Past books
2021
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house. There is one other person in the house--a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known. For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds.
Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house. There is one other person in the house--a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known. For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds.
The Trial by Franz Kafka
(March 2021)
The Trial is one of the most important novels of the twentieth century: the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy wedded to the madness of totalitarianism, Kafka's nightmare has resonated with chilling truth for generations of readers. This new edition is based upon the work of an international team of experts who have restored the text, the sequence of chapters, and their division to create a version that is as close as possible to the way the author left it.
(March 2021)
The Trial is one of the most important novels of the twentieth century: the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy wedded to the madness of totalitarianism, Kafka's nightmare has resonated with chilling truth for generations of readers. This new edition is based upon the work of an international team of experts who have restored the text, the sequence of chapters, and their division to create a version that is as close as possible to the way the author left it.
The House of Vesper Sands by Paraic O'Donnel
(February 2021)
London, 1893: high up in a house on a dark, snowy night, a lone seamstress stands by a window. So begins the swirling, serpentine world of Paraic O'Donnell's Victorian-inspired mystery, the story of a city cloaked in shadow, but burning with questions: why does the seamstress jump from the window? Why is a cryptic message stitched into her skin? And how is she connected to a rash of missing girls, all of whom seem to have disappeared under similar circumstances?
On the case is Inspector Cutter, a detective as sharp and committed to his work as he is wryly hilarious. Gideon Bliss, a Cambridge dropout in love with one of the missing girls, stumbles into a role as Cutter's sidekick. And clever young journalist Octavia Hillingdon sees the case as a chance to tell a story that matters--despite her employer's preference that she stick to a women's society column. As Inspector Cutter peels back the mystery layer by layer, he leads them all, at last, to the secrets that lie hidden at the house on Vesper Sands.
By turns smart, surprising, and impossible to put down, The House on Vesper Sands offers a glimpse into the strange undertow of late nineteenth-century London and the secrets we all hold inside us.
(February 2021)
London, 1893: high up in a house on a dark, snowy night, a lone seamstress stands by a window. So begins the swirling, serpentine world of Paraic O'Donnell's Victorian-inspired mystery, the story of a city cloaked in shadow, but burning with questions: why does the seamstress jump from the window? Why is a cryptic message stitched into her skin? And how is she connected to a rash of missing girls, all of whom seem to have disappeared under similar circumstances?
On the case is Inspector Cutter, a detective as sharp and committed to his work as he is wryly hilarious. Gideon Bliss, a Cambridge dropout in love with one of the missing girls, stumbles into a role as Cutter's sidekick. And clever young journalist Octavia Hillingdon sees the case as a chance to tell a story that matters--despite her employer's preference that she stick to a women's society column. As Inspector Cutter peels back the mystery layer by layer, he leads them all, at last, to the secrets that lie hidden at the house on Vesper Sands.
By turns smart, surprising, and impossible to put down, The House on Vesper Sands offers a glimpse into the strange undertow of late nineteenth-century London and the secrets we all hold inside us.
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
(January 2021)
From the author of the international phenomenon The Shadow of the Wind, comes a riveting masterpiece about love, literature, and betrayal.
In this powerful, labyrinthian thriller, David Martín is a pulp fiction writer struggling to stay afloat. Holed up in a haunting abandoned mansion in the heart of Barcelona, he furiously taps out story after story, becoming increasingly desperate and frustrated. Thus, when he is approached by a mysterious publisher offering a book deal that seems almost too good to be real, David leaps at the chance. But as he begins the work, and after a visit to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, he realizes that there is a connection between his book and the shadows that surround his dilapidated home and that the publisher may be hiding a few troubling secrets of his own. Once again, Ruiz Zafón takes us into a dark, gothic Barcelona and creates a breathtaking tale of intrigue, romance, and tragedy
(January 2021)
From the author of the international phenomenon The Shadow of the Wind, comes a riveting masterpiece about love, literature, and betrayal.
In this powerful, labyrinthian thriller, David Martín is a pulp fiction writer struggling to stay afloat. Holed up in a haunting abandoned mansion in the heart of Barcelona, he furiously taps out story after story, becoming increasingly desperate and frustrated. Thus, when he is approached by a mysterious publisher offering a book deal that seems almost too good to be real, David leaps at the chance. But as he begins the work, and after a visit to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, he realizes that there is a connection between his book and the shadows that surround his dilapidated home and that the publisher may be hiding a few troubling secrets of his own. Once again, Ruiz Zafón takes us into a dark, gothic Barcelona and creates a breathtaking tale of intrigue, romance, and tragedy
2020
Broken Starts translated by Ken Liu (December 2020)
The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel (November 2020)
The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup (October 2020)
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (September 2020)
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin (August 2020)
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin (July 2020)
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (June 2020)
American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI by Kate Winkler Dawson (May2020)
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (April 2020)
The Hidden Girl and other stories by Ken Liu (March 2020)
The Last Day by Andrew Hunter Murray (February 2020)
Bats of the Republic by Zachary Thomas Dodson (January 2020)
Broken Starts translated by Ken Liu (December 2020)
The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel (November 2020)
The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup (October 2020)
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (September 2020)
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin (August 2020)
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin (July 2020)
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (June 2020)
American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI by Kate Winkler Dawson (May2020)
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (April 2020)
The Hidden Girl and other stories by Ken Liu (March 2020)
The Last Day by Andrew Hunter Murray (February 2020)
Bats of the Republic by Zachary Thomas Dodson (January 2020)
2019
The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson (December 2019)
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson (November 2019)
Hell House by Richard Matheson (October 2019)
Tangerine by Christine Mangan (September 2019)
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (August 2019)
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (July 2019)
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (June 2019)
Exhalation by Ted Chiang (May/June 2019)
Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon (May 2019)
Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman (April 2019)
The Trespasser by Tana French (March 2019)
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (February 2019)
Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink (January 2019)
The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson (December 2019)
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson (November 2019)
Hell House by Richard Matheson (October 2019)
Tangerine by Christine Mangan (September 2019)
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (August 2019)
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (July 2019)
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (June 2019)
Exhalation by Ted Chiang (May/June 2019)
Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon (May 2019)
Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman (April 2019)
The Trespasser by Tana French (March 2019)
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (February 2019)
Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink (January 2019)
2018
Educated by Tara Westover (December 2018)
Pastoralia by George Saunders (November 2018)
Das Perfum by Patrick Suskind (October 2018)
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (September 2018)
Salamander by Thomas Wharton (August 2018)
Vacationland by John Hodgman (July 2018)
Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore (June 2018)
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (May 2018)
Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco (April 2018)
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen (March 2018)
The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace (February 2018)
Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar (January 2018)
Educated by Tara Westover (December 2018)
Pastoralia by George Saunders (November 2018)
Das Perfum by Patrick Suskind (October 2018)
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (September 2018)
Salamander by Thomas Wharton (August 2018)
Vacationland by John Hodgman (July 2018)
Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore (June 2018)
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (May 2018)
Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco (April 2018)
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen (March 2018)
The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace (February 2018)
Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar (January 2018)
2017
The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon (December 2017)
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie (November 2017)
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill (October 2017)
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mendel (September 2017)
I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong (August 2017)
If On a Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italian Calvino (July 2017)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (June 2017)
4321 by Paul Auster (May 2017)
The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker (April 2017)
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (March 2017)
Fifteen Dogs, André Alexis (February 2017)
Stories of Your Life and Others, Ted Chiang (January 2017)
The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon (December 2017)
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie (November 2017)
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill (October 2017)
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mendel (September 2017)
I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong (August 2017)
If On a Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italian Calvino (July 2017)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (June 2017)
4321 by Paul Auster (May 2017)
The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker (April 2017)
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (March 2017)
Fifteen Dogs, André Alexis (February 2017)
Stories of Your Life and Others, Ted Chiang (January 2017)
2016
Blood Orchid by Charles Bowden (December 2016)
On Such a Full Sea by Chang-Rae Lee (November 2016)
The Shining by Stephen King (October 2016)
A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace (September 2016)
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami (August 2016)
Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut (July 2016)
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn (June 2016)
The Golum and the Jinny by Helene Wecker (May 2016)
The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert (April 2016)
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (March 2016)
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (February 2016)
Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong (January 2016)
Blood Orchid by Charles Bowden (December 2016)
On Such a Full Sea by Chang-Rae Lee (November 2016)
The Shining by Stephen King (October 2016)
A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace (September 2016)
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami (August 2016)
Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut (July 2016)
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn (June 2016)
The Golum and the Jinny by Helene Wecker (May 2016)
The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert (April 2016)
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (March 2016)
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (February 2016)
Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong (January 2016)
2015
Ficciones by Jorge Louis Borges (December 2015)
The City and The City by China Miéville (November 2015)
Dracula by Bram Stoker (October 2015)
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (September 2015)
The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (August 2015)
Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (July 2015)
The Familiar by Mark Z Danielewski (June 2015)
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson (May 2015)
The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey (April 2015)
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (March 2015)
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (February 2015)
The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft (January 2015)
Ficciones by Jorge Louis Borges (December 2015)
The City and The City by China Miéville (November 2015)
Dracula by Bram Stoker (October 2015)
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (September 2015)
The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (August 2015)
Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (July 2015)
The Familiar by Mark Z Danielewski (June 2015)
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson (May 2015)
The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey (April 2015)
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (March 2015)
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (February 2015)
The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft (January 2015)
2014
The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia (December 2014)
Lolita by Vladmir Nabokov (November 2014)
The Necromancer's House by Chris Buehlman (October 2014)
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (September 2014)
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (August 2014)
The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez (July 2014)
Misery by Stephen King (June 2014)
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer(May 2014)
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (April 2014)
Late Lights by Kara Weiss (March 2014)
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (February 2014)
Salamander by Thomas Wharton (February 2014)
The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia (December 2014)
Lolita by Vladmir Nabokov (November 2014)
The Necromancer's House by Chris Buehlman (October 2014)
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (September 2014)
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (August 2014)
The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez (July 2014)
Misery by Stephen King (June 2014)
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer(May 2014)
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (April 2014)
Late Lights by Kara Weiss (March 2014)
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (February 2014)
Salamander by Thomas Wharton (February 2014)