Wonderfully fully-fleshed characters are the mainstay of [Val Wood's] stories, and fans will love Beatrix Fawcett.

A gripping saga.

Humour, toughness, resolution and generosity are Cookson virtues . . . In the specialised world of women's popular fiction, Cookson has created her own territory

Vibrant and heart-warming, Jenny Holmes makes Chapel Street come alive.

Gritty and uplifting, it's a tale of triumph over adversity

The latest instalment in the Shipyard saga is a pleasure to read. 4 Stars

An exhilarating exploration of love, life, loss and death... A thrilling and seductive story... Vivid and beguiling

Rose Tremain gives Hilary Mantel a run for her money for the title of Britain's greatest living historical novelist... there are still few writers who can conjure up a version of the past that is so startlingly unfamiliar yet so convincing

An enjoyable page-turner

A new book from Rose Tremain is always a cause for celebration. Her exceptionally well-crafted and deeply humane historical novels are invariably a joy and Islands of Mercy is no exception... A rich, rewarding and highly satisfying novel from one of our finest novelists.

Vivid, transgressive, explicit and kaleidoscopic

O'Callaghan's prose is mesmerising in its beauty . . . Profound, moving, sometimes shocking, [Life Sentences is] from the pen of a writer at the top of his game.

One of the most beautiful books of the year.

The novel I most look forward to is Billy O'Callaghan's Life Sentences.

The accomplished writer . . . O'Callaghan has proved an empathic and expert diviner of the extraordinary in ordinary lives.

An absolutely stunning book . . . A truly beautiful read.

A gifted storyteller.

A terrific family saga.

A lyrical prose reminiscent of William Trevor, and a haunting family drama.

One of the most exciting literary talents to emerge in the last decade.