"A brother is as easily forgotten as an umbrella."—James Joyce, Ulysses Radical and uncompromising, Umbrella is a tour de force from one of England’s most acclaimed contemporary writers, and Self’s most ambitious novel to date. Moving between Edwardian London and a suburban mental hospital in 1971, Umbrella exposes the twentieth century’s technological searchlight as refracted through the dark glass of a long term mental institution. While making his first tours of the hospital at which he has just begun working, maverick psychiatrist Zachary Busner notices that many of the patients exhibit a strange physical tic: rapid, precise movements that they repeat over and over. One of these patients is Audrey Dearth, an elderly woman born in the slums of West London in 1890. Audrey’s memories of a bygone Edwardian London, her lovers, involvement with early feminist and socialist movements, and, in particular, her time working in an umbrella shop, alternate with Busner’s attempts to treat her condition and bring light to her clouded world. Busner’s investigations into Audrey’s illness lead to discoveries about her family that are shocking and tragic.

THE GREED OF GOLDFEVER: Captain Cat and the Umbrella Kid go for gold!! From a strawberry farm infested with North American Apache Attack snails; to hanging from a zeppelin high above Maxburg City; to a tropical isle guarded by Giant Robot Crabs, the Tremendous Two have no time to catch their breaths, let alone hold them. Someones made all the gold in the Lockstock Stockade Gold Depository smell Absolutely Stinky. But is this only the First Step in a pongy plot to plunder the gold vaults? Who can be behind it? Sultry saboteur Dinah Myte? Evil mad scientist Dr von Feendkraven? Surely it cant be Eddie Goldfever the world famous rock star? Join the Captain and the Kid as they tackle head-on the all-consuming Greed of Goldfever! THE SARDINES OF SUSPICION: Captain Cats penthouse HQ is flooded and pumped full of piranha!! A seemingly unprovoked attack by gross gangster Fish-Face. But this is only a pulse-pounding prelude. Greater perils awaitBeneath the dark, placid waters of the Squidd Sardine Farm something stirs. An enormous sardine-guzzling sea-serpent! But surely such things dont exist? Captain Cat and the Umbrella Kid investigate *and discover Mystery upon Mystery. Who is the sinister man in black weaving a Tibetan ghost-trap around the lake? Who is the face-swapping traitor behind all the sabotage at the Sardine Farm? Diving-bells are attacked, Ye Olde Country Tea-Roomes are machine-gunned, and assorted heroes are sucked up by giant vacuum-cleaners before one thing is finally made clear: the Sardines of Suspicion cast their sinister shadow over everyone, and No One Can Be Trusted * not even Captain Cat!

A country hotel, an unexpected houseguest, and a school reunion. Maggie’s perfect storm is about to lift the lid off a lifetime of secrets. Dan Ireland, a work-weary police crash investigator still hell-bent on punishing himself for his misspent youth, has ample reason for not going home to Calingarry Crossing for the school reunion, but one very good reason why he should . . . Maggie Lindeman. Maggie is back in Calingarry Crossing trying to sell the family pub, while also dealing with a restless seventeen-year-old son, a father with dementia, a fame-obsessed musician husband back in the city, and a dwindling bank account. The last thing she needs is a surprise houseguest for the summer. Fiona Bailey-Blair, daughter of an old friend and spoilt with everything but the truth, whips up a maelstrom of gossip when she blows into town in search of answers. This storm season, as Maggie’s past and present converge with the unexpected, she'll discover… … there's no keeping a lid on some secrets. First published by Simon & Schuster, Simmering Season is a Calingarry Crossing novel from the author of HOUSE OF WISHES and the best-selling HOUSE FOR ALL SEASONS ~ "A painful exploration of estrangement, loss, truth, redemption and the power of wishes." The West Australian

There’s a rip in the blue umbrella, and time—and Chelsea—are slipping through! One moment she was there, the next moment she was not, and Ches Cholmondeley was watching when it happened. And he learns of other mysterious goings-on: for three days in a row the world’s atomic clocks have lost a second, resulting in bizarre accidents ranging from dropped casseroles to plane crashes. Are these events related? What’s a brother to do? Figure out a way to get his sister back, of course. In search of answers, Ches befriends the local clockmaker, Myron Stinchcombe, who knows a lot about time, and seeks out Sky Porter, who knows a lot about, well, everything. But time is running out. And Ches is torn, knowing that the very deed that can save the world might also keep his sister from ever returning to it.

The definitive work on the subject, this Dictionary - available again in its eighth edition - gives a full account of slang and unconventional English over four centuries and will entertain and inform all language-lovers.

Winner of the RNA 2021 Sapere Books Popular Romantic Fiction Award 'A warm, funny story of sisters and the secrets they keep' Sheila O'Flanagan. 'Warm, funny and well written, with a page-turning plot, this book has everything! I loved it!' Katie Fforde. The four Sutherland sisters have all had very different paths in life, but one secret and a slighty tense production of Jesus Christ Superstar are about to bring them all back together again... When the news that pop-superstar Lexia Sutherland is returning to Westenbury, not everyone is thrilled by the news – including Lexia. There are too many memories she doesn't need to face – or need re-surfacing. Meanwhile, Juno Sutherland just wants a little peace and quiet. As the local village doctor, she's got her priorities in order; kids, job, husband, tenacious pony, a role in the village musical... So when the sexy new locum turns up – and steals her office – the last thing she needed was to be hit with rising temperatures and an over-active imagination. Will these sisters be able to uncover the past, deal with the future and put on the performance of a lifetime? Praise for Julie Houston: 'Julie Houston at her best – heartfelt and hilarious' Sandy Barker 'Laugh-out-loud hilarious and heartwarming!' Mandy Baggot 'This book is an absolute gigglefest with characters you'll fall in love with!' Katie Ginger 'Without a doubt a five-star read' NetGalley Reviewer 'Absolutely LOVED it' NetGalley Reviewer 'An excellent read, highly recommended' NetGalley Reviewer

Ellie Johnston has just been dumped by her boyfriend Mark. Being dumped by the man she calls ‘The Weasel’ has dented her ego, and not only is she sulking, but as a plus-sized blogger she’s feeling like a fraud because her confidence in her curvaceousness has been seriously dented. While she’s still feeling raw, she comes across some evil comments on a newspaper website, which fire her up with a desire to show the world that you don’t have to conform to a skinny stereotype to be happy, healthy, successful and beautiful. She’s passionate about helping other women escape the tyranny of constant dieting and body hatred, after being caught up in it herself. She enlists the help of her two plus-sized and gorgeous girlfriends, Zoe and Lauren, to come up with a plan, and seeks solace in Jamie, a gorgeous younger man with commitment issues. The ‘Viva Voluptuous’ campaign takes the girls on a hilarious journey through PR disasters, dating sites and flash mobs but will it make a difference? And will Ellie get her curvy-girl mojo back again…?

Based upon Partridge's famous volume, but makes it fully relevant to the language of today.

A London woman taking her grandson to the park finds her lonely life disrupted by murder in this award-winning author’s “gripping thriller” (Reginald Hill). Poppy Tasker never imagined this would be her life at age fifty: divorced, living alone, and stuck caring for a tiny grandson while his mother is busy seeking public office. Sad and resentful, Poppy feels completely detached from the nannies she’s now forced to associate with when she brings little Toby to the park to play. But her discomfort is replaced by a creeping dread when she notices a stranger watching her and the boy a bit too closely—and her fear turns to near panic when the man tries to follow them home. The following day, the stalker is found murdered in the park, his corpse decorated in an odd and troubling manner. Poppy’s terror grows as she realizes that she and her innocent grandson have become entangled in something twisted and very dangerous. Then the nanny of one of Toby’s playground friends meets an untimely end—and Poppy realizes that this may only be the beginning. One of the true greats of contemporary British crime fiction, Peter Dickinson is often compared to luminaries including Ruth Rendell, Peter Lovesey, P. D. James, and Reginald Hill. Play Dead is a shining example of his storytelling artistry.