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Back at dinner, somebody said that the goose thinks it’s a dog. No, it doesn’t. It doesn’t think it’s a dog. The goose doesn’t think. The goose just is. And what the goose is is goose. But goose is not goose, Robert thinks. Even the goose isn’t goose.In Good Trouble, the first story collection from Joseph O’Neill, author of Netherland, characters are forced to discover exactly who they are, and who they can never quite be.There’s Rob, who swears he is a dependable member of society, but can’t scrape together a character reference to prove that’s the case. And Jayne, who has no choice but to investigate a strange noise downstairs while her husband lies glued to the bed with fear. A mother tries to find where she fits into her son’s new life of semi-soft rind-washed cheeses, and a poet tries to fathom what makes a poet. Do you even have to write poetry?Packed with O’Neill’s trademark acerbic humour, Good Trouble explores the maddening and secretly political space between thoughts and deeds, between men and women, between goose and not-goose.

A quick read from the bestselling storyteller, Josephine Cox. Love at first sight and a mysterious disappearance.Best friends Mark and Pete board a train to London for a night out.As Pete finds a seat he notices a girl sitting on a bench. She looks sad and lonely. When the train leaves, he can't get her out of his mind because in her he has seen a glimpse of himself.Over the coming months Pete sees the girl often, but when tempted to speak to her, his courage fails. Then one day she simply disappears. Hopelessly besotted by this girl he believes to be his kindred spirit, Pete will not rest until he finds her…

AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEARAN EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF THE YEAR‘What was it about complaining that felt so good? You and your fellow sufferer emerging from a thorough session as if from a spa bath, refreshed and tingling?’The first-ever collection of short stories from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jeffrey Eugenides presents characters in the midst of personal and national emergencies.We meet Kendall, a failed poet who, envious of other people’s wealth during the real estate bubble, becomes an embezzler; and Mitchell, a lovelorn liberal arts graduate on a search for enlightenment; and Prakrti, a high school student whose wish to escape the strictures of her family leads to a drastic decision that upends the life of a middle-aged academic.Jeffrey Eugenides’s bestselling novels Middlesex, The Virgin Suicides and The Marriage Plot have shown him to be an astute observer of the crises of adolescence, self-discovery and family love. These stories, from one of our greatest authors, explore equally rich and intriguing territory.Narratively compelling and beautifully written, Fresh Complaint shows all of Eugenides’s trademark humour, compassion and complex understanding of what it is to be human.

Seven deliciously dark, funny and twisted short stories from one of America’s top crime writers.EXCLUSIVE EBOOK EDITION ALSO INCLUDES A FREE EXTRACT FROM LAURA’S FORTHCOMING NOVEL THE INNOCENTS.If you haven’t discovered Laura Lippman yet, delve into these seven ingenious tales and read an exclusive extract from Laura’s latest novel The Innocents.In this short story collection we are taken back to richly drawn 1975 where we meet Sofia and her degenerate gambling father in ‘Hardly Knew Her’; and in ‘Femme Fatale’ we are introduced to sixty-eight year old Mona who suddenly finds herself in a rather surprising situation.Sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous and always filled with shocking twists and turns, expect the unexpected…If you enjoy this collection, why not try ‘The Accidental Detective and other stories’. Also available now as an exclusive ebook short story collection.

‘Addictive, suspenseful and full of dark secrets!’ Michele Campbell, Sunday Times bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband‘A chilling glimpse behind the facade of the perfect family’ Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs ParrishOne of them lied. One of them died.Jane’s life has become a haze of antidepressants since the tragic death of her daughter, Mary. The accident, which happened over a year ago now, destroyed their perfect family life forever.The trouble is, the more Jane thinks about that night, the more she realises that something doesn’t seem right. Does her youngest daughter know more than she’s letting on? What secrets is her husband still hiding from her? And why does no one trust her to be on her own?Even if it’s the last thing she does, she’ll find out the truth…Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Shari Lapena.