Bøger udgivet af Penguin Books Ltd (UK)

I'll Always Be With You, a captivating novel by Monica Murphy, is a must-read for any literature enthusiast. Published in 2023 by Penguin Books Ltd (UK), this book is a testament to Murphy's storytelling prowess. This engrossing narrative will take you on a journey of emotions, keeping you hooked from the first page to the last. In this book, Murphy explores themes that are as timeless as they are relevant today. The genre of this book is hard to pin down as it seamlessly blends elements of romance, drama, and suspense. If you're looking for a book that will make you think, feel, and question, then I'll Always Be With You is the perfect pick. Don't miss out on this masterpiece from Penguin Books Ltd (UK).

On a cruiseship bound for Buenos Aires, a wealthy passenger challenges the world chess champion to a match. He accepts with a sneer. He will beat anyone, he says. But only if the stakes are high. Soon, the chess board is surrounded. At first, the challenger crumbles before the mind of the master. But then, a soft-spoken voice from the crowd begins to whisper nervous suggestions. Perfect moves, brilliant predictions. The speaker has not played a game for more than twenty years, he says. He is wholly unknown. But somehow, he is also entirely formidable...

It's Not Summer Without You, a TV Tie-In, is a mesmerizing novel penned by the talented Jenny Han. Published recently on 1st December 2022, this book is a delightful addition to your reading list. It's a fascinating tale that belongs to a genre that Jenny Han has mastered over the years. The book takes you on a journey filled with twists and turns, keeping you engaged till the very last page. Published by Penguin Books Ltd (UK), one of the most prestigious publishing houses, this book is a testament to their dedication to bringing high-quality literature to readers worldwide. The book is written in English, making it accessible to a wide range of readers. Don't miss out on this captivating read!

THE 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION WITH NEW, NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED MATERIALAfter the Internet, what came next?Enter the Metaverse - cyberspace home to avatars and software daemons, where anything and just about everything goes. Newly available on the Street - the Metaverse's main drag - is Snow Crash. A cyberdrug that reduces avatars in the digital world to dust, but also infects users in real life, leaving them in a vegetative state.This is bad news for Hiro, a freelance hacker and the Metaverse's best swordfighter, and mouthy skateboard courier Y. T.. Together, investigating the Infocalypse, they trace back the roots of language itself to an ancient Sumerian priesthood and find they must race to stop a shadowy virtual villain hell-bent on world domination.In this special edition of the remarkably prescient modern classic, Neal Stephenson exploreslinguistics, computer science, politics and philosophy in the form of a break-neck adventure into the fast-approaching yet eerily recognizable future.'Fast-forward free-style mall mythology for the twenty-first century' William Gibson'Brilliantly realized' New York Times Book Review 'Like a Pynchon novel with the brakes removed' Washington Post'A remarkably prescient vision of today's tech landscape' Vanity Fair

The latest novel in the smash-hit Plated Prisoners by Sunday Times bestselling author Raven Kennedy'Find me in another life. Find me in them all' It all ends now. . . But Every end is also a beginning. I was supposed to die. If it weren't for Slade, I would have. But he tore a hole the world I know and I went through it. To Annwyn. To home. Annwyn is the realm of the fae, a magical place full of beauty and danger. Here, I am known as Lyäri Ulvêre - the golden one gone. And there are people in this world who want to keep me that way. But I am not that girl in the gilded cage anymore, and I won't be used again. Nor stopped on my way back to Slade. I am my own woman. And I will find him. In this world, or the next.'An emotional rollercoaster of a book that brings vivid and layered characters into a magical realm. The world building and pace is intricate and fast, this is a book you will race through' Glamour Praise for The Plated Prisoner Series 'Raven writes with a magic that comes to life on the page. Every single word gleams like gold' Beck Michaels, author of Divine Blood 'This is one of those series that started off phenomenal, and only gets better with every subsequent book' Laura Thalassa, author of The Bargainer Series 'An astonishing world with captivating characters and a story you won't be able to put down' Ivy Asher, author of The Osseous Chronicles and The Lost Sentinel Series 'This series is amazing and I can't recommend it enough.' Kay Thatcher, author of Prince of Blades 'TEN GILDED STARS! Remarkably original. . . gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous' Olivia Wildenstein 'An emotional rollercoaster' Elizabeth Brown, author of Blood Crown*Gleam by Raven Kennedy featured on The Sunday Times bestseller list May 2023*

HER HUSBAND IS IMPRISONED. WHAT WILL SHE RISK TO SAVE HIM? . . .DISCOVER THE SPELLBINDING DARK FANTASY TIKTOK SENSATION FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A FATE INKED IN BLOOD'Do not walk to pick up this book. Run' JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT, bestselling author of FROM BLOOD AND ASH'The brilliant writing style, the pure angst and heartache; lust and longing - wow!' 5***** READER REVIEW'This book is EPIC. I'm in love with this series' 5***** READER REVIEW___________A QUEEN IN EXILE AS A TRAITOR . . .Lara has watched Ithicana be conquered by her own father. But when she learns her husband, Aren, has been captured in battle, Lara knows her father is only keeping him alive to lure in his traitorous daughter.It is bait she fully intends to take.Risking her life, Lara returns to free the Bridge Kingdom and its king using her father's greatest weapons - her warrior sisters.But her greatest adversary of all might be the very man she's trying to free.Now Lara must decide who she is fighting for: her kingdom, her husband, or herself . . .Tropes/themes: 1. Political Intrigue2. Alternate World3. Enemies to Lovers4. Action & Adventure5. Romantasy ___________'So good I didn't want it to end. This book left me crying so hard' 5***** READER REVIEW'Absolutely phenomenal. These characters don't just jump out the page, they leap' 5***** READER REVIEWPRAISE FOR THE BRIDGE KINGDOM SERIES'Exquisite, phenomenal and sexy' Olivia Wildenstein, USA Today bestselling author of Feather'An epic, action-packed tale of love, revenge, and betrayal' Jennifer Estep, New York Times bestselling author of Kill the Queen'Heart-pounding romance and intense action wrapped in a spellbinding world. I was hooked from the first page!' Elise Kova, USA Today bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf KingPRAISE FOR DANIELLE L. JENSEN'Richly-woven, evocative and absolutely impossible to put down . . . I loved every word' Sarah J. Maas, bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses'Stellar world-building and multidimensional characters' Kirkus'Stunning world-building, a vivid cast of secondary characters, and a steamy slow-burn romance' BookistA Fate Inked in Blood, No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller, March 2024A Fate Inked in Blood, New York Times bestseller, March 2024

On the day the world ends . And then the wave comes - a huge wave, dragging black night behind it and bringing a schooner which sails over and through the island rainforest. . Wise, witty and filled with Terry Pratchett's inimitable comic satire, this is a terrific adventure that - quite literally - turns the world upside down.

The addictive, savvy and steamy new romcom inspired by My Best Friend's Wedding from bestselling author Meghan Quinn'Meghan Quinn is the QUEEN of romcoms' 5***** Reader Review'Oh my . . . Meghan Quinn NEVER disappoints!' 5***** Reader Review'Meghan Quinn knocks Rom Coms out of the park!' 5***** Reader Review_________Ophelia thought wedding planning would be fun.But with her nightmare of a mother-in-law, she's struggling to adjust to life with a ring on her finger.Thankfully her best friend of over ten years, Breaker, agrees to be her faithful 'man in waiting'.While nervous to play the part, Breaker takes his title very seriously.That is until he starts to realise that it's not nerves he feels at all.But a weird, butterfly sensation directed at his soon-to-be-married best friend . . ._________Praise for Meghan Quinn:'I can't get enough of her writing. Her books are my romantic comedy happy place' A Novel Glimpse'Meghan is an absolute QUEEN when it comes to writing stories that are not only funny but have a lot of heart in them too' Elle's Book BlogMeghan Quinn, USA Today bestselling author, April 2024

'One of the greatest avant-garde Japanese writers of the twentieth century' - New YorkerBeautiful Star is a 1962 tale of family, love, nuclear war and UFOs, and was the novel Mishima considered to be his masterpiece. Translated into English for the first time, this atmospheric black comedy tells the story of the Osugi family, who come to the sudden realization that each of them hails from a different planet: Father from Mars, mother from Jupiter, son from Mercury and daughter from Venus. This extra-terrestrial knowledge brings them closer together, and convinces them that they have a mission: to find others of their kind, and save humanity from the imminent threat of the atomic bomb...

The steamy and addictive workplace-enemies-to-lovers, When-Harry-Met-Sally-inspired romance from bestselling author Meghan Quinn'JP IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE' 5***** Reader Review'OBSESSED' 5***** Reader Review'A HOT, SWEET AND HILARIOUS ENEMIES TO LOVERS ROMANCE' 5***** Reader Review_______Am I in love with JP Cane?Ha! He certainly thinks so . . .He's annoyingly loud, obnoxiously handsome, and having watched When Harry Met Sally is convinced that men and women can't just be friends.So when we have to fly to San Francisco for work and stay in the same penthouse, I'm happy to prove him wrong.Yet with his continuous flirting and his polished good looks, I'm soon finding it hard to sleep at night.But guess who can control herself? This girl.Because if there is one thing I know for certain, it's that JP Cane is wrong.Men and women CAN just be friends and we are SO not meant to be . . ._______Full of simmering sexual tension, how long will Kelsey and JP Cane resist the chemistry between them?'Once again, I was laughing out loud through this entire book!' Elle's Book Blog'In true Meghan Quinn style, this story was an easy read with steamy scenes. Steamy is not even a strong enough word. These scenes were panty-melting hot and I love each one of them...So Not Meant to Be made me blush, smile, laugh, and lose myself in the story' A Soccer Mom's Book Blog'So Not Meant To Be can be read as a standalone, but if you haven't read A Not So Meet Cute I highly recommend binging the two books. You won't regret it' A Novel GlimpsePraise for Meghan Quinn'I can't get enough of her writing. Her books are my romantic comedy happy place' A Novel Glimpse'Meghan is an absolute QUEEN when it comes to writing stories that are not only funny but have a lot of heart in them too' Elle's Book BlogMeghan Quinn, USA Today bestselling author, April 2024

The feel-good, hilarious and swoon-worthy new book from the author of MR WRONG NUMBER'I was obsessed with Hallie and Jack right from the start' 5* READER REVIEW'Lynn Painter never fails to make the best romcoms and this was no different! This had EVERYTHING - fake dating, only one bed, jealous love interest - I loved every SECOND!' 5* READER REVIEW'I already know this is going to be one of my favourites of the year . . . Just perfection. I want to read this book again already' 5* READER REVIEW__________After yet another disastrous date, Hallie Piper decides it's time to grow up.She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe. But when she logs into an app to find new love, she matches with none other than Jack: the guy the wrong kind of sparks had flown with just weeks earlier.Agreeing that they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realise that they're each other's perfect wing-person - and join forces in their searches for The One. They even place a wager on who can find romance first.But when they agree to be fake dates for a wedding, all bets are off.Because as they pretend to be a couple, they struggle to remember why dating for real was a bad idea to begin with . . .__________Readers are head-over-heels for THE LOVE WAGER . . .'I had an absolute blast reading this book! I was consistently laughing out loud . . . This book is fun and entertaining and I didn't want to put it down' 5* READER REVIEW'I LOVED this book! Read this if you love: fake dating, bookish/Jane Austen inspired banter, heroes who fall first, flirty texts, dual POV' 5* READER REVIEW'There is something about Lynn Painters writing that is so addictive and you can't help but fly through her books because you just don't want to put the book down' 5* READER REVIEW'Beautifully written, it was heartfelt and a little bit emotional. The friends-to-lovers and fake dating was amazing. Hallie and Jack were hilarious, I was actually laughing out loud' 5* READER REVIEW'An adorable, perfect read that I would happily fall in love with again and again and again' 5* READER REVIEW'This was funny and sweet and such an absolute joy to read' 5* READER REVIEW'This book had me hooked from start to end' 5* READER REVIEWPraise for Lynn Painter'The most sidesplittingly funny, sexual tension-filled book I've read in a long, long time. I dare you not to fall in love!' ALI HAZELWOOD, author of THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS 'Smart, sexy, and downright hilarious. Mr Wrong Number is an absolutely pitch-perfect romantic comedy' CHRISTINA LAUREN, author of THE UNHONEYMOONERS

FROM THE GLOBAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BIG PANDA, TINY DRAGAN AND THE CAT WHO TAUGHT ZEN Read the beautifully illustrated, heartfelt tale of a wise and aged wolf who takes a young, lost pup on an unforgettable journey.----There are times when we have done everything we can do. Then we must learn to step back and allow the universe to play out in all its unfathomable wonder. . .Deep in the silent mountains wanders Amaya, a lost pup searching for her parents after a terrible snowstorm which, for the first time in her life, leaves her alone.Until she meets a wise and aged wolf who, having saved her life, becomes her guide on an unforgettable adventure to follow the moon.As they make their way through day and night across a wintery landscape, together they both learn profound lessons about love, sacrifice, life, loss and ultimately change.James's books and illustrations have inspired millions around the world, touching deep spiritual chords with readers. In this, his fourth book, he takes readers, old and new, on a quest that will stay with them forever.----PRAISE FOR JAMES NORBURY'James has a way to speak to your soul' VEX KING'While the drawings have the charm of Winnie-the-Pooh, the captions have the depth of ancient proverbs' GUARDIAN'A beautifully illustrated book which draws on tender moments. Exquisite' DR RANGAN CHATTERJEE

THE EXTRAORDINARY LOST NOVEL FROM THE NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA AND ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDESitting alone, overlooking the still and blue lagoon, Ana Magdalena Bach surveys the men of the hotel bar. She is happily married and has no reason to escape the world she has made with her husband and children. And yet, every August, she travels here to the island where her mother is buried, and for one night takes a new lover.Amid sultry days and tropical downpours, lotharios and conmen, Ana journeys further each year into the hinterland of her desire, and the fear that sits quietly at her heart.Constantly surprising and wonderfully sensual, Until August is a profound meditation on freedom, regret, and the mysteries of love, from one of the greatest writers the world has ever known.'No writer since Dickens was so widely read, and so deeply loved, as Gabriel García Márquez' Salman Rushdie'One of the greatest visionary writers - and one of my favourites from the time I was young' Barack Obama'Few writers can be said to have written books that have changed the whole course of literature. Gabriel García Márquez did just that' Guardian

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2024**From the Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of Ghost Wars, the inside story of America's long and ruinous relationship with Saddam HusseinThe Achilles Trap masterfully untangles the people, ploys of power and geopolitics that led to America's disastrous war with Iraq and, for the first time, details America's fundamental miscalculations during its ruinous, decades-long relationship with Saddam Hussein.Beginning with Saddam's rise to power in 1979 and the birth of Iraq's secret nuclear weapons programme, Steve Coll traces Saddam's motives through understanding his inner circle. He brings to life the diplomats, scientists, family members and generals who had no choice but to defer to their leader - a leader directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, as well as the torture or imprisonment of many more. This was a man whose reasoning was impossible to reduce to a simple explanation, and the CIA and successive presidential administrations failed to grasp critical nuances in his paranoia, resentments and inconsistencies - even when the stakes were incredibly high.Using unpublished and underreported sources, interviews with surviving participants, and Saddam's own transcripts and audio files, The Achilles Trap is a remarkable picture of a dictator who was convinced the world was out to get him and acted accordingly. A work of great historical significance, it is the definitive account of how corruptions of power, lies of diplomacy and vanity - on both sides - led to avoidable errors of statecraft: ones that would enact immeasurable human suffering and forever change our political landscape.

NO ONE LIKES A SHOW OFF IN JANE FALLON'S HILARIOUS NEW TALE OF A WOMAN OUT FOR REVENGE - WITH UNEXPECTED RESULTS . . .'It's a joy - a smart, sharp revenge comedy, with plenty of lols too' DAILY MAIL'Laugh-out-loud funny' SUNDAY EXPRESS-------------If you can't have the perfect life, why should she?Social influencer Maddy's life is picture perfect.Wholesome videos of her husband andtwin girls project the happiest of families.And court the fame she so clearly craves.Iris knows Maddy as the woman who broke up her marriage.Her whole world was turned upside down and she can't bear the hypocrisy.But there's one thing that might bring back Iris's happiness.Taking away Maddy's . . .Revenge, however, is best served up close and personal.Iris needs to get know to Maddy.Which is when things get very messy indeed . . .--------------'Her snappy, clever fiction seems to slip down like a glass of nicely chilled white wine'Sunday Telegraph'Her books are so smart, funny and warm' ADELE PARKSPRAISE FOR JANE FALLON'Gripping, sharp and brilliantly twisty. Deliciously readable. A rollercoaster of revenge' DAILY MAIL'Witty, smart, topical and full of heart. the sun-lounger smash of the summer' TAMMY COHEN'Impossible to put down. Fabulous characters and a story that just will not let you go!' RUTH JONES'Jane Fallon's wry observation and razor-sharp wit in this unputdownable page-turner will grab you from the first page and the action races along at breakneck speed' SUNDAY EXPRESS'Her snappy, clever fiction . . . seems to slip down like a glass of nicely chilled white wine' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'Witty, funny, beautifully written and dotted with life's truths like sprinkles on a birthday cake' CATHY KELLY'Sharply observed, wickedly funny, with real depths of emotion too. Absolutely unputdownable' MILLY JOHNSONJane Fallon, Sunday Times bestselling author, January 2023

Spring 2024 Jimmy Fallon Book Club Winner DISCOVER THE THRILLER KEEPING EVERYONE AWAKE'The most gripping thriller I have ever read' GILLIAN McALLISTER'Like nothing I've read before. I wolfed it down in two sittings, it's amazing' LISA JEWELL'As tender as it is terrifying' ABIGAIL DEAL'You won't be able to look away' SHARI LAPENA'Heart-thumping and mesmerizing' ASHLEY AUDRAIN'One of the best thrillers I've ever read' JENNIE GODFREYWASHINGTON POST FEBRUARY 2024 PICKTODAY SHOW 'Books we can't wait to read in 2024'----There was someone in the house.Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. Then she hears a noise - old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it's the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs...In that split second, she has three choices.Should she hide? Should she run? Or should she fight?----NIGHTWATCHING is the unmissable thriller of the year:'Terrifying and unputdownable' KARIN SLAUGHTER'Absolutely, breathtakingly superb' SOPHIE HANNAH'A scalpel-sharp thriller' NIKKI SMITH'I couldn't put it down' ALAFAIR BURKE'Eerily atmospheric, pulse-pounding and unputdownable' SARAH PEKKANEN'One of the most haunting, gripping novels I've read in a long time' KATIE GUTIERREZ'I am trying to think of a book that has grabbed me by the throat more quickly' LINWOOD BARCLAY

'Gives us all the top tier wit, spice, and swoons.... One to watch!' Evie Dunmore-----Love is more than just a game for two.It's 1857, and anxious debutante Beth has just one season to snag a wealthy husband, or she and her mother will be out on the street.Gwen, on the other hand, is on her fourth season and counting, with absolutely no intention of finding a husband, possibly ever. She has plenty of security as the only daughter of a rakish earl, from whom she's inherited her penchant for drinking too much and dancing 'til dawn.Beth and Gwen are enchanted with each other on sight. And it doesn't take long for Gwen to hatch her latest scheme: rather than join the husband hunt, they should set up Gwen's father and Beth's newly-widowed mother.They had a fling years ago, after all...Can Beth and Gwen find a way to defy convention and be together? And will their parents find love along the way too?A swoon-worthy debut queer Victorian romance in which two debutantes distract themselves from having to seek husbands by setting up their widowed parents, and instead find their perfect match in each other-the lesbian Bridgerton you never knew you needed!

'An invaluable companion for anyone who wants a deep understanding of what's under the hood of often inscrutable machines' Melanie Mitchell A rich, narrative explanation of the mathematics that has brought us machine learning and the ongoing explosion of artificial intelligenceMachine-learning systems are making life-altering decisions for us: approving mortgage loans, determining whether a tumour is cancerous, or deciding whether someone gets bail. They now influence discoveries in chemistry, biology and physics - the study of genomes, extra-solar planets, even the intricacies of quantum systems.We are living through a revolution in artificial intelligence that is not slowing down. This major shift is based on simple mathematics, some of which goes back centuries: linear algebra and calculus, the stuff of eighteenth-century mathematics. Indeed by the mid-1850s, a lot of the groundwork was all done. It took the development of computer science and the kindling of 1990s computer chips designed for video games to ignite the explosion of AI that we see all around us today. In this enlightening book, Anil Ananthaswamy explains the fundamental maths behind AI, which suggests that the basics of natural and artificial intelligence might follow the same mathematical rules.As Ananthaswamy resonantly concludes, to make the most of our most wondrous technologies we need to understand their profound limitations - the clues lie in the maths that makes AI possible.

A thrilling crime classic, from the bestselling author of Tokyo ExpressTokyo, 1960. As the first rays of morning light hit the rails at Kamata Station, a man's body is found on the tracks. With only two leads - a distinctive accent and a single word, 'kameda' - senior inspector Imanishi Eitaro is called in to solve the puzzle. Setting aside his beloved bonsai and haikus, he must cross Japan in search of answers, from Osaka to Akita, accompanied by junior detective Yoshimura. At each new town, they encounter traces of the avant-garde Nouveau Group - young Tokyo artists who are bringing new ideas from the West. What to make of this modern collective? And how to stop another mysterious death occurring? Inspector Imanishi investigates...A fascinating glimpse into Japanese society at a time of great change, this is one of Seicho Matsumoto's best-loved novels - a riveting mystery from the master of Japanese crime.

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERTYRANTS AREN'T BORN. THEY'RE RAISED.Travel to the heart of a Roman dynasty drenched in danger and intrigue in master storyteller Conn Iggulden's bold and brilliant return to Rome as he tells the story of NERO - last of the the Julio-Claudian emperors . . .'Deft and robust storytelling, that whips through the history with plenty of blood, guts and plot-twists' The Times'Epic and in a class of his own' Daily Mirror ----ANCIENT ROME, AD 37It begins with a man's hand curled around another's throat.Emperor Tiberius first dispatches a traitor.Then his whole family.Next all his friends. It is as if he never existed.THIS IS ROMAN JUSTICE.Into this fevered forum, a child is born.His mother is Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. But their imperial blood is no protection. The closer you are to the heart of the empire, the closer you are to power, intrigue, and danger.She faces soldiers, senators, rivals, silver-tongued pretenders, each vying for position. One mistake risks exile, incarceration, execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.For Agrippina knows that opportunity waits, even in your darkest moments. Her son is everything. She can make this boy, shape him into Rome itself - the one all must kneel before.BUT FIRST, THEY MUST SURVIVE . . .This then is the story of Nero's birth and raising under the watchful and scheming eye of his mother Agrippina - a woman every man crossed at his peril.----PRAISE FOR CONN IGGULDEN'Breakthtakingly good' Bernard Cornwell'Magnificent' The Times'Pacy and propulsive, cracking with energy, violence and stirring speeches, Iggulden chronicles power struggles, political machinations and the bloodthirsty ravages of up-close combat' Daily MailReaders love Nero'Iggulden draws you into Rome, its brutality and its glory, and brings it back to life with such seamless ease' ***** Reader Review'Absolute quality from first to last page, atmospheric with a real feel for time and place' ***** Reader Review'It was fascinating to see the seeds being planted that will lead to the Nero becoming the tyrant we know through the ancient historians, but told in such a contemporary and accessible way' ***** Reader Review'An absolutely immersive experience throughout that throws you into the politics of Ancient Rome' ***** Reader ReviewConn Iggulden, Sunday Times bestseller, June 2023

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024An exhilarating tale of twisted desire, histories and homes, and the unexpected shape of revenge - for readers of Patricia Highsmith, Sarah Waters and Ian McEwan's Atonement.It's 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is well and truly over. Living alone in her late mother's country home, Isabel's life is as it should be: led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis delivers his graceless new girlfriend, Eva, at Isabel's doorstep-as a guest, there to stay for the season...Eva is Isabel's antithesis: sleeps late, wakes late, walks loudly through the house and touches things she shouldn't. In response Isabel develops a fury-fuelled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house-a spoon, a knife, a bowl-Isabel' suspicions spiral out of control. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel's paranoia gives way to desire - leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva - nor the house in which they live - are what they seem.'A razor-sharp, perfectly plotted debut novel' Sunday Times'Moving, unnerving and deeply sexy' Tracy Chevalier, bestselling author of GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING'An impressive debut; I already look forward to Van der Wouden's next' Guardian