Little,Brown Book Group UK News & Blog

Looking for your next big read? Fall in love with Ella and Micha…

Carleen Peters — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:46:30 +0000

Looking for your next big read?

Look no further than the internationally bestselling Ella and Micha trilogy from Jessica Sorensen – and your chance to win a limited edition proof copy of the first book in the series.

The ultimate mix of romance, angst, drama, conflict and plenty of steamy passion this series has already captured the hearts of thousands of readers across the Atlantic and is beginning to create waves right here in the UK.A summer must-read for fans of Nicholas Sparks and the Twilight saga , ahead of ebook release of The Forever of Ella and Micha, the stunning second book in the series, we are offering 10 lucky Ella and Micha newcomers the chance to win a limited edition proof copy of The Secret of Ella and Micha, book one in the series.

All you have to do to enter is complete the form below, making sure you have read the full terms and conditions before entering.d Micha, book one in the series.Already read The Secret of Ella and Micha? Looking forward to The Forever of Ella and Micha? Let us know using

#ellaandmicha

Buy The Secret of Ella and Micha now.

Pre-order The Forever of Ella and Micha now.

Name:

Email address:

I would like to find out more about Jessica Sorensen's books

Winners Announced: THE JULIETTE SOCIETY, The most provocative fiction debut of 2013

Carleen Peters — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:27:50 +0000

Last week we published The Juliette Society, the highly-anticipated debut novel from ex-adult entertainment star turned Hollywood actor and director, Sasha Grey. To celebrate we offered three lucky people the chance to win a Juliette Society indulgence kit including a copy of The Juliette Society, a box of seductively dark chocolates, and a sexy satin blindfold.

Congratulations to our three lucky winners who will each receive an indulgence kit:

Annette Peters
Donna Large
Bridgette Birkett

For those who weren't lucky enough to win this time, stay tuned for future The Juliette Society goodies including exclusive content over on Sasha Grey's author page. If you haven't already, don't forget you can also read an extract, find out what inspired the book, and hear Sasha Grey talking about The Juliette Society online now.

The Juliette Society is out now in paperback, ebook (and will be available as an audio download this August.)

Winners Announced: IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE paperback by John Taylor

Carleen Peters — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:32:30 +0000

Thank you to everyone who entered our competition to win one of five paperback copies of IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE, the frank and compelling autobiography of Duran Duran's legendary bassist, John Taylor.

Almost 1000 of you entered, so massive congratulations to our five lucky winners who will each receive a copy of the book:

kayleigh Bates
Ashley Beolens
Kayleigh devlin
Derek Willigenburg
Michelle kuehmeier

For those who weren't lucky enough to win this time, stay tuned for future chances to win John Taylor,IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE goodies. And in the mean time why not journey back to Brighton, 1981 with this fantastic extract from the book read by John Taylor: http://youtu.be/HZhPfR2EP0w

IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE: Love, Death and Duran Duran is available to buy now.

A reminder that this competition was open to residents of the UK and Ireland only, so if you have been selected as a winner and do not meet this entry criteria a new winner will be chosen. Full terms can be found here.

CLOSED: Win a copy of THE JULIETTE SOCIETY The most provocative fiction debut of 2013

Carleen Peters — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:26 +0000

‘Before we go any further, let’s get this out of the way first.

I want you to do three things for me.

One.
Do not be offended by anything you read beyond this point.

Two.
Leave your inhibitions at the door.

Three, and most importantly.
Everything you see and hear from now on must remain between us. . .’
Sasha Grey, The Juliette Society

To celebrate publication of The Juliette Society, the highly-anticipated debut novel from ex-adult entertainment star turned Hollywood actor and director, Sasha Grey, we have three Juliette Society indulgence kits to give away. The kits include a copy of The Juliette Society, a box of seductively dark chocolates, and a sexy satin blindfold – the ultimate excuse to indulge your deepest, darkest desires. To be in with a chance of winning these sexy goodies simply complete the entry form below, making sure you have read the full terms and conditions first.

Intensely sexy, fantastically written, and irresistibly packaged, The Juliette Society marks the start of a whole new generation of erotic fiction, designed to put women back on top. Perfect for fans of E.L. James’ Fifty Shades trilogy, lovers of Marina Anderson’s novels and erotic fiction readers everywhere.
The Juliette Society is out now in paperback, ebook (and will be available as an audio download this August.) You can also read an extract, find out what inspired the book, and hear Sasha Grey talking about The Juliette Society on her author page now.

Name:

Email address:

I'd like to find out more about women's fiction from Sphere

CLOSED: Win a copy of WARLORD, Angus Donald’s action-packed new Robin Hood adventure

Carleen Peters — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:50:15 +0000

To celebrate the paperback publication of Warlord, Angus Donald’s action-packed new Robin Hood adventure, we have five copies of the book to give away. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is complete the entry form below (being sure to read our full terms and conditions before you enter).

Part of the bestselling Outlaw Chronicles series, Warlord follows Robin Hood and Sir Alan Dale into battle beside Richard the Lionheart as he seeks to push back the forces of King Philip of France with all the brutal tactics of medieval warfare – siege, savagery and scorched earth – all while the two men are pursuing their own ends.

A completely unique take on the Robin Hood legend, packed with brutal battle scenes, fast-paced plotting and characters that leap off the page, the Outlaw Chronicles are a must if you are in the mood for a slice of quality historical adventure.

Warlord is available as a paperback and an ebook now.

Already devoured Warlord in hardback?

The next instalment in the Outlaw Chronicles, Grail Knight, is out in hardback and eBook on August 1st 2013. Pre-order your copy now.

Can’t wait that long for your Robin Hood fix? Why not download one of these three fantastic ebook short stories set in the world of the Outlaw Chronicles – perfect for existing fans of the series and newcomers alike.

Out Now

Coming Soon

Name:

Email address:

King Richard I of England
is also colloquially known as: Richard the Lionheart
Dicky the Dragonheart
Richard the Braveheart

Closed: Win a copy of IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE, the frank, funny and intimate autobiography of Duran Duran rock icon, John Taylor

Carleen Peters — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:00:04 +0000

Today we publish the paperback edition of IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE, the frank and compelling autobiography of Duran Duran's legendary bassist, John Taylor. To celebrate we have five copies to give away. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is complete the entry form below.

With Duran Duran, John Taylor created some of the greatest songs of our time. From the disco dazzle of debut single 'Planet Earth' right up to their latest number one album ‘All You Need is Now’, Duran Duran has always had the power to sweep the world onto its feet.

It's been a ride – and for John in particular, the ride has been wild, thrilling… and dangerous. Now, for the first time, he tells his incredible story – a tale of dreams fulfilled, lessons learned and demons conquered.

Told with humour, honesty and hard-won wisdom, and packed with exclusive pictures, IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE is a fascinating, irresistible portrait of a man who danced into the fire… and came through the other side. A must-read rock memoir for fans of Duran Duran and 80s pop culture.

IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE: Love, Death and Duran Duran is available to buy now.

Please read the full terms and conditions BEFORE you enter.

Name:

Email address:

Which of the following IS NOT
a Duran Duran song: Notorious
The Wild Boys
Gold
Ordinary World

WIN copies of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul for you AND your book club COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Sarah Shea — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:12:30 +0000

This competition is now closed.

To celebrate the publication of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez we're giving away eight advanced copies of the book for you and your book club friends!

This wonderful book is heart-warming and life-affirming in equal measure and will have you and your friends chatting away into the small hours. The story is inspired by the author's own life – Deborah Rodriguez lived and worked in Afghanistan and even owned a coffee shop in Kabul. You can find out more about her fascinating life here.

To enter, simply fill in the form below (don't forget to read our terms and conditions here first) – good luck!

Find out how to host your own Little Coffee Shop of Kabul book club here, with recipes from the book.

And here are some questions to get the debate going once you and your friends have read the book.

READING GROUP QUESTIONS

1. Who was your favourite character, and why?

2. Of all the characters in the story, who do you think was the most brave and/or inspiring?

3. A working title for this novel was The Seventh Dove. What does Halajan’s story about the doves mean, and why does it have such a strong effect on Sunny?

4. ‘Every character in the novel is hiding something.’ Do you agree with this statement? Discuss each character’s secrets and subterfuges.

5. Five women are at the heart of this novel. But what do you think of the representation of men?

6. Did anything surprise you about the portrayal of Yazmina and Halajan? What facets of their characters stood out for you?

7. What was the most shocking thing you learnt about life for women in Afghanistan?

Terms and conditions for Say You're Sorry review copies

Emma Williams — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:53:31 +0000

Get one of one hundred free copies of Say You're Sorry and see your review in print!

Closing date to apply: 25th April 2013

Closing date to supply your review: 23rd May 2013.

A selection of reader reviews and names will be printed on the cover of Say You're Sorry in paperback, Summer 2013.

Terms and conditions:

1. This competition is for one hundred people to win a free advance reading copy (not for sale) of Say You’re Sorry by Michael Robotham

2. The first one hundred people to email will receive copies in accordance with these terms and conditions

3. The Winners may see their entry posted on the Little, Brown, Tesco websites and possibly other websites and Twitter accounts.

4. There is no purchase necessary to enter.

5. The competition opens at 9.00am GMT on 28^th March 2013 and closes at 11.59 on 25th April 2013. Any entries received outside these specified times and dates will not be eligible for entry into the competition.

6. The competition is open to any UK residents aged 18 or over except employees of Little, Brown Book Group, Tesco or their families, or anyone professionally connected to the competition either themselves or through their families.

7. Only one entry per person allowed. Second or subsequent entries will be disqualified. Entries will not be accepted via agents, third parties or in bulk.

8. Little, Brown Book Group is not responsible for contacting or forwarding prizes to entrants who provide unclear or incomplete information or for entries lost, misdirected, delayed or destroyed.

9. Little, Brown Book Group reserves the right to alter the prizes or cancel the competition without notice. No cash alternatives to prizes will be provided.

10. Little, Brown Book Group will only use email addresses of the entrants, and the Winners’ postal addresses, in compliance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and in accordance with our privacy policy. The emails from the entrants, and from the Winner with their postal addresses (including any other record of the address), will be deleted respectively after the end on the competition and after the prize has been posted.

11. By entering the competition each entrant agrees to be bound by these terms and conditions.

12. This competition is being organised by Little, Brown Book Group.

WIN a free copy of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul – COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Sarah Shea — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:02:38 +0000

This competition is now closed.

On the 11th April 2013 we publish Deborah Rodriguez's fantastic new novel, The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, and to celebrate we're giving away advance reading copies to five lucky readers!

The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul is the perfect book club read, following the lives of five women as they come together and form a unique bond in one of the most dangerous places on earth.

SUNNY, the proud proprietor, who needs an ingenious plan – and fast – to keep her café and customers safe.

YAZMINA, a young pregnant woman stolen from her remote village and now abandoned on Kabul's violent streets.

CANDACE, a wealthy American who has finally left her husband for her Afghan lover, the enigmatic Wakil.

ISABEL, a determined journalist with a secret that might keep her from the biggest story of her life.

And HALAJAN, the sixty-year-old den mother, whose long-hidden love affair breaks all the rules.

As these five women discover there's more to one another than meets the eye, they form a unique bond that will for ever change their lives and the lives of many others.

To find out more about the book and read a Q&A with the author, click here, and to to host you very own Kabul coffee morning why not try these two fantastic recipes?

To enter simply send us your name and email address in the form below. Don't forget to check out our terms and conditions first, here.

Name:

Email address:

I would like to find out more about women’s fiction from Sphere

WIN! Tickets to see Rupert Everett in The Judas Kiss NOW CLOSED

Hollie Cruickshank — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:54:32 +0000

Rupert Everett is said to be ‘a supremely gifted writer’ (Sunday Times), ‘a literary star’ (Daily Telegraph) and ‘a sharp, witty observer’ (Express) – These quotes come from reviews of his new memoir Vanished Years, which recently won the prestigious Sheridan Morley prize. He is also a gifted actor and to celebrate the upcoming publication of the paperback, we are giving you the chance to win two tickets for yourself and a friend to see him in The Judas Kiss, now on at the Duke of York Theatre.

The tickets are for the performance on Friday 6 April. Rupert Everett plays Oscar Wilde in David Hare’s compelling drama of all-consuming love and betrayal.

For your chance to win this fantastic prize enter the form below and let us know who you think Rupert Everett was talking about in Vanished Years when he said:

"His delivery really was sheer Sid James. They could have been twins"

For full terms and conditions click here

Name:

Email:

Who was Rupert Everett talking about?:
Alan Sugar
Donald Trump
Anthony Hopkins

WIN a beginners sewing class for you and a friend plus a free copy of The Dressmaker! COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Sarah Shea — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:59:29 +0000

This competition is now closed.

Over the past few weeks the buzz has really been building around Kate Alcott's brilliant new novel, The Dressmaker, and today it finally hits the bookshops!

To celebrate publication we've teamed up with Saturday Sewing Session, who run a range of brilliant sewing classes, to offer one lucky winner and a friend the chance to attend one of their highly sought-after beginners classes in West London.

The Prize:

Take your pick from one of these fabulous beginners classes and learn to make your very own cushion, tote bag or pinnie. All classes at Saturday Sewing Session are held by trained experts who have passion, values and love for their craft. You will also receive two copies of The Dressmaker, one for you and one for your friend!
To enter simply fill out the form below, don't forget to read our terms and conditions first here.

To find out more about the book and to read an extract click here. To find out more about Saturday Sewing Sessions visit their website.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, is stunned at her luck when the famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon hires her to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. When disaster strikes, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat – her employer also survives. On dry land, savage rumours begin to circulate: did Lady Duff Gordon save herself at the expense of others?

Tess's dream of becoming a skilled dressmaker is within her grasp but now she is faced with a terrible choice. Suddenly she finds herself torn between loyalty to the fiery woman who could help her realise her ambitions and the devastating truth that her mentor may not be all she seems.

Authentic and honest, The Dressmaker is a compelling and vivid story that will have you holding your breath until the last page.

Entry Form:

Name:

Email address:

I would like to find out more about women’s fiction from Sphere

WIN a fabulous weekend break for two to celebrate Eloise publication day! NOW CLOSED

Hollie Cruickshank — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:00:50 +0000

There’s nothing stronger than a Mother’s Love…

And just in time for Mother’s day we’re thrilled to be publishing Judy Finnigan’s compelling and haunting debut novel Eloise in paperback. To celebrate we are giving one lucky person the chance to win a two night B&B break for two at the gorgeous Talland Bay Hotel in Cornwall, which features in the book.

The winner will be able to explore the beauty of Cornwall, which is the atmospheric setting for Eloise. Suffering after the death of her best friend Eloise, Cath begins to have disturbing dreams that imply her death was not all it seems. Cathy decides to explore Eloise's mysterious past, putting herself in danger as she finds herself drawn ever deeper into her friend's great – and tragic – secret.

For the chance to win this special prize just enter your details in the form below.

For full terms and conditions click here

Name:

Email address:

I would like to recieve email updates about women's fiction from Between the Sheets

Terms and Conditions for The Killing Room by Richard Montanari

Emma Williams — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:27:52 +0000

Dear Reader,

Many thanks for buying a copy of The Killing Room by Richard Montanari. We do hope you thoroughly enjoyed this thriller as we did. However if you didn't love it then here is how you can claim your money back.

HOW TO CLAIM:

N.B. Only claims containing all of the four elements listed below will be processed:

1) Your receipt proving purchase and amount paid.

Please ensure you are clear about where you purchased the book, when and at what price. We will refund purchase price and postage.

2) Your copy of the book, with the 'money back' sticker in place.

3) A letter stating why you don't agree with our statement.

We offer money back in good faith because we believe you will love this book. If you don't agree with us and therefore want to take advantage of this offer, then please tell us why, in writing, taking no less than 100 words, you ‘don’t love this book’. (We value your feedback, which is why we ask for the letter as well as the returned book).

4) Your full contact details, including your postal address. Your contact details will only use your details in compliance with Data Protection Act and in accordance with our privacy policy.

Please send your completed claim to the following address:

Att: The Killing Room Money Back Offer
Marketing Department
Little, Brown Book Group
100 Victoria Embankment
London
EC4Y ODY

If you have any queries please email: marketing@littlebrown.co.uk

Summary of Terms and Conditions:

1) The promoter will refund in full at purchase price and cover your postage costs.
2) You have 30 days from date of purchase to make your claim.
3) Only one claim per person. Any subsequent claims will be disqualified.
4) Open to all residents in the UK and Ireland aged 16 or over except employees of Little, Brown Book Group, their families, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the offer.
5) The returned book must contain the 'money back' sticker.
6) The Promoter is Little, Brown Book Group, 100 Victoria Embankment, London EC4Y 0DY. No retailer is responsible in any way for any refunds under this money-back offer.
7) Any details you provide will not be shared with other companies. Little, Brown Book Group will only use your details in compliance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and in accordance with our privacy policy

8) Closing date: 30th June 2013

WIN tickets to see J.K. Rowling at Bath Literature Festival

Felice Howden — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:51:28 +0000

Little, Brown Book Group are pleased to announce we will be giving away two pairs of tickets to see J.K. Rowling at the Bath Literature Festival on the 8th of March at 8pm.

J.K. Rowling will be appearing at The Forum at the Bath Literature Festival, talking about her first book for adults, A Casual Vacancy, at this event chaired by Bath Literature Festival Director James Runcie.

After the event J K Rowling will be signing copies of her new book for ticket holders only.

This competition is now closed.

WIN a copy of The Dressmaker COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Sarah Shea — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:05:03 +0000

This competition is now closed.

We're getting so excited about Kate Alcott's brilliant new novel, The Dressmaker, that we're giving away advanced reading copies to six lucky readers!

Authentic and honest, The Dressmaker is a compelling and vivid story that will have you holding your breath until the last page.

To find out more about the book and to read an extract click here.

To enter simply send us your name and email address in the form below. Don't forget to check out our terms and conditions first, here.

Name:

Email address:

Win: A copy of The Valentine's Card by Juliet Ashton! CLOSED

Carleen Peters — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:00:38 +0000

‘You’ll laugh and cry your way through this original and touching love story’
CLOSER (FOUR STARS)

‘A smart, funny and incredibly poignant novel about the power of love, laughter and friendship’
FABULOUS

‘A wonderfully written, enthralling novel that will pull at your heart strings and deepen your laughter lines. ’
Novelicious.com

‘Filled with mystery, intrigue and humour. The Valentine’s Card is definitely my recommended alternative Valentine read’
www.handwrittengirl.com

‘The parallels between this and P.S. I Love You are impossible to ignore, but the story is at the same time quite different (and, in my opinion, much better)…’
www.bookbag.co.uk

Praise is flooding in for The Valentine’s Card, the fabulous first novel from Juliet Ashton and we are so glad to hear that readers are loving this funny and uplifting novel as much as we do!

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we have six copies of this heart-warming tale of love, laughter, and starting over to giveaway.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is tell us about THE Valentine's Day experience that changed your life. To get you started Juliet Ashton has written this exclusive article on the Valentine's Day that changed her life.

It's the most romantic day of the year, and that's official. A day when even the most negligent, gormless male must man up and make with the roses. I'm a dyed in the wool romantic, always happy to sprint off on a mini-break, or coo at my beloved over a heart shaped sponge that only took eight hours and numerous swear words to create, but I find Valentine's Day daunting.

It's the pressure. Get it wrong and it will go down in history: couples with grandchildren still shudder at the memory of a 1985 chocolate heart that melted, or a card that didn't arrive on time. If one had the time and inclination to create a graph that showed the numbers of men hyperventilating in the red bra department of major stores, it would spike dramatically in early February.

What would Saint Valentine himself have made of all this? After extensive research (I Googled him) I have to report that there is tantalisingly little information about this beacon of romance. What I could discover was uninspiring – a third century bishop is not my idea of a dream dinner date. Furthermore, it seems that romance is not his only area of heavenly expertise. He's also the patron saint of bee keepers and the plague. Quite the multi-tasker.

I have something to thank Saint Valentine for. Not only do I now earn my living writing books about love in all its multi-coloured plumage (I owe the title of my current book to him, after all) but he procured me my first boyfriend.

John (not his real name) (oh alright I admit it, it is his real name) was head boy. He was captain of the rugby team. He was tipped to go to Oxford. He was tall, blue eyed, already a man, head and shoulders above the tittering boys of my sixth form.

I adored him. From afar. I thought I was being discreet but everybody, from the headmaster to the caretaker's cat, knew of my yearning. And crikey, a schoolgirl can yearn. I was yearning 24/7, with very little time left over for revision.

John didn't seem to notice me. Yearning away like flip, I was comfortable with this. Actually going out with him was too much to ask of the universe.

So I was gobsmacked when, at the Saint Valentine's Day disco, John asked me to dance. Then John kissed me. And John asked me to go to the cinema with him that Saturday.

When I came round, I said 'Yes' and the rest is history. Six weeks of history, to be precise, but a good six weeks, all in all.
I asked him, years later, when we were all grown up and Just Good Friends, why he'd asked me out when we obviously whatsoever had nothing in common and he replied "I loved that valentine's card you sent me. After that, I just had to see if it would work."

"Oh," I said. "I see."

I didn't tell him that I'd never sent him a Valentine's card.

That naughty old saint works overtime …

To enter, send your answers to betweenthesheets@littlebrown.co.uk with the subject line ‘The Valentine's Card competition’ by midnight on Thursday 21st February. Please be sure to include your full name, email address and telephone number in your email and don’t forget to read the full terms and conditions and our privacy policy before entering.

The Valentine's Card is available from all good bookshops now. You can read or listen to an extract from The Valentine's Card here. Find out more about what inspired the novel here. Or find Juliet Ashton on Twitter or Pinterest.

Prepare to lose yourself in the most intense, passionate love story you are ever likely to read . . .

Carleen Peters — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:12:02 +0000

We are hugely excited to be publishing The Secret of Ella and Micha! The ebook edition goes on sale today, with paperback to follow on April 11th. The first in a trilogy, The Secret of Ella and Micha and author Jessica Sorensen are already a massive hit in the US and we predict great things for both in the UK. With all the drama, intensity, angst and yes man candy of books like the Twilight saga (without the paranormal activity), The Secret of Ella and Micha is the perfect Valentine's Day present from you to you, guaranteed to have you hooked this Spring!

About the Book

Ella and Micha have been best friends since childhood, until one tragic night shatters their relationship and Ella decides to leave everything behind, including Micha, to start a new life at college.

But when the summer break forces her back home, what begins as a struggle to keep the past buried deep, fast turns into a life-changing love affair.

Utterly addictive, you can read an extract or download your ebook copy of The Secret of Ella and Micha now.

For more information on Jessica Sorensen and her New Adult books visit her Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaSorensensAdultContemporaryNovels

And don’t forget to join the conversation using #ellaandmicha

WIN a signed copy of Jenny Colgan's irresistible new book COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Sarah Shea — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:03:52 +0000

This competition is now closed.

We're offering you the chance to win one of five signed advance reading copies of Jenny Colgan's delicious new novel, The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris (released 14th March 2013).

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is answer the question and complete the entry form below, before the closing date of midnight BST on Monday 18th February.

Life is sweet in this heartwarming tale of a little chocolate shop in Paris, by the bestselling author of Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams and Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe.

As dawn breaks over the Pont Neuf, and the cobbled alleyways of Paris come to life, Anna Trent is already awake and at work; mixing and stirring the finest, smoothest, richest chocolate; made entirely by hand, it is sold to the grandes dames of Paris.

It's a huge shift from the chocolate factory she worked in at home in the north of England. But when an accident changed everything, Anna was thrown back in touch with her French teacher, Claire, who offered her the chance of a lifetime – to work in Paris with her former sweetheart, Thierry, a master chocolatier.

With old wounds about to be uncovered and healed, Anna is set to discover more about real chocolate – and herself – than she ever dreamed

Enter the competition:

Name:

Email address:

What is the first recipe in The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris:

I would like to receive email updates from Jenny Colgan

Top Tip: Go to Jenny's Facebook page to read an extract from The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris to find the answer! (The extract is best viewed on a desktop or laptop rather than mobile phone or tablet)

And don't forget to take a look at our terms and conditions first here!

New Little, Brown Book Group Website

Felice Howden — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:16:10 +0000

Little, Brown has unvieled a new website for news, information and upcoming books. To find information on all our latest book releases, author events, imprints, and read more about the team, please visit www.littlebrown.co.uk

You can also visit our newsletters page and sign up to keep up to date with the latest information, and create your own Little, Brown account.

When you create an account with us, you'll be able to save your favourite books, make a wishlist of upcoming titles, receive newsletters about books you'll love, get recommendations tailored to you and order our books directly.

Browse the Little, Brown Books

Have Your Self a Very Sexy Christmas

Carleen Peters — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:47:15 +0000

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops below freezing why not turn up the heat with one of our sizzling new novels from erotic fiction writer, Zara Devereux? Tis the season to be jolly, after all.

Perfect stocking fillers for fans of E.L. James’ Fifty Shades trilogy, lovers of Marina Anderson’s novels and the erotica uninitiated looking for an entry point to this new breed of women’s fiction, there are four irresistible titles to choose from, including Silken Bonds (Sphere) which offers a steamy Christmas twist, and three Piatkus Fiction paperbacks (all three of which are up for grabs in a saucy Crimbo competition over on PiatkusBooks.net now!) .

Beautifully packaged, unashamedly sexy and utterly addictive, which one will make your Christmas wish list?

Silken Bonds ( Sphere, paperback and ebook £7.99, OUT NOW)

Christmas is never a good time to break up with someone but Tamzin has had enough of Tim; he isn't man enough for her. Bored and frustrated, Tamzin agrees to attend a Christmas party hosted by a colleague, unaware of how out of hand things will get. Tamzin discovers startling things about her desires – and she wants to learn more.

When she hears about a very special hotel that caters for all tastes, Tamzin knows she must stay there. It is at Cheveral Court that Tamzin encounters Guy, a man like no other she's ever met before. Will he be the one to take her to the edge?

Velvet Touch (Piatkus, paperback £7.99, available to buy 20/12/12)
When Karen Heywood is offered a new job as assistant archivist, she hopes that the mysterious halls and old libraries of Blackwood Towers will finally reveal to her the inner strength and purpose she's spent her life searching for.

But as dark secrets and desires start to rise to the surface, Karen realises there's more to the job than she bargained for. Secrets that she craves to unravel – and only one man whose answers will set her free. Blackwood's mysterious owner, Lord Mallory Burnet . . . the same man who's starting to consume her every waking thought.

Wicked Ways (Piatkus, paperback £7.99 available to buy 20/12/12)

Beautiful and ambitious friends Kelly Adele and Judith Blake are thrilled when they are taken on as assistants in a rare bookshop. They soon find out, however, that the shop's owner, Adam Renald, likes to go to bed with more than just a good book.

Thrust into a world of passion, danger and discovery, Kelly and Judith accept an invitation to France and face a life-changing dilemma. Can they delve deeper into the intoxicating world they've glimpsed and ever turn back? And as the flames of passion burn brighter in the dark French chateau, the girls realise – would they ever want to . . . ?

Wild Silk (Piatkus, paperback £7.99 available to buy 20/12/12)
Merran Faulkner inherits her eccentric uncle's fortune, but there's one condition: as a world-famous explorer, it was his dying wish that she should travel to South America to search for a lost Inca treasure. Certainly not something the sheltered heiress had in mind for her next vacation.

But as Merran treks her way through the jungle, her uncle's artefact isn't her only new discovery. Meeting the mysterious Don Miguel, Merran's Amazonian adventure becomes so much more than her uncle's will ever entailed. And as Merran gets to know Don, with his temptingly exotic ways, suddenly the wild side she's tried so desperately hard to hide wants to come out and play . . .

Winners Announced: From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually Treasure Hunt Runners-Up Competition

Carleen Peters — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:16:55 +0000

A massive thank you to all of the Ali McNamara fans who entered last month’s runner-up competition to win a signed copy of From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually. Congratulations to the following lucky winners who have been chosen at random from all correct answers received:

Tina Lawton
Sarah-Jane Laycock
Andrea Woodward

Winners, please email us at betweenthesheets@littlebrown.co.uk detailing the address you’d like you book sent to.

For those of you not lucky enough to win this time, there is still a fantastic From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually Christmas prize for two to be won over on the Tesco Books Blog. Less than a week left to enter so what are you waiting for?

You can also read an extract or listen to an extract from the book online now!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest! From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to buy in paperback, as an eBook and an audio download now.

WIN a fabulous signed copy of Pudsey’s Autobidography COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Sarah Shea — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:19:30 +0000

This competition is now closed. Last week Pudsey the dog performed in front of the Queen herself at the Royal Variety Show, and now we’re giving you the chance to win a very special signed copy of his Autobidography. This charming shaggy dog story will make the perfect Christmas gift for dog lovers everywhere!

You’d be barking mad not to enter, so simply fill in your details below to be entered into the prize draw.

Take a look at our terms and conditions first, here.

As a young pup, Pudsey always knew he was somehow different to his dog-standard peers. While his brothers and sisters contented themselves with chasing their tails, he sat apart, yearning for something more. With the help of the menagerie of pets that fill the Butler household and despite some dastardly opposition threatening to stop him at every turn, Pudsey managed to achieve his dream. This Autobidography tells the story of his incredibly journey, straight from the dog's mouth.

Out Now: From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually! (Plus Three Great Chance to Win!)

Carleen Peters — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:46:28 +0000

Today we publish From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually, the hotly-anticipated sequel to Ali McNamara’s sparkling debut novel From Notting Hill with Love . . . Actually. Jam-packed with sparkling romance, and movie themed fun, it is the perfect winter read for existing Ali McNamara fans and can also be enjoyed as a standalone novel by newcomers to Ali’s books!

To celebrate publication we have not one, not two, but three fantastic chances for you to win a copy of the book and other great From Notting Hill to New York themed prizes!

Firstly we are extremely pleased to announce the winner of the From Notting Hill to New York Treasure Hunt. Congratulations to Elena Nickson who correctly guessed our scrambled up phrase which was ‘Let’s hear it for New York!’ A sentiment we feel rings particularly true as the great city picks itself up in the sad aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Elena Nickson wins a signed copy of every single book Ali has written, including the brand new From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually.

Secondly – we are also offering three runners-up the chance to win a signed copy of From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually. All you have to do is correctly identify the New York themed song which our treasure hunt phrase came from. We’ll give you a small clue – it’s fairly modern. Answers in the comments box below and we will pick our winners at random. For full terms see here.

Lastly we have teamed up with Tesco to offer one lucky Ali McNamara fan the chance to win a VIP shopping weekend in London, complete with money to spend at Tiffany & Co (which features heavily in the book), and a chauffeur to drive all those shopping bags around! Head on over to the Tesco Book Blog now to find out how you can be in with a chance of winning.

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio download.

You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of From Notting Hill to New York themed fun visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 6.

Carleen Peters — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:00:02 +0000

Today is the last day of our online treasure hunt in celebration of the brand new Ali McNamara novel, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually (out tomorrow!)

For the last two weeks we have been letting you in on some top From Notting Hill New York themed fun and at the end of each post we have been leaving you a one word CLUE, to a line from a famous New York themed song. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually plus signed copies of all of Ali McNamara’s other Little, Brown bestsellers, is collect all of the clues, put them in the right order and email the phrase they spell to: betweenthesheets@littlebrown.co.uk with From Notting Hill to New York Treasure Hunt in the subject line (and including your full name, email address and telephone number in your email.) You have until midnight tonight (Wednesday 21st November 2012) to enter. The winner will be announced here tomorrow (Thursday 22nd November).

TODAY’S FUN FACTS:

We love free stuff! Today’s fun facts feature a rundown of Ali McNamara’s three favourite free things to do in NYC!

Central Park

A wonderful place and one of my favourite areas to go in the city. There’s so much to see here, be prepared to spend a whole day if necessary – it’s so big! But if you’re in a hurry, here are some key places:
• The famous tree lined Mall – you’ll recognise it straight away from numerous movies and TV shows
• The Bethesda Fountain, with the Angel of the Waters on top, serenely watching down over Central Park
• Strawberry Fields, the quiet area of the park dedicated to the memory of the late John Lennon

The Brooklyn Bridge

Walk the bridge to Brooklyn and back! Or walk one way and get the subway back the other. Worth it for the glorious views over the East River! Look for the Padlocks while you’re on the bridge . . . you’ll find a full explanation in the book in case you’re reading this first ;-)

Grand Central Station

Or to give it its correct name, Grand Central Terminal. You will never look at another train station in quite the same way after you’ve spent time gazing around at the opulent interiors and up at the crystal chandeliers of Grand Central!

TODAY’S CLUE: HEAR

For those who missed the first five clues you can still find them here, here, here, here and here. Don’t forget to read the full terms and conditions before entering!

Good luck!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of From Notting Hill to New York themed fun visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to pre-order in paperback and ebook now and will be available to buy as an audio download from iTunes and Audible on November 22nd.

You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 5.

Carleen Peters — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:00:51 +0000

To celebrate publication of the brand new Ali McNamara novel, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually (available for pre-order now) we have launched our very own online treasure hunt.

In the lead up to publication on Thursday 22nd November, we will be letting you in on some top From Notting Hill to New York themed fun, facts and trivia and at the end of each post we will be leaving you a one word CLUE. When put together the clues make up a line from a famous New York themed song. To win a signed copy of From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually plus signed copies of all of Ali McNamara’s other Little, Brown bestsellers, simply collect all of the clues, put them in the right order and email the phrase they spell to: betweenthesheets@littlebrown.co.uk with From Notting Hill to New York Treasure Hunt in the subject line by midnight on Wednesday 21st November 2012. Please be sure to include your full name, email address and telephone number in your email, and don’t forget to read the full terms and conditions before entering. The winner will be announced here on Thursday 22nd November.

TODAY’S FUN FACTS:
Ali McNamara went on the research trip of a lifetime when writing From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually. Today we are sharing her top tips for things to do when visiting the great city.

• The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (sit on the right side of the boat for the best views going over!)

• The Empire State Building – do this one first thing on a clear sunny day if you can, and then ‘Top of the Rock’ at night (or the other way around, but the view over NYC at night is not to be missed!)

• The Met Museum – the impressionist paintings are amazing!

All these (plus some others) come under the New York City Pass – best value for seeing all the main attractions.

TODAY’S CLUE: LET’S

For those who missed the first four clues you can find them here, here, here and here. Stay tuned to the BtweentheSheets Facebook Fanpage and Twitter feed for alerts on your next clue!

Happy hunting and good luck!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of From Notting Hill to New York themed fun visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to pre-order in paperback and ebook now and will be available to buy as an audio download from iTunes and Audible on November 22nd.

You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 4.

Carleen Peters — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 11:00:41 +0000

To celebrate publication of the brand new Ali McNamara novel, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually (available for pre-order now) we have launched our very own online treasure hunt.

TODAY’S FUN FACTS:

Yesterday we spoke about the movies themselves, now we are focusing on the real life locations featured in our favourite NYC movies. Know any which aren’t included below? Let us know!

• Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side, that scene from When Harry Met Sally was shot there!

• Café Lallo on the Upper West Side is the café in You’ve Got Mail where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are on their very confused blind date.

• The top of the Empire State Building is of course featured at the end of Sleepless in Seattle.

• The Big Piano in FAO Schwarz is in the movie Big.

• Tiffany’s on Fifth Avenue was made famous by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

• And from Serendipity, the Woolman Rink and the Serendipity3 restaurant itself (see Ali McNamara’s top tips for NYC eats for more info!)

TODAY’S CLUE: FOR

For those who missed the first three clues you can find them here, here and here. Stay tuned to the BtweentheSheets Facebook Fanpage and Twitter feed for alerts on your next clue!

Happy hunting and good luck!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of From Notting Hill to New York themed fun visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to pre-order in paperback and ebook now and will be available to buy as an audio download from iTunes and Audible on November 22nd.

You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

WIN a set of three fabulous and festive reads COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Emma Williams — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 11:36:19 +0000

The fireworks are fading into the distance, the clocks have gone back, Christmas is fast approaching and it's really quite cold, so we have pulled together five sets of gorgeous seasonal reads to warm you to the very cockles of your hearts!

With something for everyone these novels are perfect for the long winter nights. So snuggle up under the duvet, grab a nice mug of tea or glass of wine, and let us whisk you away from the hectic frenzy of Christmas preparations!

To win a set simply enter your details below, taking a look at our terms and conditions first here.

With Love at Christmas by Carole Matthews

Carole's delightful winter-warmer asks the question: can the imperfect family really have the perfect Christmas?

Juliet Joyce adores Christmas. She loves the presents, the tree, the turkey, the tinsel, everything. Already the festive spirit is upon her, which is just as well as this Christmas things are starting to get out of hand…

From Notting Hill to New York by Ali McNamara

The perfect read for newcomers and existing Ali McNamara fans alike, this hotly-anticipated sequel to McNamara’s sparkling debut novel, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is another dose of pure fiction pleasure with a fun film-themed hook.

Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan

Simply bursting with delicous recipes, romance and fun, Jenny's sparkly and sugar-fuelled new hardback will delight you and your friends.

This December, Cupcake Cafe owner Issy will have to rely on all her reserves of courage, good nature and cinnamon, to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas, one way or another when her boyfriend gets an unexpected call to work overseas and the Christmas rush starts to take its toll…

Enter

Name:

Email address:

Sign up to our women's fiction newsletter

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 3

Carleen Peters — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 11:00:35 +0000

To celebrate publication of the brand new Ali McNamara novel, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually (available for pre-order now) we have launched our very own online treasure hunt.

TODAY’S FUN FACTS:

From Notting Hill protagonist Scarlett is absolutely addicted to romantic films, so today it’s all about NYC themed movies. Here is a short list of Ali McNamara’s favs to get you in an Empire State of Mind . . .

Of course we could go on and on! What are your favourites?

TODAY’S CLUE: NEW

For those who missed the first and second clues you can find them here and here. Stay tuned to the BtweentheSheets Facebook Fanpage and Twitter feed for alerts on your next clue!

Happy hunting and good luck!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of From Notting Hill to New York themed fun visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to pre-order in paperback and ebook now and will be available to buy as an audio download from iTunes and Audible on November 22nd.

You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 2.

Carleen Peters — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:12:24 +0000

To celebrate publication of the brand new Ali McNamara novel, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually (available for pre-order now) we have launched our very own online treasure hunt.

TODAY’S FUN FACTS:
Manhattan is notorious for its fabulous food and today we will be sharing with you some of Ali McNamara’s top NYC restaurant tips.

Best Pizza: John’s Pizzeria, 260 West 44th Street. Great pizza in elegant surroundings.
Best Burgers: Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. Get there early though, or the queues will be long . . . but it’s worth it for their milkshakes alone. I had the Fair Shake – delicious!!
Best Coffee: There’s a Starbucks on virtually every street, but go where the locals go: Stumptown on 29th & Broadway. Hang out with the cool dudes on their laptops, or just sit and chill out with native New Yorkers!
Best Breakfast: They actually claim to be the ‘The Busiest & Best Breakfast in New York’ and their pancakes definitely live up to that mighty statement. It’s the Pershing Square Cafe just opposite Grand Central Terminal.
And if you love the movie Serendipity, or even if you don’t, you must go to Serendipity3 on 60th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues) for their frozen hot chocolate! Heaven through a straw!

Hungry for more on NYC culinary delights? Head on over to the author’s website where – for eight days only – New York cuisine goes head to head with Notting Hill fodder in a From Notting Hill to New York Culinary Challenge… today you'll also find more on one of the restaurants featured in today's fun fact!

TODAY’S CLUE: IT

For those who missed the first clue you can find it here. Stay tuned to the BtweentheSheets Facebook Fanpage and Twitter feed for alerts on your next clue!

Happy hunting and good luck!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of From Notting Hill to New York themed fun visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to pre-order in paperback and ebook now and will be available to buy as an audio download from iTunes and Audible on November 22nd.

You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far!

Carleen Peters — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:00:10 +0000

To celebrate publication of the brand new Ali McNamara novel, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually (available for pre-order now), we are launching a very special competition!

In From Notting Hill to New York we join movie-lover Scarlett O’Brien as she embarks on the trip of a lifetime with best friend Oscar. Along the way Scarlett gets caught up in an exciting quest to discover the origins of an O’Brien family heirloom. So, in keeping with this treasure hunt theme, we are inviting you to join us on an online treasure hunt of your own!

Over the next two weeks we will be letting you in on some top From Notting Hill to New York-themed fun facts and trivia. And, importantly, at the end of each post we will be leaving you a one word CLUE. When put together, the clues make up a line from a famous New York themed song. To win a signed copy of From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually, plus signed copies of all of Ali McNamara’s other Little, Brown bestsellers, simply collect all of the clues, put them in the right order and email the phrase to: betweenthesheets@littlebrown.co.uk, with ‘From Notting Hill to New York Treasure Hunt’ in the subject line, by midnight on Wednesday 21st November 2012. Please be sure to include your full name, email address and telephone number in your email, and don’t forget to read the full terms and conditions before entering. The winner will be announced here on Thursday 22nd November.

TODAY’S FUN FACT:
In preparation for her trip to NYC, Scarlett O’Brien spends days listening to her very own NYC soundtrack. To get yourself in the From Notting Hill to New York mood, why not immerse yourself in some of the tracks she listened to!

TODAY’S CLUE: York

Stay tuned to the BtweentheSheets Facebook Fanpage and Twitter feed for alerts on your next clue!

Happy hunting and good luck!

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of From Notting Hill to New York themed fun visit the a uthor's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to pre-order in paperback and ebook now and will be available to buy as an audio download from iTunes and Audible on November 22nd.

You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

WIN an eReader with TheCrimeVault.com

Felice Howden — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:02:18 +0000

On 1st December 2012 Little, Brown Book Group are massively excited to be launching our new home for crime and thriller ebooks online: The Crime Vault

Our aim is to bring fans the very best crime fiction from around the world, offering a range of titles from bestselling authors like Mark Billingham, Val McDermid and Patricia Cornwell, to hot new talent not previously published in the UK.

The idea is that all these great ebooks will be housed in one, easy to browse, place. Because The Crime Vault has been designed by passionate crime readers we have included special extras like lists of series in order, and we'll have exclusive material from authors and a weekly recommended read too.

You can follow us on twitter for all our latest news here:

And sign up to The Crime Vault mailing list to be in the running to win an ereader

The crime vault will be unlocked on 1st December

WIN a signed copy of The Bone Bed by Patricia Cornwell COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Emma Williams — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:48:47 +0000

This competition is now closed.

Did you miss Patricia Cornwell on her visit to the UK for publication of her brand new thriller The Bone Bed?

Don't panic! We managed to get an extra five copies of The Bone Bed signed by the lady herself to give away to you, her fans. A signed hardback is a book to be savoured by you, or it might be the perfect Christmas present for crime-reading friends and family. Either way this is a great opportunity to get your hands on one great thriller.

Simply fill in the form below to enter this prize draw. For full terms and conditions see here.

Enter

Name:

Email address:

Sign me up for the Crime & Thriller newsletter

The Bone Bed is Patricia Cornwell's 20th Scarpetta thriller, and one many readers are calling her best yet! Read it and tell us what you think #Thebonebed

A woman has vanished while digging a dinosaur bone bed in the remote wilderness of Canada. Somehow, the only evidence has made its way to the inbox of Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, over two thousand miles away in Boston. She has no idea why.
But as events unfold with alarming speed, Scarpetta begins to suspect the paleontologist's disappearance is connected to a series of crimes much closer to home: a gruesome murder, inexplicable tortures, and trace evidence from the last living creatures of the dinosaur age.
When she turns to those around her, Scarpetta finds that the danger and suspicion have penetrated even her closest circles. Her niece Lucy speaks in riddles. Her lead investigator Pete Marino and FBI husband Benton Wesley have secrets of their own. Feeling alone and betrayed, Scarpetta is tempted by someone from her past as she tracks a killer both cunning and cruel.

Read an Extract from the fabulous new Ali McNamara novel!

Carleen Peters — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:33:28 +0000

Can’t wait till Christmas? Then why not curl up and read or listen to an extract from the brand new Ali McNamara novel?

The hotly-anticipated sequel to Ali’s sparkling debut novel and publishing just in time for Christmas, From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually promises to be another dose of pure fiction pleasure with a fun film-themed hook. It is the perfect winter read for existing Ali McNamara fans and can also be enjoyed as a standalone novel by newcomers to Ali’s books.

In McNamara’s latest novel we catch-up with movie-lover Scarlett O’Brien as she embarks on the trip of a lifetime with best friend Oscar. Along the way they discover famous New York landmarks, make many new friends (including sailors in town for Fleet Week, a famous film star, and Jamie & Max, a TV reporter and cameraman), discover the origins of an O’Brien family heirloom and of course get into all kinds of hilarious film-themed scrapes. You can read an extract or listen to an extract online now!

Consider this an early Christmas present from us to you and don’t forget to nab your full copy of From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually when it hits bookshops on November 22nd. For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of New York themed fun visit the author's Tumblr now. You can also find Ali on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually is available to pre-order in paperback and ebook now and will be available to buy as an audio download from iTunes and Audible on November 22nd. Ali’s debut novel, From Notting Hill with Love . . . Actually is also available to buy for the first time as an audio download now! Listen to a snippet of the first chapter here.

Prepare to be scared senseless by Possessed, the brand new novel from Niki Valentine

Carleen Peters — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:00:41 +0000

A talented young musician is pushed to the very brink of her sanity by the students at her prestigious new music school, in the second nerve-shattering psychological thriller from Niki Valentine.

Another fantastically written, completely mesmerising and of course truly terrifying new thriller with hints of Oscar-nominated film Black Swan, Possessed is the perfect Halloween read for fans of psychological thrillers with a spooky twist.

To celebrate publication we have five copies of the book to giveaway to get you into the spirit of the season! To enter simply fill in the form below, making sure you've read our Terms and Conditions first.

Possessed is available from all good bookshops now. You can also read an exclusive article from author Niki Valentine, on the inspirations behind The Doll's House, the eBook exclusive prequel to Possessed which is also available now.

Entry Form

Name:

Email:

Who plays the Black Swan in the Oscar-nominated film of the same name:

Natalie Portman

Mila Kunis

Winona Ryder

WIN a bewitching read this Halloween COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Emma Williams — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:59:11 +0000

This competition is now closed.

As Halloween approaches we have decided to treat (no trickery here!) five lucky winners to an early reading copy of The Salem Witch Society by K N Shields. Not published in paperback until January next year, you can be one of the first people in the UK to read this creepy and gripping debut, inspired by the real Salem Witch Trials.

To enter this prize draw simply fill in your details in the form below. Closing date midnight 31st October.

Entry Form

Name:

Email address:

Salem, New England, many dark nights ago.
And the most gripping witch hunt in history is about to begin…

A young woman is found savagely murdered, a pitchfork thrust through her neck, her body arranged in the shape of a star: the death pose of a witch. Someone – or something – is reviving the terror of the notorious Salem Witch hunts. And only one man – a brilliant, eccentric loner with a dazzling mind and a fascination with witchcraft – can keep the evils of the past at bay.

Rich in history, mystery, and witchcraft, The Salem Witch Society is a twisting, terrifying thriller that will keep you up all night.

Tell us what you think #Salemwitch

Author Vanessa Greene introduces the characters in The Vintage Teacup Club

Madeleine Feeny — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:05:19 +0000

Hi, I’m Vanessa Greene, the author of The Vintage Teacup Club – and I’d like to introduce you to our three leading ladies in the novel.

Jenny, Maggie and Alison are strong women from different backgrounds, with a shared love of car boot sales and delicate vintage teasets. Together, over the course of a summer, their friendship brings laughter, warmth, and the strength to cope with what life throws at them.

The women are all inspired by beautiful things – willowy redhead Maggie runs her own flower shop, hardworking mum Alison crafts cushions and teacup candles, and Jenny is planning her own wedding on a shoestring, with plenty of vintage touches. I want to show you the women through the things that they love, with hints of their dreams, hopes and fears – so take a look at the moodboards below to see for yourself:

View the board online

To hear more about The Vintage Teacup Club, follow me on Twitter @VanessaGbooks or come and say Hi on my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/VanessaGreeneBooks or on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/vanessavintaget/

The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa Greene was published by Sphere as a paperback original and in eBook on the 11th October 2012, £6.99

Announcing the Winner of the ‘Write Your Own Ending To Molly Hopkins’ It Happened at Boot Camp’ competition!

Carleen Peters — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:37:58 +0000

This summer we offered Molly Hopkins fans and aspiring women’s fiction writers everywhere the chance to ‘write their own ending’ to It Happened at Boot Camp, the interactive digital download novella from Molly Hopkins, author of the It Happened series. (Available from online retailers now for just 99p.)

The team here at Little, Brown and author Molly Hopkins spent a long time deliberating and we are really pleased to announce that our competition winner has been chosen! Step forward Bronagh McAteer, whose fantastically funny and wonderfully written entry had us all chuckling at our computer screens!

You can read Bronagh’ s winning entry here! Or find out more about her over on her blog.

About the book
In this eBook exclusive novella, tour guide extraordinaire Evie Dexter and her flirtatious, man –addicted best friend Lulu face the ultimate single-girl challenge – giving up men for two whole weeks! Holed up at a man-free military-style boot camp in the boringly beautiful English countryside, just how long can the pair stick it out?

You decide!

A commercial women’s fiction first, It Happened at Boot Camp is an interactive novella with three different delectable endings allowing you to choose what happens to your favourite tour-guide heroine and her man-addicted best friend!

The perfect quick read for both existing Molly Hopkins fans and anyone looking for a fun flirty quick read, you can download for just 99p and enjoy now!

To find out more about Molly Hopkins' books visit her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Out Today: The Vintage Teacup Club

Carleen Peters — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:14:04 +0000

Over the past few weeks the buzz has really been building around Vanessa Greene’s debut novel The Vintage Teacup Club and today it hits bookshops!

To celebrate publication we teamed up with I Made It Myself, who run fun, contemporary craft workshops in West London to offer one lucky winner the chance to attend I Made it Myself’s vintage jewellery making workshop on the evening of 17th October.

Congratulations to Natalie Abergel, our first prize winner, who has won a ticket for the jewellery making workshop and a copy of The Vintage Teacup Club for herself and a friend.

Congratulations also to our three runners up Debra Mandel , Julia Wulff, and Scott Walliss who have each won a copy of this autumn must-read.

The Vintage Teacup Club is available to buy in paperback and eBook now. You can whet your appetite with this extract and these fantastic reader reviews or find out more about the author on Facebook and Twitter.

To find out more about I Made it Myself visit them on Facebook or Twitter. To hear what people have to say about the fantastic workshops I Made it Myself have to offer, check out the Testimonials page on their website.

Mark Billingham appearing in London

Felice Howden — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 10:06:33 +0000

Best-selling crime author Mark Billingham will be appearing in London at the Kensington Central Library at a FREE event on the 6th of November to discuss the first book in his Tom Thorne series (and inspiration for the 2010 TV drama), Sleepyhead. The Tom Thorne series is set unmistakably in London and Mark has come to be synonymous with the capital’s best crime writing, which makes this the perfect book to launch the new London Triborough Library services online reading group – Text Tribe.

The event is taking place at 6:30pm at Kensington Central Library, where Mark will be discussing the inspiration for the book and signing copies afterwards. Refreshments will be provided. Tickets are free, however these should be reserved in advance through the Text Tribe website.

In the countdown to the event, Text Tribe will be giving away free copies of Sleepyhead , so stay tuned to their website and follow Text Tribe on Twitter for your chance to win a copy for Mark to sign on the night.

Win a Limited Edition boxed proof of 'Live By Night' by Dennis Lehane

Felice Howden — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:48:52 +0000

We are incredibly excited to announce the publication this week of Dennis Lehane’s magnificent new novel, Live By Night – the epic and thrilling story of the rise of Joe Coughlin, from small-time thief to one of America’s most feared and respected gangsters.

To celebrate the publication of Live By Night, we are offering readers the chance to win five extremely limited edition boxed proofs of the book, including exclusive poster. These highly collectable items are not available anywhere else and will be a must-have for all fans.

For a chance to win, just answer the following question correctly.

Name:

Email address:

Which of these Dennis Lehane novels has not been made into a film: The Given Day
Mystic River
Gone Baby Gone

The closing date for entries is Friday 12th October and the winners will be announced the week after. Good luck!

For terms and conditions, see here.

Win: A Vintage Jewellery Making Workshop For You and a Friend. Plus a Copy of Autumn Must-Read!

Carleen Peters — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:42:37 +0000

In exactly six days we publish The Vintage Teacup Club, the wonderful debut novel from Vanessa Greene.

An uplifting tale of life and love, careers and families, and a friendship forged over a very special set of vintage teacups, we have been overwhelmed by all the positive responses we have already received for the book. Praise has been flooding in from women’s fiction bestsellers Trisha Ashley and Carole Mathews, to book bloggers, to completely impartial readers alike. One thing everyone agrees on is that Vanessa Greene’s debut is heart-warming fiction at its very best – the perfect autumn read for vintage and crafts enthusiasts, fans of authors like Elizabeth Noble and anyone looking for something cosy and satisfying.

To celebrate publication of The Vintage Teacup Club we’ve teamed up with I Made It Myself, who run fun, contemporary craft workshops in West London. We are offering one lucky winner the chance to attend I Made it Myself’s signature (and highly sought after) vintage jewellery workshop on the evening of 17th October.

The Prize:

First Prize

One lucky winner will receive tickets to attend the I Made it Myself jewellery making workshop plus a copy ofThe Vintage Teacup Club for themselves and one friend.

During the 2 hour class, the winner and their friend will be guided through key jewellery techniques and enjoy choosing from a treasure trove of vintage pearls, charms and chains to create a unique and bespoke necklace or bracelet which they can keep at the end of the class. And in keeping with the book, tea and cake is served in vintage china along the way!

For further details on the workshop please visit imadeitmyself.co.uk/workshops

Runners-Up
Three equally lucky runners-up will receive a copy of the book.

For your chance to win, simply complete the form below, making sure you have read our full terms and conditions.

The Vintage Teacup Club is published as an eBook and paperback on October 11th. To find out more about Vanessa Greene, visit her Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed. You can also read an extract from The Vintage Teacup Club online.

Entry Form

This competition is now closed. Winners will be contacted at the email address they used to enter the competition in due course.

Name:

Email address:

Afternoon Tea is typically associated with which country?: England France America

I would like to find out more about women’s fiction from Sphere

I would like to sign up to the I Made It Myself newsletter

Historical fiction bestseller Elizabeth Chadwick imagines the 1212 Olympic Games

Carleen Peters — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:44:05 +0000

Last month, the UK played host to the Olympic Games, one of the biggest sporting events in the world! During this time Sphere published the paperback edition of Elizabeth Chadwick's brand new novel, Lady of the English. Renowned for her vivid characterisation, richly imagined locations and impeccable research we caught up with Elizabeth Chadwick to find out what sporting feats some of her characters might have gotten up to. You can read an extract from her fascinating article below.

With all the Olympic sporting activity that has been going on in the UK over the summer, I thought it might be interesting to look at some medieval sports that would have been known to the people I write about in the twelfth century, and specifically one of my favourite men – William Marshal.

I expect that if William Marshal were alive today, he'd be a dead cert for a gold medal in the modern pentathlon. We know he was a superlative horseman and his massive success on the tourney circuit speaks of great fitness, strength, and hand-eye coordination, not to mention motivation and competitive drive.

Rather like in the modern pentathlon where athletes are given a horse they have never met before and are expected to ride it round a show-jumping course, William, as a young knight, was given a horse that no one else wanted because it was too wild to handle. William was expected to ride the stallion at a tournament soon after receiving it.

William was also famous for his success at a game known as ‘Throwing the stone’. We don't know entirely what this entailed, but it seems to have involved throwing stones of different weights as far as one could as a display of strength, and may have been slightly similar to today’s shotput. Stone throwing is still a competition event in Switzerland, and in the Middle Ages there is a record of stone-throwing contests in Zürich, where the stones weighed in at 15, 30 and 50lbs.

Other sports that the Middle Ages would have known in some form or other include wrestling, archery, fencing (swordplay in the earlier Middle Ages) and weight lifting. Team sports such as football existed too, but were very much in their infancy and without rules that we would recognise today: for example, there was no limit to the number of players in a team and at one stage in the Middle Ages, football, together with hockey, was banned in 1363 by Edward III. (Football had already been banned from being played in London by its mayor in 1314. Can you imagine Boris Johnson doing that today!) However with the progression of centuries, it gained ground – and rules – and became an established popular sport, currently part of the Olympic canon.

A sport that William Marshal would have known about and that might be fun to introduce into the Olympics is water jousting. The sport involves placing a shield on a post in a fast-flowing current. Then a team rows towards it hell for leather with one member standing in the prow with a lance. He must try and strike the shield dead centre without falling in the water or capsizing himself and his companions. It sounds like a good spectator sport, but I’m not sure I’d want to actually take part!

You can read the full article here.

William Marshal and the Marshal family are the thrilling subject of five Elizabeth Chadwick novels (A Place Beyond Courage, The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, The Time of Singing and To Defy a King). The first three Marshal books: A Place Beyond Courage, The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion are available now in a stunning new livery.

Win tickets to see J.K. Rowling at Cheltenham Literature Festival

Felice Howden — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:26:25 +0000

To celebrate the launch of her first novel for adults, The Casual Vacancy, J. K. Rowling is appearing at The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday 6th October in conversation with writer and broadcaster James Runcie, followed by a book signing.

We are offering two winners a pair of tickets each to the event. Please complete the form below to enter. The competition is open until 3rd October at 3pm when winners will be drawn at random.

This competition is now closed. Thanks to all who entered, winners will be contacted shortly.

Please note: travel costs and accommodation are not included in the prize. Please see our full terms and conditions for details.

How to host your very own Kabul coffee morning

Hollie Cruickshank — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 14:21:29 +0000

The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul ebook is currently £2.99 for a limited time only. This is the perfect book club read following the lives of five women as they come together and form a unique bond in one of the most dangerous places on earth.

It's the perfect excuse to get your friends together and discuss this touching story. To help you host your very own Kabul coffee morning why not try these two fantastic recipes, one by the author herself?

Chococino Coffee
by Deborah Rodriguez

One 500ml glass filled with ice
Two shots of milk chocolate syrup
Two shots of espresso
Fill glass with milk and blend until smooth.

Delicate Afghan Butter Cookies
by Humaira Ghilzai and Katie Morford

¾ cup butter (1½ sticks), softened to room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 egg whites
2 cups white rice flour
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
¼ cup shelled whole pistachios
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy.
Add the egg whites and mix until smooth. Gradually add the rice
flour, cardamom and chopped pistachios. Mix well. Scoop up a
tablespoon of dough and set on a baking tray (ungreased is OK).
Flatten the dough with the palm of your hand. Next, press the back
of a fork into the dough, making a criss-cross with the tines of the
fork (like you would with a peanut butter cookie). If the fork begins
to stick, dip it in a glass of cold water from time to time. Place a
pistachio in the centre of the cookie. Continue with the remainder
of the dough, setting the cookies 1½ inches apart.

Bake for 12–14 minutes until just a hint of colour appears around
the bottom. Cool before eating.

For links to the ebook retailers and to read an extract click here

Stolen Passion — OUT NOW

Carleen Peters — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:09:25 +0000

Stolen Passion, the first ever ebook exclusive short story from bestselling saga author Catherine King is published today. Judging by the fantastic responses we got to our pre-publication announcement, we aren't the only ones excited!

A heart-rending tale of class divides and a passionate love affair that is determined to survive against all odds, set against the backdrop of 1800s Yorkshire, Stolen Passion is the must-read saga short for existing fans of Catherine King, readers of historical sagas and those wanting to give the genre a try for the very first time.

To whet your appetite why not enjoy this exclusive guest post from author, Catherine King, on writing her first ever mini saga.

You can order your copy of Stolen Passion for just 99p from Amazon and iTunes now! To find out more about the author visit her website or follow her on Twitter. You can also read a first chapter extract from the short story online.

Stealing Time for Stolen Passion by Catherine King

When my editor asked me write a short story to publish as an ebook I had started to write my next novel and didn’t want to be distracted. Also my story ideas were usually novel-length ones and finding an idea for a short story, for me, was difficult. However, I had invented numerous characters in my books and some had stories to tell outside the novel they inhabited. I had thought, often, of writing one of these stories and my editor had presented me with a perfect opportunity.

Ellen is a minor but important character in my early twentieth century novel The Secret Daughter. I had the back story of her life before the book opens already sketched out in my preparation for that novel. As those late nineteenth century years were not included in the book I took a closer look and realised that a turning point in Ellen’s life took place in 1897, the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. As I write this it is 2012, our own Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee year, and it seemed fitting that I should write a story including some of the equivalent Victorian celebrations. The more I thought about this, the more I knew I had to tell Ellen’s story from when she arrived as an ambitious young parlour maid at Redfern Abbey in Yorkshire. My current novel was moved to one side and I embarked on Stolen Passion.

Formerly, I had expressed doubts at my editor’s suggestion of writing ten thousand words, thinking that was very long for a short story. But when I began writing, being a novelist, I found that I was soon on my way to a mini-novella and, eventually, exceeded my editor’s guidance by several thousand words. As well as Ellen, there were other characters in The Secret Daughter who, I realised as I wrote, had had an influence in her early years as a maid on the country estate of Lord Redfern.

I had invented The Earl of Redfern and Redfern Abbey for a previous novel, The Lost and Found Girl. It was inspired by Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire and I imagined it at its best with a large number of indoor and outdoor servants. Sadly, much of Wentworth Woodhouse is now derelict but there are exciting plans for restoration, which I am delighted about.

I am interested in the lives of both the aristocracy and their servants at the meeting of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The industrial revolution and its appetite for coal had made huge wealth for the families that owned the coalfields in Yorkshire and they were able to fund lavish lifestyles, giving employment to many. Large estates had a steward to manage them who employed a butler and a housekeeper to supervise the indoor servants. Outdoors, gamekeepers looked after deer running free in deer parks and raised pheasant and partridge, or grouse if they had moorland, for shooting parties. Railways were spreading across the country and the motor car was being developed but had not yet taken over from horses for individual and local transport. It was a time of great social change where boundaries were blurring between master and servant.

Or were they? Stolen Passion is the story of two young people who fall in love across such a boundary and how they cope with the consequences. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Best wishes

Catherine King

Bad girls we love: author Jean Burnett on the charm of Lydia Bennet

Hollie Cruickshank — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:02:27 +0000

The fabulously funny Who Needs Mr Darcy? publishes this week. Taking in London, Paris and Brighton, it details the charming, lively and somewhat dastardly further exploits of the youngest Bennet sister − Mrs Lydia Wickham.

Here, author Jean Burnett tells us what it is about Lydia that makes her a bad girl we just love to love. And speaking of bad girls we love, let us know which bad girls are your favourite or who your favourite Jane Austen character is via twitter using the hashtag #WhoNeedsMrDarcy.

When you have finished, make sure you click on the bottom link to read the opening to this charming novel.

Lydia Bennet is not everyone’s favourite Austen creation. “Oh, that silly little Bennet Sister, I don’t care for her,” is often the reaction of the admirers of intelligent Lizzie Bennet and sweet, caring Jane. The two older sisters in Pride and Prejudice have all the looks and the character and they are rewarded with the appropriate Prince Charming – the rich and affable Mr. Bingley and the even richer but less affable Mr. Darcy. The younger sisters are plain and dull, or in the case of Lydia, silly, frivolous and man obsessed. But weren’t most of us like that at sixteen?

Lydia’s elopement with the charming, dastardly Wickham was a much more serious breach of morality than we can imagine today. She obviously did not think of the consequences, but that is typical teenage behavior.

Of course, teenagers had not been invented in the Regency era. Girls made the leap from childhood to early marriage with nothing in between, but the moralists could not put old heads on young shoulders. Jane Austen passes over Lydia’s marriage and on to the great Elizabeth/Darcy nuptials. This leaves any writer of sequels free to take the character and run with it. Lydia has a lifetime of adventures ahead and we know in our hearts that her marriage will not last.

Lydia was followed in literature by Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair- another young girl without a fortune who was forced to live by her wits, although Becky is a less sympathetic character than Lydia. Nineteenth century novelists gave short shrift to ‘bad’ girls but they could not make them totally abhorrent to the reader.

Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind is a worthy descendant of Lydia and Becky. She is pretty, penniless, man hungry and anxious to better herself in the only way possible – by making a good marriage. In addition she has an estate to worry about.

Naturally, such forward females must be taken down a peg or two but a hopeful note is allowed at the end of their story. Becky embraces matronly respectablity in Bath, Scarlett returns to Tara vowing to win back Rhett Butler, and Lydia becomes an acceptable married woman thanks to Darcy’s intervention. One suspects that these states will not last forever for any of them. How dull the good girls seem in these novels. Their role is to act as foils to the girls with spirit.

I adopted the character of Lydia Bennet because there was so much scope for development. She becomes older and a little wiser- street wise, we would say today, but her ambitions remain the same. She is never quite able to become the worldly sophisticate she yearns to be, money slips through her fingers and the estate will always be mortgaged. But she has adventures all over the world, meets everyone of consequence and her memoirs will be worth reading!

To read a snippet of Who Needs Mr Darcy click here

Read an extract from The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul

Hollie Cruickshank — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:45:55 +0000

News hot off the press! The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul ebook is currently £2.99 for a limited time only. To whet your appetite read the 1st chapter here

A heart-warming and life-affirming read, The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul is set in one of the most dangerous places on earth where five very different women come together.

As these five women discover there's more to one another than meets the eye, they form a unique bond that will for ever change their lives and the lives of many others.

You can buy the ebook by clicking on the links below:

As well as other ebook retailers

SCARPETTA 20: One month to go

Emma Williams — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 15:40:10 +0000

In anticpation of publication of the 20th Scarpetta novel, THE BONE BED by Patricia Cornwell on 25th October we are posting a monthly blog piece celebrating the series so far.

In this, our final post, we are featuring Scarpetta novels 15-19, and we are offering you the opportunity to purchase one of these on ebook at the very special price of £1.99 or the equivalent for just 24 hours only. So if you haven't read them all yet – you can catch-up now!

You can purchase BOOK OF THE DEAD from UK online retailers just £1.99 from the afternoon of September 24th until midnight September 25th. Click here to purchase through: Amazon; iBooks, or Kobo

In Australia you can purchase $AUD4.99 through: iBooks, google, Kobo and ebooks. In New Zealand you can purchase at $NZ5.49 at the same time, approximately midday September 24th to September 25th.

Book of the Dead

The 'book of the dead' is the morgue log, the ledger in which all cases are entered by hand. For Kay Scarpetta, however, it is about to have a new meaning. Fresh from her bruising battle with a psychopath in Florida, Scarpetta decides it's time for a change of pace. Moving to the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina, she opens a unique private forensic pathology practice, one in which she and her colleagues offer expert crime scene investigation and autopsies to communities lacking local access to competent death investigation and modern technology. It seems like an ideal situation, until the murders and other violent deaths begin…

Scarpetta

Leaving behind her forensic pathology practice in South Carolina, Kay Scarpetta takes up an assignment in New York City, where the NYPD has asked her to examine an injured patient in a psychiatric ward.

The Scarpetta Factor

It is the week before Christmas. The effects of the credit crunch have prompted Dr Kay Scarpetta to offer her services pro bono to New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. But in no time at all, her increased visibility seems to precipitate a string of dramatic and unsettling events. She is asked live on the air about the sensational case of Hannah Starr, who has vanished and is presumed dead. Moments later during the same broadcast, she receives a startling call-in from a former psychiatric patient of Benton Wesley's...

Port Mortuary

Told for the first time in many years from the perspective of Kay Scarpetta herself – and unveiling secrets from her past that have never been revealed…

Red Mist

The 19th Kay Scarpetta thriller is a terrifying portrait of a killer like no other. Kay Scarpetta has arranged to meet an inmate at the high-security Georgia Prison for Women. The prisoner is a convicted sex offender and the mother of a vicious and diabolically brilliant killer.

Against advice, Scarpetta is determined to hear this woman out – she believes she may hold some answers to the murder of her former deputy. But soon she finds connections to a string of grisly killings, including the slaughter of a Savannah family years earlier. She can see a pattern to these killings, but who is behind them and why?

THE BONE BED is published in the UK on 25th October.

Win tickets to see Will Young COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Hollie Cruickshank — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:00:55 +0000

On 11th October Sphere is proud to publish Funny, Peculiar the moving, witty and scrupulously honest autobiography of Will Young.

To celebrate we have one pair of tickets to giveaway for Will’s lunchtime event in Central London on 26^th October featuring a book reading and Q&A session at Waterstones Piccadilly. The winner will also receive their very own signed copy of Funny, Peculiar.

For more information about this event and for Will’s full book tour details click here:

To be in with a chance to win please enter your details into the form below and tell us which TV show first made Will Young famous? The competition closes at 11.59pm on 12th October 2012. The winners will be picked at random and contacted directly on Monday 15th October 2012. The winner must be available on 26th October to claim the prize.

For more details on the book cover and to pre-order please click here

Enter

Name:

Email address:

Which TV Show made Will Young famous?:

Full terms & conditions available here.

WILL YOUNG book tour dates announced

Emma Williams — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:00:07 +0000

Sphere, XIX Management and Riot Communications are proud to announce WILL YOUNG’s full Funny, Peculiar book tour dates.

Funny, Peculiar is Will Young’s Autobiography. From his dramatic experiences on Pop Idol to the crazy reality of being famous and everything in-between, Will is open, witty and scrupulously honest.

Find out more about the book and how to pre-order here:

WILL YOUNG’s book tour dates:

Thursday 11^th October

12.30pm -1.30pm

Public book signing at Selfridges & Co

400 Oxford Street
London
W1A 1AB

Get more info and pre-order your copy by calling 0207 318 3678 or visit http://style.selfridges.com/whats-on/will-young

Sunday 14^th October

1.00pm

Book reading and Q&A as part of Wimbledon Book Festival. This is a ticketed event.

Big Tent,

Wimbledon Common

London

Tickets: £20.00 includes a pre-signed copy of Funny Peculiar: The Autobiography (RRP: £18.99). A dedicated signing session will take place at the end of the event. For more info: http://www.wimbledonbookfest.org/

Friday 19^th October

12.30 – 1.30pm

Book signing at Waterstones Bluewater

West Village

Greenhithe

Bluewater

Kent DA9 9SE

Get more info and pre-order your copy by calling 01322 624 831 or visit http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=1&author=Will|Young

Friday 26^th October

12.30 – 1.30pm

Lunchtime Literary Salon at Waterstones Piccadilly

Book reading and Q&A with Will Young. This is a ticketed event and capacity is limited.

203/206 Piccadilly

London W1J 9HD

Tickets include wine, canapés and a copy of Funny Peculiar (RRP £18.99): £16.00 (or £8.00 without the book)

Visit http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayEventHome.do

To win tickets to this event click here:

Friday 2^nd November

12.30-1.30pm

Book Signing at WH Smiths in Milton Keynes

126 Midsummer Arcade

Secklow Gate East

Milton Keynes

Buckinghamshire

MK9 3BA

Get more info and pre-order your copy by calling 01908 606778

or visit http://www.whsmith.co.uk/Support/InStoreSignings.aspx

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Little,Brown Book Group UK News & Blog

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Winners Announced: THE JULIETTE SOCIETY, The most provocative fiction debut of 2013

Winners Announced: IN THE PLEASURE GROOVE paperback by John Taylor

CLOSED: Win a copy of THE JULIETTE SOCIETY The most provocative fiction debut of 2013

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Already devoured Warlord in hardback?

Out Now

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Terms and conditions for Say You're Sorry review copies

WIN a free copy of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul – COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

WIN! Tickets to see Rupert Everett in The Judas Kiss NOW CLOSED

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Terms and Conditions for The Killing Room by Richard Montanari

WIN tickets to see J.K. Rowling at Bath Literature Festival

WIN a copy of The Dressmaker COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

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Prepare to lose yourself in the most intense, passionate love story you are ever likely to read . . .

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New Little, Brown Book Group Website

Have Your Self a Very Sexy Christmas

Winners Announced: From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually Treasure Hunt Runners-Up Competition

WIN a fabulous signed copy of Pudsey’s Autobidography COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Out Now: From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually! (Plus Three Great Chance to Win!)

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 6.

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From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 4.

WIN a set of three fabulous and festive reads COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 3

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far! Clue 2.

From Notting Hill to New York: Collect the clues to win signed copies of every Ali McNamara book so far!

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Read an Extract from the fabulous new Ali McNamara novel!

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Author Vanessa Greene introduces the characters in The Vintage Teacup Club

Announcing the Winner of the ‘Write Your Own Ending To Molly Hopkins’ It Happened at Boot Camp’ competition!

Out Today: The Vintage Teacup Club

Mark Billingham appearing in London

Win a Limited Edition boxed proof of 'Live By Night' by Dennis Lehane

Win: A Vintage Jewellery Making Workshop For You and a Friend. Plus a Copy of Autumn Must-Read!

Historical fiction bestseller Elizabeth Chadwick imagines the 1212 Olympic Games

Win tickets to see J.K. Rowling at Cheltenham Literature Festival

How to host your very own Kabul coffee morning

Stolen Passion — OUT NOW

Bad girls we love: author Jean Burnett on the charm of Lydia Bennet

Read an extract from The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul

SCARPETTA 20: One month to go

Win tickets to see Will Young COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

WILL YOUNG book tour dates announced