I Was There: Dispatches from a Life in Rock and Roll By Alan Edwards

Alan Edwards is the godfather of modern music PR, whose stellar list of clients has ranged over the years from David Bowie to Amy Winehouse via the Rolling Stones, Blondie, Prince and the Spice Girls and, outside of music, David Beckham and Naomi Campbell – now he tells his story.

“Alan wasn’t just there, he was everywhere, as immersed in the world of rock as any of the bold-face names he represented. From glam to punk, from Bowie to Jagger, from small clubs and sweaty pubs to stadiums and enormodomes, Alan saw it all… and wrote it all down. A brilliant book by a brilliant man.”
— Dylan Jones
“A beautiful, warm, jaw-dropping, once-in-a-lifetime, lifting-the-stone guide to a secret world . . . Edwards is an endlessly charming and gently amused companion as he reveals the truth about that lost time when the music was an embarrassment of riches. I loved it. And if the music ever mattered a damn to you, then you will love it too”
— Tony Parsons

I Was There:

Dispatches from a Life in Rock and Roll

By Alan Edwards

Simon & Schuster / HB / 6 June 2024 / £25

I Was There traces Edwards’ career from the thriving punk scene of ’70s London, which inspired him to set up his own PR company, through his work with acts such as Blondie and the Rolling Stones, his collaboration with David Bowie over nearly four decades, his move into the pop world with the Spice Girls, and beyond.

Along the way, we’re treated to all the entertaining tales of debauchery and rock-star antics you might expect, but more uniquely we’re privy to Edwards’ fascinating observations about the brilliant artists he has worked with, and what makes them tick. We also get a front-row seat to the rise of PR as a major force in British society, from the seven-figure media deal Edwards brokered for the Beckhams’ wedding, to the role of spin in the New Labour government.

Even as Edwards grows into the consummate PR, playing a crucial background role in the lives and careers of some of the world’s biggest stars, he retains a powerful sense of being an outsider – never forgetting how lucky he is to look back on decades of music and culture and say, ‘I was there’.

Feature ideas and talking points:

  • The hippy trail - escaping from the suburbs and travelling the hippy trail age 16 years with no contacts, no mobile phone and barely any money and ending up with typhoid, dysentery and weighing under 7 stone

  • Entertainment PR in the beginning - a cottage industry that used Hollywood publicists as a blueprint

  • The British media then, now and the future

  • On the road with celebrities – being mentored by Mick Jagger; touring the Sistine Chapel with David Bowie; playing football with Beckham; dealing with the Mob in the US; playing Russian roulette with a hells angel in Amsterdam; introducing Shakira to Tony Blair and chatting about Bowie with Bill Clinton

  • Working with some of the biggest black music legends of all time - Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross, Janet and Michael Jackson and Prince - and racism in the media  

  • Involvement with reggae, and playing football with Bob Marley

  • The influence of Punk

  • US coast to coast road trip adventures with punk star Hazel O’Connor, generating ideas to follow the hit movie Breaking Glass

  • Pioneering the worldwide stadium tour - how The Rolling Stones, and then Bowie, created a whole new industry

  • Finding a ‘family’ with the Spice Girls, and brokering the famous £1million OK deal for Posh and Becks’ wedding

Alan Edwards is the founder and CEO of public relations firm The Outside Organisation which has represented an eclectic range of clients including the biggest music stars on the planet, corporations and brands, government, royalty, celebrities, charities, events, sports legends and clubs.

Edwards’ 45 year career has seen him work with David Bowie (for nearly four decades), the Who, Victoria and David Beckham, Bon Jovi, Led Zeppelin, Amy Winehouse, Shakira, P Diddy, Britney Spears, Naomi Campbell, the Rolling Stones, Prince, Michael Jackson, Lin Manuel Miranda, Sir Paul McCartney and the Spice Girls, among many others.

Edwards was the third ever inductee to PR Week’s Hall of Fame in 2017, and as of March 2023 has been named the magazine’s number one entertainment PR for nine years running. He is a regular contributor to TV and radio, and has fronted programmes in the Music Moguls and Hits, Hype and Hustle series for the BBC.  In 2015 he staged his own show at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, called “Always Print the Myth: PR and the Modern Age”. Among the contributors were Bob Geldof and Alastair Campbell.

“At times in my career I’ve felt like a foreign correspondent, bag packed and always ready to fly off to the next conflict zone. I realised early on that I was a witness to rock and roll history – I was always writing notes on scraps of paper, airline tickets or the backs of my hands. But it was only years later, when I finally sat down to make sense of it all, that I realised I had wandered through some of the most incredible moments in the last half-century of culture.”
— Alan Edwards

For further information or to request an interview or event, please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

HIP-HOP IS HISTORY BY QUESTLOVE

WHITE RABBIT TO PUBLISH

HIP-HOP IS HISTORY, BY QUESTLOVE

Hip-HOP is History

By QuestLove

White Rabbit / HB / Audio / E-Book / 11 June 2024

Questlove’s Hip-Hop is History has been acquired by Lee Brackstone, Publisher at White Rabbit. Brackstone has acquired UK & Commonwealth rights from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

This is a book only Questlove could have written: a perceptive and personal reflection on the first half-century of hip-hop.

When hip-hop first emerged in the 1970s, it wasn’t expected to become the cultural force it is today. But for a young Black kid growing up in a musical family in Philadelphia, it was everything. He stayed up late to hear the newest songs on the radio. He saved his money to buy vinyl as soon as it landed. He even started to try to make his own songs. That kid was Questlove, and decades later, he is a six-time Grammy Award–winning musician, an Academy Award–winning filmmaker, a New York Times bestselling author, a producer, an entrepreneur, a cofounder of one of hip-hop’s defining acts (the Roots), and the genre’s unofficial in-house historian.

In this landmark book, Hip-Hop Is History, Questlove skilfully traces the creative and cultural forces that made and shaped hip-hop, highlighting both the forgotten but influential gems and the undeniable chart-topping hits—and weaves it all together with the stories no one else knows. It is at once an intimate, sharply observed story of a cultural revolution and a sweeping, grand theory of the evolution of the great artistic movement of our time. And Questlove, of course, approaches it with not only the encyclopaedic fluency and passion of an obsessive fan but also the expertise and originality of an innovative participant.

Hip-hop is history, and also his history.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker, drummer, DJ, producer, director, culinary entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and member of The Roots – Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, is the unmistakable heartbeat of Philadelphia’s most influential hip-hop group. He is the Musical Director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where his beloved Roots crew serves as house band. Beyond that, this 6-time GRAMMY Award winning musician's indisputable reputation has landed him musical directing positions for everyone from D'Angelo to Jay-Z. Questlove made his directorial debut with the Academy Award winning feature documentary Summer of Soul. The movie broke the record for the highest-selling documentary to come out of Sundance, and it has since gone on to win “Best Feature Documentary” at the 2022 Academy Awards, “Best Documentary” at the 2022 British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) and “Best Music Film” at the 2022 Grammy Awards, as well as a Peabody Award. In addition, Summer of Soul was crowned the “Best Movie of 2021” by The New York Times and included among the “best of the year” by The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, TIME Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone and more. Outside of Summer of Soul, Questlove partnered together with Black Thought of The Roots to launch a production company, Two One Five Entertainment. Together, the pair announced a first-look deal with Universal Television to develop scripted and non-scripted programming. In 2022, the company executive produced the acclaimed feature documentary Descendant about the historic discovery of The Clotilda—the last known slave ship to arrive in America illegally transporting enslaved Africans. The documentary, which made its world premiere at Sundance in 2022, was acquired by Netflix and Higher Ground—President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company. The film earned an impressive three nominations for “Best Documentary Feature,” “Best Director,” and “Best Historical Documentary” and took home the award for “Best Historical Documentary” at the 2022 Critics Choice Documentary Awards. It also received a nomination for “Outstanding Documentary” for the 2023 NAACP Image Awards and was also named one of the “Top 5 Documentaries” of 2022 by the National Board of Review. Questlove’s web series, Quest for Craft, produced by Two One Five and launched in partnership with the single malt whiskey brand, The Balvenie, took home a Webby Award in 2023. Up next, Questlove will make his feature film directing debut with a live-action hybrid reimagining of The Aristocats for Walt Disney Studios. Two One Five is set to produce the film alongside Olive Bridge. Questlove has written multiple books, including the New York Times bestsellers Mo’ Meta Blues, Creative Quest, Music is History, and The Rhythm of Time, as well as the GRAMMY nominated audio books Music Is History and Creative Quest. Expanding his literary endeavors, in 2023 he launched his own book imprint, AUWA Books, within MCD Books, a publishing division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The imprint will publish both nonfiction and fiction on a wide range of topics.

Ben Greenman is a New York Times bestselling author and New Yorker contributor who has written both fiction and nonfiction. His novels and short-story collections include The Slippage and Superbad. He has been Questlove's collaborator on a series of books, including Mo’ Meta Blues, Creative Quest, and Music Is History, and he has written memoirs with Sly Stone, George Clinton, and Brian Wilson. His writing has appeared in numerous publications.

Publisher Lee Brackstone said: ‘If you had to choose any practitioner and writer in the world to write a personal history of hip hop, arguably the greatest art form of the late twentieth century, it would be Questlove of The Roots. Written to recognise the 50th anniversary of hip hop’s birth in the Bronx, Hip Hop is History is a landmark publication for White Rabbit, a book that will surely become the canonical work on the genre, its origins, many mutations and superstars. This book will be in print for decades, enrich your musical lexicon, remind you of artists you loved but have forgotten, and introduce you to pioneers you’d heard of but perhaps neglected. A masterpiece.’

All press enquiries should be directed to:

Emma Finnigan emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk , Sarah Bennie sarah@sarahbennie.com or Francesca Pearce francesca.pearce@orionbooks.co.uk

The contact for Questlove’s team is Carleen Donovan carleen@theoriel.co

White Rabbit is dedicated to publishing the most innovative books and voices in music and literature and creating magic from the alchemical reaction where these two things meet. Led by Publisher, Lee Brackstone, White Rabbit publishes titles encompassing memoir, history, fiction, translation, traditional pop culture, lyrics, illustrated books and high-spec limited editions. Since launching in spring 2020, White Rabbit has published several Sunday Times Bestsellers (including the likes of Mark Lanegan’s Sing Backwards and Weep, Carl Cox’s Oh Yes! Oh Yes!, Chris Frantz’s Remain in Love, and Ten Thousand Apologies by Lias Saoudi and Adelle Stripe), and established itself as the go-to destination for books emerging from and celebrating the counter-culture. Feed Your Head!

 The Orion Publishing Group
Where every story matters.

The Orion Publishing Group is one of the UK’s leading publishers. Our mission is to bring the best publishing to the greatest variety of people. Open, agile, passionate and innovative – we believe that everyone will find something they love at Orion.

Founded in 1991, the Orion Publishing Group today publishes under nine main imprints: Gollancz, the UK’s No.1 science fiction and fantasy imprint; Laurence King Publishing, one of the world’s leading publishers of books and gifts on the creative arts; Orion Fiction, a heartland for brilliant commercial fiction; Orion Spring, home of wellbeing and health titles written by passionate celebrities and world-renowned experts; Seven Dials, for the very best commercial non-fiction, beautifully designed and produced; Trapeze for commercial fiction and non-fiction books that start conversations; Phoenix, a bespoke imprint publishing fiction and memoir that combine literary merit and commercial potential; Weidenfeld & Nicolson, one of the most prestigious and dynamic literary imprints in British and international publishing; and White Rabbit, dedicated to publishing the most innovative books and voices in music and literature.

The Orion Publishing Group is part of Hachette UK which is a leading UK trade publishing group.

Environomics By Dharshini David

The perfect introduction to the new green economy: an original, highly accessible tour through a single day from the BBC’s Chief Economics Correspondent

Environomics

How the Green Economy is Transforming Your World

By Dharshini David

Elliott & Thompson / HB / 20 June 2024 / £22

Why might an orangutan care which toothpaste you choose? What does your mobile phone have to do with wind turbines? And can your morning coffee really power a bus?

Economics affects every aspect of our lives, from the clothes on our backs to the bread on our tables and the fuel in our cars. And there are huge changes afoot as the global green revolution sweeps across the globe.

In this vibrant and eye-opening book, economist and broadcaster Dharshini David follows the course of an average day – from the moment we flick on the light in the morning – to reveal the green changes that are already taking place in every aspect of our world. Exploring industries such as energy, food, fashion, technology, manufacturing and finance, she asks what is happening, how quickly, who is driving it all – and what it means for us. Ranging from crucial issues such as sustainability and corporate greenwashing, to global flashpoints such as industrialisation and trade wars, she shows how even the smallest details in our day are part of a much bigger story about where our world is heading.
If you’ve ever wondered what green issues really mean for your day-to-day life, this book is for you.

Dharshini David is the Chief Economics Correspondent for BBC News and Presenter of programmes for Radio 4, including the Business News on the Today Programme. She won the Harold Wincott prize for Audio Journalism in 2023 for her Analysis documentary for Radio 4.

She has worked as an economist for the UK government, on the trading floor for HSBC Investment Bank, advised the Tesco Board about broadcasting and covered the credit crunch from Wall Street. Dharshini is the author of the bestselling book The Almighty Dollar and read Economics at Downing College, Cambridge.

Praise for The Almighty Dollar

‘Original and engaging’ – Joel Hills, ITV News

‘Brilliantly revealing’ – Ian King, Sky News, and Times columnist

‘Readable and illuminating’ – The Bookseller

‘A brilliant book … very, very readable’ – Iain Dale, LBC

Stats and facts…

  • Fossil fuels – coal, oil, gas – account for about 80 per cent of the world’s energy use.

  • Households are responsible for over a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Fashion is now the second biggest industrial polluter on the planet - its responsible for up to a tenth of greenhouse gas emissions – more than aviation and shipping combined.

  • Textile production as a whole is estimated to be responsible for about 20 per cent of global clean water pollution. 

  • Despite being the world leader in developing and installing renewables like wind and solar, China burns more coal than the rest of the world put together. 

  • At the height of its building boom, around a third of China’s economic growth came from its property sector. According to think-tank Chatham House, China devoured more cement in the three years between 2010 and 2013 than the US did in the entire twentieth century.

  • Cement currently accounts for 7 per cent of global CO2 emissions and about a quarter of all industry CO2 emissions. 

  • 11 billion tonnes of cargo crosses the seas per year. That’s about 1.5 tonnes per person on average.

  • Multinationals such as Amazon, Ikea and Unilever are among those who’ve signed pledges to only move goods on ships with zero carbon fuel by 2040.

  • In 2002, there were 800 million cars on the road – that is set to reach 2 billion by 2030.

  • Estimates vary but the manufacture of batteries (for electric vehicles) can account for over 7 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – or over half the total involved in those vehicles’ production.

  • Typically, however, it only takes a year or two of driving for an electric vehicle to close the emissions gap with its traditional rival.

  • Research shows that switching to a ‘green pension’ can be over twenty times as effective at reducing your carbon footprint as giving up flying, going veggie and switching energy providers.

  • Charity Rainforest Rescue claims that the equivalent of 300 football fields of forest are cleared and burnt every hour in Indonesia, to make way for palm oil trees. These are some of the world’s most biodiverse lands that are being destroyed; habitats for already endangered species, such as orangutans and Sumatran elephants. 

  • Meat and dairy production accounts for 14.5 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases.

For further information or to request an interview or event, please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

Question 7 By Richard Flanagan

Love, family and nuclear fission collide in a genre-busting return from Booker Prize winner Richard Flanagan

Question 7
By Richard Flanagan

Chatto & Windus / hardback, ebook, audio / 30 May 2024

‘Question 7 is a profoundly moving love song for the writer’s parents, a forensic excavation, a lament, a confession, a jig-saw puzzle in which Hiroshima connects to HG Wells, and the Martians colonise Tasmania. We are all competitive, of course, so this is not an easy thing to say: but Question 7 may just be the most significant work of Australian art in the last 100 years.’ - Peter Carey, Sydney Morning Herald – ‘Best Reads of the Year’ 

‘Richard Flanagan’s Question 7 is the strangest and most beautiful memoir I’ve ever read. Magnificent.’ - Tim Winton, Sydney Morning Herald – ‘Best Reads of the Year’ 

‘Sometimes a book is an experience felt almost in the body. Richard Flanagan’s is such a book. It holds a life between its covers and while you read, it holds you too. A celebration of all life, it is also a reckoning with the 20th century and what it revealed about us to ourselves. It is intimate, beautiful, unsparing and profound. It nudges at eternity, and then comes back home, to decency and love.’ - Anna Funder, Sydney Morning Herald – ‘Best Reads of the Year’

The summer after I died, I returned as a ghost

‘Beginning by Japan’s Inland Sea and ending by a river in Tasmania, Richard Flanagan’s astonishing new book Question 7 is about the choices we make about love and the chain reaction that follows.

By way of H. G. Wells and Rebecca West’s affair through 1930s nuclear physics to Flanagan's father working as a slave labourer near Hiroshima when the atom bomb is dropped, this daisy chain of events reaches fission when Flanagan as a young man finds himself trapped in a rapid on a wild river not knowing if he is to live or to die.

The title of this book takes from a riddle by Chekhov, which asks, insistently: who loves longer? Flanagan answers with a passionate song to his island home and his parents, and to the history that delivered him to his place. A hypnotic melding of memory and history, science and dream he shows, dazzlingly, how our lives so often arise out of the stories of others and the stories we invent about ourselves.

Memory is as much an act of creation as it is of testimony… one without the other is a tree without its trunk, wings without a bird, a book without its story. 

“A brilliant meditation on the past of one man and the history that coalesced in his existence.... Flanagan explores old, razed and sacred ground... the Japanese death railway, white Australia’s Black history, the convict and settler bloodlines of fertile Tasmanian country, and the cold rapids of the mighty Franklin River.... Question 7 is Flanagan’s finest book…the psychological and philosophical sweep of Tolstoy... tuned as finely as W.G. Sebald’s Rings of Saturn.”
— Tara June Winch, Guardian (Australia)

Richard Flanagan has been described as ‘one of our greatest living novelists’ (Washington Post). His books have received numerous honours and are published in forty-two countries. He won the 2014 Man Booker Prize for The Narrow Road to the Deep North and the Commonwealth Prize for Gould’s Book of Fish. A rapid on the Franklin River is named after him.  

Celebrated film director Justin Kurzel (The True History of the Kelly Gang, Macbeth) is adapting The Narrow Road to the Deep North for television. It is now in production, starring Jacob Elordi (Saltburn, Priscilla) and Ciarán Hinds (Belfast, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).

Question 7 was published by Knopf in Australia in October 2023 and is being hailed as Flanagan’s most brilliant work yet and has been riding high in the Australian bestseller lists.

Richard Flanagan will be visiting the UK on publication and is available for interview please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

DIVINE MIGHT: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes - Paperback

'Natalie Haynes is the nation's great muse' - Adam Rutherford

‘Haynes is a master of her trade... She succeeds in breathing warm life into some of our oldest stories.’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Natalie Haynes is beyond brilliant.’ – Amanda Foreman

‘[Haynes] deftly drags the classics into the modern world.’ – Kate Atkinson

‘[Haynes is] the great champion of women in Greek myth…One of the delights of the book is that Haynes reacquaints us with forgotten goddesses.’ – Daily Mail on Divine Might

 ‘another beauty of a book…her zingy, lively style will bring these myths to a new, younger audience, especially girls…One of the great joys in Haynes’s work is her use of ancient art and poetry to explain the stories of these goddesses.’ - Herald on Divine Might

‘Natalie Haynes’ Divine Might will shed a new light on the goddesses whose stories have been told countless times, but perhaps never in this way…a powerful read that really opens a new dialogue on the Greek goddesses and will leave you feeling like you understand their stories in a way you haven’t before.’ - Independent on Divine Might

Divine Might

Goddesses in Greek Myth

by Natalie Haynes
Paperback / 2 May 2024 / Picador / £10.99

In Divine Might Natalie Haynes, author of the bestselling Pandora’s Jar, returns to the world of Greek myth and this time she examines the role of the goddesses.

We meet Athene, who sprang fully formed from her father’s head: goddess of war and wisdom, guardian of Athens. We run with Artemis, goddess of hunting and protector of young girls (apart from those she decides she wants as a sacrifice). Here is Aphrodite, goddess of sex and desire – there is no deity more determined and able to make you miserable if you annoy her. And then there’s the queen of all the Olympian gods: Hera, Zeus’s long-suffering wife, whose jealousy of his dalliances with mortals, nymphs and goddesses lead her to wreak elaborate, vicious revenge on those who have wronged her.

We also meet Demeter, goddess of agriculture and mother of the kidnapped Persephone, we sing the immortal song of the Muses and we warm ourselves with Hestia, goddess of the hearth and sacrificial fire. The Furies carry flames of another kind – black fires of vengeance for those who incur their wrath.

 These goddesses are as mighty, revered and destructive as their male counterparts. Isn’t it time we looked beyond the columns of a ruined temple to the awesome power within?

ABOUT NATALIE HAYNES

Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of novels THE AMBER FURY, shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize; THE CHILDREN OF JOCASTA, a feminist retelling of the Oedipus and Antigone stories; A THOUSAND SHIPS (shortlisted for the Women’s Prize), a retelling of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective and STONE BLIND a re-telling of the Medusa story (long listed for the Women’s Prize); and non-fiction books THE ANCIENT GUIDE TO MODERN LIFE and PANDORA’S JAR about the women in Greek myths. She has written and presented seven series of the BBC Radio 4 show, NATALIES HAYNES STANDS UP FOR THE CLASSICS. In 2015, she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.

Selected Praise for PANDORA’S JAR

 'Hugely enjoyable and witty' - Guardian

'Haynes is a brilliant classicist as well as a stand-up comedian and with her latest offering, Pandora's Jar, she has effectively written the first textbook codifying this new feminist take on the Greek myths.' - Neil Mackay, Herald

‘Haynes…puts the women of Greek myths on equal footing with the menfolk in an exploration of their stories, motivations and myths. Written in Haynes’ immediately gripping and readable style, we get the stories of Medea – a seriously powerful girl – who ends up betrayed by Jason as well as deep dive into the stories of The Amazons, Penelope and Phaedra to name a few. Both fascinating and incredibly researched if you want to catch up on your Greek myths, this is the place to start.’ - Stylist

‘Beyoncé, Star Trek, Ray Harryhausen ...  the most enjoyable book about Greek myths you will ever read, absolutely brimming with subversive enthusiasm.’ - Mark Haddon

‘Natalie Haynes is beyond brilliant. Pandora’s Jar is a treasure box of classical delights. Never has ancient misogyny been presented with so much wit and style.’ - Amanda Foreman

‘Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of... but read on!’ - Margaret Atwood

Selected Praise for STONE BLIND

'Witty, gripping, ruthless' – Margaret Atwood via Twitter

'Beautiful and moving' – Neil Gaiman

‘A fierce feminist exploration of female rage, written with wit and empathy’ Glamour

‘Haynes’ clever, empathetic writing transforms Medusa from Gorgon into a girl, who’s a victim of the cruel machinations of the gods and of circumstance.’ Red

‘brilliant and compellingly readable.’ Observer

‘feminist, funny and thought provoking.’ Mail on Sunday

‘Stone Blind is inventive and playful. There is a debt to Aristophanes; the depiction of the absurdities of the bickering gods is very funny’ Times

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes

“Wives Like Us made me laugh so hard… so wickedly smart, so effortless, so chic and hilarious …Plum Sykes is in a class of her own when it comes to peeling back the layers of status paranoia amongst the poshest of the posh as she delivers a delectable tale that you never want to end”
— Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians
“A fabulous and funny bucolic romp – Plum Sykes does it again.”
— Hannah Rothschild
“I absolutely adored Wives Like Us, I thought it was so fun and funny, a romp and a riot - and a glorious dollop of much needed escapism.”
— Daisy Buchanan
“Wives Like Us may be set in the most gorgeous English manor house, but I’d happily sleep in the shed if it meant I could tag along with these marvellous characters—Tata, Minty, and their chic and crafty butler.”
— Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street

Wives Like Us

by Plum Sykes

Bloomsbury / HB / 14 May 2024 / £18.99

'Take a grand English country house, one (heartbroken) American divorcée, three rich wives, two tycoons, a pair of miniature sausage dogs and one (bereaved) butler; put them all into the blender and out comes the impossibly funny Wives Like Us, the new novel from the New York Times best-selling author of Bergdorf Blondes and Party Girls Die In Pearls, Plum Sykes.

 If you think the English countryside is all green wellies, muddy Land Rovers and grey-haired ladies in tweed, then you've never visited 'The Bottoms.'

 Welcome to the rose-strewn county of Oxfordshire, and the tiny Cotswold villages of Little Bottom, Middle Bottom, Great Bottom, and Monkton Bottom, recently annexed by a glittering new breed of female: the Country Princess.

Following a ghastly row about a missing suite of diamonds, Tata Hawkins has flounced out of Monkton Bottom Manor with her daughter, Minty, and Executive Butler Ian Palmer in tow, decamping to The Old Coach House to teach her husband Bryan a lesson.

But things don't go to plan: Bryan disappears to Venice with a bikini designer; Selby Fairfax, the glamorous American divorcée who has inherited the beautiful estate next door, is refusing Tata's overtures at friendship; Tata's best friends, Sophie Thompson and Fernanda Ovington-Williams, are distracted by their own heartache, and the posh Pennybacker-Hoare sisters are plotting to prevent Tata regaining her crown as Queen of the Bottoms. Worst of all, Ian has nowhere to store his collection of vintage Gucci loafers.

Will Tata ever return to the comforts of the Manor? Will Selby find her Prince Charming? Will the Pennybacker-Hoares prevail? With the help of a pig farmer-ess moonlighting as a Personal Assistant, a male model moonlighting as a stable hand and a London barrister moonlighting as a gentleman farmer, can Ian restore harmony to The Bottoms?

‘Plum Sykes’s delectable new novel, Wives like Us, bears a strong resemblance to the Austen-era novels of the 19th century…delightful…a loving portrait of a social milieu that recognises the value of tradition but is also perpetually chasing what’s new.’ US Vogue

Praise for Plum Sykes' previous novels:

'Deliciously moreish' Daily Mail ++ 'Thoroughly fabulous' Vogue ++ 'A total hoot' The Sunday Times ++

 'Sykes has a distinctive, wily and well-deployed comic voice' New York Times ++ 'Savagely funny' Observer ++

'Glam and lively' Heat ++ 'You'll have a blast' Re

Plum Sykes was born in London and educated at Oxford. The author of the novels Bergdorf Blondes, The Debutante Divorcée, Party Girls Die in Pearls and the Kindle Single memoir Oxford Girl, she is a contributing editor at World of Interiors, and at American Vogue where she writes about fashion, society, and Hollywood. She has also written for Vanity Fair.

Plum lives in the English countryside with her family.
Follow her on Instagram @therealplumsykes

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

The Shadow Network by Tony Kent

A new action-packed Dempsey / Devlin thriller from Zoe Ball Book Club and Richard & Judy Book Club pick, Tony Kent

‘Like Baldacci at his best’ - Steve Cavanagh

‘Tony’s books are always absolute belters’ - Ian Rankin

‘Joe Dempsey is this decade's Jack Bauer’ - Neil Lancaster

'A rollicking good thriller' - Vaseem Khan

 ‘What a ride! The very definition of a fast-paced thriller. Great characters. Bang up to date plotting. Tony Kent’s best yet’ - Imran Mahmood

 ‘Perfectly plotted, this adrenaline-fueled, action-packed thriller has high stakes and emotional punch in equal measure. I couldn't put it down!’ - Steph Broadribb

 ‘A blistering, bruising and utterly addictive thriller’ - Neil Broadfoot 

‘Another knockout from the British Baldacci’ - Paul Waters

The Shadow Network

by Tony Kent
Hardback / 15 February 2024 / Elliott & Thompson / £16.99

How do you take down an enemy when no one believes they exist?

When the lawyers of alleged war criminal Hannibal Strauss are caught up in a terror attack in The Hague, barrister Michael Devlin immediately suspects all is not what it seems. Teaming up once more with Agent Joe Dempsey, they must find who’s behind it all before any more innocent lives are lost.

With their key witness on the run and assassins on their tail, their only lead is a codename: the Monk, a legendary and mysterious foreign agent with a fearsome reputation. But what is his stake in this dangerous game? And just who is part of his shadowy network of spies? Caught in a complicated web of lies, secrets and double agents, there’s no one Dempsey and Devlin can trust but themselves.

The Shadow Network is a tightly plotted and fast paced political thriller set against the backdrop of Russian espionage, American spy-hunting and the modern day consequences of the games played by both superpowers during the Cold War.

ABOUT Tony Kent

Tony Kent is a practising criminal barrister and former boxer who draws on his experiences to bring a striking authenticity to his thrillers: Killer Intent, Marked for Death, Power Play, No Way To Die and now The Shadow Network.

Ranked as a ‘leader in his field’ Tony has prosecuted and defended in the most serious trials during his twenty years at the Criminal Bar - specialising in murder, terrorism, corruption, kidnap and organised crime. His case history is filled with nationally reported trials and his practice has brought him into close professional contact with GCHQ, the Security Service and the Ministry of Defence. He has also defended in matters with an international element, involving agencies such as the FBI.

Tony also appears as a criminal justice expert on a number of TV shows, including Meet, Marry, Murder, My Lover, My Killer and Kill Thy Neighbour.

Prior to his legal career Tony represented England as a heavyweight boxer and won a host of national amateur titles.

Tony Kent is also the founder director of Chiltern Kills, which launched in October 2023 - featuring over 70 bestselling writers, including Frederick Forsyth, Mark Billingham, Ruth Ware, Sarah Pinborough, Claire Macintosh, Elly Griffiths, Mark Edwards and many more, all appearing free of charge to help the Prince of Wales’ flagship charity Centrepoint fight youth homelessness.

Tony was co-founder of The Floats Like A Butterfly Ball, a high-profile white- collar boxing event which was held in aid of the charity Caudwell Children. From 2017 to 2019 they raised approximately £1,000,000 for charity.

He lives just outside of London with his wife, young son and dog.

NB Tony Kent is a pseudonym for Tony Wyatt.

‘A pulsating action thriller’ SUNDAY TIMES on No Way to Die

‘A thrilling journey across America that channels Baldacci and Crais... Terrific.’ MASON CROSS on No Way to Die

 ‘An intricate twisty minefield . . . Kent has outdone himself’ DAVID BALDACCI on Power Play

 ‘A high-octane conspiracy yarn’ THE TIMES on No Way to Die

 ‘A gripping conspiracy thriller’ IAN RANKIN on No Way to Die

Tony is available for interviews, events and to write features.

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

The Teacher by Tim Sullivan

A DS GEORGE CROSS THRILLER

'DS George Cross is as arresting as the cases he solves.' RICHARD E. GRANT

“A perfect detective for our time and for all time.” STEPHEN FRY

 ‘Tim Sullivan’s wonderfully realised, captivating character, DS George Cross, shot to the top of my favourites when I first encountered him. The Teacher shows him at his best.’ MARI HANNAH

 'Starts with a bang and then continues to deliver all the way to the thrilling end . . . A great addition to what is becoming a classic series.' IMRAN MAHMOOD on The Teacher

‘George Cross is in a class of his own.’ SIMON TOYNE

‘In DS George Cross, Tim Sullivan has created a character who is as endearing as any I’ve ever come across in this genre. His quirks are his gift, and with Sullivan’s tremendous plotting and superb writing, this series is a gift to readers.’ LIZ NUGENT

The Teacher

by Tim Sullivan
Hardback / 18 January 2024 / Head of Zeus / £20

He's a victim. But is he innocent?

THE BODY: In a village in South West England, an elderly man is found dead in his home. The angle of his neck says he fell down the stairs. The stab wound on his body tells a different story.

THE EVIDENCE: In the weeks before his murder, Alistair Moreton changed. He usually kept himself to himself, but people swear there was someone in the house when they checked on him, that there was a reason he wouldn't let them inside.

THE PUNISHMENT: Moreton made people's lives a misery, from his neighbours to his ex-pupils. While DS George Cross's list of suspects is long, every victim deserves justice.

But in all of Alistair's years, there was something important he never learned: If you go through life making enemies, don't be surprised when they teach you a lesson.

ABOUT tim sullivan

Tim Sullivan is a crime writer, screenwriter and director whose film credits include A Handful of Dust, Jack and Sarah and Cold Feet. Early in his career he directed Jeremy Brett’s iconic portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in ITV’s The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes¸ cementing his lifelong passion for crime fiction.

Tim’s crime series, featuring the socially awkward but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross, has been widely acclaimed and topped the book charts. The Teacher is the sixth in the series.

He lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy Award-winning producer of The Barefoot Contessa and Pioneer Woman.

TimSullivan.co.uk / Twitter: @timjrsullivan / Instagram: @timsullivannovelist / TikTok: @timsullivanauthor

TALKING POINTS & FEATURE IDEAS 

  • How The Teacher was inspired by Tim’s real-life experiences of violence and abuse at prep school.

  • Boarding school survivors – the effects or being bullied and abused at school, and then often ending up in positions of power.

  • Creating a setting – why Bristol is the perfect place for the DS George Cross series. Tim lived in Bristol as a child and was educated at Clifton College – it’s a city he loves and has many connections with.

  • Creating character – from films to crime novels, what keeps us hooked?

  • Differences between writing for screen and writing novels – from detailed storyboarding, to being surprised by what your character does next…

  • How experience as a director helps the novel writing process – from The Casebook Of Sherlock Holmes to George Cross…
    NB Tim’s first two movies were adaptations of books which was another way of learning about the process of novel writing and the difference between the page and the screen.

  • The importance of supporting characters in fiction – in Sullivan’s George Cross novels his partner at work, Josie Ottey, is often his conduit, interpreter, and apologist to those that don’t make any effort to understand him. Alice Mackenzie, the young staffer, relatively new to the department acts as the eyes for the reader as she comes to understand her boss and his ways. His father, Raymond, is a constant source of love and support for someone who is so often misunderstood and abused. This cast of characters enables the detective, sleuth, pathologist, whoever the main character in a crime novel is, to function at their best.

  • The perfect detectives, and what they have in common – from Sherlock Holmes to Poirot and Philip Marlowe to Harry Bosch

  • Creating George – from his passion for playing the organ to his absent mother, what makes George tick?

SELECTED PRAISE

‘In The Teacher George Cross is in a class of his own. He says all the things you think but never dare speak and suffers fools not at all. We should all be more like George.’ SIMON TOYNE on The Teacher

‘I loved The Monk. A clever mystery full of tension but also humour and compassion. George Cross is becoming one of my favourite detectives.’ ELLY GRIFFITHS on The Monk

‘Compelling, full of twists and turns, I couldn’t put this down. Sullivan has created a truly original and endearing detective in George Cross. I’m looking forward to the next one.’ SIMON MCCLEAVE on The Politician

‘Tim Sullivan has pulled off the ultimate conjuring trick: an absorbing plot with an engaging detective I’d follow to the ends of the earth. Just brilliant!’ MARION TODD on The Monk

'A brilliantly old-school detective with a modern twist . . . from the complex emotion of his private life to the razor-sharp detail of the police investigation. Spot on!' RUSS THOMAS on The Monk

‘DS Cross is an extraordinary character… Incredibly well researched, as is the whole book….A fascinating man.. I got a real window into what it felt like to be him…and how brilliant he is.’  -  NIHAL, BBC Radio 5 on The Monk

‘Tim Sullivan’s detective, DS George Cross, is autistic. His approach to investigations is unorthodox…he works surprisingly well as a fictional character, processing clues in a way that recalls Poirot’s “little grey cells”.’ SUNDAY TIMES on The Monk

‘A gripping, atmospheric police procedural with an intriguing detective and an excellent foil in the shape of his longsuffering partner DS Josie Ottey.’ GUARDIAN on The Monk

'An extremely accomplished, traditional mystery in the PD James mode...this well-plotted and paced novel is an absolute treat' IRISH TIMES

'A British detective for the 21st century who will be hard to forget' DAILY MAIL

‘The fact that Cross has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder makes him just as intriguing as the murder mystery’ THE TIMES

‘Elegant writing and a firm grasp of the crime medium…We’ve had sleuths on the autistic spectrum before but Sullivan’s copper is among the most distinctive characterisations.’ FINANCIAL TIMES

‘Fantastic story with a brilliant D.S. Loved it’ FROST MAGAZINE

‘A compelling, suspenseful police procedural with an intimate, positive insight into living on the autistic spectrum' WOMAN

'Superb, clever and taut' BELFAST TELEGRAPH

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

This Book May Save Your Life by Dr Karan Rajan

The hilarious, myth-busting survival guide to the human body from the internet’s favourite General Surgeon, Dr Karan Rajan

This Book May Save Your Life

by Dr Karan Rajan

Everyday health hacks to worry less and live better

Hardback non-fiction / 28 December 2023 / Century / £18.99

'When you want to sort medical fact from medical fiction, Dr Karan is your man. This is the only book that will have you laughing and learning in equal measure’ - Dr Julie Smith, bestselling author of Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before

Though the odds are stacked against us, the human body has an extraordinary tendency to survive. In This Book May Save Your Life, Dr Karan Rajan explains the weird and wonderful bodily functions that keep us going and offers practical advice to help you thrive.

Full of everyday health hacks to worry less and live better, it will teach you:

  • The dangers of plucking your nose hairs

  • You untapped natural reflexes to combat stress

  • How to manage pain with simple mind tricks

  • How to slow cognitive decline

  • And why you should never hold in a fart

 

‘I’m here to guide you safely around your body’s biological barbs, traps, slides and pitfalls to improve your quality of life.’ Dr Karan Rajan

'I'll never look at my anus the same way' Hayley Morris, bestselling author of Me Vs Brain

ABOUT DR karan rajan

Dr Karan Rajan is an NHS surgeon and one of the biggest health and science creators on social media, with over 8.5 million followers across his social media channels. His refreshingly frank medical myth-busting and health advice videos combine education, entertainment, and generous servings of dark humour.

Dr Rajan has been featured on news programmes all over the world including BBC Morning Live, This Morning, Good Morning Britain, BBC News, Sky News and national radio, with coverage in the Guardian, Independent, Washington Post, New York Post, Metro, Sun, LADBible and the Daily Mail. A former weekly health columnist for Mail+, Dr Rajan was also a co-presenter on BBC Two’s six-part series Your Body Uncovered

Over the past few years, as well as being a regular advocate of health promotion on behalf of the NHS and the UK government, he has also worked closely with the UN, the WHO and the British Red Cross in an ambassadorial capacity. He is also a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Sunderland Medical School and formerly at Imperial College London. He brings his passion for education, health and science to life in speaking engagements and has delivered keynote speeches and talks at Oxford University, Imperial College London, Birmingham University, Uber, Peloton, TikTok and General Electric.

Dr Karan Rajan is available for interviews, features and events.

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

HOW MIGRATION REALLY WORKS: A Factful Guide to the Most Divisive Issue in Politics by Hein de Haas

An authoritative and myth-busting analysis that tells us why we're wrong about migration. 

How Migration Really Works

A Factful Guide to the Most Divisive Issue in Politics

by Hein de Haas
Hardback / 9 November 2023 / Penguin - Viking / £25

What are we getting so wrong about migration – and why?

Are borders beyond control after being deluged by desperate people in small boats? Are immigrants taking jobs away from native workers? Or do we badly need immigrants to boost economic growth and innovation? As debates on migration have reached fever pitch, so has political and media fearmongering, but what are the facts behind the headlines?

In this ground-breaking and revelatory book, based on over three decades of research, Professor Hein de Haas explodes the myths that politicians, interest groups and media regularly spread about migration. Draining the vitriol from a debate that has poisoned politics for decades, Hein de Haas shows us that global migration is not at an all-time high; climate change will not lead to mass migration; immigration mainly benefits the already wealthy, not workers; and border restrictions have paradoxically produced more migration.

Comparing trends and perspectives from Western ‘destination countries’ (the United Kingdom, United States and in Europe) as well as ‘origin countries’ in Asia and Africa, de Haas equips readers with essential knowledge on migration based on the best evidence and data, enabling us to have better and more informed conversations about the most hot-button issue in politics.

Above all, How Migration Really Works offers a new vision of migration based on facts rather than fears, and a paradigm-altering understanding of this perennially important subject.

ABOUT Hein de Haas

Hein de Haas is Professor of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and Professor of Migration and Development at the University of Maastricht. He formerly taught at the University of Oxford, where he co-founded and co-directed the International Migration Institute (IMI). One of the world’s top migration scholars, he continues to direct IMI from its current home at UvA. He is the lead author of The Age of Migration, a seminal textbook in the field of migration studies. He lives in Amsterdam.

'‘A careful, balanced, and convincing take on one of the most divisive issues of our age. Backed by masses of data, Hein de Haas challenges much of what we think is obvious about migration, systematically busting myths and exposing propaganda from all across the political spectrum’

Ian Morris, author of Why The West Rules – For Now

 ‘Compelling…it engages with the arguments behind the myths…How Migration Really Works ultimately uses its convincing research to ask us to worry less about migration. In doing so, it instead alights upon global inequality as the true cause for concern.’

The World Today, Chatham House

TOP SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT MIGRATION 

1) International migrants only make up 3% of the global population, and refugees represent 5-10% of this number – much smaller than we are led to believe by the media and politicians.

2) Instead of a ‘desperate flight from misery’, migration is generally a deliberate and rational investment in the long-term well-being of families.

3) Labour demand, not inequality or poverty, is the root cause of migration. While wage gaps often motivate people to migrate, most migrants would have stayed home without concrete job opportunities.

4) Rather than taking jobs from native workers, migrants fill vacancies for which not enough local workers are available.

5) The lack of affordable housing, substandard schooling and healthcare are not caused by immigration, but by policies to roll back the welfare state and to defund and privatize government services.

6) There is no evidence that immigration leads to more crime. In fact, crime rates have dropped as immigration has increased. Immigrants – legal and illegal – tend to be equally or less criminal than native-born people.

7) Claims that migration ‘lifts all boats’ reflect elite views and corporate agendas, and conceal the fact that migration mainly benefits the already privileged. Although it is a myth that foreign workers steal jobs or undercut wages, native workers barely reap any economic benefits from immigration.

8) It is an illusion that immigration can reignite growth and innovation in stagnating economies, as high immigration is the result, rather than the cause of, economic success.

9) While measures such as border walls help to create an appearance of control, extraordinarily low levels of labour enforcement prove that politicians are, in practice, willing turn a blind eye towards employment of illegal migrants.

10) There is no left-right divide in immigration policy making. The issue divides political parties internally. On average, right-wing governments do not adopt more restrictive immigration policies compared to left-wing governments.

11) Although inflammatory rhetoric by politicians can embolden nativist groups and racist violence, there is no evidence that public opinion has generally turned against immigration.

12) Smuggling is a reaction to border controls, not the cause of illegal migration. Smugglers deliver a service that migrants are willing to pay for, so that they can cross borders without being caught by abusive state agents, border guards or criminals.

13) Migrant workers mislabelled as trafficking victims resist being ‘rescued’ as this usually implies deportation and loss of income. By criminalizing precarious work but failing to stop abusive employers, anti-trafficking policies have made workers more vulnerable, perpetuating a vicious cycle of abuse, exploitation and stigmatization.

14) Ill-conceived immigration restrictions often backfire by paradoxically producing more migration. The effectiveness of border restrictions is also undermined by pre-emptive ‘now or never’ migration surges.

15) Apocalyptic forecasts of massive South-North climate migration lack any scientific basis. They ignore evidence that most displacement in response to floods, droughts and hurricanes is short-distance and temporary, and that vulnerable populations lack the resources to move over long distances.

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

DIVINE MIGHT: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes

'Natalie Haynes is the nation's great muse' - Adam Rutherford

‘Haynes is a master of her trade... She succeeds in breathing warm life into some of our oldest stories.’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Natalie Haynes is beyond brilliant.’ – Amanda Foreman

‘[Haynes] deftly drags the classics into the modern world.’ – Kate Atkinson

Divine Might

Goddesses in Greek Myth

by Natalie Haynes
Hardback / 28 September 2023 / Picador / £20

In Divine Might Natalie Haynes, author of the bestselling Pandora’s Jar, returns to the world of Greek myth and this time she examines the role of the goddesses.

We meet Athene, who sprang fully formed from her father’s head: goddess of war and wisdom, guardian of Athens. We run with Artemis, goddess of hunting and protector of young girls (apart from those she decides she wants as a sacrifice). Here is Aphrodite, goddess of sex and desire – there is no deity more determined and able to make you miserable if you annoy her. And then there’s the queen of all the Olympian gods: Hera, Zeus’s long-suffering wife, whose jealousy of his dalliances with mortals, nymphs and goddesses lead her to wreak elaborate, vicious revenge on those who have wronged her.

We also meet Demeter, goddess of agriculture and mother of the kidnapped Persephone, we sing the immortal song of the Muses and we warm ourselves with Hestia, goddess of the hearth and sacrificial fire. The Furies carry flames of another kind – black fires of vengeance for those who incur their wrath.

 These goddesses are as mighty, revered and destructive as their male counterparts. Isn’t it time we looked beyond the columns of a ruined temple to the awesome power within?

ABOUT NATALIE HAYNES

Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of novels THE AMBER FURY, shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize; THE CHILDREN OF JOCASTA, a feminist retelling of the Oedipus and Antigone stories; A THOUSAND SHIPS (shortlisted for the Women’s Prize), a retelling of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective and STONE BLIND a re-telling of the Medusa story (long listed for the Women’s Prize); and non-fiction books THE ANCIENT GUIDE TO MODERN LIFE and PANDORA’S JAR about the women in Greek myths. She has written and presented seven series of the BBC Radio 4 show, NATALIES HAYNES STANDS UP FOR THE CLASSICS. In 2015, she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.

Selected Praise for PANDORA’S JAR

 'Hugely enjoyable and witty' - Guardian

‘Agile, rich, subversive, Pandora's Jar proves that the classics are far from dead, and keep evolving with us.' - Madeleine Feeny, Mail on Sunday

'Haynes is a brilliant classicist as well as a stand-up comedian and with her latest offering, Pandora's Jar, she has effectively written the first textbook codifying this new feminist take on the Greek myths.' - Neil Mackay, Herald

‘Haynes…puts the women of Greek myths on equal footing with the menfolk in an exploration of their stories, motivations and myths. Written in Haynes’ immediately gripping and readable style, we get the stories of Medea – a seriously powerful girl – who ends up betrayed by Jason as well as deep dive into the stories of The Amazons, Penelope and Phaedra to name a few. Both fascinating and incredibly researched if you want to catch up on your Greek myths, this is the place to start.’ - Stylist

‘Beyoncé, Star Trek, Ray Harryhausen ...  the most enjoyable book about Greek myths you will ever read, absolutely brimming with subversive enthusiasm.’ - Mark Haddon

‘Natalie Haynes is beyond brilliant. Pandora’s Jar is a treasure box of classical delights. Never has ancient misogyny been presented with so much wit and style.’ - Amanda Foreman

‘Witty, erudite and subversive, this takes the women of Greek myth—the women who are sidelined, vilified, misunderstood or ignored—and puts them centre stage.’ - Samantha Ellis

‘Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of... but read on!’ - Margaret Atwood

Selected Praise for STONE BLIND

'Witty, gripping, ruthless' – Margaret Atwood via Twitter

'Beautiful and moving' – Neil Gaiman

‘A fierce feminist exploration of female rage, written with wit and empathy’ Glamour

‘Haynes’ clever, empathetic writing transforms Medusa from Gorgon into a girl, who’s a victim of the cruel machinations of the gods and of circumstance.’ Red

‘brilliant and compellingly readable.’ Observer

‘feminist, funny and thought provoking.’ Mail on Sunday

‘Stone Blind is inventive and playful. There is a debt to Aristophanes; the depiction of the absurdities of the bickering gods is very funny’ Times

‘With wit, humanity and extraordinary imagination, Haynes breathes life and meaning into myths as she has done so brilliantly before.’ iPaper

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

The Maverick: George Weidenfeld and the Golden Age of Publishing by Thomas Harding

The story of the famed publisher George Weidenfeld, who transformed not only publishing but the culture of ideas, from his struggles as an Austrian-Jewish refugee in London to his rise as a world-renowned literary figure.

‘The Maverick anchors George Weidenfeld as one of the foremost influencers in modern literature and a man who rose from extraordinary circumstances to lead an even more extraordinary life.
A treasure trove of insight and history’

Arianna Huffington

 ‘A fascinating biography of an unlikely cultural hero. I couldn't put it down’

Alan Posener, journalist for Die Welt

 ‘Thomas Harding has doggedly unearthed fascinating and surprising tales from George Weidenfeld's life as he rose from poverty and Nazi persecution to become one of the world's most powerful publishers. Harding reveals a complex personality in a richly told narrative that leaves the reader awed’

Lynn Medford, former editor, Washington Post Magazine

‘George Weidenfeld was a titan of a man, an irresistible character and something of a genius.
This book does him full justice’

Simon Heffer, author of The Age of Decadence and High Minds‘

‘Like George Weidenfeld himself, Thomas Harding's accomplishment is substantial, lively, and full of interest. The Maverick is a fine biography’

Henry Kissinger

The Maverick
George Weidenfeld and the Golden Age of Publishing
Thomas Harding
Weidenfeld & Nicolson / HB / 31 August 2023 / £25, ebook and audio £21.99

After arriving in London just before the Second World War as a penniless and friendless Austrian-Jewish refugee, George Weidenfeld went on to transform not only the world of publishing but the culture of ideas. The books that he published include momentous titles such as Lolita, Double Helix, The Group and The Hedgehog and the Fox, with authors he championed ranging from Joan Didion, Mary McCarthy, Golda Meir and Edna O'Brien to Henry Miller, Harold Wilson, Saul Bellow and Henry Kissinger.

In this first biography, Thomas Harding provides a full, unvarnished and at times difficult history of a complex and fascinating character. Throughout his long career, George Weidenfeld was written about in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time, Vanity Fair and other publications. Was he, as described by some, the ‘greatest salesperson’, ‘the world’s best networker’, ‘the publisher’s publisher’ and ‘a great intellectual’? Was his lifelong effort to be the world’s most famous host a cover for his desperate loneliness? Who, in fact, was the real George Weidenfeld and how did he rise so successfully within the ranks of London and New York society?

Drawing on author correspondence, internal memos, and other documents buried deep in the secret publishing files of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Harding crafts a portrait of the publisher’s life that is inextricable from the efforts and intricacies of putting a book into the world. Structured around twenty books associated with George Weidenfeld and intercut with explorations of contemporary concerns such as the right to publish, freedom of speech and separating the art from the artist, The Maverick tells the captivating story behind the life of this iconic publisher.

Covering topics such as democracy, identity, the plight of refugees, globalism, the liberal international order, tension in the Middle East, inter-generational trauma and reconciliation, and dialogue between faiths, the issues that George Weidenfeld faced are still as current and relevant today.

ABOUT ME THOmas harding

Thomas Harding is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than sixteen languages. He has written for the Sunday Times, the Washington Post and the Guardian, among other publications. His books include Hanns and Rudolf, which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; The House by the Lake, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; Blood on the Page, which won the Crime Writers’ Association ‘Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction’ and White Debt: The Demerara Uprising and Britain’s Legacy of Slavery.

The Infertile Midwife: In Search of Motherhood - A Memoir by Sophie Martin

An insightful, moving memoir, capturing life working as a midwife in a busy NHS hospital at the same time as dealing with experiences of infertility, IVF and loss.

“A vital, heartfelt read for anyone navigating the rough seas of infertility and pregnancy loss.” – LEAH HAZARD

“This beautifully written tender book has for me, captured so much of what I experienced and when women share, it’s incredibly comforting and empowering… I hope [Sophie’s] book – as a medical professional, individual and mother – plays a part in the women’s healthcare revolution that the world so needs.” – MELISSA HEMSLEY

The Infertile Midwife

In Search of Motherhood - A Memoir

by Sophie Martin
Hardback | 31 August 2023 | Hardie Grant | £16.99

As a young married couple, Sophie Martin and her husband spent years trying to conceive. They went through several rounds of IVF, at great expense, and even travelled overseas for treatment, never quite knowing whether they would one day have a family. Alongside this, Sophie was working hard at a job she loved: looking after expectant mothers and newborn babies as a midwife in a busy hospital, where the patients’ daily new additions were a constant reminder of Sophie’s own setbacks in pursuit of motherhood.

The Infertile Midwife is a deeply personal, moving account of chasing something that you want so desperately. It also offers a much-needed look at how society treats infertility – from the language we use to the small talk we make – and the ways in which we can all do more to make things better for hopeful parents. With great warmth and honesty, Sophie shares her experiences of the bursts of hope and moments of great loss, but also the humour, love and joy that can be found in even the darkest places..

ABOUT Sophie Martin

Sophie Martin is a registered midwife and worked in a Central London hospital for ten years before moving to a hospital in Essex. Her wider experience of infertility and baby loss informs her practice and has led to her being approached by organisations such as Emma’s Diary and My Surrogacy Journey to provide a professional overview for them. For the past three years, Sophie has curated and delivered a series of online talks and interviews to coincide with Baby Loss Awareness Week. Her interview with Elizabeth Day on infertility and baby loss was watched 17,500 times.

Sophie lives in Essex with her husband and their young son.

Follow Sophie on @the.infertile.midwife

“Sophie’s words provide a supportive lighthouse of hope for many. She is gifted at starting and facilitating the conversations ensuring those who feel like they sit in the shadows of other people’s celebrations are supported, seen and validated. She holds up a microphone to the stories that need to be heard, generously sharing her own along the way.” ANNA MATHUR

“An important, insightful book for midwives and anyone interested in birth…Well written, deeply personal [it’s] a story that will resonate with many readers. This is an important story to tell, and highlights, also, the importance of language used around birth.” ANNA KENT Midwife, Aid worker, Author of Frontline Midwife

Talking points and feature ideas

  • The importance of language, and changes that should be made within the NHS – including how to talk about medical conditions without portioning blame or shame to the individual.

  • Training and support needed for healthcare professionals around babyloss and infertility.

  • Complex PTSD and support needed for midwives going through babyloss / infertility themselves.

  • Sophie’s story and her drive to become a midwife and how maternity services can have a deep and lasting impact on the experiences of families.

  • How to speak to families who are going through babyloss and infertility, and how to support friends or family who are living through this.

  • IVF and what to expect. What the process entails, both emotionally and physically.

  • Grief, trauma and the effect on the body.

  • How to cope with infertility and babyloss as a family – how men or the non-biological partner may experience loss.

  • Pregnancy after loss and the intense emotions and need for support during this time.

  • The reality of having a child after loss, and reaching bittersweet milestones.

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

Stone Blind: Medusa’s Story by Natalie Haynes

'Witty, gripping, ruthless' – Margaret Atwood via Twitter

'Beautiful and moving' – Neil Gaiman

‘A fierce feminist exploration of female rage, written with wit and empathy’ – Glamour

‘Haynes’ clever, empathetic writing transforms Medusa from Gorgon into a girl, who’s a victim of the cruel machinations of the gods and of circumstance.’ – Red

‘brilliant and compellingly readable.’ – Observer

‘feminist, funny and thought provoking.’ – Mail on Sunday

‘Stone Blind is inventive and playful. There is a debt to Aristophanes; the depiction of the absurdities of the bickering gods is very funny’ – Times

‘With wit, humanity and extraordinary imagination, Haynes breathes life and meaning into myths as she has done so brilliantly before.’ – iPaper

Stone Blind

Medusa’s Story

by Natalie Haynes
Paperback / 8 June 2023 / Picador / £9.99

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023

In Stone Blind, the instant Sunday Times bestseller, Natalie Haynes brings the infamous Medusa to life as you have never seen her before.

‘So to mortal men, we are monsters. Because of our flight, our strength. They fear us, so they call us monsters’

Medusa is the sole mortal in a family of gods. Growing up with her Gorgon sisters, she begins to realize that she is the only one who experiences change, the only one who can be hurt.

When Poseidon commits an unforgiveable act against Medusa in the temple of Athene, the goddess takes her revenge where she can: on his victim. Medusa is changed forever – writhing snakes for hair and her gaze now turns any living creature to stone. She can look at nothing without destroying it.

Desperate to protect her beloved sisters, Medusa condemns herself to a life of shadows. Until Perseus embarks upon a quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .

ABOUT NATALIE HAYNES

Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of novels THE AMBER FURY, shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize; THE CHILDREN OF JOCASTA, a feminist retelling of the Oedipus and Antigone stories; A THOUSAND SHIPS (shortlisted for the Women’s Prize), a retelling of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective and STONE BLIND a re-telling of the Medusa story (long listed for the Women’s Prize); and non-fiction books THE ANCIENT GUIDE TO MODERN LIFE and PANDORA’S JAR about the women in Greek myths. DIVINE MIGHT: GODDESSES IN GREEK MYTH will be published in September. She has written and presented seven series of the BBC Radio 4 show, NATALIES HAYNES STANDS UP FOR THE CLASSICS. In 2015, she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.

For further information please contact:

EMMA FINNIGAN PR

07870 210468 | emma@emmafinniganpr.co.uk | @emmafinnigan | www.emmafinniganpr.co.uk

Road to Surrender by Evan Thomas

A riveting, immersive account of the agonizing decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan – a crucial turning point in World War II and geopolitical history by New York Times bestselling author
 

Published to coincide with a major Hollywood biopic on Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb

 

“In this meticulously crafted and vivid account, Evan Thomas tells the gripping and terrifying story of the last days of the Second World War in the Pacific. Writing with insight and understanding, he re-creates for us those critical moments when, for better or worse, the decisions, from the dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the Japanese surrender, were made.” - Margaret MacMillan, author of War: How Conflict Shaped Us

Road to Surrender
Three Men and the Countdown to the End of World War II
by Evan Thomas
Hardback / 8 June 2023 / Elliott & Thompson / £20

At 9:20 a.m. on the morning of May 30, General Groves receives a message to report to the office of the secretary of war “at once.” Stimson is waiting for him. He wants to know: has Groves selected the targets yet?

So begins this suspenseful, impeccably researched history that draws on new access to diaries to tell the story of three men who were intimately involved with America’s decision to drop the atomic bomb—and Japan’s decision to surrender. They are Henry Stimson, the American Secretary of War, who had overall responsibility for decisions about the atom bomb; Gen. Carl “Tooey” Spaatz, head of strategic bombing in the Pacific, who supervised the planes that dropped the bombs; and Japanese Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo, the only one in Emperor Hirohito’s Supreme War Council who believed even before the bombs were dropped that Japan should surrender.

Henry Stimson had served in the administrations of five presidents, but as the U.S. nuclear program progressed, he found himself tasked with the unimaginable decision of determining whether to deploy the bomb. The new president, Harry S. Truman, thus far a peripheral figure in the momentous decision, accepted Stimson’s recommendation to drop the bomb. Army Air Force Commander Gen. Spaatz ordered the planes to take off. Like Stimson, Spaatz agonized over the command even as he recognized it would end the war. After the bombs were dropped, Foreign Minister Togo was finally able to convince the emperor to surrender. 

To bring these critical events to vivid life, bestselling author Evan Thomas draws on the diaries of Stimson, Togo and Spaatz, contemplating the immense weight of their historic decision. In Road to Surrender, an immersive, surprising, moving account, Thomas lays out the behind-the-scenes thoughts, feelings, motivations, and decision-making of three people who changed history.

ABOUT Evan Thomas

Evan Thomas is the author of ten books, including the New York Times bestsellers John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, and First: Sandra Day O’Connor. Thomas was a writer, correspondent, and editor for thirty-three years at Time and Newsweek, including ten years as Newsweek’s Washington bureau chief. He appears regularly on many TV and radio talk shows. Thomas has taught at Harvard and Princeton.

NEW MATERIAL AND INSIGHT

  • Previously unpublished correspondence between Spaatz and his wife, shared by General Spaatz’s granddaughter, Katharine Gresham, shows Spaatz’s deep ambivalence about how the war was progressing.

  • Unpublished materials shared by Togo’s grandsons, show Togo’s little-known role in avoiding an Armageddon far worse even than the damage wrought by two atomic bombs.

  • Through rare access to diaries and personal discussions we have insight into the moral dilemmas faced on both sides and how the key political decision makers grappled with these impossibly difficult decisions.

  • This story is more relevant than ever because of Putin’s threats, demonstrating again the strength of nuclear power as a political weapon.

Selected Praise

“A terrifying, heart-breaking account of three men under unimaginable pressure . . . This is history that crackles with journalistic immediacy. I challenge you not to read this book in a single sitting.” - Nathaniel Philbrick, author of In the Heart of the Sea and Travels with George

“With an unerring eye for detail and a deft touch with the dramatic, Evan Thomas tells one of the most important stories of all time with power and grace. Paced like a thriller, replete with fresh historical insight, and driven by new research, Thomas’s book explains how America came to deploy the deadliest weapons ever created. The result is an indispensable portrait of power, anxiety, and moral ambiguity.” - Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of And There Was Light

“This dramatic, you-are-there masterpiece provides a convincing explanation of one of the great moral questions of twentieth-century history: Was America right to drop the atom bomb on Japan at the end of World War II? This is an indispensable book for those who want to understand the moral issues surrounding the use of great power.” - Walter Isaacson

“A taut, thrilling narrative, rich, compassionate, and superbly nuanced.” - Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Revolutionary

“In this mesmerizing account of the final weeks of World War II, Evan Thomas provides a haunting, deeply human look at the mental and physical torment of American and Japanese leaders as they confronted the catastrophic reality of the atomic bomb. Although U.S. officials were convinced that dropping the bomb on Japanese cities was necessary to end the war, Thomas reveals in cinematic, nail-biting detail that Japan’s surrender was not a foregone conclusion. Even as Emperor Hirohito made the wrenching decision to capitulate, senior Japanese military leaders launched a bloody, last-minute insurrection to overthrow the government and fight to the bitter end—a coup attempt that came unnervingly close to succeeding.” - Lynne Olson, New York Times bestselling author of Madame Fourcade's Secret War and Citizens of London

The Flavour Thesaurus: More Flavours by Niki Segnit

The hugely anticipated follow-up to Niki Segnit's landmark global bestseller The Flavour Thesaurus

 ‘As brilliant, informative and witty as the first Flavour Thesaurus… This book will inspire a new generation of home cooks, chefs and writers alike.’

Rukmini Iyer on The Flavour Thesaurus: More Flavours

 

‘Matching ingredients isn't a trivial matter and Niki Segnit is definitely the reigning champion.’ Yotam Ottolenghi on The Flavour Thesaurus: More Flavours

 

‘It’s been fascinating, if not to say dangerously appetising, to research the dozens of mostly plant-based ingredients in this all-new treasury of flavour combinations. As with its sister volume, the first Flavour Thesaurus, my hope is that the mix of science, culinary advice, tasting notes, recipes and stories will inform and inspire cooks, from the professional chef creating recipes in her test kitchen, to the home cook trying to avoid consigning half a cauliflower to the bin.’ Niki Segnit

The Flavour Thesaurus
More Flavours
Niki Segnit 
Bloomsbury / HB / 11 May 2023 / £20

In The Flavour Thesaurus: More Flavours – Plant-led pairings, recipes and ideas for cooks, Niki Segnit applies her ground-breaking approach to explore 92 plant-based flavours, from Kale to Cashew, Pomegranate to Pistachio. Every ingredient is vegetarian and explored with the economy of a thesaurus, then expertly paired with those they complement.

Some of the pairings are classic, like Honey & Yoghurt or Green Bean & Tomato, some are contemporary like Turmeric & Ginger or Black Bean & Avocado, many are global like Miso & Seaweed or Tofu & Chilli, and others are compellingly unexpected, like Tamarind & Cheese or Papaya & Green Bean. There are over 800 witty and erudite entries combining recipes, tasting notes and stories to bring each ingredient to life. 

Together with Niki Segnit’s first book, The Flavour Thesaurus, this is a modern classic of food writing. Witty, playful and beautifully written, More Flavours is as much a bedside read as an indispensable kitchen resource.

The Flavour Thesaurus, first published in 2011, is a global bestseller and has been translated into fifteen languages. It was winner of the André Simon Award for best food book, the Guild of Food Writers Award for best first book and shortlisted for the Galaxy National Book Awards. It’s an iconic book with evangelists that span the world, from Nigel Slater, Yotam Ottolenghi, Heston Blumenthal, Brian Eno and Kate Winslet to baristas, bar tenders and wine writers.

ABOUT ME Niki Segnit

Niki Segnit lives in London with her husband and two children. On BBC Radio 4, she has contributed to The Food Programme, Woman’s Hour and Word of Mouth, and her columns, features and reviews have appeared in the Guardian, the Observer, The Times, The Times Literary Supplement, The Sunday Times and Prospect magazine. She is the author of The Flavour Thesaurus and Lateral Cooking.

Selected praise for The Flavour Thesaurus:

‘The books I value most are those I return to again and again. Such has been the case with The Flavour Thesaurus’ - Nigel Slater

‘An original and inspiring resource’ - Heston Blumenthal

‘Every time I return to it, which is often, it makes me tingle with happy greed’ - Bee Wilson

‘I heartily recommend The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit. It lists more than 4,000 possible combinations of 99 flavours, with lots of recipes to inspire you’ - Kate Winslet, Harper’s Bazaar

 

Selected praise for Lateral Cooking:

‘It is hard to convey just what a staggering achievement Lateral Cooking is … I can lose myself in it any time, from any page, and you could cook from it over a whole lifetime, and still be learning’ - Nigella Lawson

‘A rigorous, nuts-and-bolts bible of book, which works from the premise that there are base recipes from which all others can be built’ - Jay Rayner

‘The pleasure here is not in the technical know-how but the writing – witty, playful and conversational – and the juicy little nuggets of information’ - Diana Henry

'Pure, informative delight' - The New York Times

FRAY by Chris Carse Wilson

FRAY By Chris Carse Wilson
HarperNorth / 27th April 2023 / Hardback Fiction / £14.99

‘Fray is right up there for me with other first-person books like The Catcher in the Rye and Janice Galloway’s The Trick is to Keep Breathing. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.’ - Alan Cumming

‘Grief is the everyday devil, and in this hallucinatory debut it grabs us by the hand. Is there a mystery to solve? Or is it the real mystery that any of us manages to go on living in the face of grief?’ - Damian Barr

 ‘Mind-alteringly beautiful writing.’- Kirstin Innes

The debut literary suspense novel by Chris Carse Wilson, exploring hope and grief in the remote wilderness of the Scottish Highlands. Chris secretly wrote Fray in fifteen-minute bursts on the bus to and from work, even hiding the book from his wife until it was finished.

I am not gone. Mum is not gone. We are here. We are hidden.

 A father who is trying to rescue his lost wife. 

Their child, desperately searching the wild forests and dangerous mountains of the Scottish Highlands, not knowing what’s out there.

An abandoned cottage in the remote wilderness, filled with thousands of confusing, terrifying handwritten notes.

And a dark, looming voice who threatens to destroy everything…

ABOUT CHRIS CARSE WILSON

Chris Carse Wilson is a debut author and lifelong runner who uses exercise and nature to manage his mental health. Chris is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 40. He lives outside Dundee, where he was part of the team who created V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum.

INTRODUCTION TO FRAY

Chris Carse Wilson began writing Fray in 2016 during a family trip to Glen Coe in the Scottish Highlands.

 He had long wanted to write about his own mental health experiences but had always struggled to find a way to do this. The key moment came during a mountain run in a storm.

Chris said: “I had foolishly decided to try and run up one of the Munro mountains in Glen Coe on a dark October day. Not long into the climb, the rain came on heavily and the wind really picked up – the conditions were painful, with raindrops spiking into my face and terrible visibility.

“I had to give up halfway, but on the way back down I passed an old, boarded-up hunting lodge. That combination of the wild, threatening weather and this abandoned building gave me the way into telling a story that is open and honest about mental health.”

Chris would later receive an autism diagnosis, after completing Fray.

He said: “My mental health challenges are inextricably linked to being autistic and how I experience the world, which for 40 years of my life I never understood. The diagnosis has been an incredible moment, although I’m still learning and coming to terms with it.

“But, and this is crucial, this book isn’t really about me – it’s about the mental health experiences we all face, and the ways we may struggle to understand or communicate these. At its heart, Fray is a book about love and self-acceptance, while also taking the reader on a wild adventure through the Scottish Highlands.”

FURTHER ADVANCE PRAISE

‘Fray is a haunting, insightful literary story... a tale of family, tragedy, and loneliness set against the evocative backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, written with a unique flair and style. A dark and atmospheric masterpiece.’ - Vikki Patis, author of Return to Blackwater House

‘Eerie and ethereal, Fray is an unsettling quest in the unforgiving Scottish Highlands – utterly spellbinding.’ - Marion Todd, author of the DI Clare Mackay series

‘Fray is a totally original novel and I loved it for that… A dangerous journey that throws up lots of surprises. The writing is awe-inspiring.’ - Alex Pine, bestselling author of the DI James Walker series 

'Dark and atmospheric, Fray is chilling and very original. I couldn't put it down.' - Simon McCleave

'Chris Carse Wilson has that deftness of touch that will scare you witless but keep you coming back for more and more.' - Jonathan Whitelaw

Fray will also be available as an audio book read by Angus King, who voiced Booker Prize winner Shuggie Bain.

The Monk by Tim Sullivan

'DS George Cross is as arresting as the cases he solves.' RICHARD E. GRANT

“A perfect detective for our time and for all time.” STEPHEN FRY

 ‘Compelling, full of twists and turns, I couldn’t put this down. Sullivan has created a truly original and endearing detective in George Cross. I’m looking forward to the next one.’ SIMON MCCLEAVE on The Politician

The Monk
by Tim Sullivan
Hardback / 27 April / Head of Zeus

DS George Cross has always wondered why his mother left him when he was a child. Now she is back in his life, he suddenly has answers. But this unexpected reunion is not anything he's used to dealing with. When a disturbing case lands on his desk, he is almost thankful for the return to normality.

The body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic's past, which makes investigating difficult. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don't know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?

ABOUT TIM SULLIVAN

Tim Sullivan is a crime writer, screenwriter and director whose film credits include A Handful of Dust, Jack and Sarah and Cold Feet. Early in his career he directed Jeremy Brett’s iconic portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in ITV’s The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes¸ cementing his lifelong passion for crime fiction.

Tim’s crime series, featuring the socially awkward but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross, has been widely acclaimed and topped the book charts. The Monk is the fifth in the series.

He lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy Award-winning producer of The Barefoot Contessa and Pioneer Woman.

To find out more about the author please visit TimSullivan.co.uk 

Twitter: @timjrsullivan / Instagram: @timsullivannovelist / TikTok: @timsullivanauthor

TALKING POINTS & FEATURE IDEAS

  • Creating character – from films to crime novels, what keeps us hooked?

  • Differences between writing for screen and writing novels – from detailed storyboarding, to being surprised by what your character does next…

  • How experience as a director helps the novel writing process – from The Casebook Of Sherlock Holmes to George Cross…
    NB Tim’s first two movies were adaptations of books which was another way of learning about the process of novel writing and the difference between the page and the screen.

  • The importance of supporting characters in fiction – in Sullivan’s George Cross novels his partner at work, Josie Ottey, is often his conduit, interpreter, and apologist to those that don’t make any effort to understand him. Alice Mackenzie, the young staffer, relatively new to the department acts as the eyes for the reader as she comes to understand her boss and his ways. His father, Raymond, is a constant source of love and support for someone who is so often misunderstood and abused. This cast of characters enables the detective, sleuth, pathologist, whoever the main character in a crime novel is, to function at their best.

  • The perfect detectives, and what they have in common – from Sherlock Holmes to Poirot and Philip Marlowe to Harry Bosch

  • Creating George – from his passion for playing the organ to his absent mother, what makes George tick?

  • Creating a setting – why Bristol is the perfect place for the DS George Cross series

  • Mortality / grief intruding in the most unexpected of places – Tim’s father died in his arms at his wedding as they left the church

SELECTED PRAISE

 'A British detective for the 21st century who will be hard to forget' DAILY MAIL

 ‘The fact that Cross has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder makes him just as intriguing as the murder mystery’ THE TIMES

 ‘Elegant writing and a firm grasp of the crime medium…We’ve had sleuths on the autistic spectrum before but Sullivan’s copper is among the most distinctive characterisations.’ FINANCIAL TIMES

‘Fantastic story with a brilliant D.S. Loved it’ FROST MAGAZINE

‘A compelling, suspenseful police procedural with an intimate, positive insight into living on the autistic spectrum' WOMAN

'A good police procedural made doubly interesting by the development of the characters' CHOICE

'True characters, a fresh setting, and a good mystery – this one's got the lot.' THE MORNING STAR

'Superb, clever and taut' BELFAST TELEGRAPH

'An absolute cracker' THE BOOKBAG

‘[An] extremely accomplished novel… [with] a plot-line which keeps you constantly on your toes…George Cross is superbly written…the author really captures the person the little details that make him the person he is…[A] crime novel of the highest quality, packed with twists, protagonists who leap of the page with a narrative which kept me engaged throughout…This is a series which I cannot recommend highly enough, by an author who has elevated himself to the top of the crime writing genre.’ Andy Wormald, AMW BOOKS

Twelve Moons by Caro Giles

Twelve Moons:
A Year Under a Shared Sky
Caro Giles
19 January 2023/ £14.99/ Hardback/ ebook/ audio

‘A multi-sensory experience of the natural world, which invites the reader to become both companion and witness in a timeless account of the power of the sea.’
- Katharine Norbury


TWELVE MOONS follows a year spent caught between the wild sea and the changing moon of the wide Northumberland skies.

Caro Giles lives on the far edge of the country, with her tribe of daughters: The Mermaid, The Whirlwind, The Caulbearer and The Littlest One. She is at once alone and yet surrounded. Bound by circumstance, financial constraints, illness and the challenges of single motherhood, she has nowhere to go but the fierce landscape that surrounds her.

Over the course of the year, the moon becomes her fellow traveller through dark times, and companion through joyful ones – and even when the sky is wreathed in cloud, the moon is still felt in the pull of the tides.

TWELVE MOONS follows the lunar calendar, each chapter sharing a month and a moon, and shows the simmering power that lies in our often hidden daily lives. A dazzlingly honest memoir that while never turning away from the awkward truths of life, also shows how love will flourish if we can only find a space for ourselves.

Set against windswept beaches and ancient hills, this is a story steeped in nature and landscape. Since our earliest days, mankind has looked up at the moon and seen a story reflected back. Twelve Moons is one of those stories – a book about finding yourself, your voice and a sense that even in the dark of the night, we are never truly alone.

ABOUT Caro Giles

Caro Giles is a writer based in Northumberland. Her words are inspired by her local landscape, the wide empty beaches and the Cheviot Hills. She writes honestly about what it means to be a woman, a mother and a carer and about the value in taking the road less travelled. Her writing has appeared in journals, press and periodicals and she was named Countryfile magazine’s New Nature Writer of the Year in 2021. She tweets @CaroGilesWrites.

A Book of Days by Patti Smith

A Book of Days
By Patti Smith
15 November 2022 / hardback / £25 / non-fiction Bloomsbury


A deeply moving and brilliantly idiosyncratic visual book of days by the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids and M Train. More than 365 images chart Smith's singular aesthetic - inspired by her wildly popular Instagram.

In 2018, without any plan or agenda for what might happen next, Patti Smith posted her first Instagram photo: her hand with the simple message "Hello Everybody!" Known for shooting with her beloved Land Camera 250, Smith started posting images from her phone including portraits of her kids, her radiator, her boots, and her Abyssinian cat, Cairo. Followers felt an immediate affinity with these miniature windows into Smith's world, photographs of her daily coffee, the books she's reading, the graves of beloved heroes - William Blake, Dylan Thomas, Sylvia Plath, Simone Weil, Albert Camus. Over time, a coherent story of a life devoted to art took shape, and more than a million followers responded to Smith's unique aesthetic in images that chart her passions, devotions, obsessions, and whims. Original to this book are vintage photographs: anniversary pearls, a mother's keychain, and a husband's Mosrite guitar. Here, too, are never-before-seen photos of life on and off the road, train stations, obscure cafés, a notebook always nearby. In wide-ranging yet intimate daily notations, Smith shares dispatches from her travels around the world.

With 365 photographs, taking you through a single year, A Book of Days is a new way to experience the expansive mind of the visionary poet, writer, and performer. Hopeful, elegiac, playful - and complete with an introduction by Smith that explores her documentary process - A Book of Days is a timeless offering for deeply uncertain times, an inspirational map of an artist's life.

ABOUT PATTI SMITH

A writer, performer, and visual artist, Patti Smith has exhibited her drawings and photographs internationally, most recently Camera Solo at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum in Hartford. She has recorded thirteen albums, launched by the seminal Horses in 1975. Her many books include Witt, Babel, The Coral Sea, Auguries of Innocence and Just Kids, which won the National Book Award in 2010. Patti Smith lives in New York City.

Patti’s Instagram, @thisispattismith, has over 1 million followers.