Lucy Atkins

'The word-of-mouth success of lockdown . . . riveting, twisty, page-turning stuff' Guardian 'The page turner you've been looking for. Sly, witty and gripping . . . I devoured it' Naomi Alderman 'An utter joy . . . wonderfully skilled' Sarah Perry 'Tender, creepy and gripping' Sunday Times 'Spellbinding and spooky . . . a dazzling high wire act, superbly absorbing' Sunday Mirror When the eight-year-old daughter of an Oxford College Master vanishes in the middle of the night, police turn to the Scottish nanny, Dee, for answers. As Dee looks back over her time in the Master's Lodging - an eerie and ancient house - a picture of a high achieving but dysfunctional family emerges: Nick, the fiercely intelligent and powerful father; his beautiful Danish wife Mariah, pregnant with their child; and the lost little girl, Felicity, almost mute, seeing ghosts, grieving her dead mother. But is Dee telling the whole story? Is her growing friendship with the eccentric house historian, Linklater, any cause for concern? And most of all, why is Felicity silent? Roaming Oxford's secret passages and hidden graveyards, Magpie Lane explores the true meaning of family - and what it is to be denied one. 'Enthralling . . . creepy and compelling' The Times 'Deliciously dark' Alexandra Shulman 'A gorgeously satisfying triumph' Lucy Mangan 'A rare thing . . . simply stunning' Daily Express 'I was gripped . . . highly original' Alex Clark 'Creepy, suspenseful' Independent 'One of the most intriguing narrators since Notes on a Scandal' Sara Collins 'Grown-up and cleverly written . . . a dizzying sense of uncertainty' Literary Review 'Keeps you guessing . . . a real sense of menace' Good Housekeeping 'Immensely satisfying' Cara Hunter 'Clever and creepy' Erin Kelly 'Wholly beguiling' Mick Herron 'Highly recommended' Louise Candlish 'Highly intelligent' Sarah Vaughan 'Sublime' Jo Spain 'Simply brilliant!' JP Delaney 'Darkly atmospheric' Jane Fallon

the most chilling and twisty read of 2020

Magpie Lane

Sometimes a lie seems kinder than the truth ... but what happens when that lie destroys everything you love?. When Tess is sent to photograph Greg, a high profile paediatric heart surgeon, she sees something troubled in his face, and feels instantly drawn to him. Their relationship quickly deepens, but then Tess, single mother to nine-year-old Joe, falls pregnant, and Greg is offered the job of a lifetime back in his hometown of Boston. Before she knows it, Tess is married, and relocating to the States. But life in an affluent American suburb proves anything but straightforward. Unsettling things keep happening in the large rented house. Joe is distressed, the next-door neighbours are in crisis, and Tess is sure that someone is watching her. Greg's work is all-consuming and, as the baby's birth looms, he grows more and more unreachable. Something is very wrong, Tess knows it, and then she makes a jaw-dropping discovery... Praise for The Missing One: 'A moving and suspenseful tale of the secrets a family keeps' Rachel Hore. 'A gripping page-turner' Sunday Times. 'Creepy and tense, this novel is brilliantly gripping' Closer. 'A compelling emotional mystery' Lucy Clarke. 'Beautifully written ... a wonderful thriller' Sabine Durrant.

The Other Child

'One of the most vivid, memorable and menacing characters I've ever read' C.L. Taylor, author of The Fear She knows your secret . . . and she'll make you pay As high-flying TV presenter and historian Olivia Sweetman stands before an adoring crowd at the launch of her new bestseller she can barely pretend to smile. Her life has spiralled into lies and if the truth comes out she'll lose everything. Only one person knows what Olivia has done. Vivian Tester is the socially awkward housekeeper of a Sussex manor who has become Olivia's unofficial research assistant. But Vivian has secrets too, and as the relationship between the women grows more and more tangled, a bizarre act of violence changes everything . . . Perfect for fans of Little Fires Everywhere and He Said She Said. PRAISE FOR THE NIGHT VISITOR: 'WONDERFUL' - Clare Mackintosh, author of Let Me Lie 'INSIDIOUS' - Guardian 'BRILLIANT' - Fiona Barton, author of The Child 'PROPULSIVE' - Metro 'INGENIOUS' - Sabine Durrant, author of Lie With Me 'SINISTER' - Red 'MENACING' - C.L. Taylor, author of The Fear 'FANTASTIC' - Sunday Mirror 'ELEGANT' - Joanna Cannon, author of Three Things about Elsie 'GRIPPING' - The Literary Review 'UNRELENTING' - Mick Herron, author of Spook Street 'ENTHRALLING' - Heat 'FASCINATING' - Linda Green, author of When My Eyes Were Closed 'INTELLIGENT' - Good Housekeeping

the gripping suspenseful thriller from the author of Magpie Lane

The Night Visitor

Forget unrealistic childcare manuals—this is the book new parents will really need to help cope brilliantly with the first chaotic days and months. In a humorous style, the book begins with that first mind-blowing day and addresses the issues unique to the first-time parent who stares at their newborn and thinksWhere are the instructions?Anticipating the questions and concerns of all new mothers—Why does my baby cry so much?Will I ever lose all this weight?Am I a bad parent because. . .,the book provides practical advice and level-headed reassurance. It addresses the needs of the baby and, very importantly, those of the parent during the first year of their baby's life. Contents include: the equipment and kit new parents really need, how to cope with the first few hours, coming home, bonding, how to survive the first few days, and sleeping. New moms and dads will also learn about the baby's crying, feeding their child, the baby's physical and mental development, health considerations for baby and parent, the changing mother-father relationship, and coping with being at home and with going back to work. This guide also includes information on single parenting, and on adopted, multiple and special needs babies.

First-time Parent

The loss of her mother has left Kali McKenzie with too many unanswered questions. But while clearing out Elena's art studio, she finds a drawer packed with postcards, each bearing an identical one-line message a Canadian gallery owner called Susannah Gillespie: thinking of you. Who is this woman and what does she know about Elena's hidden past? Desperate to find out, Kali travels with her toddler, Finn, to Susannah's isolated home on a remote British Columbian island, a place of killer whales and storms. But as bad weather closes in, Kali quickly realises she has made a big mistake. The handsome and enigmatic Susannah refuses to talk about the past, and as Kali struggles to piece together what happened back in the 1970s, Susannah's behaviour grows more and more erratic. Most worrying of all, Susannah is becoming increasingly preoccupied with little Finn . . . A tense, thrilling novel about a family divided by secrets, and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.

The Missing One

Night Visitor

Frances Goodhart

WINNER OF THE BEST HEALTH BOOK CATEGORY IN THE GUILD OF HEALTH WRITERS HEALTH WRITING AWARDS 2012 HIGHLY COMMENDED IN THE POPULAR MEDICINE CATEGORY AT THE BMA MEDICAL BOOK AWARDS 2012 Coping with life after cancer can be tough. The idea that the end of successful treatment brings relief and peace just isn't true for countless survivors. Many feel unexpectedly alone, worried and adrift. You're supposed to be getting your life 'back on track' but your life has changed. You have changed. With reassurance and understanding, Dr Frances Goodhart and Lucy Atkins help readers deal with the emotional fallout of cancer whether it's days, months or years since the treatment ended. Drawing on Dr Goodhart's extensive experience working in the NHS with cancer survivors, this guide is packed with practical and simple self-help tools to tackle issues such as worry and anxiety, depression and low mood, anger, low self-esteem and body image, relationships and sex, fatigue, sleep and relaxation. If you are a cancer survivor, this book will support you every step of the way. If you are supporting a loved one, friend, colleague or your patient, this is a vital read.

Practical ways to cope with your feelings after cancer

The Cancer Survivor's Companion

HIGHLY COMMENDED (POPULAR MEDICINE) AT THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S BOOK AWARDS 2014 In days gone by, people understood that a knock to your health takes its toll on your emotions, your relationships, your morale, your 'spirit'. But these days, we think that if the doctor has waved you off, then you are 'better'. We neglect what scientific studies show is a vital element of recovery: the emotional side of getting better. As a result, many of us struggle with hidden issues such as depression, stress and anxiety long after a health crisis. This new book, from the authors of The Cancer Survivor's Companion (highly commended by the BMA and winner of the Guild of Health Writers' Best Health Book 2012) centres on the crucial, research-based (but widely overlooked) truth that 'getting better' is not just about the body - emotions play a huge part. Often, a person's emotional state is the one thing stopping them from a full recovery. Contents include: Why getting better takes time; why relaxation and exercise are both vital; how to build your confidence and tackle low mood and depression; how to eat for recovery; how to deal with medical advice and communicate well with your doctor; how to keep family life and relationships on track and much more. There are also case histories to inspire readers as well as fascinating snippets from times gone by which help to make this an entertaining as well as a highly practical, inspiring read.

Practical ways to recover well from illness and injury

How to Feel Better

In her gripping debut novel, Lucy Atkins takes us on one woman's journey to the beautiful and rugged Pacific Northwest to discover the dark secrets of her family's past so that she can understand and accept herself. Kal McKenzie was never close to her mother Elena, whose coldness towards her spoiled any chance of a good relationship. When Elena dies of cancer, Kal feels forlorn: how do you mourn a mother who, inexplicably, just didn't seem to love you? While clearing out Elena's art studio, Kal finds a drawer packed with postcards, each bearing an identical one-line message from a Canadian gallery owner named Susannah Gillespie: "Thinking of you." Who is this woman and might she hold the key to her ruined relationship with her mother? Conflicted by her grief and shaken up from recently seeing a covetous text from an old girlfriend on her husband's cell phone, Kal impulsively sets off with her toddler Finn to Susannah's home on a remote British Columbian island, a place of killer whales and storms. Soon Kal quickly realizes she has made a big mistake. The striking and enigmatic Susannah will only share a few scraps of information about Elena. Kal discovers that her mother was a pioneering orca researcher-an activist trying to save the powerful and dangerous creatures.

Irina Scholz

Das Flüstern des Meeres

Kali hatte immer ein kühles Verhältnis zu ihrer Mutter. Nach deren Tod findet sie einen Stapel Postkarten - alle von einer Frau namens Susannah, alle mit demselben Text. Wer ist Susannah, und was weiß sie über Kalis Mutter? Mit ihrem kleinen Sohn Finn reist sie auf die abgelegene Insel vor der Küste Kanadas, auf der Susannah lebt. Doch die rätselhafte Frau weigert sich, von damals zu erzählen und als Kali selbst Nachforschungen anstellt, verhält sich Susannah immer befremdlicher. Am verstörendsten ist ihr großes Interesse an Finn ...

Roman

Joanna Hall

TO HELP YOU GET STARTED, JOANNA HALL'S WALKACTIVE PROGRAMME NOW INCLUDES A FREE AUDIO COACHING SESSION TO DOWNLOAD Joanna Hall's Walkactive Programme has been scientifically verified to: enhance posture; promote weight loss; reduce joint stress and improve body shape (South Bank Sports Performance Laboratory) As an exercise physiologist, Joanna Hall knows without doubt that it is possible to get the body you long for without hassle, pain, guilt or cost. You don't need sophisticated, state-of-the-art exercise kit. You don't need a personal trainer or two hours a day of blood, sweat and tears in a gym. You have everything you need right here, right now - your body. You can use it in the simplest, most natural way imaginable to see an amazing transformation in your shape. All you have to do is walk - the Walkactive way! This inspiring and practical new book will teach you a more intelligent and active way to walk - a way that uses your body to its full capacity and in the process will change your shape and your fitness levels dramatically. Walkactive can help you drop inches from your waist, improve your fitness and muscle tone, reduce stress and low mood, and keep the signs of ageing at bay. It will work, whatever your age, fitness, health, or stage of life. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. Packed with step-by-step advice and photographs to help you master the technique, motivational case studies and quotes, tips and strategies, plus specific plans to help you lose weight, improve your fitness and your health, Joanna Hall's Walkactive Programme is the book we've all been waiting for.

Lucy Atkins

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