Seventeen-year-old Astra’s life hasn’t been easy. She has no friends, an absent father, and a mom everyone thinks is crazy. Plus, one huge secret: she can talk to ghosts. Astra inherited her mom’s gift, but sometimes it feels more like a curse. Especially when she meets Isla, who's sweet, cheerful, and absolutely gorgeous. She’s just the right kind of girl to bring Astra out of her shell—and maybe more. The only problem? She’s dead. When Isla enlists Astra’s help with her so-called bucket list, Astra intends to do just enough to help her move on to the afterlife. She doesn’t plan on getting close to her, and she definitely doesn’t plan on falling in love. By the time the list is finished, Astra realizes that her gift might not be such a bad thing after all. But Isla has secrets of her own. And when the truth behind her death is discovered, even Astra’s love might not be enough to convince her to stay.
Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustrated Book A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter. “Written” by award-winning poet JonArno Lawson and brought to life by illustrator Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers is an ode to the importance of small things, small people and small gestures. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
'A dark, disturbing and all-consuming mystery' SUN 'I couldn't put it down' SOPHIE HANNAH 'Clever and twisty' OBSERVER The Flower Girls are about to hit the headlines all over again... It's been nineteen years since ten-year-old Laurel was given a life sentence and six-year-old Rosie was given a new identity. The sisters were the very picture of innocence: two little girls who loved to listen to their mother's bedtime stories and play make-believe in the garden. But then an act of unparalleled horror tears their family apart, leaving Laurel behind bars. Neither sister has laid eyes on the other since then, during which time their lives have followed very different paths. But now – with Laurel coming up for parole – they look set to be reunited in court, and the world will be watching... 'Chilling, atmospheric and incredibly compelling' WILL DEAN 'Enjoyably twisty ... with a killer ending' i
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In the propulsive debut novel from the host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie, a journalist uncovers her hometown’s dark secrets when she becomes obsessed with the unsolved murder of her childhood neighbor—and the disappearance of another girl twenty years later. ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: PopSugar You can’t ever know for sure what happens behind closed doors. Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana, remembers the infamous case of January Jacobs, who was discovered in a ditch hours after her family awoke to find her gone. Margot Davies was six at the time, the same age as January—and they were next-door neighbors. In the twenty years since, Margot has grown up, moved away, and become a big-city journalist. But she’s always been haunted by the feeling that it could’ve been her. And the worst part is, January’s killer has never been brought to justice. When Margot returns home to help care for her uncle after he is diagnosed with early-onset dementia, she feels like she’s walked into a time capsule. Wakarusa is exactly how she remembers—genial, stifled, secretive. Then news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who’s gone missing under circumstances eerily similar to January’s. With all the old feelings rushing back, Margot vows to find Natalie and to solve January’s murder once and for all. But the police, Natalie’s family, the townspeople—they all seem to be hiding something. And the deeper Margot digs into Natalie’s disappearance, the more resistance she encounters, and the colder January’s case feels. Could January’s killer still be out there? Is it the same person who took Natalie? And what will it cost to finally discover what truly happened that night twenty years ago? Twisty, chilling, and intense, All Good People Here is a searing tale that asks: What are your neighbors capable of when they think no one is watching?
Celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the enduring gothic masterpiece Flowers in the Attic—the unforgettable forbidden love story that earned V.C. Andrews a fiercely devoted fan base and became an international cult classic. At the top of the stairs there are four secrets hidden—blond, innocent, and fighting for their lives… They were a perfect and beautiful family—until a heartbreaking tragedy shattered their happiness. Now, for the sake of an inheritance that will ensure their future, the children must be hidden away out of sight, as if they never existed. They are kept in the attic of their grandmother’s labyrinthine mansion, isolated and alone. As the visits from their seemingly unconcerned mother slowly dwindle, the four children grow ever closer and depend upon one another to survive both this cramped world and their cruel grandmother. A suspenseful and thrilling tale of family, greed, murder, and forbidden love, Flowers in the Attic is the unputdownable first novel of the epic Dollanganger family saga. The Dollanganger series includes: Flowers in the Attic, Petals in the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, Garden of Shadows, Beneath the Attic, and Out of the Attic.
‘WOW – I am absolutely blown away… this book really, really got under my skin. I feel slightly dizzy now and need a lie-down with a soft pillow and lots of chocolate.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘OMFG this is Barbara Copperthwaite’s best book yet!! … just blew everything else out of the water. Seriously. This book had me on edge…my poor nerves were shattered. Buy it, read it, love it!’ Goodreads reviewer ‘Gripped from page one until the very end…A great rollercoaster of a story!! Wow, wow, wow!! Five stars!!’ Stardust Book Reviews Some secrets you can never tell. Everyone thinks the Thomases are the perfect family: grand London house, gorgeous kids. They don’t know wife Dominique is a paranoid wreck. They don’t know husband Ben is trapped in a web of deceit. They don’t know daughter Ruby lives in fear of the next abusive text. But someone knows all their secrets. Can the lies that bind them tear them apart? A gripping psychological thriller that will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be hooked. See what readers are saying about Her Last Secret: ‘OMG… I was well and truly hooked… had me guessing right until the very end!… I am blown away. I cannot recommend this enough… without a doubt a must read’ Chelle’s Book Reviews ‘OH MY WORD! This is a fantastic read!...intense and terrifying…an absolutely gripping read. I was totally immersed…Outstanding, I highly recommend!’ Chat About Books ‘Thrilling and captivating! A tangled web of lies and secrets is masterfully woven in this psychological thriller…I was hooked right from page one… a big fat 5 stars from me, I totally recommend this book.’ Bonnie’s Book Talk ‘An enthralling read that draws you in the further you get into it whilst getting darker and darker. Totally jaw dropping stuff. Loved it’ By The Letter Book Reviews ‘Her Last Secret is a dark, unsettling and addictive read that will reel you in and keep you hooked from the very first page.’ Brew and Books Review ‘Shocking, breath taking, gripping and heart-breaking, at one point I was almost in tears. I absolutely loved this well-written, emotional roller coaster, the twists in the story keep you hooked, trying to work out what happened that night. Highly recommended.’ Nicki’s Life of Crime ‘I loved everything about this book from beginning to end… It's with books like this that I wish I could read faster than I do. A simply terrific read.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘This book absolutely consumed me from start to finish and even when I wasn't reading it i was thinking about it. It is totally gripping and there were so many twists my head was spinning – an absolutely fantastic read!’ Goodreads reviewer ‘What a book! I genuinely think this is one of the best books I've ever read, I sat and read it in one go. I couldn't guess how it was going to end and didn't anticipate the epilogue. A gripping page turner that had me in tears towards the end.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘I'm still open mouthed at the finale. It was so cleverly crafted…this book is compelling, unputdownable…if you are a fan of books that surprise you, then this is the book for you.’ Rachel’s Random Reads ‘This book had me gripped from the very first few pages…This really was a page turner - you are desperate to read more.’ Bookworms and Shutterbugs ‘Absolutely superb, she's only gone and done it again - did NOT want to put this book down!!’ Donna’s Book Blog
Starred Review on Library Journal! USA Today bestselling author and Agatha Award winner Amanda Flower brings charm and intrigue to her first cozy mystery for Hallmark. Darby Piper is in shock. A seasoned female detective, she worked with Samantha Porter at the Two Girls Detective Agency. Now, Samantha is dead, and it doesn’t look like an accident. In fact, evidence is pointing toward Darby. Darby had expected to inherit Samantha’s half of the agency, but Samantha had recently changed the will to leave it to Tate Porter, her nephew, who returns to town. Tate is no private eye. He’s a world traveler and a veteran whose military past is also something of a mystery. But as he helps Darby delve into secret histories and real estate development plans, he proves to be a talented amateur sleuth. Will the agency have a future…even if Darby can solve this murder mystery in time? This first in series cozy mystery includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Berry Trifle.
On the floor, amongst the piles of freshly pressed laundry, lay the woman's lifeless body, her pale yellow nightdress soaked in blood. "I didn't do it..." came a whisper from the corner of the room. Detective Katie Scott has never seen two people more in love than her aunt and uncle as they danced on the decking the night of their wedding anniversary party. But the next morning, when Katie finds her aunt's body sprawled across the floor, that perfect image is shattered forever. All fingers point to Katie's uncle, Pine Valley's beloved sheriff and protector - after all, his prints are all over the antique knife found at the scene. Grieving, but certain of her uncle's innocence, Katie is consigned to the cold case division after she's discovered searching the house for clues. Does someone want to keep her as far away from this investigation as possible? Ignoring warnings from her team, Katie digs into her uncle's old case files and discovers photographs of the body of a young girl found tied to a tree after a hike in search of a rare flower. Her body is covered with the same unusual lacerations her aunt suffered. Katie knows it can't be a coincidence, but every lead she follows takes her to a dead end. Moments before the sheriff is arrested, Katie realises that a single piece of thread she found at the crime scene could be the missing link that will stitch old crimes to new. But how can she prove her uncle's innocence without throwing herself directly into the line of fire? She doesn't have a choice, he's the only family she has left... A totally jaw-dropping crime thriller with an ending you will never see coming! Perfect for anyone who adores Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh. Readers adore Jennifer Chase: 'Brilliant! Brilliant! Absolutely freaking brilliant!!... Fantastic and so real.' Shalini's Books & Reviews, 5 stars 'Amazing... I couldn't put it down. Had my attention from start to finish. Plenty of suspense and twists and turns. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was proven wrong. Will definitely recommend. Can't wait for more.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'I just couldn't stop reading. I had to know how the story panned out... One hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. On more than one occasion I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next... got the adrenaline pumping, the blood pressure rising and sent my heart rate through the roof... I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout.' Ginger Book Geek, 5 stars
An enchanting and captivating novel about how our untold stories haunt us — and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. After her family suffers a tragedy, nine-year-old Alice Hart is forced to leave her idyllic seaside home. She is taken in by her grandmother, June, a flower farmer who raises Alice on the language of Australian native flowers, a way to say the things that are too hard to speak. Under the watchful eye of June and the women who run the farm, Alice settles, but grows up increasingly frustrated by how little she knows of her family’s story. In her early twenties, Alice’s life is thrown into upheaval again when she suffers devastating betrayal and loss. Desperate to outrun grief, Alice flees to the dramatically beautiful central Australian desert. In this otherworldly landscape Alice thinks she has found solace, until she meets a charismatic and ultimately dangerous man. Spanning two decades, set between sugar cane fields by the sea, a native Australian flower farm, and a celestial crater in the central desert, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart follows Alice’s unforgettable journey, as she learns that the most powerful story she will ever possess is her own.
