Collection: Adult

In this latest and completely delightful installment of Alexander McCall Smith's bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the unflappable Mma Ramotswe and her steadfast colleague Mma Makutsi take on a sensitive new case and learn valuable lessons

Life is never dull for Botswana's premier lady detective, Precious Ramotswe. As a particularly delicate situation is brought to her attention, she must, with the help of her loyal associate Grace Matsuki, set out to investigate the peculiar circumstances surrounding the case. Over the course of their inquiries, unexpected information continues coming to light, leaving the pair puzzled--eventually, Mma Ramotswe will realize that the truth, as ever, is more complicated than it first seems.

With the generosity and good humor that guide all her endeavors, Mma Ramotswe will untangle these questions for herself and her loved ones, and prove that with a healthy dose of wisdom and a steaming cup of red bush tea, compassion will always win the day.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson--creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy--comes a new standalone novel set in his Cosmere universe.

In the next Cosmere standalone novel, Hoid has an epic tale to share: In a forgotten land sustained by colorful rivers of demon blood, a young woman named December learns a devastating plague is on its way. But who will believe her? Against impossible odds, she sets sail up the River Violet to warn the king's court, determination--and wisdom beyond her years--burning in her eyes. With a chatty priestess and a fledgling fashion designer at her side, she must navigate incredulous royal officials, twisted court intrigue, and a roguish count who might hold the key to her quest--and her heart.

A limited hardcover deluxe edition of the modern classic Pachinko--named one of the New York Times' 100 Best Books of the 21st Century--following four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family fighting to control their destiny in 20th-Century Japan.

Features:

• New hardcover jacket with special effects
• Four-color specially designed endpapers
• Specially designed foil stamped case
• Stenciled edges
• Ribbon bookmark

History is seldom kind. In Min Jin Lee's acclaimed and magisterial novel, four generations of a poor, proud immigrant family fight to control their destinies while exiled from their homeland.

In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant--and that her lover is married--she refuses to bend to his will. Instead she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home and reject her son's powerful father sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through generations.

Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of one of Japan's finest universities to pachinko parlors and the criminal underworld, Lee's complex and passionate characters--resilient, fierce women, devoted sisters, bright sons, fathers shaken by moral crises--survive and flourish against the indifferent arc of history.

THE BEST IN MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION SPACE OPERA FROM DAVID WEBER AND TIMOTHY ZAHN AND HONORVERSE EXPERT THOMAS POPE

To weather the storm . . .

The youthful Star Kingdom of Manticore is only a single, tiny star nation on the fringe of the explored galaxy. It has no Army, only a tiny Navy, and no merchant marine at all. By any interstellar measure, it is insignificant.

Despite which, it has somehow acquired a very significant enemy. One which has engineered major attacks upon its territory. One which has worked long and hard to destabilize any alliances that might aid the Star Kingdom in its defense. And one which has struck from the shadows, weaving webs of secrecy and deception to conceal its identity, its resources, or even the reason behind its attacks.

Yet Queen Elizabeth II and her advisors know there must be a reason, whether they know what it is or not. They are digging deep for clues . . . and they have begun getting dangerously close to answers.

Their enemy knows that, and it has prepared a last ditch effort to decapitate the Star Kingdom, throw it into disarray.

A last ditch effort which may claim Elizabeth's life.

But there are more players in the game then even Manticore's enemy realizes. Deception is about to meet counter-deception, fleets are about to meet fleets, and the tiny Star Kingdom of Manticore is about to open the door to future greatness.

Assuming it survives.

A woman becomes the unknowing subject of an artist's dangerous work in this intense Hitchcockian thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Incidents Around the House.

After a magical night out on the town with her fiancé Jack, Emily wakes alone in a huge bed in a beautiful, well-lit room. But the pink ceiling, the mauve walls, and the deep, dark corners are nothing like the hotel she and Jack rented.

More worrisome yet: Emily has no memory of this place from the night before.

Where is she?

A woman's voice directs her to remain in bed.

Just so . . .

And beyond the end of the bed, a picture frame upon an easel--a frame with no canvas, no painting, no art.

Only . . . there is the silhouette of a person Emily does not recognize. A person emanating demand, danger, evil. And the way the woman talks . . . and the things she says . . . She's acting as if Emily herself is the painting. The still life. The art.

Emily is as scared as she is confused. But it's immediately clear Jack's life is on the line with her own. And if she attempts to escape the bed and the wood frame of this nightmare masterwork, neither will survive the experience.

Emily is fierce, independent, brilliant, but to get out of this, she'll have to think like an artist herself.

The clock is ticking.

For Emily.

For Jack.

For being forever trapped.

Josh Malerman's unforgettable and terrifying Incidents Around the House became an instant classic of horror--and now Malerman has done it again. Pictures of You is a tale of thrilling terror that will chill you until the last page--and have you thinking of the heroine's search for love and the meaning of art long after.

It's curtains down for one actor when preparations for a new murder mystery play at the local theatre take a chillingly real twist . . .

The Librarian

Retirement was beckoning until local lawyer Adam Cunningham - aka the Hopewell Players' pantomime dame - requested my professional opinion on the script of their next play that he's been given.

The Lawyer

The script is terrible! And it rips off a number of Golden Age mysteries. With Roly's knowledge of crime fiction, I might be able to get the whole thing cancelled.

The Producer

I couldn't believe it when I learned that my late father had written a play of all things! And now the players will perform his work - until one of them is found dead. . .

The Inspector

A body on the stage of the local playhouse doesn't happen often round here. Was it a pre-rehearsal accident, suicide . . . or is the spotlight about to fall on a murderer?

Told from the point of view of four unreliable narrators, most of whom can't be trusted - The Librarian, The Lawyer, The Producer and The Inspector - this cunningly inventive novel is a refreshingly fun, subversive take on the crime fiction genre.

'Tis the season . . . for murder.

"The festive, quirky love child of a holiday whodunit and a steamy romance." --Sara Raasch

When Special Agents Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd report to the idyllic town of Christmas to investigate a very less than idyllic murder, they're in for more than the average whodunnit.

Welcome to Christmas, a town so cozy and charming it could be the backdrop of a Hallmark movie, where crime is never in season and it's the holidays all year round. So when a tourist is found stabbed to death by an icicle ornament in the middle of the town nativity scene, the local police are out of their depth--after all, how do you find a criminal in a town where crime doesn't exist?

The stakes are high: the whole town is relying on Holly and Mark to solve the crime before the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee festival (which naturally the town's entire economic survival relies on), plus, whichever of them cracks the case will receive a promotion to Major Crimes--and there's only one spot.

Holly and Mark are both on thin ice after screwing up on the job. This assignment is their one shot at redemption, if they can put aside their bitter rivalry. And of course, it's not only their careers on the line, it's their hearts, too--regrets of their holiday party hookup last year haunt them like ghosts of Christmas past, so they both want to wrap up this rom-com gone wrong as quickly as possible. But with just twelve days until the festival, the countdown to catch a killer--without killing each other--is on.

Co-authored by New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano (Finlay Donovan series) and USA Today bestseller Hannah Morrissey (Black Harbor series), Home for the Homicides is a sexy, light-hearted romp, with a dash of merriment and murder.

Beloved New York Times bestseller M. C. Beaton's cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin--the star of her own hit T.V. series--is back on the case again.

Agatha Raisin's Cotswolds village is in an uproar when word spreads that their beloved Red Lion pub is set to close. The brewery that owns the building has raised the rent, ousting the pub's owner so they can redevelop the space into apartments. As the villagers scramble to change the brewery's mind, Agatha and her team at Raisin Investigations begin looking into more direct ways to save the pub.

Meanwhile, Sir Charles Fraith attempts to wheedle his way back into Agatha's affection, crossing swords with James--Agatha's other paramour--who is determined to thwart his efforts. As the two attempt to woo Agatha at a local reenactment of a 17th-century battle, Agatha has her sights set on something else. Amidst the chaos of the battle, a body is discovered in a copse of trees just off the battleground. While many brush off the death as an accident, Agatha digs deeper after discovering the dead man had connections to the same brewery putting the Red Lion out of business.

After an attempt is made on Agatha's life during a visit to the brewery, her investigation becomes all the more urgent. Can she find the murderer before becoming their next victim? And perhaps even more importantly for the village, can she find a way to save the Red Lion at the same time?

The inimitable Jean Haines guides you, step-by-step, through breathing life into your watercolor animal paintings.

From domestic cats and dogs to wild lions and giraffes, bestselling artist and author Jean Haines shows the reader how to bring a touch of life to their animal artwork. Known for the vibrant colors and exciting, innovative painting techniques that she brings to her work, Jean's latest book is a course that invites beginners and experts alike to share a journey through painting animals from around the world.

Jean shares all the materials and techniques she uses, and provides a wealth of expert tips and advice as the reader progresses through the numerous step-by-step studies and projects.

Scattered throughout the book are dozens of Jean's wonderful paintings; showcasing a veritable Noah's ark of different animals - artists of all abilities will find these inspiring and encouraging.

Jean uses Daniel Smith materials in this book but other materials can be used to achieve similar results.

When an art dealer's misfortunes start to look premeditated, Sid Halley is back to investigate in the next Dick Francis novel--perfect for fans of Harlan Coben.

Forty-nine-year-old Fabian Tulley is only trying to run his own art gallery in London's Mayfair in peace. But someone seems determined to ruin his life. Accused of selling a fake Alfred Munnings painting, he is unable to prove his innocence because the police are holding the piece as evidence. While running a retail sale at Cheltenham Racecourse, some of his other paintings are vandalised. Then, a couple of men try to run him down in the racecourse parking lot.

To make matters even worse, his clients are being threatened to stay away from his gallery, and his landlords are trying to cancel his lease. Everything is against him, but with someone threatening his life's work, Fabian is determined to fight back.

With the help of Sid Halley, saving his business will prove to be the fight of his life.

An intimate, story-driven cookbook that explores the idea of cooking and eating as an act of self-care, with 65 time-tested and nourishing recipes from the James Beard Award-winning author of Where Cooking Begins and New York Times bestseller, That Sounds So Good

Carla has been writing about food, family, and feelings for many years, and she's always known that her recipes were about more than sustenance. The 65 recipes and 30 essays in Food Is a Feeling are a powerful reminder of the nurturing, fulfilling, and joyful role that food plays in all of our lives, a very human account of beauty and challenges balancing each other like butter and salt.

For her, cooking is an expression of love. That core belief was put to the test the year she got divorced. As Carla started figuring out who she was going to be on the other side of a 24-year marriage, she took note of the cravings she was having and the meals she wanted to make, and honored those desires by making herself something to eat: Lemony Chickpea Stew with Rice; Personal Pot of Beans and Greens; Salad Sandwich, to name a few. She was flooded with delicious memories--her mom's Saturday Night Alfredo, the Extremely Floofy Vanilla Pancakes she makes for her children, and the Crispy-Skinned Fish with Olives and Lemons and Burnt Caramel Rhubarb Compote she learned on the line in some of New York City's most demanding restaurant kitchens. Over time, she realizes the creative, transformative work that happens in the kitchen is a potent antidote for the hurdles she has yet to overcome.

The food, the passage of time, and the lessons gained--all of it became perfectly intertwined. In writing that is revealing, relatable, and funny, Carla uses rich context from her own life to make the case that food is so much more than just fuel, and yes, we should eat our feelings. After all, they're delicious.

It has been called the year that changed everything, the postwar watershed in which the forces that shaped public and private life erupted, everywhere and all at once--New York, Paris, Prague, Mexico City. Beginning with the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in January and continuing through the inauguration of Richard Nixon as president the following January, 1968 witnessed the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the Democratic Convention in Chicago, and the irresistible rise of a rebellious spirit that questioned every form of authority. Each month brought a fresh wave of upheaval with shared undercurrents---deep frustrations, bold aspirations, and a growing conviction that change, whether peaceful and violent, was inevitable. Political unrest, civil rights struggles, anti-war protests, generational shifts: the causes were manifold and complex, yet their convergence was unmistakable.

Alexander Bloom captures the explosive energy of a world in upheaval, illuminating how the events of 1968 were driven by youth movements, inspired by music and the subversive pull of countercultural ideals, all of which transcended borders. In Prague, young people tuned into Western radio, embracing the same sounds and messages reverberating through London and San Francisco. Styles of dress, personal expression, and radical ideals spread rapidly, fueled by an expanding media. The revolution was in fact being televised, making distant struggles immediate and personal, and turning local movements into global moments.

Together, these forces made 1968 a year unlike any before or any since. For many, it felt as if the ground beneath them had shifted. Political and social transformation seemed not just possible but imminent, across the nation and around the world. Not all the promises or expectations of that year bore fruit and the backlash it generated remains with us. Still, it marked an irrevocable turning point in world history. In 1968, the world didn't just change---it shook to its core.

Preorder now and receive the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last, featuring a beautiful cover with foil details and colorful, designed edges, with more surprises to come!

"I screamed, I cried, I was left absolutely breathless." - Nisha J. Tuli, USA Today bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen

* * *

BETRAYAL.

In a fractured realm ruled by warring noble Houses and the tyrannical Prime, the most coveted power lies in god-shards - divine fragments that grant extraordinary abilities to those who possess them.

Revel's brother was murdered in pursuit of one.

A DEADLY GAME.

For avenging him, Revel's life is on the line. Forced into a treacherous bargain, she must compete in the Call - a bloody contest of heirs vying for the throne - on behalf of her enemies, and assassinate the realm's most formidable alchemist, the Warbringer.

Victory means her family's freedom. Failure means death.

A MONSTROUS POWER.

The Prime sets the heirs on a brutal race to find the god-shard that could shift the balance of the realms. Everyone wants the win, but Revel just wants the kill. Except, the Warbringer isn't the monster she was promised. Bound by secrets of his own, he is as dangerous as he is disarming.

With betrayals mounting and desire warring with duty, Revel must decide who to trust in a game where even the gods have their favorites. This Wretched Alchemy by Tina Mars is a dark, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy where love and loyalty become the very weapons that could destroy everything.

A LOVE THAT CAN CUT DEEPER THAN ANY BLADE.

From the author of the beloved The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, an imaginative celebration of T. Rex from hatching to adulthood

Tyrannosaurus rex is a prehistoric celebrity. Exceeding 40 feet in length and weighing over 9 tons, the largest individuals of this dinosaurian species were intimidating predators capable of crushing bone and consuming more than a hundred pounds of flesh in a bite. But the last of the tyrant dinosaurs had a life beyond ripping and tearing. More than 66 million years ago, T. rex courted each other, nested, watched over their offspring, slept, drank, and explored ancient floodplains inhabited by a fantastic cast of impressive dinosaurs like the huge long-neck Alamosaurus and burly, three-horned Torosaurus. For the first time, the life story of this impressive, sensitive predator is told as if you were there to watch it unfold.

In her latest prehistoric nature walk, bestselling and award-winning author Riley Black follows the life of plucky T. rex Snaggletooth from the time she hatches through her tumultuous adulthood. The prehistoric forest Snag emerges into is full of danger, and yet, as Riley weaves the latest fossil discoveries into the story, the carnivorous dinosaur survives to play, court, fight, sleep, nest, and more as she grows up in Cretaceous North America. She tussles with rival tyrannosaurs, hunts for delectable prey, and finds soft moments of connection in the forest. Even the most die-hard dinosaur fan will come away with a new perspective and appreciation for the Tyrant Lizard Queen.

There's merry mischief aplenty in Donna Andrews' latest avian-themed Christmas mystery!

The Christmas season is underway in Caerphilly. The members of the Hollingsworth clan, Meg's mother's family, are beginning to arrive in force, and Mother has several special projects underway this year. One is the playhouse she's having built for Brynn, her two-year-old granddaughter. Brynn is a bright, lively child who loves animals, especially a wounded jay that she and Meg are trying to rehabilitate. She's also hoping to play matchmaker and set up her cousin with an old friend of hers who was recently widowed.

But all is not going smoothly in Caerphilly. Someone vandalizes the playhouse and sets a dangerous trap that injures and could have killed Mother. She reveals that she has been getting nasty anonymous letters, and it's obvious that someone is targeting her. Meg realizes she has to do something to figure out who could possibly have it in for her mom.

Meg juggles holiday preparations and celebrations while investigating these potential enemies - not to mention helping repair the damaged playhouse, taking her turn at nursing the wounded jay, and trying to coax Mother's elderly cousin into a reunion with his long-lost love. When one of Meg's suspects is found dead under suspicious circumstances, the family rejoices that Mother is out of danger. But Meg isn't quite sure they're out of the woods just yet.