Legend Press

'Heartbreakingly beautiful… so much more than a novel—it’s a how-to guide for appreciating the preciousness of life in all its imperfect and transient beauty' Christina Dalcher, bestselling author of VOXWhat if you could stay young forever?What if you never had to grow old?Ben has no qualms about signing up for the Evergreens project, a controversial new trial. But are the promises of life without ageing too good to be true?Sophie has no doubt that they are. And sixty-five years down the line, she gets the chance to find out.With Ben in hospital, unresponsive and ageing rapidly before her very eyes, can Sophie uncover the dark secret at the heart of the Evergreens project — and save Ben’s life in the process?'A sweeping tale about what it is to be human; heartbreaking and affirming' Bethanys Bookshelf

'Isaac twists terror with fear and confusion and I couldn't put it down' Rebecca Bradley'[A] perfectly plotted thriller' Anne CoatesIn the suburban town of Hampton, the peaceful night air is shattered by the sound of gunfire. Outside a local pub, five are feared dead and the murderer has fled the scene.DCI Helen Lavery works alongside the counter terrorism unit to investigate. Who is behind the mass shooting? Why target this town?Meanwhile, Helen is preparing for the trial of Chilli Franks, an organised crime boss who has a grudge against her family. But when Chilli’s nephew befriends her son, and suggestions are made about Chilli’s involvement in the shooting, past fears clash with the present.Under the spotlight of the world’s media, Helen finds herself in a race against time to solve the case, protect her family and track down the killer before they strike again.'An authentic, powerful and gripping police procedural' Joy Kluver'Jane Isaac's finest novel yet; an addictive page-turner. DCI Lavery is an outstanding creation' Michael Wood'Brimming with tension, suspense and colourful characters' A A ChaudhuriBOOKS BY JANE ISAACDCI Helen LaveryBook 1: An Unfamiliar MurderBook 2: The Truth Will OutBook 3: A Deathly SilenceBook 4: Evil IntentBook 5: In the ShadowsDI Will JackmanBook 1: Before It's Too LateBook 2: Beneath the AshesBook 3: The Lies Within

Dan and Anya Moorcroft have decided to get a divorce. Together, they’ve done it all. Two kids, three owned houses, four rented flats, fifty-something holidays, and one affair apiece. Now, after fifteen years together (nine of them married) they’re on the brink.But as they go through couples’ mediation, revisiting and rediscovering their shared history in sessions surrounded by lawyers and paperwork, are they about to find something that’s worth saving? Or are they going to reaffirm their decision to end things for good?Each section of the book is a focus area for the divorce mediation process: sex, home, money, family, us. Through this, the novel explores how marriage is built on bonds between people and the experiences they share. It goes back in time to reveal Dan and Anya’s past. And then returns to the present day as they work out their future.

'A warm and wonderful story' Adele ParksIt’s the heatwave summer of 1976 and 14-year-old would be poet Jackie Chadwick is newly fostered by the Walls. She desperately needs stability, but their insecure, jealous teenage daughter isn't happy about the cuckoo in the nest and sets about ousting her.When her attempts to do so lead to near-tragedy — and the Walls’ veneer of middle-class respectability begins to crumble — everyone in the household is forced to reassess what really matters.Funny and poignant, Cuckoo in the Nest is inspired by Fran Hill’s own experience of being fostered. A glorious coming of age story set in the summer of 1976.'Fresh, authentic and darkly funny. I absolutely loved it' Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things'Vivid, funny, nostalgic and utterly charming' Veronica Henry'Laugh out loud funny, yet heartbreakingly sad' Frances Quinn'Totally evokes a seventies childhood' Joanna Nadin'This made my soul sing! Witty, poignant and full of heart' Jessica Ryn

'A plump and cheerful romp through royal corridors and bedrooms' Tunku Varadarajan, The Wall Street JournalKim is not your average member of Her Majesty’s palace staff — but then he shouldn’t be on the staff at all. He’s in fact a Sun staff reporter who’s wormed his way into Buckingham Palace to pick up every bit of dirt and gossip that he can lay his hands on.Along the way, Kim is faced with many surprising aspects of Palace life that even he didn’t see coming.Based on the true story of the tabloid hack who became a Queen’s footman, Palace Rogue is a charming, uplifting and utterly outrageous story of love and secrets — all of it set in the heart of one of the world’s most famous houses.

‘A very accomplished novel’ Louis de Bernieres, author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin‘Hard to put this book down’ Sofka Zinovieff‘An epic, page turning story, of longing and bravery… a must read’ Nadia MarksCalliope is a young schoolmistress in the village of Molyvos when Hitler’s army invades Greece in 1941. Recruited by the Germans to act as their liaison officer, Calliope’s wartime duties bring her into close contact with Lieutenant Lorenz Umbreit, the Wehrmacht commander. Despite being an active member of the Greek Resistance, her friendship with the German blossoms against all odds, in a fishing village seething with dread and suspicion.Arrested Song is a haunting, sumptuous novel, weaving the private and the historic into a vivid tapestry of Greek island life. Spanning over three decades, it chronicles the story of an extraordinary woman and her lifelong struggle against tyranny.‘Compelling’ Dean Kalimniou‘Wonderful’ Anna Porter‘Beautifully written’ Carol P Christ‘One of the best novels I’ve read about modern Greece… a truly original work’ Diana Farr Louis‘I savoured every word’ Peter Barber

Silas Marner George Eliot — “Silas Marner”, is the story of its title character, a weaver who when falsely accused of theft retreats to a life of exile focusing on his work in solitude and the amassing of gold from his earnings. After carrying on this way for a period of fifteen years Silas returns one day to his cottage to find his stash of gold stolen. While deeply depressed by the loss of his treasure, Silas soon finds consolation in the unexpected adoption of a lovely young girl, Eppie.

Jonathan Swift’s masterpiece is the finest satire in the English language. Shipwrecked traveller Lemuel Gulliver finds himself washed ashore in Lilliput, a kingdom populated by tiny people. Fascinated by their exotic visitor, the Lilliputians enlist Gulliver’s services in their bitter civil war. But Gulliver becomes the object of a court intrigue and has to make a hasty escape. On his next voyage, his ship is blown off course to Brobdingnag, whose giant inhabitants strike him as horrific and occasionally revolting. A third voyage takes him to Laputa, a floating island occupied by pedantic scientists and philosophers. Finally, he encounters a society of rational horses, the Houyhnhnms, and witnesses the appalling behaviour of their servants the Yahoos, a group who are in many ways disturbingly similar to man at his most bestial.

The Castle of Otranto is considered to be the first «Gothic» novel — that is, containing a combination of tropes, like hidden passages, haunted paintings, mysterious sounds, skeletal ghosts, ancestral curses, and unexplained deaths, that essentially invented the genre later made famous by authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, or Henry James. Walpole made a point of creating a novel that blends supernatural elements with more realistic depictions of characters and events.
The plot centers around Manfred, the lord of Otranto Castle, who has just witnessed the death of his son under mysterious circumstances, just as his son was about to be married. Manfred is thrust into a galloping and melodramatic series of events that lean heavily on the supernatural.
Walpole initially published The Castle of Otranto under a pseudonym, claiming that his work was a translation of an ancient Italian manuscript. This framing, along with the purposely archaic writing style, gives the supernatural airs of the novel a decidedly authentic flavor. In later editions Walpole acknowledges his authorship.
Otranto remains a fast-paced and familiar read, thanks to the variety of recognizable tropes it introduced and made popular.

The Awakening is one of the earliest examples of feminism in literature, and the book’s criticism of acceptable female social roles and emphasis on women’s sexuality caused it to be received with a mixture of praise and criticism.
Set in Louisiana, Edna Pontellier is a wife, a mother, and a member of the Presbyterian Church, but has never felt comfortable being defined by any of these roles. Edna yearns for freedom, independence, and self-fulfillment—all of which seem antithetical to the life she has fallen into. When she departs to Grand Isle with her husband and children for a vacation, Edna’s quiet dissatisfaction becomes more problematic, as she gets a glimpse of what life free from obligation and social constraints could be like.

'Fresh, brilliant writing and utterly compelling, I loved it' Peter JamesWhen 25-year-old Emelie is found murdered in her Stockholm apartment the same week her ex-partner is released from prison, it feels like an open and shut case for Detective Vanessa Frank. Who else would launch such a frenzied attack on the young woman?But Frank suspects there is something they’re missing. Could the killing be linked to the rising online movement of men who want to punish women, the so-called ‘incels’? When a survivor of brutal sexual assault comes forward, Frank uncovers more about this shadowy group who, in their own words, have weaponised the gender war and will stop at nothing to make themselves heard.Desperate to stop any further attacks, Frank escalates the investigation when a music festival intended to be a safe space for women becomes a potential target.'A real page-turner, from the first to the last page' Camilla Lāckberg'Irresistible reading' David Lagercrantz, author of The Girl in the Spider’s Web — Millennium series by Stieg Larsson'He never lets go of the reader’s desire to know just how the hell this is going to go' Fredrik Backman, best-selling author of A Man Called Ove'He absorbs the reader so you can’t stop reading' Inga-Lill Mosander

'A lush page-turner about two women who fight for their futures in a patriarchal society' Janet Skeslien Charles'An engrossing tale of superstition, rebellion and love' Esther Freud'Storytelling at its best' Ellen KeithIn medieval Moldova, two women from opposing backgrounds fall in love.But this is a world where a woman’s role is defined by religion and class. To make a life together means defying their families, the law, and the Church. The closer they become, and the more they refuse the roles assigned to them, the more sacrifices they have to make. While Mira’s rebellion puts her life in the gravest danger, Elina must fight to change her legal status to ‘son’ so she can inherit her father’s land and change their destiny.Set in Stone delves into the past to uncover a story which is just as relevant today: the desire to forge your own path while constantly having to resist a patriarchal fear of women’s strength — and how ultimately love can help you choose your own truth.

INSPIRED BY ONE OF THE LAST GREAT UNTOLD STORIES OF WW11916. Young artist Sam Burke is spared death by firing squad on the battlefields of France and brought to a remote castle by the Irish Sea. At the ‘Tin Nose Shop’ he is tasked with creating intricate masks to hide the mutilated faces of his fellow soldiers from the Front. While he tries to come to terms with the death of his best friend and the promise he failed to keep, Sam and the disfigured soldiers struggle to return to their former lives and their loved ones.A stirring and emotional tale based on the real-life story of the Tin Nose Shop.'Beautifully written and sensitively observed' Hazel Gaynor'Beautifully written and thought-provoking' Ruth Hogan'Will both break your heart and give it wings as it explores the healing powers of friendship, love, hope and purpose' Robin Wells'One of the best historical novels I have read in a long time… I have never read anything quite like it' Mark Sullivan

‘Twelve inmates, one chamber. It’s time to face justice, live!’Saturday night — primetime. The nation settles down to watch a special edition of Justice Live — the most popular, and sadistic, reality show ever made. Twelve of the country’s most notorious criminals are paraded in front of the cameras as the public vote to decide which one will face the horrors of the justice chamber. But correctional officer Cal Roberts has bigger things on his mind. Tonight, he plans to bring down celebrity guard Dax Miller, for good. Tonight, is his chance to put things right, once and for all.Correctional is a near-future dystopian novel that examines themes of inequality, poverty and the cycle of criminality, whilst simultaneously shining an uncomfortable light on our obsession with the macabre and sadistic.'Smart, fast-paced and disturbingly possible' Joelle Charbonneau'A propulsive dystopian thriller' Marcus Low

For so many years it haunted. And in the end, all it took was a decision. One decision.When an old friend reappears in her life, Hollywood screenwriter Lilith is forced to confront childhood demons that threaten to destroy the world she has created to keep herself — and others — safe.Can she trust anyone?Can she even trust herself?'I honestly didn't see that ending coming' Emma Curtis'Every now and again you read an utterly beautiful novel and its lyricism holds you tight and blows you away, all at the same time' Rachael Blok

A child with a love of wizards and an ageing rock star share their fate with a disparate collection of visitors when their paths collide in a remote refugee camp.Years later they find a way to tell their stories.A tale of grief and resilience against the odds, The Bones of Barry Knight asks how we can better care for one another one a global scale.'Very few novelists are able to cope convincingly with the apocalyptic times we're living through. Emma Musty's new novel shows that she has the skills, the breadth of vision and the humanity to meet the challenge' Matthew Francis'Utterly contemporary and unflinching' Katherine Stansfield'An engaging book that looks at how our flaws and our humanity go hand in hand' Megan Campisi'Sweeping in its scope and resonant with compassion' Jacqueline Yallop

Co-written by one of the UK's leading counter-terrorism experts, The Sleep of Reason is a tense and compelling thriller about toxic politics and the radicalisation of young men.A brutal massacre at a theme park leaves eight dead and triggers a wave of extremist violence across Britain.On the trail of the killer is Detective Superintendent SOPHIE GABRIEL, who must confront her past as she races to stop rival Islamist and neo-Nazi terror groups bringing a deadly campaign of violence to Britain’s streets.As community tensions rise, the coalition government appears to be exploiting the crisis for its own ends. In the midst of a political and media whirlwind, Gabriel and her team must stop a ruthless terrorist attack that could leave hundreds dead.‘Completely gripping and terrifyingly real — this is a cracking thriller.’ TM Logan, author of The Holiday and Trust Me‘A thunderously good read from start to finish.’ Amber Rudd

When a series of women’s bodies is discovered in the heart of rural Hamptonshire with a pentagram carved on their chests, DCI Helen Lavery is forced into a cat-and-mouse chase with a murderer who ultimately turns the tables and targets her.Meanwhile, she is shocked to discover that her younger son’s new best friend is the nephew of organised crime boss Chilli Franks — the man who has held a grudge against Helen’s family since her father first put him away in the 1990s.As her personal and professional lives collide, Helen finds herself in mortal danger as she races to track down the serial killer and restore safety to the streets of Hampton.‘Gripping’ Clare Chase‘Ingenious’ Merilyn Davies‘Kept me guessing until the end’ Joy Kluver‘A real adrenaline rush’ Kate Rhodes‘Compelling’ Sarah Ward‘Unforgettable’ Louise Beech

Part of the Legend Classics seriesSleep, those little slices of death — how I loathe them.Behold: a selection of short stories from the master of the macabre, Edgar Allen Poe.From the brilliant mind of a man responsible for popularising the genres of detective fiction and science fiction come these unforgettable tales of death, decay and the dark depths of human emotion. They will, almost inevitably, crawl under your skin and into your brain.The Legend Classics series:Around the World in Eighty DaysThe Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe Importance of Being EarnestAlice's Adventures in WonderlandThe MetamorphosisThe Railway ChildrenThe Hound of the BaskervillesFrankensteinWuthering HeightsThree Men in a BoatThe Time MachineLittle WomenAnne of Green GablesThe Jungle BookThe Yellow Wallpaper and Other StoriesDraculaA Study in ScarletLeaves of GrassThe Secret GardenThe War of the WorldsA Christmas CarolStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeHeart of DarknessThe Scarlet LetterThis Side of ParadiseOliver TwistThe Picture of Dorian GrayTreasure IslandThe Turn of the ScrewThe Adventures of Tom SawyerEmmaThe TrialA Selection of Short Stories by Edgar Allan PoeGrimm Fairy TalesThe AwakeningMrs DallowayGulliver’s TravelsThe Castle of OtrantoSilas MarnerHard Times