Headline Books

From the Sunday Times top 10 best-selling author of The Silent Sister and Big Lies in a Small Town comes a powerful, gripping and unmissable new novel. Secrets won't stay silent for ever. 2020. A recently widowed architect moves into the home she and her late husband designed, heartbroken that he will never cross the threshold. But when disturbing things begin to happen, it's clear that someone is sending her a warning. Who is trying to frighten her away, and why? 1965. A young white female student becomes involved in the fight for civil rights in North Carolina, falling in love with one of her fellow activists, in a time and place where an interracial relationship must be hidden from family, friends and especially the reemerging Ku Klux Klan. As tensions rise in the town, she realises not everyone is who they appear to be. Decades later, past and present are set to collide in the last house on the street....

Dark, moving and eccentric, GENTLEMAN'S RELISH is Patrick Gale's second collection of subversive and exhilarating short stories A lonely prison governor's wife develops a sudden passion for an unexpected hobby; a cookery connoisseur suspects his homophobic father and brothers are attempting to manipulate him and looks for revenge; a grandmother offers hair-raising family tales to her abandoned grandchildren; a sex demon in an old casket gruesomely transforms a honeymooning couple. In his second collection of short stories, Patrick Gale creates worlds where the making and breaking of relationships -between mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, lovers and strangers -offer unforgettably dark and moving twists to these utterly unpredictable lives.

From the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER, a story of the choices we make when we come face to face with our past. Laura has left Paris to return to her childhood home, to act as carer to her ageing, but still brilliantly sharp, mother. Ben has moved away from his beautiful and loyal wife to support his brother, alone since their own mother's death. A chance encounter will remind Ben and Laura both of the relationship they once shared, many years ago. On one day, they will come face to face with the feelings they had, the chemistry that still lies between them, and the choices they must make: to be true to themselves, or true only to what they believe to be right.

In the new thriller from New York Times best-selling author Lisa Scottoline, Mary DiNunzio's ruthless nemesis Nick Machiavelli is back...with a vengeance. Rosato and DiNunzio are being sued for reverse sex discrimination by three plaintiffs who claim they weren't hired because they were men. Their lawyer, Nick Machiavelli, once lost a case to Mary DiNunzio, and now he wants a rematch. Mary and her partner, Bennie Rosato, soon figure out that Machiavelli manufactured the entire story and entrapped the law firm's only male lawyer, John Foxman, into admitting sexual discrimination. Events turn deadly when Foxman ends up murdered. Now it's all on the line as the women have to figure out who killed Foxman and save the law firm they love.

As the planet warms due to greenhouse gas emissions, winter as we know it is disappearing. In the last 50 years, the Northern Hemisphere lost a million square miles of spring snowpack, and in the US alone, snow cover has been reduced by 15-30 per cent. On average, winter has shrunk by a month in most northern latitudes. In this deeply researched and adventure-filled book, journalist Porter Fox travels along the edge of the Northern Hemisphere's snow line to track the scope of this drastic change and ultimately predict what the future of winter - or lack thereof - will look like. This original research will be animated by five harrowing and illuminating journeys - each grounded by interviews with idiosyncratic, charismatic experts in their respective fields and Fox's own narrative of growing up on a remote island in Northern Maine. Timely, atmospheric and expertly investigated, The Last Winter will showcase like never before the true cost of climate change.

What is climate change, who's to blame, and what the f--k can we do about it? Award-winning comedian and climate change researcher Dr Matt Winning explains all. For fans of Randall Munro's What If? Matt Parker's Humble Pi and anyone looking for practical tips on how to stop the end of the world! Dr Matt Winning is a stand-up comedian and environmental economist with a PhD in climate change policy, which means he's the sort of doctor who will rush to your side if you fall ill on a plane, but only to berate you for flying. We are currently facing a global climate emergency. You've probably noticed. But why does the end of the world need to be so depressing? Hot Mess aims to both lighten the mood and enlighten listeners on climate change. This is an audiobook for people who care about climate change but aren't doing much about it, helping listeners understand what the main causes of climate change are, what changes are needed and what they can (and cannot) do about it. But, most importantly, it is an audiob

THE HONOUR OF ROME by Simon Scarrow, read by Jonathan Keeble - audiobook extract by Headline Publishing

The gripping new thriller in the brilliant Constance Fairchild series, from one of Scotland's foremost crime writers. On compassionate leave following the death of her mother, Detective Constable Constance Fairchild thought renting a cottage near Aberystwyth, Wales would get her far enough from London to finally relax. But trouble always seems to find Con, and it's not long before she is cooling off in a police station cell after defending herself from two would-be rapists. In custody she meets a young Ukrainian woman, Lila, who confides in Con that she's been forced by her manipulative boyfriend into prostitution and running drugs. Fearing for her life, she has run away from him, only to end up in the cells. Con offers to help, but when her cottage is ransacked and Lila subsequently disappears, she realises she's stumbled into very dangerous company. International drug smugglers and ruthless people traffickers - those who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets. Out here at the end of the line, will

Behind her smile lies a secret.... The most gripping debut novel of the year. 'I know you would like to hate me. History is written by the victors, and these are always men....' The wife of a toppled dictator stands trial for her husband's crimes. The world will finally know the truth. But whose? Visceral and thought-provoking, powerful and emotional, haunting and heartbreaking, The Dictator's Wife will hold you in its grip until its gut-wrenching conclusion. Woman I learned early in life how to survive. A skill that became vital in my position. Wife I was given no power, yet I was expected to hold my own with the most powerful man in the country. Mother of the nation My people were my children. I stood between him and them. I am not the person they say I am. I am not my husband. I am innocent. Do you believe me? A gripping and timely story, The Dictator's Wife will keep you listening long into the night....

Returning from their honeymoon, newly-weds Adam and Eve Bailey are immediately plunged into another investigation - one that poses their biggest challenge yet. After a local art dealer is found stabbed to death behind the local cricket pavilion, another killing swiftly follows. Meanwhile, Reverend Michael Phillips, vicar of the local church, is beset with problems. Since the disappearance of a rare painting that hung there, his parishioners believe the church's Lady Chapel to be haunted. And, adding to his woes, Michael's fiancée has discovered her birth certificate to be forged, forcing them to postpone their wedding. Adam and Eve must race against time to uncover deadly secrets from the past to reveal the killer - secrets that others will stop at nothing to keep hidden. The Haunted Lady is the fifth novel in Bill Kitson's chilling and suspenseful Eden House mystery series. Perfect for fans of Peter James's Cold Hill series, Val McDermid and J M Dalgliesh.

Soho, 1935. Sergeant Leon Geats' Patch. A snarling, skull-cracking misanthrope, Geats marshals the grimy rabble according to his own elastic moral code. The narrow alleys are brimming with jazz bars, bookies, blackshirts, ponces and tarts, so when a body is found above the Windmill Club, detectives are content to dismiss the case as just another young woman who topped herself early. But Geats - a good man prepared to be a bad one if it keeps the worst of them at bay - knows the dark seams of the city. Working with his former partner, mercenary Flying Squad Sergeant Mark Cassar, Geats obsessively dedicates himself to finding a warped killer - a decision that will reverberate for a lifetime and transform both men in ways they could never expect.

A true leader serves his men. The Jack Lark series is historical military fiction at its finest, for fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, Matthew Harffy and Patrick O'Brian. This is the 10th adventure featuring Jack Lark: soldier, leader, imposter. Egypt, 1869. Jack Lark has reinvented himself once more. Working as an unofficial agent for the consul-general, he moves among the most powerful men in Cairo. But when the opportunity arises to join legendary explorer Sir Samuel White Baker on his expedition into the Sudan, Jack can't resist a new adventure. Jack assumes command of an elite cadre to protect the fleet of vessels. But, as they move down the Nile, Jack and his men soon find themselves in a land where the rule of law means nothing and those who wield power will do anything to keep it. And when a new friend seeks Jack's help, Jack must decide where his loyalties truly lie....

Courageous hero or cold-blooded criminal? Tonight we find out. It's 14 years after the worst terrorist atrocity in UK history, and, with the perpetrators either dead or missing, the motive remains a mystery. But Dr Ralph Teller, a wealthy industrialist who lost his wife in the attack, never gave up hope of justice. He thinks he knows the real identity of the mastermind responsible. Only one person can help him put together the final pieces of the puzzle - retired police officer Chris Sketty, who infiltrated the terrorist group and was wounded trying to prevent the attack. But Cleverly thinks Sketty is a liar...and possibly far worse. He has a dossier on all the former cop's dark secrets and will make them public unless Sketty tells the truth. So, over one night, Sketty will share his brutal tale of betrayal, ruthlessness and corruption, finishing with a revelation so terrifying and unexpected that it will change everything. Is Sketty a brave hero, crippled in the line of duty, or the most ruthless mass mur

The Ex Hex is a spellbinding rom-com with a twist, think Practical Magic in Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow. New York Times best-selling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches and hexes gone wrong. You broke my heart, Rhys Penhallow. And we curse you. You and your whole stupid, hot line. Vivienne Jones handled the biggest break-up of her life the way that any witch would: vodka, bubble baths and a curse on her ex. That was nine years ago. Now Rhys Penhallow, descendant of the town's founders, breaker of hearts and still irritatingly gorgeous, is back. Rhys has returned to the quaint town of Graves Glen to recharge the ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival. But when his every move results in calamity, Vivi realises that hexing her ex might not have been so harmless after all.... As the curse starts to affect the magic of the town, resulting in murderous wind-up toys, an outraged ghost and a surprisingly talkat

The 15th-anniversary edition of a brilliant, action-packed and gripping novel of Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle - longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. New introduction from Daisy Goodwin. In 1831, Charles Darwin set off in HMS Beagle under the command of Captain Robert Fitzroy on a voyage that would change the world. This is the story of a deep friendship between two men, and the twin obsessions that tear them apart, leading one to triumph, and the other to disaster.

An addictive and pause-resistant crime mystery novel perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Faith Martin, J. R. Ellis, L. J. Ross, Miss Marple and Midsummer Murders! Lesley Cookman's best-selling series featuring amateur sleuth Libby Sarjeant is back for its third instalment! Can they uncover how the corpses connect? Bella Morleigh was pleased to inherit a derelict theatre, that is until an unknown body is discovered within it.... Luckily for her, her two friends, Libby Sarjeant and psychic investigator Fran Castle, are on the case. Although Libby is rather distracted by the preparations for her friends' civil partnership ceremony, she's at least getting the hang of using a computer to dig for information, something she's certain will be terribly useful in her detecting career. When a second body is discovered, however, it is one of Fran's psychic moments (and none of Libby's computer know-how) that help them discover the surprising link between the two corpses....

An addictive crime mystery audiobook perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Faith Martin, J.R. Ellis, LJ Ross, Miss Marple and Midsummer Murders! Lesley Cookman's best-selling series featuring amateur sleuth Libby Sarjeant is back for its second instalment. There is something not quite right about the death of her aunt...and psychic investigator Fran Castle is sure of it. The will is missing, and long-lost relatives are obstructing the case, both of which are suspicious on their own, even before the bodies start piling up.... Luckily, nothing is likely to stop Fran's sleuthing partner, Libby, from getting involved to help hunt down the murderer. As the murders multiply and the police take over, can the amateur sleuths keep on the trail?

First in a series of 20 murder mysteries featuring middle-aged-actress-come-investigator Libby Sarjeant. There's a baffling mystery in the village of Steeple Martin...but actress and amateur sleuth Libby Sarjeant is on the case! Libby Sarjeant, former actress and artist, loves life in the idyllic English countryside. She's busy with her friends preparing a play for the pretty new Oast House Theatre in Steeple Martin when there's suddenly news of a baffling mystery - the murder of a cast member. Written by Libby's friend Peter, the play is based on real events from his family's history, and it seems that these events still cast a long shadow in Steeple Martin. From the Pink Geranium restaurant to the Manor Farm, Libby risks causing a scene as she uncovers secrets hidden in the village. Can Libby, with best friend, Fran, and Sidney, the cat, in tow, find the culprit and get her show on the road? The first book in Lesley Cookman's best-selling series featuring amateur sleuth Libby Sarjeant, this cozy crime

An eloquent and thought-provoking audiobook on racism and prejudice by the Liverpool and England football legend John Barnes. John Barnes spent the first dozen years of his life in Jamaica before moving to the UK with his family in 1975. Six years later, he was a professional footballer, distinguishing himself for Watford, Liverpool and England, and in the process becoming this country's most prominent Black player. Barnes is now an articulate and captivating social commentator on a broad range of issues, and in The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism, he tackles head-on the issues surrounding prejudice with his trademark intelligence and authority. By vividly evoking his personal experiences, and holding a mirror to this country's past, present and future, Barnes provides a powerful and moving testimony. The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism will help to inform and advance the global conversation around society's ongoing battle with the awful stain of prejudice.

Colin Morgan narrates the action-packed and gripping novel of Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle - longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. 'A masterpiece' Bernard Cornwell 'A master storyteller' Sunday Times In 1831 Charles Darwin set off in HMS Beagle under the command of Captain Robert Fitzroy on a voyage that would change the world. This is the story of a deep friendship between two men, and the twin obsessions that tear them apart, leading one to triumph, and the other to disaster. 'An outstandingly good first novel. A[n]... action-adventure combined with subtle intellectual arguments. The meticulous research enriches this fascinating tale' Sunday Telegraph