Showing titles in Contemporary Fiction

Queenie Hanlon has a perfect life. She's the mother of two adoring children, the wealthy owner of a thriving outback station, and the lover of handsome bushman TR Hamilton. Then one day when TR is seriously injured in a riding accident, Queenie's perfect life suddenly comes crashing down.

A warm, feel-good novel about the importance of finding a place where you belong - perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy. Local librarian Hanna Casey is wondering where it all went wrong.... Driving her mobile library van through Finfarran's farms and villages, she tries not to think of the sophisticated London life she abandoned when she left her cheating husband. Or that she's now stuck in her crotchety mum's spare bedroom.

Michael Cunningham's luminous, compassionate new novel begins with a vision. It's November 2004. Barrett Meeks, having lost love yet again, is walking through Central Park when he is suddenly and inexplicably inspired to look up at the sky, where he sees a pale, translucent light that seems to regard him in a distinctly godlike way. Although Barrett doesn't believe in visions - or in god, for that matter - he can't deny what he's seen.

Loner Cole North has always been the odd guy out. His IQ is sky-high, but he’s not so bright when it comes to people or relationships. Years ago, he spurned expectations, shunned his family’s business, and embraced a career in construction, instead. Now, he values his job above everything, in part because of his secret feelings for his boss Sierra.

Affectionately known as the Chekhov of Coldsands-on-Sea, Felix Morsom enjoys writing about the thwarted hopes of genteel lives. His own existence, he reflects, is comfortable if uneventful, except for the flirtatious moments he shares with his publicist, the delicious Brenda Bodkin. Until he meets Gavin and Miriam. Suddenly he is on the run from PROD, the Parental Rights and Obligations Department, as Miriam announces he is the father of her son Ian

Mel Taylor was thirteen years old when she found her Mr Right. Twenty years on they remain blissfully in love. She has the man she adores, a gorgeous daughter, a great job and a dream home. But Mel's seemingly perfect life is spoilt by a dark secret and a niggling fear that her good fortune can't last for ever. Despite her husband Adam telling her to live for the present and stop worrying about the future, Mel can't shake the feeling that someone is about to call time on their happiness. And then it happens.

Michel Marini - douze ans en 1959, élève à Henri IV - a une passion, la littérature. Il ne s'en intéresse pas moins au rock'n'roll. Et au baby-foot. Au café où il joue tous les jours se réunit un club d'échecs fréquenté par Tibor, Léonid, Sasha, et les autres, tous réfugiés de l'Est qui ont dû s'exiler pour survivre.

From the best selling author of A Woman of Substance comes an explosive novel about one woman's journey to success. Annette Remmington is a London art consultant and private dealer at the top of her game. When a rare and long-lost Rembrandt finds its way into her hands – and sells in a frantic and high profile auction - she is at the pinnacle of her career and becomes the most talked about art dealer in the world....

第155回（2016年）芥川龍之介賞受賞作

36歳未婚女性、古倉恵子。
大学卒業後も就職せず、コンビニのバイトは18年目。
これまで彼氏なし。
オープン当初からスマイルマート日色駅前店で働き続け、
変わりゆくメンバーを見送りながら、店長は8人目だ。
日々食べるのはコンビニ食、夢の中でもコンビニのレジを打ち、
清潔なコンビニの風景と「いらっしゃいませ！」の掛け声が、
毎日の安らかな眠りをもたらしてくれる。
仕事も家庭もある同窓生たちからどんなに不思議がられても、
完璧なマニュアルの存在するコンビニこそが、
私を世界の正常な「部品」にしてくれる――。

ある日、婚活目的の新入り男性、白羽がやってきて、
そんなコンビニ的生き方は
「恥ずかしくないのか」とつきつけられるが……。

現代の実存を問い、
正常と異常の境目がゆらぐ衝撃のリアリズム小説。

"Dacă Bolintineanu ar fi avut acces la lumea de curăţii geometrice cărora li se închina Ion Barbu? Dacă pe Eminescu l-ar fi mişcat zbuciumul din sufletul unui Manoil? Dacă lui Arghezi i-ar fi venit gustul să rescrie el Ţiganiada? Dacă ar fi presimţit paşoptiştii noştri că se va ivi pe meleagurile române un tiran fără pereche şi porneau să-l ia în tărbacă, aşa cum ştiau ei, cu cântecele comice şi monoloage autodemascatoare?"

Bath, 1821: Rachel Crofton escapes her unhappy employment as a governess by marrying a self-made businessman. But her new life soon takes an unexpected turn. Reclusive Jonathan Alleyn is a man tormented by the disappearance of his childhood sweetheart, Alice. Starling, foundling child and now servant, is convinced that Alice, the woman she loved as a sister, was stolen from her. Did Alice run away? Or did something altogether more sinister occur? As Starling tries to expose the lies behind Bath's immaculate facades, others want only to forget, and will go to extreme lengths to do so.

Everything can change - in just one day. Flora has always adored her brother Billy. Born just 18 months apart, their childhood was spent like two peas in a pod - no one could separate them. Now, as adults, they remain the best of friends. And as Flora is immersed in family life, Billy is always there to lend a hand. But, in just one day, everything changes. In just one day, Flora’s life falls apart. In just one day, Flora has to learn how to live again.

Oliver and his wife arrive by Eurostar to attend the birthday party of grandchild Hugo. Hugo's grandmother Harriet is also on her way. Oliver and Harriet fail to recognise one another at first - but the physical attraction is instantaneous. Harriet's son, Roderick,, a successful banker, is married to Jennifer, who works in publishing. Attempting to reconcile careers, marriage and children leads to high stress levels as the two generations walk a dangerous tightrope between fidelity and parenthood.

Living a quiet life in the suburbs, Sophie Brinkmann is captivated by the handsome and sophisticated Hector Guzman. She has no idea that beneath Hector’s charm lies something far more dangerous. Hector is the head of an international crime syndicate. He is used to getting what he wants, and what he wants now is the total annihilation of his rivals.

Jasper Jones has come to my window. I don't know why, but he has. Maybe he's in trouble. Maybe he doesn't have anywhere else to go.Late on a hot summer night at the tail end of 1965, Charlie Bucktin, a precocious and bookish boy of thirteen, is startled by a knock on his window. His visitor is Jasper Jones. Rebellious, mixed-race and solitary, Jasper is a distant figure of danger and intrigue for Charlie.

Sous le regard émerveillé de leur fils, ils dansent sur "Mr. Bojangles" de Nina Simone. Leur amour est magique, vertigineux, une fête perpétuelle. Chez eux, il n'y a de place que pour le plaisir, la fantaisie et les amis. Celle qui donne le ton, qui mène le bal, c'est la mère, feu follet imprévisible et extravagant. C'est elle qui a adopté le quatrième membre de la famille, Mademoiselle Superfétatoire, un grand oiseau exotique qui déambule dans l'appartement.

For five years, Sally and Clive have been lost in a passionate affair. Now he has dumped her, to devote himself to his wife and family, and Sally is left in freefall. It starts with a casual stroll past his house, and popping into the brasserie where his son works. Then Sally befriends Clive's wife and daughter on Facebook. But that's alright isn't it? I mean, they are perfectly normal things to do. Aren't they?

Plasson che vuole ritrarre il mare con l’acqua salata, il professor Bartleboom che cerca di scrivere un’enciclopedia dei limiti della Natura, la giovane Elisewin che lotta contro il terrore, Ann Deverià confinata lì dal marito. E Adams, l’assassino. Chi deve salvarsi, chi guarire, chi si è perso e si va cercando nel ventre del mare. Tutti insieme, eppure ognuno per conto suo, si ritrovano alla locanda Almayer, sull’orlo dell’infinito oceano mare. Ma se chiedi della locanda Almayer, la gente ti guarda sorpresa, e non sa.

The blood scent was fresh. Hunger ached in her belly. The lioness slid forward as close as she dared. The little boy seconds away from death was two, maybe three years old. He was lost in the vast, heat-soaked sand that was the Kalahari desert.... Toddler Alex Theron is miraculously rescued by a passing clan of Kalahari bushmen. Over the ensuing years the desert draws him back, for it hides a beautiful secret...diamonds. But nothing comes easily from within this turbulent continent and before Alex can even hope to realise his dreams he will lose his mind to love and fight a bitter enemy.

Lynn Stephens' life has been tough recently, thanks to Vincent Boland, the manager at four-star hotel she works in. But, after standing up to him, she is delighted when she is vindicated and feels she can move on. But the consequences of crossing Vincent are more far-reaching than Lynn knows. It’s not long before she realises that this man still has the capacity to destroy her and all she holds dear.