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Vital Parts: A Novel (Carlo Reinhart #3)
by Thomas BergerA bitterly comic novel of middle-aged angst and middle-class American life in the 1960s, by the acclaimed author of Little Big Man It is the late sixties in suburbia, and Carlo Reinhart&’s life is a mess. He&’s fat, broke, middle aged, and unemployed. His anarchist son hates him, and his wife has taken a younger lover and thrown Carlo out of the house. In fact, the only one who doesn&’t consider him contemptible and ridiculous seems to be Carlo&’s adoring, overweight daughter, who is almost as pathetic as he is. Even his affair with a twenty-two-year-old nymphomaniac is strangely unsatisfying. Then, just as he&’s reaching his lowest point, the self-styled Ultimate Human Irrelevancy is offered a golden opportunity to grab a piece of the American Dream, thanks to the reappearance of his old school chum Bob Sweet. Bob, who has a gift for success, is inviting Reinhart to get in on the ground floor of his latest venture: cryonics. But while Carlo loves the taste of the good life that his friend has suddenly provided, he&’s not quite certain whether Sweet wants him as a partner . . . or as a human popsicle. The third novel in Thomas Berger&’s acclaimed Carlo Reinhart Series, Vital Parts is a stingingly hilarious swipe at twentieth-century culture and mores. Unrestrained and unapologetic, it is a tour de force from a master satirist that stands alongside Joseph Heller&’s Catch-22, John Kennedy Toole&’s A Confederacy of Dunces, and the novels of Kurt Vonnegut as a trenchant and funny comment on American life.
Viuda, al fin
by Minna LindgrenUna divertida novela llena de ternura y humor negro sobre cómo la amistad y el amor cambian cuando te haces mayor. Si Carrie Bradshaw, de Sexo en Nueva York, se quedara viuda con 70 años, escribiría este libro. Durante más de una década Ulla, de setenta y cuatro años, ha cuidado de su marido impedido, un hombre mezquino y casi alcohólico. En el funeral, un único pensamiento ocupa su cabeza: ¡Por fin! Desde ese momento retoma el contacto con viejos amigos y vive cada día como si fuera el último. Sus hijos, ya adultos, tratan de poner límite a su recién descubierto desenfreno, pero no están preparados para el desafío que está a punto de aparecer de la mano de un caballero de cierta edad... Reseñas:«Minna Lindgren escribe sobre hacerse mayor de forma más graciosa, más sensata y más ingeniosa que cualquier otro escritor contemporáneo.»Aamulehti «Un libro divertidísimo. Me hizo reír prácticamente en cada página, casi siempre a carcajadas. Lindgren describe la vida diaria de las personas mayores con humor negro... ¡Totalmente recomendado!»Web Kirjavinkit «Con su maravilloso estilo, Lindgren combina un análisis crítico de nuestra sociedad con una historia divertidísima. Su ágil lenguaje y la inteligente trama arrastran sin remedio al lector.»Blog Kirjasta kirjaan «Una novela lleva de humor revoltoso y situaciones hilarantes... Lindgren exagera, a veces mucho, así que no puedes hacer otra cosa que reírte de la realidad que ha creado. Menuda farsa esta vida.»Helsingin Sanomat «Lindgren sabe encontrar los detalles cómicos de nuestras vidas y contarlos de forma amena y entretenida.»Suomen kuvalehti «Esta novela rechaza el estereotipo de la abuela remilgada directamente desde su inicio, en el que un grupo de septuagenarios se divierten en una enloquecida fiesta en un bar con generosas cantidades de alcohol. La vida romántica de los jubilados consiste en disfrutar al máximo y vivir cada día como si fuera el último.»Web Päivän lehti
Viva la Repartee: Clever Comebacks and Witty Retorts from History's Great Wits and Wordsmiths
by Mardy GrotheA collection of history's cleverest comebacks, wittiest retorts and other truly great replies. Everyone knows the sensation of utter regret that occurs once you've hung up the phone or said your goodbyes and that perfect turn of phrase or witty remark comes to your mind with absolute clarity much too late. Viva la Repartee pays humble homage to those brilliant and rare responses throughout history that were expressed at the perfect moment and delivered with an aplomb that will have you pumping your fist with sweet satisfaction. From politicians and authors to entertainers and philosophers, Mardy Grothe has assembled the ultimate collection of comebacks, retorts, rejoinders and banter from some of history's greatest wordsmiths, including Oscar Wilde, Woody Allen, Dorothy Parker, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Dolly Parton, Albert Einstein and many more. As entertaining as it is intellectually nourishing, Viva la Repartee is sure to arrest the attention of language lovers everywhere.
Vive le Chaos: My So-Called Tranquil Family Life in Rural France
by Ian MooreFollow the hilarious misadventures of Ian Moore and his family as their search for serenity in rural France leads them on a journey of chaos, commotion and comedy. But despite the ups and downs, the Moore family persevere in true Brit style to create a unique, colourful and ultimately rewarding life in their new home - à la campagne!
Vivian
by Sherrie KrantzIf you haven't already heard, Vivian Livingston has become a permanent fixture under the bright lights of NYC, and she's come a long way. It feels like only yesterday that Vivian boarded a bus for Manhattan and never--okay, rarely--looked back!She's been a rule-breaker and the reluctant star of a Web site that bears her name, www.Vivianlives.com. She's penned two bare-all novels, laid down a trio of turbulent tracks, and when the going got tough, she nearly let herself get swept away. Nearly. But through it all, with contagious and self-taught abandon, Vivian has maintained her mighty little mantra: "It is better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all."Rounding out her twenties with a completed professional and personal "to-do" list and finally on her own, sans a man and the good and the bad of past relationships, it's with a mixture of careful calculation and sizzling spontaneity that Vivian embraces her adulthood with full force. Her next move? Well, that's anyone's guess. What does she really want? Who does she really want? And what is "success," really?Alright, ladies: Start your engine, 'cause the debauchery is about to begin! What follows achievement and satisfied self-discovery? Well, according to Vivian, trouble, the good kind, and pure, unadulterated fun!From the Trade Paperback edition.
Vivian Lives: A Novel
by Sherrie Krantz“THE FUNNIEST FICTIONAL HEROINE SINCE BRIDGET JONES.”—Teen PeopleLast summer, Vivian Livingston set the world ablaze in her first book The Autobiography of Vivian, a tell-all tale of a girl trying her best to be the woman she knows she is inside. With demons to kick, confidence to gather, and goals to reach, Vivian decides to leave her safe ‘n’ sound hometown and take a bite out of the Big Apple. If she can make it there . . . well, you know the song. Fast forward five eventful years—anyone would have thought that Vivian finally had it all: the “nice” guy, the great job, the “work in progress” bachelorette pad, a backstage pass to New York City, and an emotional first aid kit just in case. Not so fast! Just when Vivian thought that she had arrived (and on time no less), think again! Enter: an ever-buoyant subconscious, mind games without a set of directions, and pressures that make final exams and deciding on first date attire look like cake.In her second book, Vivian takes on her biggest challenge yet: herself. Her real fears, her true hopes, and her big dreams. Befriend her as she realizes that disillusionment comes with the territory, that “breaking the glass ceiling” is the least of it, and that your past—the good and the bad—is a part of you forever. Take the journey alongside Vivian; be her travel companion through this game called life. Bring along a notebook, be sure to stop and smell the roses, and pack your favorite cocktail dress just in case!
Vivir con arte
by Joaquín SánchezJOAQUÍN sabe que la manera de vivir de verdad es VIVIR CON ARTE Todos tenemos algo en común: vivimos lo bueno, lo malo, lo peor y lo mejor. A todos nos toca luchar para conseguir lo mejor, sin dejar de disfrutar lo bueno; esforzándonos para pasar lo malo y superar lo peor. Porque de lo más bajo puedes subir a lo más alto... o al revés. Y el secreto de una buena vida siempre está en el mismo lugar: en tu cabeza, ¡y en tus manos! No importa si eres futbolista o trabajas en una oficina, porque todos tenemos nuestra historia. Y esta es la mía. Verás que no es ningún cuento de hadas, sino un día a día de esfuerzo, porque hace tiempo que tomé una decisión: disfrutar del presente y trabajar para el futuro, valorando las cosas buenas y a las personas que quiero. Porque para vivir la vida no basta con respirar. Hay que vivir con arte. «Si has visto alguna vez en tu vida un partido de fútbol, aunque sea por casualidad, te habrás fijado en una cosa: todos los jugadores fallan en alguna jugada o en alguna acción. Todos. Desde el número uno del mundo, hasta el chaval que juega en el recreo del cole. Los fallos y los errores son normales, tanto en la alta competición como en el día a día. Intentar ser perfecto es la excusa para no moverte de tu sitio: "Si no me sale bien, ¿para qué intentarlo?". Pues para conseguir las cosas que quieres, para eso. Porque si no te atreves a fallar, jamás podrás ganar.»
Viñetas para una crisis
by El RotoPrimera antología de las viñetas de El Roto que muestran su lúcida y lacónica visión sobre la crisis. Andrés Rábago («El Roto») es Premio Leyenda 2015, un galardón concedido por el Gremio de Libreros de Madrid. «Con papel, tinta negra y algo de lucidez es posible fabricar un revelador universal que nos permita fijar la imagen de todo aquello que no deja de molestarnos y hacer más difíciles nuestras vidas, y así, una vez revelado, poder verlo en cualquier lugar y bajo cualquier disfraz con el que se nos presente. El instrumento de la sátira nos dota de esos rayos X con los que, literalmente, podemos verle los huesos al sistema.»El Roto
Vocali: Saggi di Jaydeep Shah
by Valentina Staffieri Jaydeep ShahVocali: Saggi di Jaydeep Shah "Il potere soprannaturale dato da Dio è la voce. Non sprecatela rimanendo in silenzio." - Jaydeep Shah Vocali è un libro di saggistica che include saggi su culture e valori, e questioni sociali che descrivono la situazione in corso nel mondo basata su varie prospettive di culture e valori, stratificazione social, e questioni comunitarie.
Volcanoes and Earthquakes (Professor Hoot's Science Comics #4)
by Jen GreenEvery day brings a new adventure for Professor Hoot - and a new learning experience. There's a plume of smoke in the distance, it looks like a volcano has erupted! Professor Hoot sets off to investigate all about volcanoes and how they are formed, all while avoiding smoky feathers! Discover other natural distasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides - and what to do in such events.An entertaining comic strip approach to KS1 science topics, Professor Hoot's Science Comics are accessible and full of fun. Each book is an adventure and a chance for readers to learn something new, before testing their knowledge at the end of each book in Professor Hoot's quiz. Collect each adventure: Big Machines; Dangerous Animals; Dinosaurs; Robots and AI; Space; Volcanoes and Earthquakes.
Von Fischen und Geistern (Hellsinger (Deutsch) #1)
by Rhys Ford Jutta GroblebenBuch 1 in der Serie - HellsingerAls sein Onkel Mortimer starb und ihm Hoxne Grange hinterließ, die Familienvilla aus dem späten neunzehnten Jahrhundert, wurde Tristan Pryce der Zweite in der Familie, der sich als Verwalter um das Anwesen kümmerte, einer Zwischenstation für Geister auf ihrem letzten Weg ins Leben nach dem Tode. Tristan ist auf die Herausforderung vorbereitet, wenn auch nicht unbedingt durch die Geister, die er seit seiner Kindheit sehen kann. Fest entschlossen, zu beweisen, dass Tristan geisteskrank ist, um Zugriff auf sein Erbe zu bekommen, heuern seine liebenden Verwandten Dr. Wolf Kincaid und seine paranormalen Ermittler, Hellsinger Investigations, an, um zu beweisen, dass es auf dem Grange nicht spukt. Der Skeptiker Wolf Kincaid hat es sich zur Lebensaufgabe gemacht, übernatürliche Phänomene zu entlarven. Nach Jahren voller Schwindel und Fälschungen kann er es nicht erwarten, zu beweisen, dass die Geister des Grange nur auf knarrende Bodendielen und ein zugiges, altes Haus zurückzuführen sind. Auf dem Grange erwarten ihn einige Überraschungen, inklusive des bissigen, verschlossenen Besitzers. Tristan Pryce ist viel attraktiver und viel weniger verrückt, als Wolf bereit ist zuzugeben, und als sein Team im Grange einen geisterhaften Serienmörder befreit, ist er hin und hergerissen zwischen seinem Skeptizismus und dem Verlangen, den Mann zu beschützen, den er eigentlich diskreditieren soll.
Vordak the Incomprehensible: How to Grow Up and Rule the World
by Vordak T. IncomprehensibleSlip on your acid-free gloves, make sure you have a duplicate copy of How to Grow Up and Rule the World (just in case something should happen to this one) and try to follow along as the incomparable, superior-in-all-ways Vordak the Incomprehensible teaches you a thing or two about villainy. Now you, too, can try (and fail) to attain Vordak's level of infamy.From selecting the most dastardly name, to choosing the ideal henchmen, to engaging in witty repartee with disgustingly chipper superheroes, experienced supervillain Vordak the Incomprehensible guides readers step-by-step toward the ultimate goal of world domination (from his parents' basement in Trenton, New Jersey). With chapter titles like "Bringing Out the Evil" and "Building a Top-Notch Evil Organization," numerous bold illustrations, and detailed quizzes to assess your level of dastardliness, this book provides everything necessary to rise above the masses, and then rub your ascent in their faces.In return for this wealth of knowledge, Vordak requests nothing more than an honored place in the evil regime of he who achieves control of the world. (And, of course, the opportunity to assume command, should things not work out.)Publisher's Weekly Starred ReviewWriting as the ultra-evil Vordak the Incomprehensible, Seegert offers a comical step-by-step guide world domination. With a hyperbolically inflated self-image and no shortage of bathroom humor, Vordak guides readers through such topics as how to choose a costume ("the more flamboyant the better"), build a lair, and acquire enough minions to build a top-notch evil organization ("At times they can be difficult to control, but at their best they can be a relentless plague upon civilization"), all of which are paired with Martin's appropriately cartoonish artwork. Seegert gives Vordak a voice so magnetic and absurd that readers, especially young male ones, are going to soak up his warped wisdom like a sponge and circulate it at recess, even as Vordak insults them with admonishments like, "You are just a sniveling, whiny little goober, after all." No one is going to rule the world after Vordak's farcical directives, but readers will have a grand time turning pages to see what outlandish thing he'll say or suggest next, while perfecting their own villainous laughs. Muahahahaha! Ages 8-up. (Aug.)
Vordak the Incomprehensible: Rule the School
by Vordak T. IncomprehensibleGreetings, goobers! After my latest experiment worked a little too well—transforming my rather fetching figure into something significantly smaller—I’ve been forced to return to those halls of horror better known as . . . school. But going back to junior high may be my greatest opportunity for mayhem in many a month! Try to keep up as I: • Dramatically defeat the daily dangers of schooldom—even though everyone is against me. • Strive to win the junior high presidential election by alerting my fellow students to the wonderfulness of Vordak the Incomprehensible, as well as the yuck-ness of my opponent, Marlena Lurchburger. • Mastermind a catastrophic career day, where that disgusting do-gooder Commander Virtue will finally, fiendishly be foiled. Fortunately for you, I have recorded every mischievous moment within these carefully crafted covers so that you may bask in my brilliance as I plot to RULE THE SCHOOL . . . and, eventually, THE WORLD! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!
Voss: How I Come to AmericaaAnd Am Hero, Mostly
by David IvesIn a series of letters home to his friend Meero, Vospop Vsklzwczdztwczky (Voss for short) tells the hilarious story of how he smuggles himself to America in a crate of black-market cheese puffs with his gloomy father Bogdown and his nutty uncle Shpoont. Settling into the rundown Slobovian section of town, Voss soon finds his first job by opening the door for debutante Tiffany McBloomingdale (an unheard-of act of politeness), rescues his father from a sinister hospital, and even gets the girl of his dreams, though not the one he expects!Through Voss's comically broken English, readers will find a remarkably fresh view of America. Brimming with pointed satire, a healthy dose of action, and a one-of-a-kind narrator, Voss's crazy adventures are sure to leave a lasting impression.
Vote Blonde (Elle Woods #3)
by Natalie StandifordWhen the smartest boy in school runs for student-body president on a platform of abolishing all dances, Elle has no choice but to run against him.
Vote For Me!
by Ben ClantonA hilarious political satire by the creator of the bestselling Narwhal and Jelly series.Hey, you! Yes, you with the dazzling smile! The donkey wants your vote. So does the elephant. And each will do just about anything to win your support. Brag? Sure! Flatter? Absolutely! Exaggerate, name-call, make silly promises and generally act childish? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Soon, the tension mounts, and these two quarrelsome candidates resort to slinging mud (literally) and flinging insults. And what happens when the election results are in? Well, let's just say the donkey and the elephant are in for a little surprise--and a certain bewhiskered, third-party candidate is in for a first term!
Vote: The Theory, Practice, And Destructive Properties Of Politics (Liar Liar)
by Gary PaulsenKevin Spencer, the hero of Liar, Liar, Flat Broke, and Crush, has a knack for tackling big ideas and goofing up, so what's next? Politics, of course! He's running for office, and his campaign is truly unique.
Vows They Can't Escape
by Heidi RiceStill legally wedded... Xanthe Carmichael has just discovered two things: 1. Her ex-husband could take half of her business. 2. She's actually still married to him! When she jets off to New York, divorce papers in hand, Xanthe is prepared for the billionaire bad boy's slick office...but not for the spear of lust that hits her the moment she sees Dane Redmond again! Has her body no shame, no recollection of the pain he caused? But Dane is stalling... Is he really checking the fine print or planning to stir the smoldering embers of their passion and tempt her back into the marriage bed?
Vows to Save His Crown (Mills And Boon Modern Ser.)
by Kate HewittSparks of passion fly in this royal marriage of convenience romance by USA TODAY bestselling author Kate Hewitt.The only solution: A royal wedding of convenience!To save his kingdom, intensely private Prince Mateo Karavitis must take the throne — and a bride! But he can’t trust just anyone with the role. And he certainly can’t trust emotions to drive this all-important decision. Luckily, he has an ideal candidate in mind…Rachel Lewis is completely thrown by Mateo’s proposal. She’s known him for years, and has secretly yearned for him every single second. It’s an irresistible offer… But can she really share his palace — and his royal bed — without getting hurt?From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.
Voyage of Vengeance (Mission Earth #7)
by L. Ron HubbardThe end is near!<P> The Voltarian terrorists have won!<P> Earth is history!<P> But don't believe everything you read. Or hear. Or see. Because the road to victory is paved with bad intentions--and lies, betrayal and deception are all in play. So who are the players in this treacherous game... ?<P> Countess Krak: victim of a spectacular kidnapping, she is bound for a distant dungeon where she faces a venomous fate... <P> Royal Officer Jettero Heller: convinced the Countess is dead and overcome by grief, he is holed up in a Connecticut roadhouse--and standing square in an assassin's crosshairs...<P> Soltan Gris: together with a young temptress named Teenie Whopper, he undertakes a drug-fueled voyage across the Atlantic. But the journey's about to be cut short, as he goes from getting stoned with Teenie to nearly getting stoned to death in Turkey...<P> So who is in command? Who is the puppet master pulling the strings? And, finally, is there any hope for planet Earth? The answers lie at the end of an extraordinary VOYAGE OF VENGEANCE.<P>
Voyage to Kazohinia
by Sandor Szathmari Inez KemenesA page-turning dystopian classic that stands alongside Brave New World and Gulliver's Travels, Voyage to Kazohinia is a tour de force of twentieth-century literature--and it is here published in English for the first time outside of Hungary. Sándor Szathmári's comical novel chronicles the travels of a modern Gulliver on the eve of World War II. A shipwrecked English ship's surgeon finds himself on an unknown island whose inhabitants, the Hins, live a technologically advanced existence without emotions, desires, arts, money, or politics. Soon unhappy amid this bleak perfection, Gulliver asks to be admitted to the closed settlement of the Behins, beings with souls and atavistic human traits. He has seen nothing yet. A massively entertaining mix of satire and science fiction, Voyage to Kazohinia has seen half a dozen editions in Hungary in the seventy years since its original publication and remains the country's most popular cult classic.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Voyageur: Across the Rocky Mountains in a Birchbark Canoe
by Robert TwiggerBest-selling author of Angry White Pyjamas travels across the Rocky Mountains by canoeFifteen years before Lewis and Clark, Scotsman Alexander Mackenzie, looking to open up a trade route, set out from Lake Athabasca in central Northern Canada in search of the Pacific Ocean. Mackenzie travelled by bark canoe and had a cache of rum and a crew of Canadian voyageurs, hard-living backwoodsmen, for company. Two centuries later, Robert Twigger decides to follow in Mackenzie's wake. He too travels the traditional way, having painstakingly built a canoe from birchbark sewn together with pine roots, and assembled a crew made up of fellow travelers, ex-tree-planters and a former sailor from the US Navy. Several had tried before them but they were the first people to successfully complete Mackenzie's diabolical route over the Rockies in a birchbark canoe since 1793. Their journey takes them to the remotest parts of the wilderness, through Native American reservations, over mountains, through rapids and across lakes, meeting descendants of Mackenzie and unhinged Canadian trappers, running out of food, getting lost and miraculously found again, disfigured for life (the ex-sailor loses his thumb), bears brown and black, docile and grizzly.
Voyageur: Across the Rocky Mountains in a Birchbark Canoe
by Robert TwiggerBest-selling author of Angry White Pyjamas travels across the Rocky Mountains by canoeFifteen years before Lewis and Clark, Scotsman Alexander Mackenzie, looking to open up a trade route, set out from Lake Athabasca in central Northern Canada in search of the Pacific Ocean. Mackenzie travelled by bark canoe and had a cache of rum and a crew of Canadian voyageurs, hard-living backwoodsmen, for company. Two centuries later, Robert Twigger decides to follow in Mackenzie's wake. He too travels the traditional way, having painstakingly built a canoe from birchbark sewn together with pine roots, and assembled a crew made up of fellow travelers, ex-tree-planters and a former sailor from the US Navy. Several had tried before them but they were the first people to successfully complete Mackenzie's diabolical route over the Rockies in a birchbark canoe since 1793. Their journey takes them to the remotest parts of the wilderness, through Native American reservations, over mountains, through rapids and across lakes, meeting descendants of Mackenzie and unhinged Canadian trappers, running out of food, getting lost and miraculously found again, disfigured for life (the ex-sailor loses his thumb), bears brown and black, docile and grizzly.
Voyeur: 'A Sizzling Summer Debut' Esquire
by Francesca Reece'Set to rule the literary summer' Sunday Times StyleOne of Elle Magazine's 'Dazzling 2021 Debuts''[A] stirring debut' Harper's BazaarWRITER SEEKS ASSISTANT TO HELP WITH ARCHIVING/RESEARCH FOR A NEW NOVEL. Don't bother to apply if your name is Shakespearean or classical. PARIS AND SOUTH. PART-TIME.Leah, a young woman who has found herself 'ambitioned' out of London, is now aimlessly adrift in Paris. Tired of odd jobs in cafés and teaching English to unresponsive social media influencers, her heart skips a beat when she spots an advert for a writer seeking an assistant. Michael was once the bright young star of the London literary scene, now a washed-up author with writer's block. He doesn't place much hope in the advert, but after meeting Leah is filled with an inspiration he hasn't felt in years. When Michael offers Leah the opportunity to join him and his family in their rambling but glorious property in the south of France for the summer, she finally feels her luck is turning. But as she begins to transcribe the diaries from his debauched life in 1960s Soho, something begins to nag at Leah's sense of fulfilment; that there might be more to Michael than meets the eye.'For fans of Naoise Dolan's Exciting Times, this is sultry antidote to our Groundhog Year' Elle'A devastatingly compelling new voice in literary fiction' Louise O'Neill'A sultry, summery book . . . devastatingly witty, compulsively readable . . . like Sally Rooney meeting Martin Amis in Paris' Francine Toon, author of Pine
Voyeur: 'A genuinely thrilling summer holiday read' Stylist
by Francesca Reece'[A] sizzling summer debut, a one-way ticket to the south of France' Esquire 'Set to rule the literary summer' Sunday Times Style'Unsettling, addictive, razor-sharp' Louise O'NeillWRITER SEEKS ASSISTANT TO HELP WITH ARCHIVING/RESEARCH FOR A NEW NOVEL. Don't bother to apply if your name is Shakespearean or classical. PARIS AND SOUTH. PART-TIME.Leah, a young woman who has found herself 'ambitioned' out of London, is now aimlessly adrift in Paris. Tired of odd jobs in cafés and teaching English to unresponsive social media influencers, her heart skips a beat when she spots an advert for a writer seeking an assistant. Michael was once the bright young star of the London literary scene, now a washed-up author with writer's block. He doesn't place much hope in the advert, but after meeting Leah is filled with an inspiration he hasn't felt in years. When Michael offers Leah the opportunity to join him and his family in their rambling but glorious property in the south of France for the summer, she finally feels her luck is turning. But as she begins to transcribe the diaries from his debauched life in 1960s Soho, something begins to nag at Leah's sense of fulfilment; that there might be more to Michael than meets the eye.'Tense and sultry... addictive... With a complicated love triangle, glamorous settings, a cast of enigmatic characters and a mystery that will keep you guessing right until the end, it's a genuinely thrilling summer holiday read' Stylist'A devastatingly compelling new voice in literary fiction' Louise O'Neill'A sultry, summery book . . . devastatingly witty, compulsively readable . . . like Sally Rooney meeting Martin Amis in Paris' Francine Toon, author of Pine