Showing titles in Small Town & Rural

Pastry chef Tessa Montgomery knows what everyone in Blossom Glen says about her. Spinster. Ice Queen. Such a shame. It’s enough to make a woman bake her troubles away, dreaming of Parisian delicacies while she makes bread at her mother’s struggling boulangerie. That is, it is until Tessa’s mortal enemy — deliciously handsome (if arrogant) chef Leo Castorini, who owns the restaurant next door — proposes a business plan…to get married.

Myles Foster: CEO, thief, broody grump. And, once upon a time, the boy who read me stories when it stormed. My brothers hate him for the knowledge he took from our family's bourbon company to start his own empire. My sisters have forgotten him. But me? I'm going to be his new assistant. To him, I'm just a temp with a deep knowledge about the world of spirits. But if I come clean about just where I got that know-how, he'll toss me out before I can find out what happened to the boy who calmed my fears.

Alison Hartmann is a woman with secrets no one wants her to keep. Gold Hill, with its idyllic setting, is the perfect place to hide. Light-hearted Hope Sullivan doesn't see it that way. What else is a small town for if it isn't about strong bonds and a close community? On a gloomy day by the lake, their lives collide, leading both women to question: Is Gold Hill a haven or a bolthole? Can you ever really be safe?

DS George Cross has always wondered why his mother left him when he was a child. Now she is back in his life, he suddenly has answers. But this unexpected reunion is not anything he's used to dealing with. When a disturbing case lands on his desk, he is almost thankful for the return to normality. The body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic's past, which makes investigating difficult. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don't know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?

Moving to the little village of Budbury, Zoe hopes the crisp Dorset sea breeze and gentle pace of life will be a fresh start for her and her goddaughter, Martha. Luckily for them both, the friendly community at the café provide listening ears, sage advice, shoulders to cry on and some truly excellent carrot cake. And when Martha's enigmatic, absent father suddenly turns up, confusing not only Martha but Zoe too, the love and support of their newfound friends is the best present they could ask for. Have Zoe and Martha truly found their home at the Comfort Food Café?

Sworn off romance, instead the love of Blue's life is the beautiful Isle of Siskin. Her home from birth, her community and now her job with the wildly successful podcast Only on Siskin. When the peace on Siskin is threatened with being destroyed forever, Blue knows she has to act. There are secrets from the past that may be able to save the future of the island, and only Blue can get to the bottom of them.

Brought to you by Penguin *A STUNNING NEW STANDALONE THRILLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLING HARRY HOLE SERIES* In the far north of Norway a man lives a peaceful existence. However one day his younger brother, always the more successful and charming of the two, turns up to visit, accompanied...

*Selected as a Reader Favourite in Good Housekeeping's Good Books Winter Collection!* ‘I loved it … Christmas isn’t Christmas without a Sarah Morgan book. She is a stunning author and knows the recipe for a perfect festive read’ Reader review ***** 'The perfect five-star read to curl up...

Tyrannical millionaire Simeon Lee has been estranged from most of his family for years. But now, on Christmas Eve, the old man calls them all together once more. Unable to disobey, the children gather uneasily and wonder what their father's intentions are. Does he want to clear up past...

Don’t miss the brand-new installment in the fantastic Stamford Mysteries series! Perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton and Richard Osman. Who knew a harmless town fair could be so polarising – or so deadly? When auctioneer Felicia Grant’s best friend, Stamford Mayor Cassandra Lane, talked her...

Now a major ITV series, The Long Call, adapted for television by screenwriter Kelly Jones and starring Ben Aldridge. 'Matthew Venn is a keeper . . . stunning' – David Baldacci The number one Sunday Times bestselling series featuring Detective Matthew Venn, from author and creator of the Vera...

When Hattie is made redundant and evicted from her flat in one horrible week, she needs time to rethink. Uncle Albert left her and her father each half of Fisherman's Rest, his home in the Cornish town of Port Medden, so this seems the perfect place to escape to until she can figure things out. As Hattie stays in the cottage, clearing it out, tidying it up and getting it ready to sell, she starts to find her feet in Port Medden and making a new home here begins to feel right.

'Oozing with mystery, style and unforgettable characters – I'm transported into a world of delightful intrigue and murderous mystery, and all home in time for tea. Absolutely fantastic.' Jonathan Whitelaw, author of The Bingo Hall Detectives The perfect Cornish cozy mystery for fans of Richard...

Brought to you by Penguin. LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024 A POWERFUL NEW NOVEL FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AND BOOKER-SHORTLISTED AUTHOR OF THE OVERSTORY AND BEWILDERMENT Rafi and Todd are two polar opposites at an elite high school where they bond over a three-thousand-year-old board...

Nurse Jenny Martin is found dead in a burned-out car. It looks like she was strangled and beaten to death before being unceremoniously crammed into the boot. The police believe Nick ‘the Ace’ Fenny to be the chief suspect. At nineteen years old, he has a reputation for being a joyrider and troublemaker. But Nick’s mum refuses to believe her son’s a murderer and seeks out Kate to help clear his name. In no position to be turning down work, Kate accepts her offer and takes the victim’s old job to find out who else might have a motive for killing.

The last words I said to my best friend were “I trust you”. Then the world went dark, and I nearly lost everything. While my best friend’s little sister lost even more. I promised him that I’d take care of her—but if he knew my current thoughts when it came to Harper, he’d have never trusted me. She’s too young for me. Too bright to my shadows. And too tempting. Now I’m stuck in our small town, and I can’t escape her. I’d rather hide in my cabin, restoring what was once lost. Only Harper won’t let me. I’ve already held onto more secrets than my family knows.

I've always known I was different. My name is Seven Grey, and I hang out with dead people. Yes, Seven like the number, and yes… literal dead people. I'm the only mortician in a small town tucked away in backwoods Maine, and I've known this was my dream job since the day they asked us on our first day of Kindergarten. I know who I am, and I don't apologize for it. Death is just different for me, which is why my second job works even better than my first. They call me "The Cleaning Lady".

I never thought I'd auction my v-card to survive. Now, I'm snowed in with three mountain men who want more than my innocence. The underground auction was my escape plan. Instead, it brought me face-to-face with three rugged brothers whose eyes see right through me and whose hands leave me trembling. Two months in their remote cabin was meant to be simple. Fulfill their terms, take the money, and start over. But I didn't expect them. Lucas is dark and intense, a leader whose control leaves me breathless—and wanting more. Bryce is playful and warm, but his charm hides a dangerous edge.

'Expertly plotted and mesmerising' - Mick Herron A local myth. A deadly threat. Vera Stanhope, star of ITV's Vera, returns for her most shocking case so far . . . I can't see anything. It's as if this house is on its own in the world, as if I'm on my own in the world and nobody would care if I...

Every Tuesday night, two couples see the same therapist for marriage counselling. At 8pm, as Liv and Jay are leaving their session, they see Maya and Hugo waiting to go in. When their young boys start at the same school, things are initially awkward, but as the women get to know one another, they become friends, sharing the fractures in their respective marriages. Soon, they are confiding their deepest secrets.