Ladies Pond – guest post from Swimming Home author Mary-Rose MacColl

8 September, 2016

To celebrate the release of Mary-Rose MacColl’s latest novel, Swimming Home, in ebook, we’re delighted to share the author’s writing about her visit to Kenwood Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath this summer. Come on in – the water’s lovely! The water will be cold. While it’s summer and what Londoners call a hot day, the nights are […]

Second Child – guest blog post from author Fiona Sussman

24 August, 2016

Fiona Sussman joins us on the A&B blog to discuss her ‘second child’, The Last Time We Spoke, and the family resemblances with her debut Shifting Colours. We’re running a giveaway right now for four sets of signed copies for UK entrants. Enter at the bottom of the blog post – good luck! At first […]

‘Beam me up, Scotty’: the novel as transport to another world – guest post by Sarah Hawkswood

3 August, 2016

As we’re now in the season of holiday reading, we’d like to invite you to getaway for a moment with author Sarah Hawkswood’s thoughts on escaping into a good book. Sarah’s novel Ordeal by Fire is published 22nd September and is available to pre-order now. As a reader, I have always sought books which enable […]

The Girl from Simon’s Bay by Barbara Mutch

22 June, 2016

Allison & Busby is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Girl from Simon’s Bay, a second novel from Barbara Mutch, author of The Housemaid’s Daughter and ‘born storyteller’ (Sydney Morning Herald). The deal was brokered with the author’s agent Judith Murdoch for World English rights. The Girl from Simon’s Bay is a love story […]

A Mind to Murder: a personal tribute to PD James by Mandy Morton

25 November, 2015

When someone famous dies we are treated to a glut of views and tributes from people who knew them, worked with them or were inspired by them. With these insights, we build up a lasting understanding of who they were and the imprint they have left behind. After the death of PD James in November last year, the expected tributes were fast and […]

Bletchley Park – guest post by author Mary Nichols

4 November, 2015

We’re delighted to feature this post from our author Mary Nichols. If it whets your appetite for what is on display at Bletchley Park, we’re offering subscribers to our monthly customer Books Bulletin the chance to win a family ticket. Scroll down to sign up now! In the interests of research for We’ll Meet Again, […]

‘Freedom is a powerful drug’: A&B author Sarah Grazebrook talks Suffragettes

30 September, 2015

Next month sees the release of the eagerly anticipated Suffragette movie starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, Meryl Streep and many more names of note. It inspired us to ask A&B author Sarah Grazebrook, who wrote about the suffrage movement in her novel Crooked Pieces, what is so inspiring about this moment in history. ‘Man is […]

A Maisie Dobbs Announcement…

21 April, 2015

For immediate release TELEVISION AND PUBLISHING DEALS ANNOUNCED FOR BESTSELLING SLEUTH MAISIE DOBBS SLAM TV has acquired the option to develop a TV series based on the Maisie Dobbs historical mysteries by award-winning New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Winspear. SLAM TV is a new UK-based production company headed by actors Stephen Mangan (Episodes) and […]

A Kitchen Maid’s Story

23 March, 2015

There’s been much talk of stately homes and English heritage in the papers recently, and whilst politicians argue it out over mansion taxes and constitutional reforms across the kingdom, we’re finding a little light relief in remembering Britain’s past through the eyes of Flo Wadlow, in her kitchen maid’s story. Over a Hot Stove is a vivid […]

David Donachie on Tested by Fate

9 February, 2015

Q. I am a huge fan of your writing style,  having read all of the John Peace series. I have enjoyed them so much that I have a beautiful hardcover collection in my library. I am looking for a hardcover edition of Tested by Fate, as that 3 part series is my next read. Any ideas […]

WIN: A set of Laurie R King’s Mary Russell series and beekeeper goodies

9 February, 2015

WIN: Laurie R. King beekeeper goodies and a series set!

Did you collect all of the Banquet Comp clues?

21 December, 2014

CONGRATULATIONS! You have made it to feast and may enter the banquet. Pull up a chair by the fire and tell us the answers you’ve collected over the last few posts. Click here for a reminder of the clues, or if you’re ready to fill in your details and answers, click here.

Book Banquet Competition: Day 4

20 December, 2014

From the 17th-21st December, we will be featuring a different book for every day of the week, each revealing a foodie clue to an component of our Christmas Banquet. Click here for more details and read on for clue 4! Day 4 Read the following extract from Starting Over, One Cake at a Time and keep a […]

Book Banquet Competition: Day 1

17 December, 2014

From the 17th-21st December, we will be featuring a different book for every day of the week, each revealing a foodie clue to an component of our Christmas Banquet. Click here for more details and read on for your first clue! Day 1 Read the following extract from Hot Sun, Cool Shadow and keep a […]

The A&B Christmas Book Banquet

16 December, 2014

To celebrate this Christmas, A&B would like to invite you to a feast… From tomorrow until the 21st December, we’ll be featuring a different book for every day of the week, each revealing a foodie clue to part of our Christmas Feast. For the chance to win the Banquet Hamper full of books and goodies, […]

The A&B Christmas Book Banquet

11 December, 2014

To celebrate this Christmas, A&B would like to invite you to a feast… From the 17th-21st December, we’ll be featuring a different book for every day of the week, each revealing a foodie clue to part of our Christmas Feast. For the chance to win the Banquet Hamper full of books and goodies, keep an […]

WIN: Morganville Goodies Plus a Kindle

3 November, 2014

WIN: Morganville Goodies Plus a Kindle

WIN: Morganville Goodies Plus a Kindle

31 October, 2014

Please note that this competition is now closed To celebrate Rachel Caine’s visit to the UK and the launch of the Morganville Digital Series, we’re running a spooky competition… Two runners up will win a special edition signed copy of Daylighters and some Halloween goodies, plus one lucky winner will also receive the latest Kindle, with a cover signed by the author and […]

Susan Kelly on the Gregory Summers Novels

22 October, 2014

Q. I have read the full series of the Gregory Summers novels and thoroughly enjoyed their many layered plots. I was wondering if you will be writing anymore in the series or any other novels or stories you are working on. Also, have you a website or blog that I can follow. Thanks and best wishes. Kath, Leicester […]

I D Roberts on Research & Wassmuss

14 October, 2014

Q. My husband and I really enjoyed your book and would like to know how long it took you to research it? We investigated ourselves about the real life character, Wassmuss, who we found fascinating. Diedre, London. Hi Diedre, Many thanks for your kind words about, and interest in, Kingdom Lock. I’m delighted you and […]

Wednesday Cover Story: Jewels of India

27 August, 2014

We’ve got our hands on the Indian edition of three June Thomson, Sherlock Holmes books – don’t they look great? A very different take than the A&B covers, but dark alleyways and shadowy figures… exactly what we like in a good detective book. My favourite’s The Secret Journals cover (far left). It looks like it has […]