and is Sleep Storytellerin- Residence at Calm.com. She is the author of 10 books, and has worked with a range of clients from the BBC to ITV, Radio 4, the Guardian, amongst many others.
Travel Writing
30/1/25 • PB • £10.99 9780008566555
Sally Coulthard is an expert in all things nature, history and craft. She has published over twentyfive non-fiction books and her titles have been translated into a dozen languages. She currently writes a column for Country Living magazine called ‘A Good Life’.
History
13/2/25 • PB • £10.99 9780008559458
Wayfarer
Love, loss and life on Britain’s pilgrim paths
Phoebe
Smith
‘Raw, honest, powerful. I couldn’t put it down’ — Cerys Matthews
‘A powerfully delicate book of love, loss and discovery, along paths of emotional understanding and physical wonder’ — Raynor Winn
‘A poignant reminder that the internal journey is as sacred as the external journey. Beautifully written’ — Levison Wood
A Financial Times Best Summer Travel Book 2024
At the age of 32, on an assignment to walk the most famous pilgrimage in the world – the Camino de Santiago, in northern Spain – Phoebe Smith somehow lost her way.
Having spent a lifetime exploring unfamiliar places, she quit her dream job, ended her long-term relationship, and headed home to North Wales to discover the point to… everything.
In her search for answers she found herself walking some of Britain’s oldest pilgrim paths. And in following these old ways, she ended up confronting past traumas that she thought she had laid to rest.
Skilfully weaving together Phoebe’s own story with those of countless travellers past and present, Wayfarer reveals how nature can heal wounds and soothe trauma, offering a pathway to salvation she’d never thought existed.
A Brief History of the Countryside in 100 Objects
Sally Coulthard
‘A charming trayful of historical canapés, always and repeatedly surprising. Sally Coulthard is able to conjure a wonderful sense of intimacy with the lives of the past’ — Adam Nicolson
‘A really lovely, fascinating book. [A] clever, joyous, celebration of the countryside’ — Charles Spencer
‘A portable museum of a book that I will return to again and again’ — Ruth Allen
The untold story of rural Britain revealed through its artefacts.
For most of human history, we were rural folk. Our daily lives were bound up with working the land, living within the rhythm of the seasons. Life revolved around the village and its key spaces and places – the church, the green, the school and the marketplace.
And yet rural life is oddly invisible in our historical records. The daily routine of the peasant, the farmer or the craftsperson could never compete with the glamour of city life, war, and royal drama. Lives went unrecorded, stories untold.
There is, though, one way in which we can learn about our rural past. The things we have left behind provide a connection that no document can match; physical artefacts are touchstones that breathe life into its history.
Emma and Anthony Smith are from Yorkshire, UK. In 2013, they moved to Bulgaria. Taking career breaks, they moved to the Dryanovo region for the simple life. But it soon became clear that the street dog population in their locality was out of control. They had to do something.
Biography & Autobiography
13/3/25 • PB • £10.99 9780008701949
Eleanor Barker-White is a family support worker at HMP Erlestoke, Wiltshire. She holds a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa, and is working on a second novel based on her experience of working with families affected by crime and criminal justice.
Fiction
13/3/25 • PB • £9.99 9780008586966
Street Hearts
An Extraordinary Story of Saving Street Dogs
Emma & Anthony Smith, with Lisa Cutts
Among the cobblestone villages and towns of rural Bulgaria, a dedicated team of unsung heroes led by Emma and Anthony Smith works tirelessly to change the destiny of street dogs. These animals are abandoned and neglected, and sometimes in danger, until Street Hearts step in to provide them with a second chance.
In this heartwarming and inspiring tale, we meet the remarkable dogs they rescue, each with their own unique story of resilience and yearning for affection; a cast of characters including Tipsy, Big Lad, Mr Wiggles and Roshy the Wonder Dog will steal your heart and challenge your preconceptions about what it means to love and be loved.
Through the eyes of these resilient canines and their heroic rescuers Street Hearts reveals the profound bond that develops between them and it follows the stories of those who have given the dogs new lives in Britain and elsewhere.
My Name Was Eden One twin vanished. One twin reappeared.
Eleanor Barker-White
‘A compulsive, didn’t-see-it-coming thriller’ — Abigail Dean, international bestselling author of Girl A
‘A major new voice in psychological thrillers’ — Mindy Mejia, bestselling author of Everything You Want Me to Be
‘A fantastic debut – unpredictable, tense and absorbing’ — Rose Carlyle, author of The Girl in the Mirror
‘Dark and creepy . . . in the most compelling way. A proper page-turner’ — Katy Brent, bestselling author of How to Kill Men and Get Away with It
A Reader’s Digest most anticipated book of the year When Eden is rescued from the lake, her mother Lucy has a second chance.
No one knows why the 14-year-old Eden almost drowned on her way home from school. But now she’s safe, Lucy can start being a good mother. The mother she should have always been, before the loss of Eden’s twin during the pregnancy consumed Lucy, all those years ago.
But when Eden wakes up in hospital, she claims that Eden isn’t her name. That her name is Eli – the name Lucy had reserved for the unborn twin.
Could it be that all this time, Lucy’s grief has been misplaced?
Eden, it seems, is the twin who’s really disappeared . . .
James Timpson OBE is a British businessman and politician who is currently Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending. From 2002 until 2024 he was the CEO of the five-generation, family-owned company Timpson.
Business
27/3/25 • PB • £9.99 9780008654788
Chris McDonald is the author of the DI Erika Piper series, the Stonebridge Mysteries and Little Ghost. Under the name Chris Frost, he has also penned the Kindle top 20 bestseller, The Killer’s Christmas List. He is a script writer, husband, father to two beautiful girls and a regular voice on The Blood Brothers Podcast.
Biography & Autobiography
10/4/25 • PB • £9.99 9780008744212
The Happy Index A People-first Approach to Leadership
James Timpson
‘Mr Timpson is a role model as an employer. Other businesses could learn from his approach.’ The Guardian
‘A must-read for anyone who cares about better ways of doing business.’ Sunday Times ‘James Timpson’s a man who gets things done.’ The Times
Discover the key to positive workplaces and better results from one of Britain’s most successful leaders.
James Timpson is renowned for leading with empathy and understanding, often by example. His acclaimed people-first approach to management empowers colleagues, putting measurable job satisfaction at the heart of corporate strategy.
In The Happy Index Timpson draws on his decades of experience leading one of Britain’s best-loved high-street brands to share the secrets behind his unique approach to ‘upside-down’ management. His infectious passion for people shines through every page and in the very real measures he has introduced – from days off for birthdays to free-to-use luxury holiday homes.
From a leader who knows what it takes to build thriving organisations, The Happy Index gives companies, start-ups and leaders the tools they need to bring Timpson’s revolutionary approach to their working lives.
The DI Erika Piper Series
Books 1-3
Chris McDonald
‘I have been reading crime novels for over 50 years and this is one of the best’ HHHHH
‘At last, a book that it’s worth having insomnia for’ HHHHH
‘Watch this guy, he’s headed among the big names of crime writing’ HHHHH
‘The twist at the end is great. Honestly I didn’t see it coming’ HHHHH
From the Kindle Top 20 bestselling author, these stunning, newly repackaged editions of Chris McDonald’s best-loved backlist crime trilogy are perfect for fans of WM Craven and Robert Galbraith.
A Wash of Black (DI Erika Piper 1)
Whispers in the Dark (DI Erika Piper 2)
Roses for the Dead (DI Erika Piper 3)
8/5/25 • PB • £9.99 9780008744236
5/6/25 • PB • £9.99 9780008744267
For over three decades, Sacha Lord has been at the centre of the city’s transformation, bringing international music events and festivals to its streets as co-founder of Sankeys and The Warehouse Project. In 2018, he was appointed Night-Time Economy Advisor for Greater Manchester by Andy Burnham.
Biography & Autobiography
24/4/25 • PB • £10.99
9780008656355
Tales from the Dancefloor
Manchester / The Warehouse Project / Parklife / Sankeys / The Haçienda
Sacha Lord, with Luke Bainbridge
‘Sacha Lord is the man who transformed Manchester’s nightlife’ Rolling Stone ‘Rip-roaring … What separates Lord’s book from the clichés about gurners in bucket hats is its focus on the darker period’ The Times
‘Runs from the dirty and criminal 1990s to the contemporary superclub scene’ Telegraph Tales From the Dance Floor is an electrifying journey into the heart of Manchester’s music culture with its most influential promoter.
Over the past three decades, Sacha Lord has hosted countless iconic parties, booked legendary DJs, and shaped an underground scene that influenced a generation. Working with iconic acts including The Prodigy, New Order, the Chemical Brothers, Snoop Dogg, Fat Boy Slim, Aphex Twin and Jamie XX, he has thrown some of the biggest parties that the UK has ever seen.
This no-holds-barred account makes clear, Manchester’s music revolution was fuelled by raw energy, creativity, enterprise and a number of other unidentified substances. From drive-by shootings to gang turf wars and nights out that never ended, Sacha Lord reveals, at 130bpm, the highs – and lows – of life bringing some of the planet’s biggest stars to the world’s greatest city.
Featuring makeshift helipads, oysters with Grace Jones and more drugged-up rats than you could shake a big stick at, Tales From the Dance Floor is an absolute banger.
Nature’s Ghosts
The world we lost and how to bring it back
Sophie Yeo
‘Sophie writes fantastically, chronicling the most important issues facing nature conservationists today’ Chris Packham
‘A wondrous book and a ticket for environmental time travel’ Tristan Gooley ‘Offers insights that could help shape a better informed and more constructive debate … Concludes with determination and hope’ The Spectator ‘Wonderful … Invites us to overcome our shortsightedness by peering into the distant past and using it to inform our future’ The Times
Shortlisted for the 2024 Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation
Popular Science
24/4/25 • PB • £10.99
9780008474157
For thousands of years, humans have been the architects of the environment. Our activities leave an indelible mark on the places we inhabit – for good and for bad. Nature’s Ghosts examines how the earth would have looked before humans scrubbed away its diversity, from the primeval forests that emerged following the last ice age, to the eagle-filled skies of the Dark Ages, to the flower-decked farms of more recent centuries. It uncovers the stories of the people who have helped to shape our landscapes through time. And it recounts the environmental detective work – archaeological, cultural and ecological – that has allowed us to reconstruct the details of our lost wild world. This urgent book argues that from the ashes of the past, we can start to rebuild an ancient and enchanting future.
Sophie Yeo is a freelance environmental journalist and commentator. She writes for a variety of publications, and has launched her own newsletters publication called Inkcap, focusing on nature and conservation in the UK.
PJ Ellis is a journalist covering relationships, pop culture and LGBTQ+ issues. He lives in Birmingham and We Could Be Heroes is his second novel.
Fiction
8/5/25
• PB • £9.99
9780008539313
We Could Be Heroes
Real love is nothing like the movies. PJ Ellis
‘This is one of those everything books: You laugh, you cry’ — New York Times ‘Outrageously fun … beautifully human’ — Nicolas Didomizio ‘You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better romance novel’ — Buzzfeed ‘Funny and romantic and hot as hell’ — Sophie Irwin BIRMINGHAM, 2024.
When American actor Patrick arrives in England, finding love is the last thing on his mind. Starring in a blockbuster superhero movie, he’s on a strict filming schedule, which does not include coming out as gay. But when Patrick meets Will – a local bookseller and drag performer, whose charm is impossible to resist – the temptation for a secret romance has never felt stronger.
NEW YORK, 1949.
Comic-book artists Charles and Iris aren’t like other married couples. They too are harbouring secrets of a dangerous nature. But together, they are creating a new kind of hero – one who is destined to bring Patrick and Will together… and might just change the world.
Anushka Asthana is deputy is deputy political editor at ITV News. Previously she was the Guardian’s political editor, senior political correspondent at Sky News, and chief political correspondent at The Times. She was shortlisted for political journalist of the year by the Press Gazette in 2023.
Politics
5/6/25 • PB • £10.99
9780008697938
Taken As Red
The Truth About Starmer’s Labour
Anushka Asthana
‘Taken As Red stands out for its balance and the depth of its reporting’ The Guardian ‘Revelatory and insightful’ Tim Shipman
‘Packed with detail and meticulously sourced… An invaluable resource’ New Statesman Featuring exclusive interviews with more than 100 political insiders including Rachel Reeves, Wes Streeting, Kwasi Kwarteng and Nigel Farage.
In Taken As Red acclaimed political journalist Anushka Asthana takes us behind the scenes of the 2024 general election campaign.
As the political landscape undergoes a seismic shift, this gripping account provides an unprecedented insider’s perspective on the inner workings of Keir Starmer’s Labour and Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives, and the events of this high-stakes electoral contest as it unfolded.
Lively, analytical and compelling, Taken As Red reveals the calculated gambles and innovative strategies at play, and the people behind them.
Meet The Team
SARAH EMSLEY | Managing Director and Publisher
Sarah Emsley joined HarperCollins in 2023 as Executive Publisher for Harper Non-Fiction and HarperNorth. Before joining HarperCollins, Sarah spent seven years at Transworld followed by twelve years at Headline, where she headed up the Non Fiction team and published a raft of number-one bestselling brand authors including Matthew Perry, Matthew McConaughey and Bryony Gordon. Her HarperCollins authors include Rebel Wilson and Alison Steadman.
Contact Sarah: Sarah.Emsley@harpercollins.co.uk
GENEVIEVE PEGG | Publisher
Genevieve Pegg joined HarperNorth, the Manchester-based imprint of HarperCollins, at its foundation in 2020. Previously she worked at Penguin, Orion and with indie authors and publishers. In her reading and her acquiring, she is always in search of page-turners, from bookclub stories to historical fiction, and from memoir to crime thrillers. At HarperNorth she publishes fiction and non-fiction from across the north for national and international audiences.
Contact Genevieve: Genevieve.Pegg@harpercollins.co.uk
JONATHAN DE PEYER | Editorial Director, Non-fiction
Jon de Peyer joined HarperNorth in 2020 after over a decade in independent publishing. With a list spanning memoir and biography, politics, history, sport, nature writing, food, smart-thinking, true crime, pop science and music, he’s looking for surprising and engaging work from authors from a diverse range of backgrounds. He has published, amongst others, Stuart Maconie, Lisa Nandy, Nazir Afzal, Shashi Tharoor, David Goodhart, Andrew Harding, Anushka Asthana, Tom Baldwin, Pete Brown and Brian Groom.
Contact Jon: jonathan.depeyer@harpercollins.co.uk
MEGAN JONES | Assistant Editor
Megan Jones is a HarperCollins Grad Scheme alumnus. Part of the founding team when HarperNorth opened its doors in 2020, she is now an Assistant Editor, supporting across a diverse range of fiction and non-fiction. Megan is also building her own list, looking for commercial fiction books from future northern stars and giftable zeitgeist non-fiction. She is particularly interested in rom-coms that’ll make you laugh out loud one moment and blush the next, gothic stories to make you shiver and exciting voices in the new adult space.
Contact Megan: Megan.Jones@harpercollins.co.uk
Meet The Team
ALICE MURPHY-PYLE | Head of Marketing & Publicity
Alice Murphy-Pyle is a BMS-award winning marketer and publicist who began her career as a journalist before moving into publishing at Simon & Schuster and later at Penguin Random House, where she delivered Sunday Times bestselling campaigns for authors including Jilly Cooper, Bill Bryson and Romesh Ranganathan. In 2024 she co-founded Love Stories Etc festival in Manchester, a celebration of romantic fiction, which will return in July 2025.
Contact Alice: Alice.MurphyPyle@harpercollins.co.uk
HILARY STEIN | Publicity Manager
Hilary Stein joined HarperNorth in 2023 as Publicity Manager. Previously she worked at Collins, Farshore and The Bookseller, in addition to independent publishing houses. She has worked across children’s and adult lists, delivering campaigns for authors such as the Carnegie-winning Elizabeth Acevedo, YA sensation Holly Jackson, bestsellers Katie and Kevin Tsang, and across brands including National Geographic Kids. She grew up in Sheffield and is now based in Hebden Bridge.
CURRENTLY ON MATERNITY LEAVE
JESS HAYCOX | Publicity Manager
Jess Haycox joined HarperNorth for 2025 as Publicity Manager, covering Hilary’s maternity leave. Previously she worked as a Senior Campaigns Manager at the awardwinning agency The Book Publicist and supported authors across health, wellbeing, memoirs, business books, and more. She moved to Manchester two years ago, having grown up in Shropshire and headed home from Belfast after living there for university and working in marketing and communications roles
Contact Jess: Jess.Haycox@harpercollins.co.uk
TASLIMA KHATUN | Marketing & Publicity Assistant
Taslima Khatun joined HarperCollins in late 2022, and she is excited to begin her publishing career with the dedicated HarperNorth team in Manchester. Her current role is Marketing & Publicity Assistant, and she is thrilled to delve into north England’s literary landscapes. Previously, she worked as a bookseller. Contact Taslima: Taslima.Khatun@harpercollins.co.uk
Marketing: Alice Murphy-Pyle alice.murphypyle@harpercollins.co.uk
Publicity: Jess Haycox jess.haycox@harpercollins.co.uk