The Crime Vault Unlocked at Harrogate 2022

Accompanying meditions for Mindfulness for Health by Vidyamala Burch and Danny Penman

The Body Scan Meditation

The thrilling 19th novel in the million-copy bestselling series takes DSI William Lorimer out of his iconic Glasgow and into the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands for the very first time.

 ***THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES*** 

Whether you've read them all or whether you're discovering Alex Gray's bestselling series for the first time, ECHO OF THE DEAD will have you gripped until the final page.

'Echo of the Dead will keep you guessing LIN ANDERSON
Echo of the Dead is Alex Gray at her finest DOULGAS SKELTON 
An exciting procedural' SUNDAY TIMES 


After a stressful winter, DSI William Lorimer is enjoying some time away from Glasgow. He and his new friend, Daniel Kohi, have retreated to the wilds of the Scottish Highlands to unwind. But what awaits them is far from a holiday.

Despite its troubled history, the mountain village of Glencoe is now a popular resort, famed for its close-knit community, its breath-taking scenery and the warm welcome it offers weary travellers. So it's particularly shocking when two bodies are discovered in quick succession on the nearby peaks .  .  .

With a potential serial killer on the loose, Lorimer's Major Incidents Team are drafted in from Glasgow. It's clear that a dark secret lurks beneath the wild beauty of this place.  But will Lorimer manage to root it out before the killer strikes again?
____________

WHAT READERS SAY ABOUT ALEX GRAY

"I have read every book in the Lorimer series and each one has been a pleasure" *****
"Alex Gray is a master storyteller" *****
"She never disappoints" *****
"I cannot wait for the next book" *****
"Her writing always keeps me engrossed" *****

Echo of the Dead by Alex Gray, read by David Monteath (Audiobook extract)

A dark and twisted crime novel, this is the eagerly anticipated follow up to Dead Ground.

'Mesmerising, macabre and murderously funny. The Botanist is M.W. Craven at his sinister best. I couldn't love this series more' Chris Whitaker

'Another classy thriller from the king of Cumbrian crime'  Paul Finch

'I swear I'm one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home . . .'

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he'd still have his thumb left. There's the insanely brilliant, guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. He's known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria.

And then there's Estelle Doyle. It's true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street but this time has she gone too far? Shot twice in the head, her father's murder appears to be an open and shut case.  Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she's only said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'

Meanwhile, a poisoner the press have dubbed the Botanist is sending high profile celebrities poems and pressed flowers. The killer seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice he gives his victims, and regardless of the security measures the police take, he seems to be able to kill with impunity.

For a man who hates locked room mysteries, this is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life . . .

Praise for The Botanist:

'Unputdownable, gripping, clever and with a rich seam of trademark Craven humour running through it' Imran Mahmood

'A sinful treat' Vaseem Khan

'Fast, furious, and utterly enjoyable.' Keith Nixon

Praise for M W Craven:


'Heart-pounding, hilarious, sharp and shocking, Dead Ground is further proof that M.W. Craven never disappoints. Miss this series at your peril.' Chris Whitaker

'Dark and entertaining, this is top rank crime fiction.' Vaseem Khan, Author of the Malabar House series and the Baby Ganesh Agency series

'M. W. Craven is one of the best crime writers working today. Dead Ground is a cracking puzzle, beautifully written, with characters you'll be behind every step of the way. It's his best yet.' Stuart Turton

'Fantastic' Martina Cole

'Dark, sharp and compelling' Peter James

'I've been following M.W. Craven's Poe/Tilly series from the very beginning, and it just gets better and better. Dead Ground is a fast-paced crime novel with as many twists and turns as a country lane. I can't wait for the next one.' Peter Robinson

'Dead Ground is both entertaining and engaging with great characters and storyline. I loved this first dip into the world of Tilly and Poe!' BA Paris

'A brutal and thrilling page turner' Natasha Harding, The Sun

'A thrilling curtain raiser for what looks set to be a great new series' Mick Herron

'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint hearted!'
David Mark

'A gripping start to a much anticipated new series' Vaseem Khan

'Satisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the read.' Michael J. Malone

'Nothing you've ever read will prepare you for the utterly unique Washington Poe' Keith Nixon

The Botanist by M W Craven, read by John Banks (Audiobook extract)

TOM THORNE IS BACK . . . AND SO IS HIS WORST NIGHTMARE

A gripping, grisly read. Mark Billingham is a terrific crime writer' ----- ANTHONY HOROWITZ


Tom Thorne has it all.

In Nicola Tanner and Phil Hendricks, Thorne has good friends by his side. He finally has a love life worth a damn and is happy in the job to which he has devoted his life...

He has everything to lose.

Hunting the woman responsible for a series of grisly murders, Thorne has no way of knowing that he will be plunged into a nightmare from which he may never wake.

And he'll do anything to keep it.

Finally, Thorne's past has caught up with him and a ruinous secret is about to be revealed. If he wants to save himself and his friends, he must do the unthinkable.


PRAISE FOR MARK BILLINGHAM

'Mark Billingham is a master of psychology'
Ian Rankin

'Fast-paced and twisting'
Paula Hawkins

'At the very least it should reach the shortlist of this year's Booker prize'
The Times

The Murder Book, written and read by Mark Billingham (Audiobook extract)

THE BRAND-NEW THRILLER FROM THE RICHARD & JUDY PICK AUTHOR AND SIX-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER

'Compulsively readable . . . A nail-biter' LINWOOD BARCLAY
________________

Twenty years ago, Cyrus Haven's family was murdered and only he and his brother survived. Cyrus because he hid. Elias because he was the killer.

Now Elias is being released from a secure psychiatric hospital and Cyrus, a forensic psychologist, must decide if he can forgive the man who destroyed his childhood.

As he prepares for the homecoming, Cyrus is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Then a second woman is abducted. The only witness is Evie Cormac, a troubled teenager with a gift for knowing when people are lying.

Both missing women have dark secrets that Cyrus must unravel to find them - and he and Evie know how the past can come back to haunt you . . .
________________

'The sort of thriller that pins you to your seat until you've finished it: a proper heart-pounding mystery with unforgettable characters and compelling twists' JANE CASEY

'Michael Robotham is one of the most accomplished thriller writers in the world right now. Superbly paced, intricately plotted and packed with characters that leap off the page. Sensational' M.W. CRAVEN

'I devoured Lying Beside You in two sittings. What a terrific writer and a fantastic read - pacey, spare and engrossing' AJAY CHOWDHURY

'I loved Lying Beside You. Michael Robotham is such a wonderfully perceptive writer; rich, real characters who are constantly surprising . . . I could read about these two forever' ALEX MARWOOD

'Tense, perceptive and fast-moving, this is a remarkable novel' LITERARY REVIEW


WHEN YOU ARE MINE was a No.1 fiction bestseller in Australia in June 2021

Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham, read by Joe Jameson (Audiobook extract)

The new book in the addictive new adult romance series from TikTok sensation, Ana Huang.

Discover the addictive world of the Twisted series from TikTok sensation, Ana Huang!

He'll do anything to have her . . . including lie.

Charming, deadly and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman.

He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can't deny the strange pull he feels toward the woman living just one floor below him.

She's the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can't solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can't refuse.

Every monster has their weakness. She's his.

His obsession. His addiction. His only exception.

***

Sweet, shy and introverted despite her social media fame, Stella Alonso is a romantic who keeps her heart in a cage.

Between her two jobs, she has little time or desire for a relationship. But when a threat from her past drives her into the arms - and house - of the most dangerous man she's ever met, she's tempted to let herself feel something for the first time in a long time.

Because despite Christian's cold nature, he makes her feel everything when she's with him.

Passionate. Protected. Truly wanted.

Theirs is a love twisted with secrets and tainted by lies . . . and when the truths are finally revealed, they could shatter everything.

Twisted Lies is a steamy fake dating romance. It's the fourth and final book in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

Warning: The story contains explicit content, violence, profanity, and topics that may be sensitive to some readers. Please see inside the book for a detailed list.

Twisted Lies by Ana Huang, read by Cindy Kay and Aiden Snow (Audiobook extract)

A brand new steamy billionaire romance from the bestselling author of the Twisted series.

She's his opposite in every way . . . and the greatest temptation he's ever known.

Reserved, controlled, and proper to a fault, Kai Young has neither the time nor inclination for chaos - and Isabella, with her purple hair and inappropriate jokes, is chaos personified.

With a crucial CEO vote looming and a media empire at stake, the billionaire heir can't afford the distraction she brings.

Isabella is everything he shouldn't want, but with every look and every touch, he's tempted to break all his rules . . . and claim her as his own.

***

Bold, impulsive, and full of life, Isabella Valencia has never met a party she doesn't like or a man she couldn't charm . . . except for Kai Young.

It shouldn't matter. He's not her type - the man translates classics into Latin for fun, and his membership at the exclusive club where she bartends means he's strictly off limits.

But she can't deny that, beneath his cool exterior, is a man who could make her melt with just a touch.

No matter how hard they try, they can't resist giving into their forbidden desires.

Even if it costs them everything.

King of Pride by Ana Huang, read by David Lee Huynh & Emery Erickson (Audiobook extract)

McMafia meets Narcos in a searing true crime tale of the dark side of globalisation set in the US, Italy, Colombia and the Middle East.

*** CONTAINS AN EXLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR ***

'As breathless, complex and on-the-edge suspenseful as the finest thriller fiction - but it's all real, which makes it truly extraordinary' Lee Child

'McMafia for the new age' Catherine Belton, author of Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then took on the West

'Compelling, visceral and highly readable' Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Moneyland

'This astonishing and cinematic rollercoaster of a debut will bring Miles Johnson's talent into the brilliant light. Delivered with trademark verve and precision, it achieves that rare and precious thing that is the goal of all great reporting: it reveals the world to itself' Alex Perry, author of The Good Mothers

'Miles has used his extensive Italian contacts to get a fully-fleshed out story in the Mafia section; likewise with the Hezbollah characters. He has interviewed over 100 people for the book, including many hours with Jack Kelly, the DEA investigator and hero of the book, which gives us an intimate look at a man dedicated to catching bad guys at the expense of his personal life' Dan McCrum, author of Money Men

A compulsive true crime thriller about modern-day international drugs trafficking, terrorism and geopolitical intrigue following an investigation driven by one DEA agent, Jack Kelly.

Three very different men battle to control their destinies as they hurtle through the hall of mirrors of the global shadow economy.

Jack Kelly, a veteran US Drug Enforcement Administration agent, tasked with following a trail of dirty money across continents from a top-secret investigative unit based in Virginia.

Salvatore Pititto is an ambitious Mafia capo working on a vast cocaine shipment who becomes unexpectedly pulled into an arms-smuggling conspiracy.

Mustafa Badreddine is a ghost-like master terrorist wanted by governments across the world who has been secretly dispatched to Syria for his final mission.

Each man, born in radically different circumstances in the 1960s, is in his own way grappling with the powerful and unstoppable forces that shape the world around us; forces which topple governments, send refugees fleeing across borders, and put guns in the hands of mercenaries and militias. Each has devoted his whole life to an institution-the DEA, the Mafia and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah-and each will eventually be destroyed or betrayed by the thing they believe in the most.

Set during 2015 and 2016, as the global order began to implode under the pressures of the Syrian civil war and the European refugee crisis, CHASING SHADOWS looks back over the historical conflicts, events and personal histories that have shaped the lives of these three men. It's a book that shows the betrayals, the disillusionment and the violence as Jack Kelly hunts down his targets.

Chasing Shadows by Miles Johnson, read by Ahmed Hamad (Audiobook extract)

The third novel in the Ashmore Castle series, perfect for fans of DOWNTON ABBEY, from the author of the hugely successful MORLAND DYNASTY novels 
 
Behind the doors of the magnificent Ashmore Castle, secrets are waiting to be uncovered . . .
 
 England, 1903.
 
 Giles, the Earl of Stainton, has fled from his stifling duties to resume his research in Egypt, leaving behind his wife Kitty, and his infant son. Kitty, still reeling from Giles' sudden departure, struggles to keep spirits high in the castle and establish herself as the true mistress of the house, an impossible task given how many secrets the inhabitants are hiding from her...
  
 The Earl's younger sisters, Rachel and Alice, are both pursuing forbidden romances, and his brother Richard begins a new business venture, spurred on by his clandestine lover. And below stairs, a shocking crime sends distrust rippling through the staff, more so when one of their own is accused.
  
 Kitty must draw on her strength to keep the castle from crumbling around her, but with her marriage to Giles left uncertain, and a surprise of her own to conceal, can she ever take her rightful place as true head of her household?
  
 The third novel in the Ashmore Castle historical family drama series, filled with heartbreak, romance and intriguing secrets waiting to be uncovered. The perfect read for fans of Downton Abbey, Bridgerton and rich period dramas.

The Mistress of Ashmore Castle by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, read by Penelope Freeman (Extract)

WELCOME TO NIGHT CITY.
THE CITY OF DREAMS.
IF IT HASN'T CHANGED YOU YET, IT WILL . . .
AND IF IT DOESN'T KILL YOU, YOU MIGHT COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE AS A LIVING LEGEND.

In neon-drenched Night City, a ragtag group of strangers have just pulled off a heist, robbing a convoy transporting a mysterious container belonging to Militech. The only thing the group has in common is that they were blackmailed into participating in the heist - and they have no idea just how far their mysterious employer's reach goes, or the purpose of the artifact they stole.

This newly formed gang - composed of a veteran turned renegade, a sleeper agent for Militech, a computer nerd, a therapist, a ripperdoc, and a techie - must learn how to overcome their differences and work together, lest their secrets be unveiled before they can pull off the next deadly heist.

Set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077, one of the bestselling video games of recent years, this electrifying novel from acclaimed Polish SF writer Rafal Kosik follows a group of strangers as they discover that the dangers of Night City are all too real.

Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence by Rafal Kosik, read by Cherami Leigh (Audiobook extract)

Read by Cynthia Farrell, Inés del Castillo, Deacon Lee, Jessica Marie Garcia, Harry Shum Jr., Lee Osorio, Stephanie Németh-Parker, Adriana Sananes, Kimberly Woods, Tim Paige, Jennifer Aquino, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett.

The first audio original from author duo Christina Lauren, a full-cast sequel to their New York Times bestseller The Unhoneymooners.

A perfectionist maid of honour and a carefree, surfer-bro best man team up to plan a wedding and end up finding a spark of their own in the first audio original from author duo Christina Lauren, a full-cast sequel to their New York Times bestseller The Unhoneymooners.

Ami is determined to break the Torres family wedding curse. Her own disaster of a reception ended with all the guests getting food poisoning, and she left her cheating husband soon after. But even though she's still processing her own divorce, Ami won't let her twin sister Olive's day be anything but perfect. Olive may think she wants a private ceremony in Maui, where she and her fiancé Ethan first fell in love, but Ami knows better and secretly flies the whole Torres family out to surprise the couple. Now she and her meticulously organized binder have less than two weeks to get everything together for the big day, thousands of miles from home.

Enter Brody, Ethan's best man, who happens to be living in Maui and insists on helping with the preparations. His playfully elaborate schemes and happy-go-lucky attitude are the last thing Ami needs. When sparks start to fly, could it derail all her carefully laid plans?

Equal parts hilarious and swoon-worthy, this full-cast production is your ticket to the ultimate destination wedding, bringing to life both a captivating couple and an unforgettable family. The Honeymoon Crashers is Christina Lauren at their charming, hilarious best.

...................

'Sexy, swoony, heartfelt' Library Journal (starred review)

'Funny, angst-y, and extremely sexy' Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Find out why readers LOVE Christina Lauren . . .

'Pure, irresistible magic from start to finish' EMILY HENRY

'Witty and downright hilarious . . . a perfect feel-good romantic comedy' HELEN HOANG

'Pure joy' SALLY THORNE

'Writing duo Christina Lauren are my go-to when I'm feeling sad' BETH O'LEARY

'What a joyful, warm, touching book! This is the book to read if you want to smile so hard your face hurts' JASMINE GUILLORY

The Honeymoon Crashers by Christina Lauren, read by a full cast (Audiobook extract)

Read by Cassandra Campbell. 

Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting team, husband and wife Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, take us on a journey through Africa and Asia to meet an extraordinary array of exceptional women struggling against terrible circumstances. More girls have been killed in the last fifty years, precisely because they are girls, than men were killed in all the wars of the twentieth century combined. More girls are killed in this routine 'gendercide' in any one decade than people were slaughtered in all the genocides of the twentieth century.

In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth, it was totalitarianism. In the twenty-first, Kristof and WuDunn demonstrate, it will be the struggle for gender equality in the developing world. Fierce, moral, pragmatic, full of amazing stories of courage and inspiration, HALF THE SKY is essential reading for every global citizen.

Half the Sky

Half The Sky: How to Change the World by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (Extract)

The reckoning is coming...

In an isolated house by Dugort pier a body is found. DS Lucy Golden is shocked to discover that the victim, Sandra Byrne, is a sister of one of her old school friends. To further complicate matters, Ben Lively, one of Lucy's colleagues, is the chief suspect. Lucy must put aside her bias in order to uncover the truth.  But the deeper she digs into Sandra's life, the more the past starts to unravel and the less she seems to know. How do you solve a murder when all you have are lies?
 
As Lucy desperately tries to sort out what is true from what is not, Rob, her ex-husband and ex-con, makes a reappearance.
 
And when the reckoning for past mistakes finally arrives, nothing is what it seems.
 
Praise for Martina Murphy

'The Branded pulls you straight into the story, snares you, and won't let you escape until you turn the last page' Patricia Gibney

'A novel that raises the bar for crime procedurals. . . artful, measured and gripping' Shots Magazine

'A twisty mystery, a moody setting and a troubled cop on a tricky case. What more could you want?' Peterborough Evening Telegraph

The Reckoning by Martina Murphy, read by Aoife McMahon (Audiobook extract)

A personal, vivid snapshot of drag culture in 1950s New York, showing readers how modern drag culture was born through first-hand letters, photographs and lively research from incredible historians.

With an introduction from RuPaul's Drag Race winner Sasha Velour

Their greatest act of resistance was simply existing

In the 1950s, as now, queer people were attracted to the Big Apple because they were able to find work as drag performers and female impersonators in a small number of Lower East Side clubs.

Decades before Stonewall, they occupied the margins of society, determined to live as they pleased, despite of the attentions of the police. Sometimes reduced to stealing to get their costumes, these girls were unstoppable, fearless and fabulous.
 
When a cache of their letters were discovered, these individuals were given a voice where they had traditionally been silenced. The letters they wrote bear witness to a time when gay community was hard to find.
 
Blending social, political and cultural history with memoir, this book is an unforgettable and deeply moving encounter with a generation of incredible survivors and a necessary account of how modern drag culture was born.

A note on our narrator: Tony Casey - The Established, Shanda Leer - takes inspiration from queer icons like Oscar Wilde, Lily Savage, and Carol Burnett, and has developed his career and artistry thanks to the paths laid out by queer people and performers as those captured in these powerful letters.

P.S. Burn This Letter Please by Craig Olsen, read by Tony Casey (Audiobook extract)

"Lush, engrossing and full of mystery and dark magic" (BookPage), Labyrinth's Heart is the thrilling conclusion to M. A. Carrick's Rook & Rose trilogy, in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord become reluctant allies in the quest to save their city from a dangerous ancient magic.

May you see the face and not the mask.

Ren came to Nadežra with a plan. She would pose as the long-lost daughter of the noble house Traementis. She would secure a fortune for herself and her sister. And she would vanish without a backward glance. She ought to have known that in the city of dreams, nothing is ever so simple.

Now, she is Ren, con-artist and thief. But she is also Renata, the celebrated Traementis heir. She is Arenza, the mysterious pattern-reader and political rebel. And she is the Black Rose, a vigilante who fights alongside the legendary Rook.

Even with the help of Grey Serrado and Derossi Vargo, it is too many masks for one person to wear. And as the dark magic the three of them helped unleash builds to storm that could tear the very fabric of the city apart, it's only a matter of time before one of the masks slips-and everything comes crashing down around them.

'The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose'
Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

'The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping'
Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

'The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive--I was unable to put it down'
Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

'An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!'
Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower

'For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay'
Booklist (starred review)

'Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world.'
S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

Labyrinth's Heart by M. A. Carrick, read by Nikki Massoud (Audiobook extract)

The Imagination Muscle is the story of our greatest gift - the imagination.

'Beautiful, moving, profoundly imaginative in itself - this book is as entertaining as it is relevant and practical' ALAIN DE BOTTON

'Anyone who has an imagination - that is, everyone - should read this book' EDWARD ENNINFUL

'An extraordinary book - an elaborate cabinet of curiosities' SPECTATOR

For some, the imagination is a luxury in the modern age; something which is by turns elusive, difficult to employ and better left to others. But what is it to imagine exactly? How do we go about it, and why is it so important that we imagine for ourselves?
 
In this insightful and life-affirming book, Albert Read puts the imagination back at the forefront of our lives. Not merely a nebulous concept reserved for artists and creatives, it is a muscle - an essential faculty of the mind to be trained and developed over a lifetime. It is boundless in its potential, infinitely rewarding and central to human achievement.

Spanning pre-historic times through to the twenty-first century, The Imagination Muscle explores the genesis of ideas - from Thomas Edison's serial embracing of failure to Jane Jacobs' vision of how we should build cities together; from Steve Jobs' approach to office design to the Japanese concept of Ma. Touching on art, music, film, literature, science and entrepreneurship, this book examines how the imagination has evolved - in shape, power and pace - through the millennia.

Albert Read reveals how we can harness the imagination in our day-to-day lives and why, in the new Age of Technology, it is more pressing than ever that we do so. Discover where to find ideas, how to foster skill in observation and connection, and how to be more attentive to the fluxes of our own minds.

After all, as Read expertly outlines, the imagination is our supreme gift, our biggest opportunity, our greatest source of fulfilment and our most vital asset for the future.

The Imagination Muscle, written and read by Albert Read (Audiobook extract)

From the multi award-winning Claire North comes the second book in a trilogy of stories retelling of the classic Greek myth of Penelope. It's time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale . . .

'CLAIRE NORTH BRINGS A POWERFUL, FRESH AND UNFLINCHING VOICE TO ANCIENT MYTH' Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

From the author of the critically acclaimed Ithaca - A Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Year - comes an exquisite and gripping new tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before.

On the isle of Ithaca, Queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband, Odysseus, sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace - but this is shattered by the arrival of Orestes, king of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra.

Orestes's hands are stained with his mother's blood. Not so long ago, the son of Agamemnon took Queen Clytemnestra's life on Ithaca's sands. Now, racked with guilt, he is slowly losing his mind.

Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the Furies circle him. His uncle, Menelaus, the battle-hungry king of Sparta, longs for Orestes's throne - and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims.

Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope fights to keep war from Ithaca's shores. Her only allies are Elektra and Helen of Troy, Menelaus's enigmatic wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own.

Each woman has a secret. And their secrets will shape the world.

Praise for the Songs of Penelope series:

'Darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking' Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

'Richly poetic . . . This is an impassioned plea for the lost, disenfranchised queens of ancient Greece, a love letter to the silenced women of history' Booklist

'Penelope is proving to be an outstanding epic hero in her own right. A sensational retelling' Elodie Harper, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf Den

'Everything I've wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice - this is an absolute masterpiece' Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin

'Conjures up a world in which women, abandoned by their men, must weave their own destinies' The Times

'Claire North has set a new standard for Ancient Greek retellings. Absolutely sublime' Hannah Lynn, author of Athena's Child

The Songs of Penelope series:
Ithaca
House of Odysseus
The Last Song of Penelope

House of Odysseus by Claire North, read by Catrin Walker-Booth (Audiobook extract)

Mindfulness for Creativity: The Breathing Meditation

Pain, suffering and stress can be intolerable - but it doesn't have to be this way.

Mindfulness for Health reveals a series of simple practices that you can incorporate into your daily life to relieve chronic pain and the suffering and stress of illness. Clinical trials show that mindfulness is at least as effective as the most commonly prescribed painkillers such as Tramadol and codeine. A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience demonstrated that it is more effective than morphine. Mindfulness can also significantly reduce the anxiety, depression, irritability, exhaustion and insomnia that can arise from chronic pain and illness.
This new book shares the secrets of the Mindfulness-based approaches to pain and illness therapy, developed by Vidyamala Burch at the Breathworks centre in Manchester and which has its roots in the groundbreaking work of pioneer Jon Kabat-Zinn from the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre in the US. The Breathworks Centre and its affiliates around the world have helped thousands of people cope with pain, illness and stress. Its pioneering approach is praised by Professor Mark Williams of Oxford University, Jon Kabat-Zinn and Professor Lance McCracken of King's College London.
The eight-week programme at the heart of this book takes just 10-20 minutes per day. It is particularly effective for the biggest causes of pain - back problems, arthritis, migraine and diabetes but works equally well for cancer (and its associated chemotherapy), heart disease, fibromyalgia, celiac disease, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, IBS, labour pain and even tinnitus. You will be surprised by how quickly your suffering melts away, leaving you able to live life to the full again.

Mindful Movement meditation

Breathing Anchor meditation

Compassionate Acceptance meditation

Treasure of Pleasure meditation

Open Heart meditation

Three-Minute Breathing Space meditation

Connection meditation

A download of guided meditations aimed to complement the learnings found in Prof Mark William's and Dr Danny Penman's guide to freeing yourself from the stresses of everyday life. Containing all the meditations that are mentioned in the book this is an invaluable resource to cement their teachings on how to find Mindfulness, and how to keep it.

Mindfulness - Finding Peace In A Frantic World - Guided Meditations

Meditation Eight: The Three Minute Breathing Space

Meditation Seven: Befriending

Meditation Six: Exploring Difficulty

Meditation Five: Sounds And Thoughts

Meditation Four: Breath And Body

Meditation Three: Mindful Movement

Meditation Two: The Body Scan

Meditation One: Mindfulness Of Body And Breath

Mindfulness: Meditation 1 - Mindfulness Of Body And Breath

“Want a happier, more contented life? I highly recommend the down-to-earth methods you’ll find in Mindfulness. Professor Mark Williams and Dr Danny Penman have teamed up to give us scientifically grounded techniques we can apply in the midst of our everyday challenges and catastrophes.” Daniel Goleman, bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence

Life can be relentless, frantic and exhausting - but it doesn’t have to be this way.

This is an introduction to Mindfulness, which reveals a set of simple yet powerful practices that you can incorporate into daily life to help break the cycle of anxiety, stress, unhappiness and exhaustion. Mindfulness is based on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which is recommended by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and is as effective as drugs for preventing depression. But, more importantly, it also works for the rest of us who aren’t depressed but are struggling to keep up with the constant demands of the modern world.

By investing just a few minutes each day, you can learn the simple mindfulness meditations at the heart of MBCT. This audio edition is an introduction to the technique which will give you the tools to put you back in control and able to enjoy life again.

Mindfulness: Meditation 2 - The Body Scan

Mindfulness: Meditation 3 - Mindful Movement

Mindfulness: Meditation 4 - Breath And Body

Mindfulness: Meditation 5 - Sounds And Thoughts

Mindfulness: Meditation 6 - Exploring Difficulty

Mindfulness: Meditation 7 - Befriending

Mindfulness: Meditation 8 - The Three Minute Breathing Space

Mindfulness: The Cake Meditation

Mindfulness: The Chocolate Meditation

TROUBLED BLOOD is the next thrilling instalment in the highly acclaimed, international bestselling series featuring Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, written by Robert Galbraith, a pseudonym of J.K. Rowling.

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is visiting his family in Cornwall when he is approached by a woman asking for help finding her mother, Margot Bamborough - who went missing in mysterious circumstances in 1974.

Strike has never tackled a cold case before, let alone one forty years old. But despite the slim chance of success, he is intrigued and takes it on; adding to the long list of cases that he and his partner in the agency, Robin Ellacott, are currently working on. And Robin herself is also juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention, as well as battling her own feelings about Strike.

As Strike and Robin investigate Margot's disappearance, they come up against a fiendishly complex case with leads that include tarot cards, a psychopathic serial killer and witnesses who cannot all be trusted. And they learn that even cases decades old can prove to be deadly . . .

A breathtaking, labyrinthine epic, Troubled Blood is the fifth Strike and Robin novel and the most gripping and satisfying yet.


Praise for the Strike series:

'A blistering piece of crime writing'
Sunday Times

'The work of a master storyteller'
Daily Telegraph

'Unputdownable'
Daily Express

'Highly inventive storytelling'
Guardian

'Superb . . . an ingenious whodunnit'
Sunday Mirror

'Come for the twists and turns and stay for the beautifully drawn central relationship'
Independent

'Outrageously entertaining'
Financial Times

Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith, read by Robert Glenister (Audiobook extract)

Meditations Listings: 

The Body Scan Meditation: 0.00
The Breathing Anchor Meditation: 12.12
The Mindful Movement Meditation: 22.02
The Compassionate Acceptance Meditation: 32.30
The Treasure of Pleasure Meditation: 42.30
The Open Heart Meditation: 52.25
The Connection Meditation: 1.02.17
The Three Minute Breathing Space Meditation: 01.12.23

The meditations are also available as separate tracks here: https://soundcloud.com/hachetteaudiouk/sets/mindfulness-meditation/s-chcYB



Mindfulness for Health

Hachette Audio UK is the audiobook imprint of the Little, Brown Book Group. We publish a diverse list with fantastic authors such as J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Mark Billingham, Iain Banks, John Steinbeck, Walter Isaacson and Malcolm Gladwell. Follow us on SoundCloud for pre-publication clips, audio extras and more.  

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