Goldsboro Books Limited

The Child Who by Simon Lelic

2011-08-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

Seemingly inspired by the James Bulger case, a young boy of two who was murdered by two ten-year-old boys, Simon Lelic's third novel is set in an English town which is left reeling when twelve-year-old Daniel Blake is discovered to have brutally murdered his schoolmate Felicity Forbes.

For solicitor Leo Curtice, the case is to be the most high profile – and morally challenging - of his career. But as he begins his defence Leo is unprepared for the impact the public fury surrounding Felicity’s death will have on him and his wife - and his teenage daughter Ellie, above all.

While Leo struggles to get Daniel to talk to him, hoping to unearth the reasons for the boy’s terrible crime, the build-up of pressure on Leo’s family intensifies. As the case nears its climax, events will take their darkest turn. For Leo, his life will never be the same again.

Lelic is an audacious novelist and whilst it is a brave act for a writer to take on such an uncomfortable, horrific subject, fortunately it is one that Lelic has the talent to pull off. Lelic handles his harsh subject matter with great sensitivity, concluding with a note of hope.

Lelic is in a class of his own and it's hard to imagine anyone not being impressed by this novel.
To be published in January 2012.

The New Sherlock Holmes - The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

2011-08-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Last week I was delighted to get No. 90 from 300 copies of a beautiful signed limited edition hardback proof of The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz.

Anthony Horowitz, an Arthur Conan Doyle fan since the age of 16, has written a new Sherlock Holmes novel.

The book is set in 1890, and written by Watson in a retirement home, a year after the death of Holmes. The story opens with a train robbery in Boston, and moves back to London and to the tranquil settings of Wimbledon but Watson, states in the prologue that "The adventures of The Man in the Flat Cap and The House of Silk were, in some respects, the most sensational of Sherlock Holmes's career but at the time it was impossible for me to tell them, for reasons that will become abundantly clear.... It is no exaggeration to say it could tear apart the very fabric of society."
What starts out as an investigation into a robbery soon takes Holmes and Watson down some very dark and squalid parts of London and to the discovery of a secret organisation that has members from the highest echelons of British society. These members will do anything to protect their identities and their very dark secrets even if it means killing Sherlock Holmes!
For fans of Sherlock Holmes this isn't going to disappoint. Horowitz shows not only his love of Conan Doyle but his gift as a brilliant plotter and storyteller keeping the quality of the original that you would expect, but with a more modern pace. Published on the 1.11.11 The House of Silk deserves to be the publishing success of 2011 it is expected to be. I loved it.

Have you read a great book recently?

2011-01-10T05:50:00.000-08:00

Stories. We all spend our lives reading them, telling them, and listening to them. About this and that. About people and places. But some stories are so good, we wish that they would never end. They are so gripping that we will go without sleep to read a little bit more. Some stories bring us laughter. Some will bring us tears. But isn't that what a great book does? Makes us feel. Books that are so powerful, they really are with us forever.

This year promises us some great stories. The schedules are packed with debuts, both literary and commercial. Plus new titles from household names and other admired authors.

The debut which I am hugely excited about and can't wait for everyone to read is the brilliant thriller from S J Watson, Before I Go To Sleep, narrated by a woman who cannot retain her memories for longer than a day.

White Heat by Melanie McGrath is a superb debut novel and one that reminded me of Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow for it's originality, witty, intelligent and unconventional character Edie. On Craig Island, a vast landscape of ice north of the Arctic Circle, three travellers are hunting duck. Among them is expert Inuit hunter and guide, Edie Kiglatuk; a woman born of this harsh, beautiful terrain. The two men are tourists, experiencing Arctic life in the raw, but when one of the men is shot dead in mysterious circumstances, the local Council of Elders in the tiny settlement of Autisaq is keen to dismiss it as an accident.

Plague Child by Peter Ransley is the first in a trilogy set during the English Civil War. Tom Kneave doesn't know of his real background, he was rescued from the Oxford plague pit as a baby and raised by a poor man in London. But 15 years later he himself finds himself back at his birthplace, piecing together the few clues he has.

David Hewson's Nic Costa novels are a real treat for fans of Italy and especially Rome. The Fallen Angel has Detective Nic Costa facing his hardest case yet. We have commissioned a numbered edition of 250 copies. If you haven't tried David Hewson before. Now is the time.

We have managed to get more copies of our December Book of the Month signed. Snowdrops by A. D. Miller is deservedly receiving exceptional reviews.

'A tremendously assured, cool, complex, slow-burn of a novel and a bleak and superbly atmospheric portrait of modern Russia.' --William Boyd. Snowdrops is an intensely riveting psychological drama that unfolds over the course of one Moscow winter, as a young Englishman's moral compass is spun by the seductive opportunities revealed to him by a new Russia: a land of hedonism and desperation, corruption and kindness, magical dachas and debauched nightclubs; a place where secrets - and corpses - come to light only when the deep snows start to thaw - Snowdrops is a chilling story of love and moral freefall: of the corruption, by a corrupt society, of a corruptible young man. It is taut, intense and has a momentum as irresistible to the reader as the moral danger that first enchants, then threatens to overwhelm, its narrator.

The Facility is our current Book of the Month. You can read my review of this book, here. Also, there is a more information about the author and his favourite five books! If you are able, come along the launch party here at Goldsboro Books. Details here.

We have many more signed first editions available on our website. Do take the time to browse here

Don't forget to buy, read and collect!
Sincerely,
Dave
David Headley
Goldsboro Books Limited

One to Watch

The Oracle of Stamboul

by Michael Davi Lukas

The Oracle of Stamboul

Exclusive Signed First Editions*

A magical historical novel about an astonishing eight year old girl in the last days of the Ottoman Empire.

It is 1877, on the shores of the Black Sea, and the omens for the newborn Eleanora Cohen are hardly promising. Not only does her mother die in childbirth, but her village is being attacked by the Tsar's Royal Cavalry. However, despite this bad beginning, a sour stepmother and a traumatic journey in the hold of a ship, young Eleanora grows into a remarkably clever but very engaging child. And when a heartbreaking tragedy leaves her marooned in Istanbul, where spies and boarded-up harems and sudden death are as much a part of life as delicious spices, Paris fashions and rosewater, it is Eleanora's extraordinary courage and character which lead her straight to the Sultan's court, and to her salvation.

Our Price £12.99

Order a signed first edition.

*Signed first editions will be Exclusive to Goldsboro Books in the UK.

The Facility by Simon Lelic - Book of the Month

2011-01-06T06:37:00.000-08:00

Simon Lelic's debut novel Rupture was the January 2010 Book of the Month at Goldsboro Books. It was a skillfully worked crime novel that showed Lelic's perceptive talent for capturing differing voices of the same shocking event.
The Facility, January 2011 Book of the Month, is written in a more conventional style and imagines a dystopian near-future where the totalitarian governement is using counter-terrorism laws to allow the police to make people 'disappear'. When Arthur Priestly is taken, his estranged wife Julia approaches Tom Clarke, a journalist at an online campagning newspaper to help her find him. They discover that the government is imprisoning people believed to have a new and potent disease.
Lelic creates a real sense of place and deftly maintains the pace of the thriller plot as the security forces latch on to Tom and Julia. His exploration of how the rights of the minority are violated for 'the greater good' is written with sharp and exceptional prose. This novel is challenging but well worth the read.
You can find our more about Simon Lelic on his website http://www.simonlelic.com/

About Simon Lelic

I was born in Brighton in 1976 and, after a decade or so living in London and trying to convince myself that the tube was fine, really, because it gave me a chance to read, my wife and I recently moved back to Brighton with our two young boys. That Barnaby and Joseph’s grandparents happened to live close enough by to be able to offer their babysitting services was, of course, entirely coincidental.

As well as writing, I run an import/export business. My hobbies (when I have time for them) include reading (for which I make time, because I can just about get away with claiming this is also work), golf, tennis, snowboarding and karate. My weekends belong to my family (or so my wife reminds me), as does my heart.

I studied history at the University of Exeter. After graduating I was qualified, I discovered . . . to do an MA. After that I figured I had better learn something useful, so took a post-grad course in journalism. I know, I know: so much for learning something useful. After working freelance and then in business-to-business publishing, I now write novels. Not useful either, necessarily, but fun and, in its own way, important.

My Five Favourite Books

Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell

Not exactly an original pick, I realise, and some would dispute its literary merits. On the other hand, it has proved almost Shakespearean in its impact on the English psyche – and certainly on mine.

The Road, Cormac McCarthy

Technically, philosophically, this is probably not McCarthy’s best book. But it is my favourite. Devastatingly simple, yet dazzling in so many ways. The book I wish I had written.

As If, Blake Morrison

A recent entrant into my ever-changing top five but a book I could read again and again –were it not so intensely heartbreaking. Although actually, that hasn’t stopped me, and nor should it any parent, son, daughter.

The Paris Review Interviews, volumes I-IV, Philip Gourevitch (ed.)

I’m cheating, I realise, by picking four books as one. Not literature these but collectively an indispensable insight into the minds of those who forge it. A regular source of inspiration, consolation and distraction.

Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov

What can I say that has not been said before? Just stunning.

The Distant Hours, Kate Morton

2010-11-24T03:08:00.000-08:00

It started with a letter...

And I'm very glad it did because in Kate Morton's hands it isn't just a letter; it's a gateway to the mystery of the Mud Man, a door that opens long buried secrets for the sisters of Milderhurst castle and the spark that sets a flame to the story of our intrepid narrator, Edie Burchill.

When a letter that's been lost for 50 years arrives in the hands of Edie's mother Meredith, Edie witnessesses an emotional reaction that she very rarely sees in her usually stoic mother and her curiosity is awakened. The letter sparks a hunt for truth behind the secrets that permeate the novel, secrets kept by the mother she realises she's never really known, secrets behind a past intertwined with an ancient castle and the secrets buried in The True History of the Mud Man; a children's book written by the mad and mysterious Raymond Blythe.

From the very first moment the mystery surrounding the Mud Man and the three sisters Blythe, inhabitants of the now crumbling Milderhurst Castle, will inexorably draw you into their world; the prophetic nature of the narrator's voice leaving the answers tantalisingly out of reach until Morton is willing to give them. I was caught, as Edie must have been, in the story of the Blythe family - so much so that for once I wasn't tempted to read the end of the novel before even getting to the middle, I wanted this novel to unfold to me, to give up its secrets one by one.

And it doesn't disappoint. In the brilliantly executed voices of all the main protagonists of the novel the pieces of the puzzle slowly knit themselves together, making the reader feel as though they are some kind of omnipotent power; observing all these snapshot's in time, glueing the staggered pieces back together and most importantly giving you a big head. Because this is the trick, you may think you know the answers, you may have a clue, or an inkling or even be generally on the mark, but you won't; you won't have any idea until right at the very end, when slowly it begins to dawn on you exactly what happened, exactly what the answers are. And how fantastic is that? When a true mystery digs its fat, sharp claws into you and refuses to let go until you have read the very last word. Fantastic.

Of course this book is also so much more than a mystery, it is a snapshot into the ties that bind us; to our family, to our homes, to our love and ultimately to our loss. It is the story of what happens when dark secrets eat away at our hearts, a story of redemption and heart-rending 'What if's?' that lodge somehow in the readers head and refuse to move.

When I looked at the size of the book I was apprehensive with that same creeping doubt that always whispers in my head when I see a tome of a book - will it entertain me all the way through? But Morton is clever, revealing pieces of the puzzle piece by piece like a dance of the seven veils. Each chapter needs to be there, each voice, each character, they all have a part to play and they play it oh so well, coming to life in Morton's clear talent for description, using her words as a diving board with which to launch from. Even after finishing this book it lingered in my head for days. Highly, thoroughly recommended.

Goldsboro Books' Book of the Month, signed copies on sale now.

Don't Miss These Great Books.....

2010-11-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

With the holiday season upon us and Christmas a month away is it time to think about what presents we can buy friends and loved one? Books are an ideal gift especially one that is a signed first edition. Books entertain and what is better than that added extra special touch of being signed by the author, never mind the long term investment and collectability?

2010 has been a great year for debut fiction and we have had some amazing titles fly out of our door. The biggest selling title of the year and one of our favourites, The Holy Thief by William Ryan. We really believed in this book and the sales proved we were right to. We even had the first 25 numbered copies of our exclusive edition leatherbound. There have been other extraordinary books published this year including, The Passage. This was always going to be big because word-of-mouth praise started months before publication. We were, obviously, delighted that Orion Publishers gave Goldsboro Books the exclusive slipcase edition. Copies come with a cloth The Passage bag.
Room by Emma Donoghue was a book I read in March this year and loved. I just had to have it for our August Book of the Month. It isn't Emma's first book by any means but it is certainly her 'breakout' novel and now shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2010, it is sure to feature prominently in the Orange Prize for fiction 2011.

I Am Number Four took us all by surprise. Both for its entertainment value and because it became the fastest selling book of the year for Goldsboro Books. Our slipcase numbered edition of 500 copies sold out before publication and the demand was unprecidented for one of our exclusives.
Carlos Ruiz Zafon, the bestselling author of The Shadow of the Wind, and The Angel's Game, who returns with The Prince of Mist. This very scary ghost story stayed at the top of the Spanish book charts for two years and is now translated into English for the first time. The haunting tale is aimed at readers of all ages, so is one to share with the whole family. Goldsboro Books has an exclusive slipcase edition and a handful of copies left.

Gerard O'Donovan's debut novel, The Priest is published in paperback this month in the UK. We chose this excellent debut as our Book of the Month earlier in the year and commissioned the UK's only hardback exclusively for Goldsboro Books. More often, we will have hardbacks produced for us when publishers decide to publish their books in paperback only. It is the way of publishing now. There are going to be less and less hardbacks.

Other books that we have commissioned exclusively are the Young Sherlock Holmes series. Death Cloud was the first and Red Leech is available this month. We have agreed to continue with the series and hardbacks will be available exclusively for all of them from Goldsboro Books. This is a brilliant series of one of the most iconic detectives in crime fiction. Andrew Lane's reimagined and authentic teenage Sherlock Holmes made him the perfect choice to work with the Conan Doyle Estate to reinvent the world's most famous detective. We have sets of the same numbers available and will happily give you the same number throughout the series.

Young Sherlock Holmes

Other books available in stock and possible gift ideas, if not for yourself, for others...

Philip Kerr's prevous novel, If the Dead Rise Not, won the 2009 CWA Ellis Peters' Award for Best Historical Crime Novel. Field Grey is the new and seventh Bernie Gunther novel.

Already advertised in a previous emailer, Revenger by Rory Clements was the winner of this years CWA Ellis Peter's award and we still have a few copies available.

The Penobscot Expedition is an extraordinary story, one that has fascinated the Bernard Corwell for years.

Summer 1779, a British force of fewer than one thousand Scottish infantry were sent to build a garrison in the State of Maine. The war of Independence was in its third year and no other British troops stood between Canada and New York.

The State of Massachusetts was determined to expel the British, but when they sent a fleet of forty vessels to 'captivate, kill and destroy' they underestimated their enemies, calm in battle and ready for victory.

Told from both sides of the battle, the main characters are all real figures from history. Based on diaries, letters and court transcripts, we meet many of the war's greatest heroes, including Paul Revere and John Moore, each of whom become famous subjects of war poetry. Signed first edition copies of The Fort are available.

The brilliant and inimitable Paul Magrs has released a new novel featuring Brenda, The Bride The Time Forgot. The Wicked Witch of Whitby vs. the Bride of Frankenstein. Meet the good, the bad and the bitten...

Something is biting people on the streets of Whitby. In an ordinary town, this would be worrying. Here, it's disastrous, and only Brenda has guessed why. She's also trying to prepare for a packed festive break at her B&B, but her best friend Effie is in distracted mood: she just hasn't been the same since her suave gentleman friend Alucard reappeared.
Meanwhile, Penny has joined a book group in the new mystery bookstore, the Spooky Finger. As she is drawn into the strange and fantastic works of Edwardian lady novelist Beatrice Mapp, she makes some very surprising discoveries. Discoveries that will soon impact upon the lives of all the ladies of Whitby. When unexpected help from the shadows of the past arrives to illuminate the dangers awaiting them all, Brenda realises that unless she can find a way to save Effie, the consequences may be eternal.

One to Watch

Snowdrops
by A. D. Miller

Signed First Editions*

A. D. Miller's Snowdrops is an intensely riveting psychological drama that unfolds over the course of one Moscow winter, as a young Englishman's moral compass is spun by the seductive opportunities revealed to him by a new Russia: a land of hedonism and desperation, corruption and kindness, magical dachas and debauched nightclubs; a place where secrets - and corpses - come to light only when the deep snows start to thaw - Snowdrops is a chilling story of love and moral freefall: of the corruption, by a corrupt society, of a corruptible young man. It is taut, intense and has a momentum as irresistible to the reader as the moral danger that first enchants, then threatens to overwhelm, its narrator.

Our Price £12.99

Order a signed first edition.
*Exclusive Numbered Edition to Goldsboro Books for Book of the Month Club Members Only.

Top Ten Bestsellers - October 2010

2010-10-28T01:51:00.000-07:00

1) Insurrection by Robyn Young
1262 A.D. In the dusty heat of French fields, knights battle for supremacy in a fierce tournament. At its violent heart is Edward of England, who leads his men under the banner of the dragon, a potent reference to the legendary King Arthur. As heir to the throne, Edward has a vision for his future kingdom -- a vision sprung from the words of an ancient prophecy written in the time of Arthur himself -- that will change the face of Britain forever. More

2) Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

A huge novel that follows five families through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for votes for women.
It is 1911. The Coronation Day of King George V. The Williams, a Welsh coal-mining family, is linked by romance and enmity to the Fitzherberts, aristocratic coal-mine owners. Lady Maud Fitzherbert falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German Embassy in London. Their destiny is entangled with that of an ambitious young aide to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and to two orphaned Russian brothers, whose plans to emigrate to America fall foul of war, conscription and revolution. More

3) The Fort by Bernard Cornwell
n the summer of 1779 a British force of fewer than a thousand Scottish infantry backed by three sloops-of-war , was sent to what is now Castine in the State of Maine. The War of Independence was in its third year and the Scots were the only British troops between Canada and New York. Their orders were to make a garrison that could serve as a safe haven and a naval base. The State of Massachusetts was determined to expel the British and sent a fleet of forty vessels and some one thousand infantrymen to ' captivate , kill and destroy ' the invaders. But what followed was a classic example of impetuosity and irresolution on one side , and calm professionalism on the other. More

4) Mr Chartwell by Robecca Hunt
It's July, 1964. In bed at home in Kent, Winston Churchill is waking up. There's a visitor in the room, someone he hasn't seen for a while, a dark, mute bulk, watching him with tortured concentration. It's Mr. Chartwell. In her terraced house in Battersea, Esther Hammerhans, young, vulnerable and alone, goes to answer the door to her new lodger. Through the glass she sees a vast silhouette the size of a mattress. It's Mr. Chartwell. More

5) Worth Dying For by Lee Child
Has Jack Reacher finally met his match? 61 Hours ended with Reacher trapped in a desperate situation from which escape seemed impossible. Even for him. Was that really the end of the road for the maverick loner? More

6) Spook's Bestiary by Joseph Delaney
A companion title to the phenomenally successful Spook’s series. Discover how to bind a boggart and deal with a dead witch in this fascinating and lavishly illustrated Spook’s own “notebook”. A must for die-hard fans of the series and an irresistible introduction to the dark and the dangerous for new recruits. More

7) Oscar Wilde and the Nest of Vipers by Gyles Brandreth
The fourth of Gyles Brandreth’s acclaimed series of Victorian murder mysteries, Oscar Wilde and the Nest of Vipers opens in the spring of 1890 at a glamorous reception hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Albemarle. All London’s haut monde is there, including the Prince of Wales, who counts the Albemarles as close friends. Although it is the first time Oscar and Bertie have met, Oscar seems far more interested in Rex LaSalle, a young actor, who disarmingly claims to be a vampire... More

8) Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi
Jean le Flambeur is a post-human criminal, mind burglar, confidence artist and trickster. His origins are shrouded in mystery, but his exploits are known throughout the Heterarchy - from breaking into the vast Zeusbrains of the Inner System to steal their thoughts, to stealing rare Earth antiques from the aristocrats of the Moving Cities of Mars. Except that Jean made one mistake. Now he is condemned to play endless variations of a game-theoretic riddle in the vast virtual jail of the Axelrod Archons - the Dilemma Prison - against countless copies of himself. More

9) Harbour by John Ajvide Lindqvist
It was a beautiful winter's day. Anders, his wife and their feisty six-year-old, Maja, set out across the ice of the Swedish archipelago to visit the lighthouse on Gavasten. There was no one around, so they let her go on ahead. And she disappeared, seemingly into thin air, and was never found. Two years later, Anders is a broken alcoholic, his life ruined. He returns to the archipelago, the home of his childhood and his family. But all he finds are Maja's toys and through the haze of memory, loss and alcohol, he realizes that someone or something is trying to communicate with him. Soon enough, his return sets in motion a series of horrifying events which exposes a mysterious and troubling relationship between the inhabitants of the remote island and the sea. More

10) Fool's Crusade by Pip Vaughan-Hughes
ing Louis of France is about to invade Egypt on his vainglorious Seventh Crusade. The Pope and the Emperor are at each other's throats. And where greed and ambition cross, blood soon follows. Caught in the middle of this is Petroc of Auneford, or Patch to his friends. After years aboard the Cormoran, a ship of relic-traders and adventurers, Patch has finally returned to living on dry land. Now a rich man, running a bank in Venice, life should be easy. But money and liberty are not the same thing - and all too soon, Patch is being called on by all sides to do their bidding in this deadly game of power and glory. More

Tainted Love

2010-10-22T02:55:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we had a book come in that caused quite a stir here at Goldsboro Books. With its completely unanticipated popularity we had sold out of our special edition in the first week and, with the film trailer now being released (awesome) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5djHG3hPu0, I was curious to see what all the hype was about. The book was I Am Number Four and having found myself a copy I read it in no more than two hours, which should give you some clue as to what I thought about it. When I was reading it I was engrossed and when I put it down all I wanted to be doing was reading it. This book, with it's vivid imagery and fantastic plot practically begged to be put into film.

But no matter how much I liked it, it did get me thinking about something that has bugged me since reading Twilight, obsessive love in young adult fiction. In I Am Number Four the lead character - John/Number Four finds a love interest in Sarah Hart and from that point on they are almost inseperable, combined with how young the two characters are this concerns me a little, are we teaching teenagers that this is a love they should aspire to at such a young age? Thankfully I Am Number Four does a lot to waylay my concerns on this point because it addresses the problem of letting your partner become your whole life (in the explanation of why Sarah broke up with her ex) and presents a picture of something that could be seen as quite healthy (no jealousy etc.) but I still can't help worrying about it. I also can't help worrying about my mental state; Am I just getting old? Can't I remember what having a first love was like at that age? Why am I even so angry about this? Well, I thought I'd analyse it for your benefit.

I was visiting my family a few weeks ago and to my absolute horror my fourteen-year-old cousin announced that she was looking for a love like Bella and Edward's in Twilight, what? I think my jaw actually dropped to the floor. To have my intelligent, independent doesn't-follow-the-crowd cousin say this to me was like being punched in the stomach, it disturbs me. Let's just think about this a moment, Bella has no real friends to speak of, no life outside of Edward and her only ambition is to become a vampire so she might live an eternal life with him - I wouldn't really want anyone thinking that this was OK, let alone something to aspire to. This isn't just seen in young adults either, I read an article where women had broken up with their partners purely because their love wasn't like the love in Twilight. Call me a cynic but this is real life, not Stephanie Meyer's dream! In real life you don't fall in love with someone without any justification and they certainly don't fall in love with you because your blood smells tasty. What's really disturbing though is that if these grown women can abandon reason for fiction then what chance to teenagers have?

If I'm honest with myself this lunacy isn't entirely what's worrying me, it's more that in my mind obessive love is dangerous - if you're willing to let your partner treat you in any way they want for the all-consuming love you aspire to - how far will you go? And where would you turn once you've abandoned all your friends and family for this love? It bothers me that we are showing teenagers that this is OK, that such an intense love is a good thing.

This whole thing annoys me to the point of distraction but I'm not saying ban the books, I'm not a Nazi, what I would like to do though is find out what other people think, so come on - give us a comment, do you agree? What would you do about it if anything? Did you enjoy I Am Number Four? Are you here to tell me that you have, in fact, fallen in love with someone because their blood smelt good? Either way let me know and let's see where this goes... Nicola.

This week at Goldsboro...

2010-10-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

With the weekend just around the corner I thought I'd give you all a little update on how the week has panned out for us all here at Goldsboro Books.

On Tuesday Dave and I went to sell books at Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's launch party in Asprey's for her debut novel Inheritance. Having arrived at the venue far too early without anything to do (as the incredibly helpful Asprey's staff set everything up for us), we began the evening by...wait for it...trying to solve a crossword; that's right, living the high life baby! Nevertheless, having been able to contribute more than my customary single answer to the page, I felt the evening got off to a good start, and it got even better when people started trickling in. We made our way downstairs and hovered for a bit as a few of Tara's family arrived, along with the publishers Pan Macmillan, but it was when the telltale flash of bulbs started outside we knew the evening had really begun. I was collared to sell a book within the first fifteen minutes as people got straight down to business and spent the rest of the night behind the desk doing much the same really; along with literally running out of the way of photo's when people wanted pictures of the books that is. For those of you that want the lowdown on the celebrity guests I have to admit to being slighty obtuse with recognising famous people so the only person I really spotted was Rupert Everett, one thing I will say though was everyone was very kind and very patient, especially when the credit card machine broke and I had to keep a whole queue of people waiting for some time, oh dear.

Besides that the evening went smoothly, Tara gave a lovely speech in a stunning floor-length metallic silver dress, preceeded by her editor Jeremy Trevathan and then went on to sign copies of her book for her guests. She also had several photograph's with the novel, which I unfortunately got in the back of some of as I tried to retreat hastily, only to find I had moved straight into the line of some of the many photographer's clamouring for a shot.

With David having given me a free copy of the book I thought I'd stir myself from my usual prejudices regarding chick-lit and give reading it a go, and I was quite pleasantly surprised. Whilst it's not the best novel I have ever read there are several things that make it quite endearing. The first is that it maintains a persistently self-deprecating tone that is funny and light-hearted, the fact that the book doesn't take itself too seriously is definitey a bonus and it seems like she had good fun writing it, which in turn makes it more fun to read. Along with this there is some great characterisation; I particularly enjoyed the mean-spirited Uncle Quentin, who was such a vividly despicable character that I couldn't help but wonder if he was based on anyone. The plot is a good one, it makes the book chick-lit with a twist, as it contains elements of (entirely preditable but quite fun) mystery. Also, whilst openly admitting that I will never understand the world of the super-rich, Inheritance still provides some access to it and I liked those unbelievable 'would that really happen?' moments, but as Tara herself said at the party, it is a book of things you would never normally do, most of which she has done. I find that an utterly fantastic, unashamed attitude to have and it is something which probably helps to make the book. So, whilst I do admit to having to fight my way past the first few chapters, having to deal with the fact that I will never be able to empathise with the characters, and getting past the constant repetiton of the phrase 'thick, honey-coloured hair' I nevertheless found the book really quite enjoyable. Reccommended for those that fancy a light-hearted read and for chick-lit lovers everywhere.

We also had a launch last night for Death on the Marais, the second launch this month for Adrian Magson. I haven't read Death on the Marais yet but I am part-way through Red Station and I can safely say if it is half as good as that it will be an awesome read, I'm looking forward to it! It was also the 11th birthday party of Goldsboro Books last night so we had a few extra people added into the mix and I had a great time meeting some lovely new people and catching up with old ones. Extra special thanks to Hazel, Gemima and Jess though, you were a massive, massive help and guaranteed that I didn't have to do much washing up, I will be eternally grateful for that.

Also yesterday we had copies of Harbour by bestselling author John Ajvide Lindqvist signed, for those of you that don't know he also wrote Let The Right One In. Harbour is therefore now available from the website, signed and numbered! And just to add to the very busy day we had yesterday Andrea Levy came in and signed copies of the beautifully produced and booker short-listed Long Song, which are also available to buy on the website.

Anyway, off to do some real work now, stay tuned, next week the Ken Follett launch for Fall of Giants!!

Nourishment

2010-09-24T02:19:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, whilst foraging in the depths of the Goldsboro Books kitchen, I came across a proof that caught my eye purely due to its title; Nourishment, by Gerard Woodward. After considering it for a moment I noticed it was published by Picador (one of my favourite publishers) so I grabbed it, put it in my bag and started reading it on the way home. Within a few pages I was hooked and by the end of the first few chapters and my train ride, I had decided to blog about it, why? Read on to find out.

A part of its genius, I feel, is the light-hearted tone of the book which thoroughly belies the seriousness of its subject, and yet somehow never undermines it. While I found myself unable to fully empathise with the characters (as the comic narration creates something of a barrier in this respect) I nevertheless found myself understanding all that they were going through. I was able to engage with the book and the lives of the protagonists on an entirely different level to any I have experienced before, so much so that I can barely account for how Woodward has managed it. I have a small inkling however, that it has something to do with the seamless transition between character viewpoints that pervades the book; from Mrs Head to Tory, Donald and Branson, each character has a wonderfully constructed point of view that allows the reader to see different aspects of the same occurrence. Tory's letters serve as a brilliant example of this; at first Donald's apparently illogical and relentless insistence on Tory writing him a dirty letter tends to grate on the nerves a bit and left me wondering at his blinkered persistence and Tory's equally annoying refusal to try, but as the novel progresses we learn the reasons behind his requests and, for me at least, it serves as a strong reminder that assumptions can be dangerous things.

The other great thing about this book is the perfect title! Perfect because it is interwoven so tightly with the book that I can't seem to make it come unstuck. Addressing not just issues of edible nourishment (as I initially thought) but also issues of sexual and emotional nourishment (without being cheesy); the prose is engaging, witty and whole-hearted, altogether it makes for a fantastic read.

Thoroughly recommended. Signed copies are available from today.

Victor Lodato wins the PEN USA

2010-09-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

PEN USA, the West Coast centre for the renowned writers' organization International PEN, has unveiled the winners of its prestigious 2010 Literary Awards competition. We are delighted that a previous Book of the Month, a Goldsboro Books exclusive slipcase edition, Mathilda Savitch by Victor Lodato won the fiction prize. We have a handful of copies left of this beautiful edition.

Annexed, Sharon Dogar and a new blogger...

2010-09-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

Hello Book Lovers,

My name is Nicola and I am the new blogger on the block for Goldsboro Books! Nice to meet you all, unfortunately for you, you now have to put up with my inane wittering until such a time as David comes to his senses and decides to drag me kicking and screaming from the computer, before changing the password and username to get on here, and then seriously considering the future of my employment at Goldsboro...

A few weeks ago we had a signing by Sharon Dogar of her new, rather controversial book, Annexed and I was lucky enough to be at her launch party with Andersen Press. I can safely say, despite the uproar surrounding it, it was a very sensitive, illuminating account of life in the Annexe. Dogar I think has a special talent for dealing with the teenage years of her protagonists with sensitivity and clarity and this is no different, she has picked a difficult subject but has done it justice, exploring a fresh viewpoint of life in the Annexe and considering a question with an otherwise slightly elusive answer – what happened after Anne’s Diary?

It is all too easy to forget that events such as the Holocaust could be repeated – here I will reference a film called The Wave. Based on an actual sociological experiment it features a class of school children that believe the Holocaust could never happen in today’s society. The teacher then creates a group which the class vote to call The Wave, complete with salute and uniform. Over the course of a week the children form a tight-knit group, rejecting those that speak out against The Wave and creating a creepy group mentality that quickly takes over the school, resulting in terrifying consequences when the teacher then tries to make his point and disband The Wave. An extremely scary comment on how easy it actually was and is to fall into the mentality the Nazi’s created.

But I digress, the point is, in my opinion, Annexed serves to keep these issues alive, it is something we should continually be considering, and whilst Anne’s diary should always be a compulsory text in anybody’s reading list, Annexed casts a fresh light on some important issues the youth of today who, languishing in our fairly comfortable society, might otherwise forget. Signed and dated copies are available now.

New Books from Goldsboro Books

2010-09-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

Greetings!
Not too long ago, it would have been hard to think of examples of Scandinavian crime fiction beyond Miss Smilla's Feeling of Snow. Suddenly, readers are blessed with a range of choices. What has led to such a renaissance of crime fiction from scandanavia? Well, Steig Larsson helped! The Millenium Trilogy has been a world-wide success. Henning Mankell's Wallender series is also garnering deserved praise and more readers. Plus Camilla Lackberg and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir are building nicely.
The new one's with a lot of promise are award-winning journalist Anders Roslund and ex-criminal Börge Hellström who are Sweden's most acclaimed fiction duo. Their unique ability to combine inside knowledge of the brutal reality of criminal life with searing social criticism in complex, intelligent plots has put them at the forefront of modern Scandinavian crime writing. Three Seconds is to be published in the next week here in the UK and we are delighted that both authors will be visiting Goldsboro Books to sign this fantastic novel. Watch a trailer here.
Camilla Ceder's Frozen Moment is her debut novel in English and we are delighted to have signed, lined (in Swedish) and dated copies which were signed by the author at her home in Sweden.

Away from Scandanavia, we are pleased to announce that we have signed, lined and dated copies of 15 Miles by Rob Scott which is the author's first solo novel. He wrote the Eldarn trilogy, THE HICKORY STAFF, LESSEK'S KEY and THE LARION SENATORS with Jay Gordon. We are the only UK bookshop to have signed copies.

Ruth Rendell visited us yesterday on her return from her Australian tour to sign copies of Tigerlilly's Orchids. From the much-loved Inspector Wexford series or her disturbing stand-alone psychological crime novels this will appeal more to the fans of the latter.

Jed Rubenfeld is the author of The Interpretation of Murder which was the bestselling UK adult paperback title of 2007, and winner of the Richard and Judy Bookclub. The Death Instinct is his second novel and the author visited us this morning on his whistle-stop tour of the UK to sign and date copies.

Peter F. Hamilton has also been to sign copies of The Evolutionary Void.

Daniel Kehlmann's Measuring the World was a huge success and Fame is his new published novel here in the UK. We have signed and dated copies available.

We have many, many more new releases.. Visit our New Arrivals Page.

Sincerely,
David Headley
Goldsboro Books Limited

New Books Available

2010-09-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to have our Goldsboro Books signed copies of Heartstone by C J Sansom available and in stock. C J Sansom spent a while signing copies for us and we caught up with him at the launch of his book at The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth. The new novel is set on the Mary Rose so the venue was perfect. Heartstone is a brilliant novel and like the previous novels you can feel and smell the period in which he writes.

Everyone knows about the diary of Anne Frank, and her life hidden in the secret annexe in Amsterdam. Peter van Pels and his family were also locked away with the Franks, and Peter sees it all differently in Annexed by Sharon Dogar. What is it like to be forced into hiding with Anne Frank, to hate her and then find yourself falling in love with her? To know you're being written about in her diary, day after day? And, what's it like to sit and wait and watch whilst others die, and you wish you were fighting? Anne's diary ends on August 4 1944, but Peter's story takes us on, beyond their betrayal and into the Nazi death camps. He details with accuracy, clarity and compassion, the reality of day to day survival in Auschwitz - and the terrible conclusion. This is a brilliantly imagined novel by Sharon Dogar and has caused quiet a stir in the UK. We have signed and dated copies of this remarkable book.

Ben Kane has kindly spent hours signing, lining and dating copies of he new novel, The Road to Rome. Copies are available to buy. He is certainly following in the footsteps of Simon Scarrow and harry Sidebottom for collectibility.

Continuing the powerful epic that started with THE STORMCALLER, Tom Lloyd's new novel, The Ragged Man is now in stock and signed and dated.

Boxer, Beetle is a clever and distinctive debut novel from a very talented new author, Ned Bauman. We have signed and dated copies. It states "This is a novel for people with breeding." I am sure you all are.

Martin Walker has visited to sign copies of Black Diamond which is the third, Bruno, Chief of Police novel.

Laura Wilson has signed copies of her new novel, A Capital Crime which is in the series during the Second World War.

Derek Landy visited without any volcanic disruption to sign copies of his new Skulduggery Pleasant - Mortal Coil.

Conn Iggulden has also been to Goldsboro Books to sign copies Empire of Silver. This is the eagerly awaited 4th novel in the bestselling Conqueror series, continuing the life and adventures of the mighty Khan dynasty.

Coming soon we will have signed and numbered copies of The Facility by Simon Lelic. It is our December Book of the Month and it will be available to us a month prior to the trade release. Rupture was Simon's debut novel and our January 2010 Book of the Month. It is now short-listed for the CWA Debut Dagger. The Facility is a fable for our times and whilst it is challenging and shocking in parts, it is an amazing read. Don't miss out!

We have many, many more new releases.. Visit our New Arrivals Page.

Goldsboro Books Top Ten Sales W.E. 27th August 2010

2010-08-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

1) Room by Emma Donoghue
2) Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
3) The Cobra by Frederick Forsyth
4) Traitor's Blood by Michael Arnold
5) Red Station by Adrian Magson
6) The Herring in the Library by L. C. Tyler
7) Hart of Empire by Saul David
8) Evil in Return by Elena Forbes
9) The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson
10) Low Life by Ryan David Jahn.

2010-08-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

Buy. Read. Collect.

The UK's only bookshop specialising in first edition, signed books.

Greetings!

We celebrated the launch of Saul David's second George Hart novel, Hart of Empire last Thursday. The turnout was amazing so thank you to all you who came. If you were not able to make it we still have a number of our exclusive numbered copies left. For fans of Bernard Cornwell, this is a series that you really shouldn't miss.

This coming Wednesday we celebrate the publication of Traitor's Blood by Michael Arnold with a launch party at Goldsboro Books. This is a debut novel in a brand new series to feature Captain Stryker and is a must for Sharpe fans. This series is set in the civil wars and is a planned series of ten books. All of our copies are signed with a quote from the book and dated.

According to Nielsen BookScan figures, the Booker long-listed titles are at their strongest sales since 2001. With such a commercially viable selection we can see why. We have some titles still available in stock including, The Finkler Question, Trespass, Long Song, & Room

Also available now are Adrian Magson's debut hardback Red Station which is the first in a new series to feature Harry Tate of the MI5. This is a must for fans of Lee Child Reacher series and Matt Hilton's Joe Hunter series. Matt Hilton is such a big fan of Red Station he has quoted for the cover.
Matt Hilton has also signed and dated copies of his new Joe Hunter novel, Cut and Run.
Because of overwhelming demand, we also had Christopher Fowler re-visit Goldsboro Books to sign more copies of Bryant and May Off the Rails.
Elena Forbes visited to signed copies of her third novel, Evil in Return.

We are also delighted that Bob Shepherd visited to signed copies of his debut novel, The Infidel. An action-packed tale of honour and betrayal, The Infidel is thrilling, gripping and deeply relevant to the great military and political issues of our time.

We have many, many more books available in store so please do take a look at our New Releases section.

We previously announce that C J Sansom would be signing copies of Heartstone for Goldsboro Books. We are happy to announce that our copies are now indeed signed and will be available 2nd September. We are aware how rare signed copies of C J Sansom books are so we are completely delighted that he agreed to sign copies for Goldsboro Books. The books looks very handsome with head and tail bands and with red ribbon. If you want a signed copy we urge you to pre-order as soon as possible because once they have gone, well, they're gone.

We have now listed for sale on our website the second Young Sherlock Holmes book. It is another hardback exclusive to Goldsboro Books and numbered to 500 copies. Red Leech follows on from Death Cloud which has been a huge success.

We have also listed for pre-order, Kate Morten's, The Distant Hours. It is the first book to be published in hardback in the UK by this hugely popular and number one best-selling author. The Distant Hours will appeal to fans of Diane Setterfield and also biblio-mystery fans. Watch this amazing video here which tells you more about this wonderful book.

I Am Number Four is a fantastic cross-over novel by a prominant American writer but written under a pseudenym, Pittacus Lore. We have a UK exclusive slipcase edition and is signed and numbered to 500 copies. Our edition is beautiful and very different from the trade edition or the young adult edition planned. The film by Steven Spielberg is due for release February 2011.

Have you entered our new competition to win a signed and numbered copy of Hart of Empire? If not enter here.
You can visit our coming soon catagories here: Crime, Adventure, Childrens, Literary, Sci-Fi / Fantasy.

Happy reading!

Goldsboro Books
www.goldsborobooks.com

The Distant Hours

2010-07-21T03:53:00.000-07:00

New Website for Goldsboro Books

2010-07-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

Goldsboro Books
The Book Collectors' Bookseller.

BUY. READ. COLLECT.

We are delighted to announce that within the next two weeks we will launch a brand new website which will be much fresher and aesthetically pleasing than our current site. Additionionally, the site will be easier to use and ordering will be improved and faster to complete.

Keep visiting www.goldsborobooks.com

The News Where You Are by Catherine O'Flynn

2010-07-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

THE NEWS WHERE YOU ARE: CATHERINE O’FLYNN

The News Where You Are: Catherine O’Flynn

THE award-winning debut from Catherine O’Flynn, What Was Lost, won the Costa first novel award

Set in the Midlands it is about loss, focusing on the impersonal world of a shopping mall.

O’Flynn’s second novel is also set in the Midlands but is about remembrance. Frank Allcroft is a presenter on the local TV news programme Heart Of England Reports. Frank is something of a local legend, not through any journalistic scoop but because of the terrible jokes he uses as links between items.

He inherited these, along with their writer Cyril, from his predecessor Phil Smethway, who died 15 years before in a hit-and-run accident. Where Phil was smooth and charming, Frank is clumsy and awkward. While that might seem to be a problem it has actually boosted ratings.

Instead of becoming desensitised Frank is interested in the stories of those who die alone. He becomes the lone mourner at funerals. The death of one man on a park bench leads Frank to unravel the mystery of Phil’s accident.

Frank also has his own family to think about. His grumpy mother is ensconced in an old people’s home and his daughter Mo is a constant source of youthful enquiry.

Frank wants her to see some of the buildings designed by her architect grandfather and Frank’s need to protect his father’s legacy taps into the book’s major theme. It means a journey to confront his own father’s passing and why it is that he doesn’t see himself as his parents’ most important legacy.

While this second book lacks some of the sharp observation of the first its gentle wit and melancholy are beguiling.

Viking, £12.99

DAVID HEADLEY (The Daily Express 2 July 2010)

Rupture by Simon Lelic

2009-12-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

Rupture is a debut novel by a remarkable writer, Simon Lelic. It is a brilliantly plotted detective novel that kept me hooked right until the end. Lelic writes crisp and engaging prose. Set in a north London secondary school, Samuel Szajkowski walks into morning assembly and shoots dead three pupils and a teacher before shooting himself. Detective Inspector Lucia May is expected to report quickly and close this terrible case. However, she gradually discovers that Szajkowski is not the evil psychopath that the media and authorities claim. As Lucia takes the witness statements she uncovers an extraordinary story which is as shocking as it is gripping. A brilliant debut which will appeal to fans of We Need to Talk about Kevin. Don't miss it.

Goldsboro Books' Bestsellers of 2009

2009-12-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

1. The Library of Shadows

Hardback published exclusively for Goldsboro Books.

2. The Coroner

The first in a brilliant new series featuring Jenny Cooper.

3. The Compaints

The first novel by Ian Rankin featuring a new protagonist, another Edinburgh copper, Malcom Fox.

4. The Best of Men

English Civil War, ten years in the making, The Best of Men is a thoroughly satisfying historical novel in the vein of C J Sansom.

5. Acts of Violence

A powerful and shocking literary thriller, and without doubt my favourite thriller of 2009.

6. Mr Toppit

Who is Mr Toppit? With pitch-black humour this extraordinary debut is a delight.

7. The Swansong of Wilbur McCrum

The best first line of any book I have read in the last ten years. Love it, love it, love it.

8. Assegai

Perfect for Wilbur Smith fans.

9. Martyr

Clements has a real sense for the Elizabethan period, with a thrilling plot, this is an excellent start to a brand new series.

10. Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks

This includes two short stories never before published, and offers a fascinating insight in to her writing.

11. The Angel's Game

Shadow of the Wind was an exceptional debut, and The Angel's Game picks up years later to deliver an enchanting follow up.

12. Zulu Hart

This is a must for fans of Bernard Cornwell. A fantastic start to a new series and George Hart is a very lovable character.

13. The Owl Killers

Exclusive package for Goldsboro Books. I look forward to Karen Maitland's books like I look forward to my birthday.

14. The Kindly Ones

Signed copies exclusive to Goldsboro Books in the UK. This shocking novel is both challenging and thought-provoking, and well worth reading.

15. Mathilda Savitch

Exclusive slipcase edition. Mathilda is a wonderful creation, surprisingly written by a perceptive male author.

16. Afterlife

What The Secret History did for Donna Tartt, Afterlife will do for Sean O'Brien.

17. Nights of Villjamur

Exclusive numbered edition. Villjamur is a dark and brooding metropolis, which becomes a character in its own right. Perfect for fans of Perdido Street Station.

18. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Flavia de Luce, a precocious 11 year old sleuth, is at the centre of this brilliant first novel.

19. The Case of the Missing Servant

A brilliantly written and humourous tale that captures the sounds, smells and foibles of India.

20. The Age of Orphans

This is a stunning debut, and an emotional read from a very talented writer. Ideal for fans of A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Rising Stars

2009-12-01T05:40:00.000-08:00

Macmillan are the publishers of such wonderful series as Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse and C J Sansom's Shardlake. It is wonderful to see that they have two brilliant rising stars in Brian McGilloway and M. R. Hall.

The Disappeared is the second novel from M. R. Hall to feature Jenny Cooper, his first being The Coroner. In this second installment Jenny is settling in to her role as Coroner for the Severn Valley when she is approached by a grief-stricken mother who doesn't believe that her son, who has disappeared, has in fact gone abroad to pursue dangerous new ideals. Jenny soon realises in her inquest into Nazim's disappearance, that it is shrouded in corruption and conspiracy and as the pressure on her increases, Jenny is pushed to breaking point. How could she know that in unravelling the mystery of the disappeared she would begin to unearth some of her own buried secrets? Having been a huge fan of The Coroner, Goldsboro Books' second biggest selling novel of 2009, I wondered if M. R. Hall could in fact better it. The Disappeared is better, the writing more assured and I literally couldn't put it down. It rightly deserves to be our December Book of the Month. (Published January 2010)

Borderlands by Brian McGilloway is my favourite crime novel published in the last 10 years and is the first book in a wonderful series featuring Benedict Devlin, Garda Inspector, in the borderlands of Northern and Southern Ireland. This fourth novel is set around an investigation into a vigilante group who have named themselves, The Rising which is the title of the book. Soon Devlin realises after the death of two drug dealers, this group is more complex than just vigilantism. Meanwhile is ex-colleague's son has gone missing during a camping trip but after searching for him he is relieved to hear that the boy's mother has had a text from him to say he's safe in Dublin. So when a body is washed up on a beach the Inspector is confused.

When Devlin thinks he is beginning to understand the vigilante case, a personal crisis strikes at the heart of his family forcing him to confront the compromises his career has forced upon him. This is McGilloway's most touching novel yet and confirms him as one of the most exciting crime writers around. If you haven't read him you are in for a treat. (Published April 2010)

Guardian First Books

2009-11-17T02:32:00.000-08:00

The shortlist for the Guardian First Book Award includes two titles Goldsboro Books stock. This is our take on them.

The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larson

If these are only the selected works of T. S. Spivet then I am very keen to read the entire collection. This book is a delight.

We follow twelve-year-old, mapping genius, T. S. Spivet across country, from Montana to DC, to claim his place as the adult winner of prestigious museum the Smithsonian's Baird Award. But being twelve, and keeping the journey a secret from his family, at the same time as keeping his age a secret from the Smithsonian, makes this journey an adventure, and a perilous one at that.

The story would be enjoyable if you only had the text in a word document, however, you can not separate this narrative from the beautiful production and illustration of the book. I was totally transported to T. S's world, a world of mapping, loss, adventure and bravery. Through his mature, yet naive, twelve-year-old eyes I became a more considerate reader, absorbing every piece of information even hinted at, studying every diagram, and then getting carried away with the plot so turning back to read any asides I might have missed.

This book was not just a purchase but a gift from me to me. And, just to let you know, you have no idea what a map really is until you read this book!

The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey

This is a truly unique novel. For the first time, that I know of, Samantha Harvey has written a novel from the point of view of an Alzheimer's sufferer. And she pulls it off with incredible skill and style.

As Jake, her protagonist, slowly succumbs to the disease, so his memories fracture and his fact becomes fiction and his memories bleed into each other. But this novel is not a depressing one. It is a life affirming novel.

This wonderful and outstanding novel is one of the most thought-provoking novels of 2009.

November book of the month

2009-11-10T04:19:00.001-08:00

A Kurdish boy, Reza, is orphaned at the age of ten after a battle between the Kurds and the Shah of Iran's military forces in the early 1900's. The policy at this time is to conscript the male orphans in to the Shah's army, so Reza trades his old life and becomes Iranian, after witnessing the brutal death of all of this male relatives, including his father who is kicked to death in front of him. Though Reza is the main character, his life unfolds through a series of storytellers, each with their own view point. The Age of Orphans unleashes a tapestry of untold horrors and pleasures, of blood and smoke, hopes and dreams. This is a profoundly moving story of a land sewn together under the ambitious imagining of a nation, and of the life of a boy whose identity does not and can not unite with this vision. This is the first of a trilogy and the debut by a skillful writer.

The CWA Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award 2009

2009-11-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Philip Kerr for winning this years CWA Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award for his novel If The Dead Rise Not.

REVIEW

This sophisticated thriller is set in Berlin 1934, a city on the brink of cataclysmic change, Bernie Gunther is now a house detective at the famous Adlon Hotel having been forced to resign as a homicide detective. The discovery of two bodies - a Jewish boxer and a Jewish businessman - involves Bernie in the lives of two hotel guests. One is a beautiful journalist intent on persuading America to avoid the upcoming 1936 Olympics in Berlin and the other is a German-Jewish gangster who plans to use the Olympics as a way to make money for him and the Chicago mob. Bernie uncovers a vast labour and construction racket designed to take advantage of the huge amounts the Nazi's are willing to spend showcasing the new Germany to the world. The conclusion is found 20 years later in pre-revolution Cuba to where Bernie finds himself twenty years later. Kerr's skill is in the believable detail of both changing countries; Of war and it's aftermath and of a man who is changed and who also stays the same over twenty years. A brilliant novel that deserved the Ellis Peters award.

We've been very clever here at Goldsboro Books and have stocked all 6 of the wonderful novels on the shortlist. And we've been lucky too; they are all signed by the authors.

New Agatha Christie Stories

2009-08-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

I am one of the lucky few to have already read two previously unpublished stories by Agatha Christie which will be published for the first time, along with notes and exceptional other material which was lain undiscovered for decades, on the 2nd September this year.

John Curran came across the notebooks after being invited to examine Dame Agatha's papers at Greenway, her holiday retreat in Devon. When the notebooks were found and analysed by him, the draft of an unknown and unpublished Hercule Poirot story emerged. As a lifelong Christie fan, for many years he edited the official Agatha Christie Newsletter and he acted as a consultant to the National Trust during the restoration of Greenway House, Dame Agatha’s Devon home, he said this was 'like dying and going to heaven'.

Curran has painstakingly threaded together the secret handwritten notes. The jottings were scattered with other notes throughout some of 73 exercise copybooks.
Mr Curran's four-year labour of love means that from beyond the grave, one of the nation's best-loved and all time best-selling authors has effectively rekindled the wily Belgian sleuth's career.

Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks is published on the 2nd September by HarperCollins.

Read more about this book at http://www.johncurran.info/

Booker Promotion - Well done him!

2009-08-13T03:08:00.000-07:00

Graham Fudger, a book lover, has used his time on Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth to celebrate the longlist for the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction.
Mr Fudger, is one of the 2,400 people chosen to participate in Anthony Gormley's One & Other Project which allows them to stand on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London for one hour.

Mr Fudger said his favourite of the longlisted books was James Lever's Me Cheeta - the purported autobiography of the chimpanzee Cheeta, who gained Hollywood stardom in the Tarzan movies.

Other books on the long-list include The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, Brooklyn by Colm Tobin, Summertime by JM Coetzee and The Children's Book by AS Byatt.

Apparently, Mr Fudger decided how to spend his hour on the plinth after meeting three of the Booker judges. Good for him, I say. Any way to promote books is good in my opinion. I just wish that I had the idea!

The shortlist for the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction will be announced on 8 September.
The winner of the £50,000 prize will be announced on Tuesday 6 October at London's Guildhall.

And This Is True by Emily Mackie

2009-08-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hardcover: 320 Pages

Publisher: Sceptre (4 March 2010)

'Everything must start with a BANG' so begins this remarkable and brilliant debut by Emily Mackie. Nevis Gow loves his Dad. No. He is in love with his Dad. Nevis is 15 years old and for the last 11 years he has lived in a van with his dad travelling around the country. Until one day Marshall, his Dad, crashes the van and everything changes. Stranded on a remote Highland farm amid a family overshadowed by grief, Marshall tries to steer them back to normality while Nevis fights to keep things the way they were. Soon, though, he comes to realise that nothing about his lost life in the van was quite as it seemed. Nevis meticulously details his 'true' record of events for the last 11 years living with his Dad, but lines blur between love and obsession, reality and wish-fulfilment, dreams and memory. The plot is raw and shocking, the writing funny, poignant, and strikingly accomplished. This is a debut novel by a young writer of remarkable talent.

Goldsboro Books Rating:

Acts of Violence by Ryan David Jahn

2009-08-10T07:32:00.001-07:00

Hardcover: 250 pages
Publisher: Macmillan New Writing (6 Nov 2009)

Order a SIGNED FIRST EDITION

This is one of the best crime novels I have read this year and possibly 2009’s most unnerving literary thriller, based on 1964’s most notorious real-life murder, this is the debut novel from an L. A. Screenwriter, Ryan David Jahn. Katrina Marino is about to become America's most infamous murder victim. This novel is about her, and the story of her murderer. It is also the story of Katrina's neighbours, those who witnessed her murder and did nothing: the terrified Vietnam draftee; the woman who thinks she's killed a child, and her husband who will risk everything for the truth; the former soldier planning suicide and the man who saves him. And others whose lives are touched by the crime: the elderly teacher whose past is catching up with him; the amateur blackmailer who's about to find out just what sort of people he's been threatening; the corrupt cop who believes he is God's 'red right hand'. From the very first page this is a shocking and gripping novel and a cinematic tour-de-force, a terrifying crime novel unlike any other. More please!

Goldsboro Books Rating:

Book of the Month - August 2009

2009-08-07T05:01:00.000-07:00

This month we have chosen Afterlife by a debut author and published poet, Sean O'Brien.

'Compelling and hypnotic' - Helen Dunmore. 'A convincing, darkly comic and painful take on the astonishingly poisonous world of poetry and literary aspiration' - Andrew Greig

Martin and Alex meet at university and - although Martin can never quite work out why - become friends. When they finish their undergraduate studies, and with the summer ahead of them before they have to think about the future, they and their respective girlfriends - Susie and Jane - rent a house in the middle of nowhere. While Jane writes and Susie finds a job at the local art college, the two boys spend their days doing little other than sleeping, drinking, smoking and trying to keep cool in scorching temperatures. As the heat builds, however so does the tension between the four; then, when a glamorous, hedonistic American student arrives in their midst, events and emotions escalate still further. A novel about power, rivalry, jealousy and - in the end - murder, "Afterlife" is a gripping exploration of how some outcomes are decided long before we're even aware of the options.

This is a novel about four literary types won’t always set hearts racing, but the reader’s faith is rewarded by the consummate skills on show. Fans of the outraged humour and tough passion of O’Brien’s poetry will find plenty in evidence here. Afterlife is a richly rewarding portrait of friendships under siege, full of vibrant characters and atmospheres that linger in the mind and the heart long after you finish it.

Signed & Dated First Editions are available from www.goldsborobooks.com