The legendary strategist, the mastermind behind Barack Obama's historic election campaigns, shares a wealth of stories from his forty-year journey through the inner workings of American democracy.

Galina was born into a world of horrors. So why does she mourn its passing? SHORTLISTED: Impress Prize LONGLISTED: Bath Novel Award LONGLISTED: Grindstone Novel Award It is December 1941, and eight-year-old Galina and her friend Vera are caught in the siege of Leningrad, eating soup made of wallpaper, with the occasional luxury of a dead rat. Galina's artist father Mikhail has been kept away from the front to help save the treasures of the Hermitage. Its cellars could now provide a safe haven, provided Mikhail can navigate the perils of a portrait commission from one of Stalin's colonels. Nearly forty years later, Galina herself is a teacher at the Leningrad Art Institute. What ought to be a celebratory weekend at her forest dacha turns sour when she makes an unwelcome discovery. The painting she embarks upon that day will hold a grim significance for the rest of her life, as the old Soviet Union makes way for the new Russia and Galina's familiar world changes out of all recognition. Warm, wise and utterly enthralling, Molly Gartland's debut novel guides us from the old communist world, with its obvious terrors and its more surprising comforts, into the glitz and bling of 21st-century St Petersburg. Galina's story is at once a compelling page-turner and an insightful meditation on ageing and nostalgia. 'A beautifully written book that takes you right into the characters' world. Highly recommended' LUCINDA HAWKSLEY

‘A lovely mystery evocative of the period from a talented writer.’ Helena Dixon, bestselling author of the Miss Underhay mysteries Someone’s been read their last rites... 1915, London: Working in the dusty bookshop that her Aunt Violet mysteriously inherited, Hannah Merrill is accustomed to finding twists in every tale. But discovering her beloved best friend Lily-Anne – with a paperknife through her heart – in the middle of the bookshop, is not a plotline she saw coming. The case is anything but textbook. With the discovery of a coded German message, and Hannah’s instinct that Lily-Anne’s husband is keeping secrets, she determines to get to the bottom of it. She can’t do it alone though. To crack this case, Hannah will need the enlist the help of her outrageous, opinionated, only-occasionally-objectionable Aunt Violet. They think they’re making progress until one of their chief suspects is found dead. And Hannah realises that she is herself now in the murderer’s sights. Will the final chapter be the ending of a killer... or just a killer ending? A totally addictive, WW1-set cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey, and Agatha Christie. Readers love Murder in the Bookshop: ‘Wonderful!! I had high hopes for this novel and it did not disappoint. Once I began I could hardly put it down. I am excited to read Ms. Davison’s next installment.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I couldn’t put this book down, I just wanted to keep reading. The story kept me guessing all the time and the ending was unexpected. Can’t wait for the next book.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a fabulous setting for a murder Aunt Violet's dusty bookshop is!... If I could have read it in one sitting, I would have done. A brilliant plot with some clever twists! I think I've found a new favourite series. I can’t wait for the next instalment. Highly recommended!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fabulous historical novel that entertained me from the start... Reminiscent of Miss Jane Marple... I loved the inclusion of Bartleby, the bookshop cat who was very much a character in his own right.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved this book. Hannah and Aunt Violet are wonderful characters and I liked them from the start. The surrounding characters are well imagined. The setting is interesting. I enjoyed the references to literature and the way books were a part of the story line... Very entertaining and I highly recommend it.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Set against the backdrop of the war in 1915, with the very real fears of invasion and bombings, the characters are beautifully drawn, especially the wonderfully bold and rather scandalous suffragette Violet who carries a few secrets of her own and who I immediately loved. This is a great start to a new cosy crime series and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next to the amateur sleuths and their friends.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fascinating characters, scandals, espionage and murder... Kept me turning the pages wanting to know what would happen to Hannah and her delightful feline companion.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved this delightful new cozy mystery featuring a young society girl and her suffragette aunt... 5 stars. I look forward to more in this series.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A compelling tale, full of red herrings, lost love, along with excellent research of the time period.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A very fun read! I can’t wait to read the next installment!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

92 Winslow Gardens relates the author's remarkable nine months in London as a struggling artist. Without funds, work papers, or resources, he struck upon the idea of selling his sketches in the streets of London. But the most remarkable part of his adventurous life was his relationship with an older woman of overwhelming character and beauty. Together they forged a powerful bond that like all great loves existed in a world of their own. Every day was an adventure and together they were ready for anything.

"...skillfully compiled...should be useful to anyone interested in placing his or her studies in the context of printed and bound literature..." --ENGLISH LITERATURE IN TRANSITION 1880-1920