The inimitable--some might say incorrigible--Frank Widdicombe is suffering from a deep depression. Or so his wife, Carol, believes. But Carol is convinced that their new island home--Willowbrook Manor on the Puget Sound--is just the thing to cheer her husband up. And so begins a whirlwind summer as their house becomes the epicenter of multiple social dramas involving the family, their friends, and a host of new acquaintances. The Widdicombe's son,...

Susan and Daniel are a happily married couple who are taking a much needed vacation to the islands. They are hoping for a memorable trip. However, their vacation turns tragic when their scuba diving party leaves them in the middle of the ocean by the careless diving boat crew. As the reality of isolation sets in, they turn to one another for support. Unable to flag down passing boats, they begin to panic as encircling sharks begin to appear.

The story of a troubled relationship festering between two couples: young Alain Getty, a home automation engineer, and his wife, sweet Be?ne?dicte ; and middle-aged Andre?, Alain's boss, who is married to the mysterious Alice. Their encounter does not leave the young couple's harmony unscathed. The discovery of a mysterious rodent's corpse blocking the waste pipe of their kitchen sink does nothing to help and portends the bursting of irrationality...

"Natalie Jenner, the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world in Bloomsbury Girls. Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one...

Looks at life through the eyes of a successful couple living in metropolitan London. Along with their friends, Al and Davina Jackson struggle with sexual temptation and professional jealousy and try to cope with their fear of the future.

Gigi is struggling to find true love while shifting through men who are simply not interested. After her latest date, Conor, has failed to call her, Gigi visits a bar he said he frequented in order to see him. There, she meets Alex, a friend of Conor's who works at the bar. Gigi admits that Connor is not expecting her. Alex explains that Connor isn't interested and takes it upon himself to explain the 'signs' to Gigi. Meanwhile, having just left Gigi,...

Margaret Atwood has established herself as a beloved cultural icon and one of the most visionary and canonical authors of her generation. In this collection comprised of fifteen extraordinary stories-some of which have appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine-Atwood speaks to our times with her characteristic wit and intellect. Of special significance are the seven works revolving around the long-term married couple Tig and Nell....

Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby and Detective Sergeant Ben Jones must investigate the secrets and scandals centering on a reclusive couple after a social services investigator tries to visit them and is later found dead.

"For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir by a young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis who attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living? At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and...

When Shrek married Fiona the last thing he had in mind was becoming the next King of Far Far Away. But when Shrek's father-in-law, King Harold, suddenly croaks, that is exactly what he faces. Recruiting Donkey and Puss in Boots for a new quest, Shrek sets out to bring back the rightful heir to the throne. Meanwhile back in the kingdom, Fiona's jilted Prince Charming storms the city with an army of fairy tale villains to seize the throne. Fiona and...