Vaseem Khan

Veronica Henry

Katie Fforde

Jenny Eclair

Rachel Hore

Mark Watson

Dorothy Koomson

Richard Madeley

Eva Verde

Helen Lederer

A seriously entertaining collection of feelgood stories guaranteed to put the smile back on your face written especially by ten bestselling novelists: Jenny Éclair Mark Watson Veronica Henry Eva Verde Richard Madeley Katie Fforde Dorothy Koomson Vaseem Khan Helen Lederer Rachel Hore From a hilarious race against time to a moment of unexpected eavesdropping, from righting wrongs in rural India to finding joy in unlikely places, these stories are all rich in wit and humour, guaranteed to lift your spirits and warm your heart. Stories to Make you Smile is a co-commission between The Reading Agency and Specsavers as part of World Book Night 2021.

The Reading Agency

Stories To Make You Smile

‘An authentic and exciting story. The perfect summer read’ -- Clare Mackintosh, author of the bestselling I LET YOU GO From the author of the bestselling Some Day I’ll Find You comes a novel of dark suspense set in the Lake District where, beneath the inviting water of the lakes, danger and death are waiting. The summer of 1976 was unprecedented in living memory. Days of blazing sunshine bled into weeks and months. In the Lake District, Cumbria’s mountains and valleys began to resemble a Grecian landscape. People swam in delightfully tropic waters to cool off. But, barely three feet below the surface, the temperature remained just a degree or so above freezing. As the summer blazed on, the drownings began… What if someone wanted to take revenge? To remove an abusive, controlling partner from their life? When and where better to stage a murder and pass it off as an accidental drowning?

The Night Book

A seriously entertaining collection of feelgood stories guaranteed to put the smile back on your face written especially by ten bestselling novelists: Jenny Éclair Katie Fforde Veronica Henry Rachel Hore Vaseem Khan Dorothy Koomson Helen Lederer Richard Madeley Eva Verde Mark Watson From a hilarious race against time, to a case of mistaken identity, from righting wrongs in rural India to finding joy in unlikely places, these stories are all told with wonderful wit and warmth, and are guaranteed to lift your heart and make your spirits soar.

Stories to Make You Smile

Untitled Book 2

Richard Madeley is fascinated by the speed of change in family life and how being a father has changed since the time of his father and grandfather. In Fathers & Sons, Richard looks back at his own family to illustrate just how far British men's relationships with their sons have moved. Richard's grandfather had a childhood of almost unimaginable betrayal and sadness. His family abandoned him as a child to older relatives and emigrated without telling him. He grew up in a miserable situation and without any positive parenting role models yet managed to marry and have a son of his own. Richard's father was aware of his own father's discomfort and occasional frustration and anger, and grew to understand that this was due to his upbringing. He remembers no affection, or endearments from his dad and was packed off to a desolate boarding school in an echo of his own father's betrayal. In a bucking of the family trend, Richard's mother, a Canadian, introduced more loving and demonstrative relationships which Richard has continued with his own son and step-sons. Both a family story and a wide-ranging look at Britain's evolving social character, Fathers & Sons is a uniquely honest and touching exploration of how our familiesboperate.

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Fathers and Sons

Richard Madeley's first novel plays beautifully into the heart of commercial fiction, a love story with intrigue and betrayal at its core James Blackwell is sexy and handsome and a fighter pilot - every girl's dream partner. At least that is what Diana Arnold thinks when her brother first introduces them. Before long they are in love and marry hastily just as war is declared. Then fate delivers what is the first of its cruel twists: James, the day of their wedding, is shot down over Northern France and killed. Diana is left not only a widow but pregnant with their child. Ten years later, contentedly remarried, Diana finds herself in the south of France, sitting one morning in a sunny village square. A taxi draws up and she hears the voice of a man speaking English - the unmistakable voice of someone who will set out to torment her and blackmail her and from whom there can be only one means of escape... 'Immaculate storytelling, pacy and beautifully written' Sadie Jones 'A beautifully told tale... Madeley is a lively and engaging storyteller. We can't praise this novel highly enough' Bella

Some Day I'll Find You

James Blackwell is sexy and handsome and a fighter pilot - every girl's dream partner. At least that is what Diana Arnoldthinks when her brother first introduces them. Before long they are in love and marry hastily just as war is declared. Then fate delivers what is the first of its cruel twists: James, the day of their wedding, is shot down over Northern France and killed. Diana is left not only a widow but pregnant with their child. Ten years later, contentedly remarried, Diana finds herself in the south of France, sitting one morning in a sunny village square. A taxi draws up and she hears the voice of a man speaking English - the unmistakable voice of someone who will set out to torment her and blackmail her and from whom there can be only one means of escape...

Matt Haig

Andy McNab

Rowan Coleman

Jenny Colgan

Elizabeth Buchan

Philippa Gregory

Fanny Blake

John O’Farrell

Original stories from Fanny Blake, Elizabeth Buchan, Rowan Coleman, Jenny Colgan, Philippa Gregory, Matt Haig, Veronica Henry, Andy McNab, Richard Madeley and John O'Farrell - with special anniversary recipes from The Hairy Bikers. A young woman with memories of D-Day and a life both dangerous and exciting A father and son with a shared birthday and deeply held secrets A single mum taxi driver, whose envy for the rich couple on their way to the Ritz soon changes The unlikely marriage, born in the depths of war The Tudor wife receives the ghostly message, 'Never marry a dangerous man' An agoraphobic widower, unable to visit his wife's grave The Elvis impersonator who finds hope for a new romance with Marilyn Monroe The ex soldiers burdened with the consequences of one bad decision The long-held memories of a wartime tragedy The anniversary supper which changed the world... THE ANNIVERSARY - a collection of the very best short fiction around.

The Anniversary

Richard Madeley is fascinated by the speed of change in family life and how being a father has changed since the time of his father and grandfather. In FATHERS AND SONS, Richard looks back at his own family to illustrate just how far British men's relationships with their sons have moved. Richard's grandfather had a childhood of almost unimaginable betrayal and sadness. His family abandoned him as a child to older relatives and emigrated without telling him. He grew up in a miserable situation and without any positive parenting role models yet managed to marry and have a son of his own. Richard's father was aware of his own father's discomfort and occasional frustration and anger, and grew to understand that this was due to his upbringing. He remembers no affection, or endearments from his dad and was packed off to a desolate boarding school in an echo of his own father's betrayal. In a bucking of the family trend, Richard's mother, a Canadian, introduced more loving and demonstrative relationships which Richard has continued with his own son and step-sons. Both a family story and a wide-ranging look at Britain's evolving social character, FATHERS AND SONS is a uniquely honest and touching exploration of how our families operate.

Fathers & Sons

A vicious hit, a vengeful enemy, a drug addled Colombian club owner and a sex crazed Italian family… the ever powerful Lucky Santangelo has to deal with them all. Meanwhile Max - her teenage daughter - is becoming the "It" girl in Europe's modeling world. And her Kennedyesque son, Bobby, is being set up for a murder he didn't commit. But Lucky can deal. Always strong and unpredictable, with her husband Lennie by her side, she lives up to the family motto - Never fuck with a Santangelo. Lucky rules… the Santangelos always come out on top. The Santangelos is an epic family saga filled with love, lust, revenge and passion.

The Way You Look Tonight

An absolute monster. A true psychopath. Charming on the outside, empty and cold as ice on the inside. Not until she was 16 did Stella Arnold learn the full truth about her father, how handsome, charming James turned out to be a cold-blooded, psychotic extortionist, racketeer and killer. Knowing now what her father was capable of, she decides to study psychology and the criminal mind, and to further her education in America. In the spring of 1962 she flies to Boston where, being beautiful, bright and fashionably English, she becomes someone of huge fascination and on every invitation list. Then comes an invitation one summer weekend to the home of the Kennedys. Stella quickly becomes part of the inner Kennedy circle as they party through the hot summer nights. Both brothers, JFK and Bobby, make their moves on her but she firmly, charmingly, repels them. Further south, on the Florida Keys, a killer is on the loose. The case, unsolved, begins to rock America, and with her specialist knowledge of psychopaths, Stella is co-opted by the police investigation and prepares to fly south...

The next must-read page-turner from Sunday Times bestselling author Richard Madeley. A man's body is discovered in the centre of an ancient Roman amphitheatre, a relic from the Imperial past that still stands outside modern-day Cirencester. The man has been crucified, Roman-style, inverted on a rough wooden cross in the shape of an X. As mystified police launch their investigation and a sensationalised media theirs, one thing quickly becomes apparent: the dead man was a dedicated internet troll, targeting young women with vile abuse and threats. Was his gruesome murder some form of revenge... or will he be merely the first to be executed in this manner? Rome has returned to Albion - and it is demanding a blood ransom... Praise for Richard Madeley: 'An authentic and exciting story. The perfect summer read' CLARE MACKINTOSH 'Original, unexpected and thrilling' JOJO MOYES 'Immaculate storytelling, pacey and beautifully written' SADIE JONES 'An unsettlingly tense treat' HEAT 'A perfect summer read with a shocking twist' OK!

Richard Madeley

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