Fleabag: The Special Edition by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Published by: Nick Hern Books
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Paperback, 104 Pages
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The official patter:
"Adapted into the Hit TV Series, Winner of Six 2019 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Celebrate the incredible journey of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's outrageously funny, blazingly forthright Fleabag, from fringe theatre hit to international cultural phenomenon, in this special edition - featuring the original playscript, never-before-seen color photos, and exclusive bonus content by Phoebe, director Vicky Jones and key members of the creative team.
In 2013, Fleabag made its debut as a one-woman show in sixty-seater venue the Big Belly, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's Underbelly. It was an immediate hit, going on to enjoy two runs at London's Soho Theatre, national and international tours, whilst picking up prizes including Critics' Circle, The Stage, Fringe First and two Off West End Theatre Awards, plus an Olivier Award nomination.
The 2016 TV adaptation propelled Fleabag and Phoebe to worldwide fame, earning critical acclaim and further accolades including Writers' Guild, Royal Television Society and BAFTA Television Awards. A second series followed in 2019, winning 6 Emmy Awards, along with a sold-out run of the original play in New York.
This special edition of the play is released alongside Fleabag's first West End run at Wyndham's Theatre, London. It is introduced by Deborah Frances-White, stand-up comedian, writer and host of The Guilty Feminist podcast."
If you weren't astonishingly lucky and got to see this in person or when NTL aired it, you MUST read this, fan of the show or not. YOU MUST!
Hearthstone Cottage by Frazer Lee
Published by: Flame Tree Press
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
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The official patter:
"Mike Carter and his girlfriend Helen, along with their friends Alex and Kay, travel to a remote loch side cottage for a post-graduation holiday. But their celebrations are short-lived when they hit and kill a stag on the road. Alex's sister Meggie awaits them in the cottage, adding to the tension when her dog, Oscar, goes missing. Mike becomes haunted by a disturbing presence in the cottage, and is hunted by threatening figures in the highland fog. Reeling from a shock revelation, Mike begins to lose his grip on his sanity. As the dark secrets of the past conspire to destroy the bonds of friendship, Mike must uncover the terrifying truth dwelling within the walls of Hearthstone Cottage."
The Hunting Party meets The Ritual but with a loch!
All His Pretty Girls by Charly Cox
Published by: Hera
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Kindle
To Buy
The official patter:
"Detective Alyssa Wyatt is hunting a serial killer.
She doesn’t know that he’s hunting her.
A woman is found naked, badly beaten and barely alive in the New Mexico mountains. The shocking discovery plunges Albuquerque Detective Alyssa Wyatt into a case that will test her to the limit.
It appears that Callie McCormick is the latest plaything of a shadowy psychopath that leaves a long shadow on the streets of New Mexico - an individual linked to a string of deaths but leaving no evidence.
But when Alyssa makes a breakthrough that just might reveal the killer, she unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of a brutal maniac - one with an old score to settle.
Because the killer knows Alyssa very well, even if she doesn’t know him. And he’s determined that she’ll know his name - even if he has to extract his deadly revenge on her and everything she loves.
The launch of a dark, gripping, completely unputdownable crime thriller series, All His Pretty Girls introduces Albuquerque detective Alyssa Wyatt. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Melinda Leigh and Angela Marsons will be utterly engrossed."
A new detective series set in the southwest that will be talked about.
Strangers at the Gate by Catriona McPherson
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From Catriona McPherson, Agatha Award-winning author of Quiet Neighbors, comes Strangers at the Gate: a twisty, fascinating mystery that asks the question: who do you turn to when everyone's a stranger and you've stopped believing your own eyes?
Finnie Doyle and Paddy Lamb are leaving city life in Edinburgh behind them and moving to the little town of Simmerton. Paddy's been made partner at the law firm in town, and Finnie has snagged a job as a church deacon. Their rented cottage is quaint; their new colleagues are charming, and they can't believe their luck.
But only days after moving into the gate house, Finnie begins to have doubts. She keeps hearing strange sounds, and the thicket of trees make her feel claustrophobic rather than safe. When they witness the bloody aftermath of a brutal murder, it changes everything. They've each been keeping secrets about their pasts. And they both know their precious new start won't survive a scandal. Together, for the best of reasons, they make the worst decision of their lives.
And that's only the beginning. The deep, deep valley where Simmerton sits is unlike anywhere Finnie and Paddy have been before. They are not the only ones hiding in its shadow and very soon they've lost control of the game they decided to play..."
Come on! I know you NEED to read this just to know what their worst decision is!
Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston’s The Little Shop of Found Things was called "a page-turner that will no doubt leave readers eager for future series installments" (Publishers Weekly). Now, Brackston returns to the Found Things series with its sequel, Secrets of the Chocolate House.
After her adventures in the seventeenth century, Xanthe does her best to settle back into the rhythm of life in Marlborough. She tells herself she must forget about Samuel and leave him in the past where he belongs. With the help of her new friends, she does her best to move on, focusing instead on the success of her and Flora’s antique shop.
But there are still things waiting to be found, still injustices needing to be put right, still voices whispering to Xanthe from long ago about secrets wanting to be shared.
While looking for new stock for the shop, Xanthe hears the song of a copper chocolate pot. Soon after, she has an upsetting vision of Samuel in great danger, compelling her to make another journey to the past.
This time she'll meet her most dangerous adversary. This time her ability to travel to the past will be tested. This time she will discover her true destiny. Will that destiny allow her to return home? And will she be able to save Samuel when his own fate seems to be sealed?"
I've always been a sucker for stories with a magic chocolate pot.
A Convenient Fiction by Mimi Matthews
Published by: Perfectly Proper Press
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The mysterious Alex Archer returns to England in Book Three of Mimi Matthews' USA Today bestselling Parish Orphans of Devon series.
She Needed A Husband...
It's been three years since Laura Hayes's father died, leaving her and her invalid brother to subsist on the income from the family's failing perfume business. But time is swiftly running out. What she needs is a husband, and fast. A noble gentleman who can rescue them all from penury. When a mysterious stranger arrives in the village, he seems a perfect candidate. But Alex Archer is no hero. In fact, he just might be the opposite.
He Wanted a Fortune...
Alex has no tolerance for sentiment. He's returned to England for one reason only: to find a wealthy wife. A country-bred heiress in Surrey seems the perfect target. But somewhere between the village railway station and the manor house his mercenary plan begins to unravel. And it's all the fault of Laura Hayes - a lady as unsuitable as she is enchanting.
From the beaches of Margate to the lavender fields of Provence, a grudging friendship slowly blossoms into something more. But when scandal threatens, can a man who has spent his entire life playing the villain, finally become a hero? Or will the lure of easy riches once again outweigh the demands of his heart?"
Love or money, the age old question that we readers keep devouring...
The Twisted Sword by Winston Graham
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Paperback, 656 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The eleventh novel in Winston Graham's classic Poldark saga, now a major TV series from Masterpiece PBS.
Cornwall 1815
Demelza sees a horseman riding down the valley and senses disruption to the domestic contentment she has fought so hard to achieve. For Ross has little option but to accept the summons - and travel to Paris with his family, as an 'observer' of the French armed forces.
Parisian life begins well with an exhilarating round of balls and parties. But the return of Napoleon brings separation, distrust and danger to the Poldarks...and always for Demelza there is the shadow of the secret she does not even share with Ross.
In his Poldark series, Winston Graham explores the complications of love lost and the class struggle of early 19th-century England with a light comic touch. The Twisted Sword is followed by the twelfth book in the Poldark series, Bella Poldark."
For that post Poldark Season Five fix...
Bella Poldark by Winston Graham
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Paperback, 704 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The twelfth book in Winston Graham's classic Poldark saga, now a major TV series from Masterpiece PBS.
Cornwall 1818
We continue the tale of Ross and Demelza; of the wayward Valentine Warleggan, whose existence keeps open the old wounds of the feud between Ross and George; of Bella, the Poldarks' youngest daughter, whose precocious talent as a singer is encouraged by her old flame, Christopher Havergal, and by a distinguished French conductor, who has more in mind than Bella's music; of Clowance, the Poldarks' widowed daughter, who considers remarriage to one of two rival suitors; and of a murderer who stalks the villages of west Cornwall.
In his Poldark series, Winston Graham explores the complications of love lost and the class struggle of early 19th-century England with a light comic touch. Bella Poldark is the final Poldark book."
The question I am left with is how soon until a modern author takes up WInston Graham's mantel and continues this series?
To the Land of Long Lost Friends by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Pantheon
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In the latest book in the widely beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe takes on a case for a childhood acquaintance and finds that family relationships are always a tricky proposition - even for Botswana's premier female detective.
Mma Ramotswe has reconnected with an old friend who has been having problems with her daughter. Though Precious feels compelled to lend a hand, she discovers that getting involved in family affairs is always a delicate affair. The young woman appears to be involved with a charismatic preacher. But are his ministrations entirely of a godly nature?
Elsewhere, Charlie is also struggling with a tricky matter of the heart. He wishes to propose to his girlfriend, Queenie-Queenie, but he's struggling to come up with a bride price that will impress her father. When Queenie-Queenie's brother offers to help by giving him a job, the offer may not be quite what Charlie expected.
As always, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni will offer wise counsel, Mma Makutsi will weigh in with her opinions, and Mma Potokwane will be there with her welcome fruit cake. But in the end it will be up to Mma Ramotswe to reflect on love, family, and the nature of men and women in order to resolve family dramas and remind everyone about all the good things they have in life - so many, in fact, that it would take far too long to count them."
The obligatory Alexander McCall Smith release post...
Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
Published by: Lion Forge
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.
Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.
One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.
Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery."
I wish I could tell you more about this delightfully looking book but it is yet another one that mysteriously disappeared off NetGalley before the date it was scheduled to...
The Girl with No Face by M.H. Boroson
Published by: Talos
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 360 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The adventures of Li-lin, a Daoist priestess with the unique ability to see the spirit world, continue in the thrilling follow-up to the critically-acclaimed historical urban fantasy The Girl with Ghost Eyes.
It’s the end of the Nineteenth Century. San Francisco’s cobblestone streets are haunted, but Chinatown has an unlikely protector in a young Daoist priestess named Li-lin. Using only her martial arts training, spiritual magic, a sword made from peachwood, and the walking, talking spirit of a human eye, Li-lin stands alone to defend her immigrant community from supernatural threats.
But when the body of a young girl is brought to the deadhouse Li-lin oversees for a local group of gangsters, she faces her most bewildering—and potentially dangerous—assignment yet. The nine-year-old has died from suffocation...specifically by flowers growing out of her nose and mouth. Li-lin suspects Gong Tau, a dirty and primitive form of dark magic. But who is behind the spell, and why, will take her on a perilous journey deep into a dangerous world of ghosts and spirits.
With hard historical realism and meticulously researched depictions of Chinese monsters and magic that have never been written about in the English language, The Girl with No Face draws from the action-packed cinema of Hong Kong to create a compelling and unforgettable tale of historical fantasy and Chinese lore."
I love me ANYTHING set in San Francisco, everything else in this book is icing on the cake!
Baltimore Omnibus Volume 1 by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 568 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Lord Baltimore's story returns in a deluxe omnibus edition!
After a devastating plague ends World War I, Europe is suddenly flooded with vampires. Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier determined to wipe out the monsters, fights his way through bloody battlefields, ruined plague ships, exploding zeppelins, submarine graveyards, and much more on the hunt for the creature who's become his obsession.
This omnibus collects original Baltimore hardcover volumes 1-4, with supplemental sketchbook material and an all-new cover by Mike Mignola!"
I adored the original book and have read a few of the comics meaning to read more and often thinking, a nice big omnibus would be handy... well looky here!
Fleabag: The Scriptures by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Lady Takes the Case by Eliza Casey
The Apple Tree by Daphne Du Maurier
Our Encounters with Evil by Mike Mignola and Warwick Johnson-Cadwell
Nightmare City by P.S. Newman
The Princess in Black and the Bathtime Battle by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
