There's Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own son's tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue, and white Miss Skeeter, home from college, who wants to why her beloved maid has disappeared.
Jacky was 23 toen ze in Egypte aankwam voor een vakantie met haar vriend Dave. Ze kon onmogelijk vermoeden dat een onschuldige vakantie zou veranderen in een nachtmerrie. Terwijl ze Dave kwijtraakt in het gewoel van een drukke straat, valt Jacky en verzwikt ze haar enkel. Ze wordt geholpen door Omar, een galante, knappe Egyptenaar. Het is liefde op het eerste gezicht. Hij neemt haar mee naar huis, waar Jacky gastvrij door de familie wordt ontvangen. Binnen tien dagen trouwt ze met Omar. Daarna keert ze terug naar haar ouders in Engeland. Tegen het advies van haar ouders in reist ze terug naar Cairo en bekeert zich tot de islam. Hoewel ze hoopvol is en vol plannen zit, verandert Jackys droom in een verstikking. Zes jaar lang mishandelt Omar haar en pleegt hij emotionele chantage. Dan beslist Jacky met haar twee kleine dochters te ontsnappen, maar hoe? Jacky Trevane leeft in Engeland onder de schaduw van een doodsbedreiging. Ze moet zichzelf en haar dochters elke minuut van de dag beschermen, want de Fatwa houdt nog steeds stand. Vandaar dat ze haar waargebeurde, traumatische verhaal onder pseudoniem schreef. Fatwa is een huiveringwekkende leeservaring in de traditie van Not without my daughter.
"Stroud is a genius' Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series. Ghosts and ghouls beware! London's smallest, shabbiest and most talented psychic detection agency is back. Life is never exactly peaceful for Lockwood & Co. Lucy and George are trying to solve the mystery of the talking skull trapped in their ghost jar, while Lockwood is desperate for an exciting new case. Things seem to be looking up when the team is called to Kensal Green Cemetery to investigate the grave of a sinister Victorian doctor. Strange apparitions have been seen there, and the site must be made safe. As usual, Lockwood is confident; as usual, everything goes wrong a terrible phantom is unleashed, and a dangerous object is stolen from the coffin. Lockwood & Co must recover the relic before its power is unleashed, but it's a race against time. Their obnoxious rivals from the Fittes agency are also on the hunt. And if that's not bad enough, the skull in the ghost-jar is stirring again The author of the blockbuster BARTIMAEUS sequence delivers another humorous and chilling instalment in the critically acclaimed LOCKWOOD & CO. series."
Quo Vadis for our times! Well, not exactly. It's been awhile since anyone tackled the Roman Empire as entertainingly as Gillespie has done in this book, a nearly-straight historical novel which should please readers of fantasy, too. Germanic Auriane is a combination of the noble, natural savage, and the heroine marked from birth for great deeds. Roman Marcus Julianus is the personification of the highest civilized, republican Roman values. Both are typical and atypical of their societies, fighting for what each believes to be just. Their individual struggles with the clashing Roman and Teutonic cultures are carried out in the Northern forests and in the salons and arena of Rome. Strongly- drawn characters, a setting both familiar and exotic (we all know something of imperial Rome, but very few of us are well-informed about it), a whiff of New-Age ancient mysticism, and a subdued but important romance subplot drive the sweeping novel of Auriane's growth and maturity and Rome's decadence.
Stoer, sexy en al vanaf hun vroegste jeugd voortdurend in aanvaring met alles en iedereen in het kleine plaatsje waar ze opgroeien - de vier knappe broers MacKade maken al hun leven lang de tongen los. Hoewel iedereen beweerde dat er nooit iets van hem terecht zou komen, heeft Jared het tot advocaat geschopt. Met een bloeiende praktijk, die hem af en toe tot hier zit. Net op een van zulke dagen loopt hij Savannah tegen het - ontegenzeglijk opmerkelijke - lijf. En moet híj haar vertellen dat haar vader is gestorven! Rafe, de wildste van de vier broers, is tien jaar weg geweest uit zijn geboorteplaats wanneer hij terugkomt om het prachtige oude - maar vervallen - huis te kopen waar hij als puber verliefd op werd. Voor de inrichting roept hij de hulp in van Regan, de eigenares van de plaatselijke antiekwinkel, al weet hij dat hij zich daarmee op glad ijs begeeft...
A Eastport, station balnéaire près de New York, Liam, renversé par un chauffard, n'a pas survécu à ses blessures. Hellen, sa mère, croit avoir reconnu un policier local. Mais la police nie et certifie que Peter Pallas, homme respecté et admiré, n'était pas dans ce secteur. Envers et contre tous, elle décide tout de même de faire connaître la vérité.
Boston private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro's relationship has hit the skids - their long-standing professional commitment and growing romance have disintegrated due to seemingly irreparable personal differences. But despite these problems, IPrayers for Rain/I brings them together again to close down a predator whose Imodus operandi/I seems to put him beyond the law. This killer's insidious murder weapon is within his victims' minds: no smoking gun, no bloody knife, just merciless manipulation until despair drives his targets to kill themselves. As Patrick and Angie attempt to identify and save his next victim, this sinister force turns on them and thus begins a dangerous battle of wits: a tormenting, life-threatening game of psychological warfare in which simple survival seems a mixed blessing - because not even the winner will emerge unscathed.
Assistant County Attorney Ellen North's assignment to the Kirkwood case has landed her in the hot seat - a position she thought she had left behind in the crime-choked Minneapolis court system. But politics and ulterior motives abound. As Ellen prepares for her toughest assignment yet, she faces not only a sensation-driven press corps, but an unwanted partner in Jay Butler Brooks, bestselling crime author and media star. Just as they are sure they have the right man, a second kidnapping occurs, and Ellen receives threatening phone calls. Dr Garret Wright has already been arrested for the kidnapping of Josh Kirkwood - but all the indications are that the kidnapper is still at large.
Harry Bosch has been given three years before he must retire from the LAPD, and he wants cases more fiercely than ever. In one morning, he gets two. DNA from a 1989 rape and murder matches a 29-year-old convicted rapist. Was he an eight-year-old killer or has something gone terribly wrong in the new Regional Crime Lab? The latter possibility could compromise all of the lab's DNA cases currently in court. Then Bosch and his partner are called to a death scene fraught with internal politics. Councilman Irvin Irving's son jumped or was pushed from a window at the Chateau Marmont. Irving, Bosch's longtime nemesis, has demanded that Harry handle the investigation. Relentlessly pursuing both cases, Bosch makes two chilling discoveries: a killer operating unknown in the city for as many as three decades, and a political conspiracy that goes back into the dark history of the police department.
Budo is Max's imaginary friend. But though only Max can see him, he is real. Budo and the other imaginary friends watch over their children until the day comes that the child stops imagining them. And then they're gone. Budo has lasted a lot longer than most imaginary friends - four years - because Max needs him more. His parents argue about sending him to a special school. Then Max mysteriously disappears from the school. Budo knows he must find him and rescue him.
Koomson has written an enchanting tale of life's most unpredictable loves and heartaches, and the improbable bond between a single woman and an extraordinary five-year-old girl. "Image" (UK) declares this funny and touching novel a book to watch out for.
Beguiled by promises of wealth, fourteen-year-old Lakshmi leaves her native Ceylon for Malaysia and marriage to a man many years her senior. But Ayah has lied to her and her family about his circumstances and in fact lives in poverty. A woman of formidable energy and intelligence, Lakshmi provides security, if not luxury, for her family, though at a considerable emotional cost. Then the Japanese army invades during WWII. On the eve of peace, her beloved eldest daughter is raped and killed by the occupying army. The family bears deep scars and inflicts those wounds on the next generation. But in Nisha, Lakshmi's great-granddaughter, it is as if Fate has come full circle and the novel ends on a note of reconciliation and hope.
Ze hebben er allemaal last van, de Stanislaski's. Als ze zich eenmaal iets in het hoofd hebben gezet, dan laten ze zich daar niet zomaar vanaf brengen. Ook niet door degene die hun het dierbaarst is. Of misschien zelfs júist niet door diegene. Want dan gaan er allerlei andere gevoelens meespelen - die bij een Stanislaski nog weleens onstuimig willen zijn. En dan is het buigen of barsten. Vraag maar aan Kate. Tel hier een minstens zo temperamentvolle Russische balletmeester bij op, en een heel aantrekkelijke maar o, zo koppige Ier, dan is wel duidelijk dat het aardig uit de hand kan lopen. Tot de familie zich ermee bemoeit. In Het complete Stanislaski Kwartet zijn ze allemaal bij elkaar, mét al hun in de loop der tijden verzamelde aanhang, precies zoals ze het zelf het liefste zien. Bevat: Nikolai. - Vert. van: Dance of dreams ; Kate. - Vert. van: Considering Kate. Oorspr. titels: Rode rozen ; Niet zonder Kate.
Many of the women who contacted Jacky after the publication of Fatwa identified with her horrific story of abuse and violent harassment. Jacky has interviewed some of these women, from different races and religions, whose suffering has remained invisible within society. From the woman who was neglected and abused by her whole family as a child to a teenage girl fighting against a forced arranged marriage, these stories are diverse and moving and sometimes without a happy ending. Invisible Women is a reminder that women are still vulnerable to abuse and control, but it also shows the remarkable inner resources by which they can survive.
The magic of love can melt the most hesitant heart! Captivated When real-life witch Morgana Donovan is asked to be a research subject for an upcoming film, she humors the skeptical writer behind the project. Nash Kirkland has worked on enough Hollywood movies to know that witches aren't real and magic is only special effects. But the more time Nash spends with Morgana, the more he wants to change his mind. If Nash can finally believe in magic, can Morgana open her heart? Entranced As a rule, Sebastian Donovan keeps his psychic gifts secret. But when he receives a desperate call to investigate a kidnapping, he agrees to help. Private investigator Mel Sutherland is annoyed at the new addition to her team. She doesn't believe in psychics, but she'll have to swallow her pride and work with Sebastian and his unorthodox methods. Soon, the two are forced undercover and into a fake relationship...but pretending to be in love might be the easiest part of this complex case.
Colors of the Mountain is a classic story of triumph over adversity, a memoir of a boyhood full of spunk, mischief, and love, and a welcome introduction to an amazing young writer.Da Chen was born in 1962, in the Year of Great Starvation. Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution engulfed millions of Chinese citizens, and the Red Guard enforced Mao's brutal communist regime. Chen’s family belonged to the despised landlord class, and his father and grandfather were routinely beaten and sent to labor camps, the family of eight left without a breadwinner. Despite this background of poverty and danger, and Da Chen grows up to be resilient, tough, and funny, learning how to defend himself and how to work toward his future. By the final pages, when his says his last goodbyes to his father and boards the bus to Beijing to attend college, Da Chen has become a hopeful man astonishing in his resilience and cheerful strength.
In 1935, Miguel Navarro flees the Basque fishing village of Lekeitio after a conflict with the Spanish Civil Guard, seeking a fresh start in Guernica, a stronghold of Basque culture. There, he meets Miren Ansotegui, a captivating dancer, and they forge a love they believe is unbreakable. This novel beautifully intertwines history and fiction, exploring the resilience of family, love, and tradition in challenging times. The bombing of Guernica by the German Luftwaffe marked a horrific chapter in history, representing a brutal attack on the Basque people's spirit and an unprecedented crime against humanity. The author vividly portrays a proud and vibrant culture determined to protect its values and loved ones. Critics have praised the work for its ability to bring life to a pivotal moment in history, creating a poignant drama that resonates today. It is described as an ambitious debut that transports readers to an extraordinary time, celebrating the courage and resilience of an embattled culture. This novel serves as a crucial reminder of the ever-present threat of genocidal folly in our world.
China, 1875. Terwijl oude Chinese tradities en nieuwe Westerse invloeden met elkaar op gespannen voet komen te staan, wordt de langverwachte kleinzoon van de oude Heer Chai geboren. Mingzhi zal opgeleid worden tot mandarijn, zo heeft grootvader al voor zijn geboorte besloten. Alles moet wijken voor deze ambitie: de oude Chai manipuleert, marchandeert en gaat zelfs zover dat hij het land van zijn voorvaderen omvormt tot opiumkwekerij. En Mingzhi zelf groeit op, eenzaam in de wereld van confuciaanse waarden en normen die hij liefheeft, terwijl de wereld om hem heen snel verandert. Als hij niet vermorzeld wil worden tussen deze tegenstrijdigheden zal hij een keuze moeten maken.
Najaar 1940, de Spaanse burgeroorlog is voorbij en Madrid ligt in puin. De bevolking lijdt honger terwijl de nazi’s oprukken in Europa. Spanje heeft zich neutraal verklaard, maar heimelijk koestert Franco de wens om zich bij Hitler aan te sluiten. Harry Brett wordt als oorlogsveteraan door de Britse geheime dienst gevraagd om het vertrouwen te winnen van zijn oude schoolvriend Sandy Forsyth, die ervan wordt verdacht louche contacten te onderhouden met de Spaanse falangisten. Met enige tegenzin begeeft Harry zich naar het corrupte Madrid en ontmoet daar Sandy en diens vriendin Barbara Clare. Barbara heeft haar eigen geheim. Zij is op zoek naar haar vroeger minnaar, de charismatische Bernie Piper, die met de Internationale Brigades vocht tegen de fascisten. Hij wordt vermist en zou zijn omgekomen – maar Barbara weigert dat te geloven. Er ontvouwt zich een persoonlijk drama waarop lotgevallen uit een gezamenlijk verleden een onuitwisbaar stempel drukken.
Privé-detective Tess Monaghan wordt door haar vader gevraagd om Ruthie, een oude bekende van hem, te helpen. Een jaar geleden is Ruthie's lijmsnuivende broer in de gevangenis doodgestoken. Hij zat in de cel voor de moord op een meisje dat nooit geïdentificeerd is kunnen worden. Ruthie is ervan overtuigd dat er een verband is tussen de moord op haar broer en die op het meisje. Ze wil dat Tess uitzoekt wie het meisje was. De detective volgt sporen die haar in de wereld brengen van de hoge heren en louche criminelen in Baltimore. Als ze de identiteit van het meisje ontdekt, blijkt het een schokkende onthulling die Tess meesleurt in een stinkende en levensgevaarlijke poel van macht, zwart geld, politieke corruptie en duistere geheimen. De detective krijgt zelfs het lugubere vermoeden dat haar eigen vader misschien iets met de moord op de tiener te maken had.
A series of unsolved homicides that may or may not be overlooked cases of domestic violence lead Tess onto the trail of a lone serial killer. But the Maryland State Police are convinced that the killer she's looking for is dead and therefore, of no threat. But he is. And his target is Tess herself.
Lays bare the continuing suspicions and rivalries of the post Cold War atmosphere in Eastern Europe in a story of illegal arms dealing and its implications for the time bomb that is South Africa. Craig Thomas is the author of "The Bear's Tears" and "The Last Raven".
Love is always just around the corner in a Jill Mansell novel - with a few surprises and a lot of humour on the way to happiness Poppy Dunbar is out on her hen night when she meets Tom Kennedy. With his dark eyes and quirky smile, he could lure any girl off the straight and narrow, but what really draws Poppy to him is the feeling that she's known him all her life. She can't go through with the meeting they arrange - but she can't go through with the wedding either. Suddenly notorious as 'The Girl Who Jilted Rob Macbride', Poppy moves to London. Soon she's installed in the bohemian household of Caspar French, a ravishingly good-looking young artist with a reputation for breaking hearts. But even in her colourful new home, Poppy can't get Tom off her mind. Until she's tracked him down, she'll never know if their meeting was destiny - or if the future holds something entirely different for her...
Eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is propelled into a mystery when a man is found murdered on the grounds of her family's decaying English mansion and Flavia's father becomes the main suspect.
"You know the future that people in the fifties imagined we'd have? Flying cars, food pills and moon bases? Well, it happened. And it's justas great as we hoped it would be. Except, in this world, a series of heartbreaks leaves Tom alone. So he hijacks his father's time machine, and goes back to where it all began - the moment when the world as we know it, and the world as Tom lives it, parted ways, due to a ground-breaking experiment. Only, thanks to Tom's accidental intrusion, the experiment fails and he returns 'home' to find his world erased and replaced with our own 2016 - by comparison, a chaotic mess. In our world, however, Tom discovers vastly improved versions of his family, his career, and - best of all - his soulmate, Penny. So. Should he fix the flow of history, bringing back into existence his old utopian reality, or to try to forge a new life in our messy one?"
De vijftigjarige Alma werkt aan een historische roman over een uitzonderlijk moedige vrouw, Doña Isabel, die in 1803 met een groep weesjongens uit Spanje vertrok om de Nieuwe Wereld van de pokken te redden. De jongens waren de dragers van het pokkenvaccin, wat in die tijd de enige manier was om een vaccin tijdens een dergelijke reis intact te houden. De dramatische ontwikkelingen in het leven van Doña Isabel verweven zich tijdens het schrijven steeds meer met het leven van Alma.
Een huis zonder spiegels beschrijft het leven van één vrouw, Sivakami (1896-1966), en maakt ons deelgenoot van een India dat we nog nooit hebben gezien. De brahmaanse Sivakami is tien jaar oud als ze trouwt met Hanumarathnam, astroloog en genezer. De sterren zeggen dat hij in het negende jaar van zijn huwelijk zal kunnen sterven. Alles hangt af van de horoscoop van zijn kinderen. De geboorte van Thangam, hun gouden dochter, verandert niets, maar de geboorte van Vairum, hun rusteloze, intelligente zoon, bezegelt het ondenkbare: hij veroordeelt zijn vader tot de dood. Sivakami, achttien en weduwe, onderwerpt zich aan de regels van haar kaste. Ze scheert haar hoofd, kleedt zich in wit en mag niemand aanraken van zonsopgang tot zonsondergang. Ze pleegt echter één daad van verzet: ze gaat terug naar het huis van haar echtgenoot om haar kinderen op haar manier op te voeden en met de hulp van de trouwe Muchami het land te beheren voor haar zoon. Geen daad is zonder gevolgen, en terwijl politiek en sociale revoluties botsen met tradities, wordt de kloof tussen moeder en zoon steeds dieper...
THE BALINESE TWINS - Beautiful and exotic, they exchange an island paradise for the shabby squalor of London, and innocence for corruption. THE SICILIAN- Ricky Delgado strikes a devil's bargain with a blood goddess: 'Build my temple and bring me the souls of damaged people, and you will see what rewards I give.' THE COURTESAN - Elizabeth makes her living from men's desire. With a flick of the switch in her head, she feels nothing: no pain, no hate, no sorrow, no joy. THE ARTIST - Anis takes to painting as an outlet for his rage. His artist's eye knows his subjects before they know themselves, and he paints them all, a gallery of broken people. Can they escape the deadly web of decadence and sin?
Jill Mansell's Sunday Times bestseller HEAD OVER HEELS is not to be missed by readers of Veronica Henry and Marian Keyes. Jill's novels are loved by reviewers: 'Achingly romantic' Heat Jessie has kept the identity of her son Oliver's father a secret for years. She's stunned when she discovers that the man in question, actor Toby Gillespie, has just moved in next door. The truth's about to come out. One glance at Oliver, and a little mental arithmetic, and Toby has the situation sussed. Meeting the son he never knew he had is the shock of a lifetime. It's a shock, too, for Toby's wife, the beautiful Deborah, though she seems to take it in her stride. Would Deborah be so relaxed if she knew just how close Toby wants to get to the mother of his firstborn? As the attraction between them flares up again, Jessie just can't see her way to a happy ending. But no one is quite what they seem, and there are more surprises to come... What readers are saying about Head Over Heels: 'Beautifully written with plenty of romance, humour, warmth wit and fun. A fabulous read which I would highly recommend!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'A well-written book with colourful characters, witty dialogue and cleverly crafted surprises' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'I can't recommend this book highly enough - funny, romantic and characters you really care about. This is my favourite Jill Mansell novel to date' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars
Guinevere is mooi, slim en supersexy: in één woord perfect. Wanneer de adembenemende vrouw Joe’s boekwinkel binnenloopt, weet hij het zeker: hij wil haar. Na een leuk gesprek raakt Joe compleet geobsedeerd door haar. Hij wil alles over haar weten, haar lichaam bezitten en zelfs haar gedachtes beheersen. Grenzeloos probeert Joe zijn verlangens werkelijkheid te maken. Hij hackt haar telefoon en komt op deze manier achter haar diepste geheimen. Als hij alles over haar weet, weet hij haar te verleiden. Met gruwelijke gevolgen…
When Corey moves away from Lost Creek, Alaska, she makes her friend Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return. Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger. With every hour, Corey's suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets--but piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter
When Harry Ricks arrives in Paris on a bleak January morning he is a broken man. He is running away from a failed marriage and a dark scandal that ruined his career as a film lecturer in a small American university. With no money and nowhere to live, Harry swiftly falls in with the city’s underclass, barely scraping a living while trying to finish the book he’d always dreamed of writing. A chance meeting with a mysterious woman, Margit Kadar, with whom Harry falls in love, is his only hope of a brighter future. However, Margit isn’t all she seems to be and Harry increasingly feels that a dark force is at work in his life — as punishment begins to be meted out to anyone who has recently done him wrong. Before he knows it, he finds himself of increasing interest to the police, and waking up in a nightmare from which there is no easy escape.
Een 15-jarig meisje dat opgroeit op een schapenboerderij in het zuiden van de Verenigde Staten, krijgt in korte tijd zoveel te verwerken dat ze snel volwassen wordt.
Autobiografisch relaas van een Britse vrouw, die als studente door een barman wordt wijsgemaakt dat ze gevaar loopt door de IRA te worden geliquideerd en daarop met hem een leven begint van op de vlucht zijn, ontbering en onzekerheid dat tien jaar duurt.