Moscow in 1939, a time of increasing unease and repression. Pavel Vasilievich, an archivist in the imposing Lubyanka Prison, interviews the respected author Isaac Babel, recently arrested by Stalin's secret police. Pavel has been asked to identify Babel as the author of an unattributed short story, as part of the mammoth project of cataloguing all the literature by authors thought to be a threat to the Soviet Union. He is committed to preserving the reputation of men such as Babel, against the wishes of his superiors.

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Captivating Read
A palpably tense novel full of intricate and compelling detail. The novel brings us to another time and place through deftly drawn characters, but also through the tangible depiction of place.… read more
by ksabroad

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The Bloomsday Dead is a cracking thriller that illuminates both the terrible criminal legacy of the Troubles and the great Irish literary tradition.

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Brilliantly written
Fast flowing,original thriller with wit and understated humour.The troubled past and shifting present of Ireland come alive in short, sharp, vivid descriptions. read more
by marcolin

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Paulette’s daughter Gwen has Turner’s syndrome– which means physically she will remain a child. The impact of her condition on her family causes it to split, with each member hiding their secrets from the other. Acutely observant about the everyday, Haigh manages to interest and intrigue us in the ordinary lives of others.

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The Condition
This is a thoroughly engrossing read, that is hard to put down I would definitely recommend this title. It's been one of my favourite books of the last couple of years. read more
by KateF

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17th century Venice: Glass-making is so far in advance of the rest of the world that glassware becomes a priceless monopoly.  But the craftsmen are kept as virtual prisoners on the Venetian island of Murano.  They and their families are threatened with death by the city’s vicious ruling junta if they ever commit the treachery of divulging their methods to another soul.  So the glassblowers’ secrets are kept by all…save one man.

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Could not put it down...
I loved this book, could not stop reading it. Like other readers I found the descriptions immersed you into a visual Venice and Murano. I found the plot exciting and kept me turning the pages. If I… read more
by Jennie

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Emily, a successful young Manhattan attorney, should be overjoyed when her boyfriend seems on the verge of proposing. Instead she finds herself abruptly ending her happy relationship for reasons she can’t even explain to herself. As her world gradually starts to unravel there are laugh-out-loud moments but also times when the reader may be moved to tears.

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best book ever
After reading this book, I e-mailed Julie Buxbaum and told her it was the best book I had ever read. She sent me the nicest reply and also an autographed bookplate. I can't wait to read her new… read more
by kathzard

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Justin Cartwright’s finest novel to date, bringing his mastery of prose and human feeling to bear on the uncertain present as well as the monstrous events of the Second World War, when a failed attempt on Hitler’s life has insidious consequences that haunt succeeding decades.

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very very well
i think that this book writer is one of few writers who can take the reader to place he wants very smoothly. Really a very good writer and book read more
by 3alaa

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Vivid, honest and heart-wrenching, this novel chronicles how a patient, Vicky, and her family deal very differently with her lapse into a coma. Vicky’s Sri Lankan family struggles to cope with the traditional closeness of their family unit, made increasingly claustrophobic by the confines of the NHS. Tensions amongst the waiting family rise, whilst Vicky openly invites the reader into her mind.

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Beautiful
and moving. A story that will linger with me for a long time to come read more
by smurfette

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This is the story of Henry Elinsky, a young zookeeper in love, and a summer spent stumbling along the road to adulthood. At 18, Henry has dropped out of university, lives at home and spends most of his time with the family dog. So when his older brother offers him a room in his New York City apartment, Henry leaps at the chance to start living the life of his dreams.

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disappointing
I really liked the first half of the book, but it seemed like the story petered out half way. I din't find the book to be of his coming of age, I think it explored the result of someone who got rather… read more
by ebbye

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