Second Place HC: Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021

‘When I am disturbed, even angry, gardening has been a therapy. When I don't want to talk I turn to Plot 29, or to a wilder piece of land by a northern sea. There, among seeds and trees, my breathing slows; my heart rate too. My anxieties slip away.’As a young boy in 1960s Plymouth, Allan Jenkins and his brother, Christopher, were rescued from their care home and fostered by an elderly couple. There, the brothers started to grow flowers in their riverside cottage. They found a new life with their new mum and dad.As Allan grew older, his foster parents were never quite able to provide the family he and his brother needed, but the solace he found in tending a small London allotment echoed the childhood moments when he grew nasturtiums from seed.Over the course of a year, Allan digs deeper into his past, seeking to learn more about his absent parents. Examining the truths and untruths that he’d been told, he discovers the secrets to why the two boys were in care. What emerges is a vivid portrait of the violence and neglect that lay at the heart of his family.A beautifully written, haunting memoir, Plot 29 is a mystery story and meditation on nature and nurture. It’s also a celebration of the joy to be found in sharing food and flowers with people you love.

You’ve heard all about Second Life. Maybe you’ve already jumped with both feet—and gotten stuck. Or maybe you’re a Second Life veteran who wants to build something or run a business. Fear not! Second Life For Dummies is hear to hold your hand, pat your back, and cheer you on through this new and enchanting reality. Written by a pair of Second Life old timers, this easy-to-use, flip-and-find guide is packed with expert advice, seasoned insight, and handy tips and tricks to get you moving fast. You’ll find out how to set up your account, create an avatar, meet people and socialize, and find your comfort zone and stay in it. But it’s a big world out there, so you’ll also learn how to make stuff, buy stuff, do stuff, and keep track of all the stuff you’re accumulating. Discover how to Install Second Life get started Create and customize your avatar Meet and get to know fascinating people Stay safe and comfortable as you learn and explore Make, wear, and sell your own fashions Script your Second Life Buy land and build a house Become a land baron or a money maker Make real money in Second Life Get a real-life education—even a degree Complete with fantastic lists of cool places, answers to big questions, and supplemental software, Second Life For Dummies is your ticket to a great virtual adventure.

The gripping new thriller from the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author, shortlisted for the Irish Crime Book Awards 2020 Rumours… Everyone’s heard the rumours about elite gentlemen’s clubs, where the champagne flows freely, the parties are outrageous…and what goes on behind closed doors is darker than you could possibly imagine.Scandals… Paige Hargreaves was a young journalist working on a story about a club for the most privileged men in London. She was on the brink of exposing a shocking scandal. Then she disappeared.Secrets… DS Maeve Kerrigan must immerse herself in the club’s world of wealth, luxury and ruthless behaviour to find out what happened. But Maeve is keeping secrets of her own. Will she uncover the truth? Or will time run out for Maeve first?Jane Casey’s best book yet – and that’s really saying something’ Erin Kelly‘A really gripping, timely plot’ Elly Griffiths‘Jane Casey is among our very best crime novelists and this is her best book’ Liz Nugent‘Her best yet. Heartpounding and SO MOVING!’ Marian Keyes‘Complex and gripping’The Times‘Jane Casey is a masterful storyteller’ Charlotte Philby‘The best police procedurals I've read’ Claire Allan'A superb crime novel' Sharon Bolton‘Truly the gold standard for police procedurals’ Catherine Ryan Howard‘Terrifying, intense and devastatingly astut’ Sarah Hilary‘Engrossing crime fiction with heart’ Olivia Kiernan‘Tense, dramatic and sharply written’ Sin?ad Crowley‘A must read’ Patricia Gibney‘I ripped through it, unable to stop myself’ Sam Baker‘Superb’ Will Dean ‘I couldn’t love Maeve Kerrigan or Josh Derwent more’ Cressida McLaughlin‘Pacy plotting’ Sunday Times Crime Club‘Chilling and inventive’Woman’s Weekly‘Simply stunning’Heat‘A chilling read’Woman

Soon there will be a killing. Close your eyes and breathe in the aroma. I can smell it right now, can’t you? So powerful, so sweet. So irresistible. It’s the scent of death.‘It’s perfectly simple. All you have to do is find the dead place’The anonymous caller who taunts the Police with talk of an imminent killing could be a hoaxer, his descriptions of death and decomposition a sick fantasy. But Detective Diane Fry is certain she’s dealing with a murderer. The voice – so eerily, shiveringly calm – invites the police to meet the ‘flesh eater’. Fry fears it may already be too late to save the next victim.DC Ben Cooper, meanwhile, is looking into Derbyshire’s first case of body snatching. The investigation takes him into the dark, secret world of those whose lives revolve around the dead and their disposal – from funeral directors to crematorium staff and a professor whose speciality is the study of death.Where is the dead place? And what terrible deeds are done there?

This book examines the implications of new communication technologies in the light of the most recent work in social and cultural theory and argues that new developments in electronic media, such as the Internet and Virtual Reality, justify the designation of a «second media age».

He is impossible to resist!Hotel magnate Nate Brunswick’s faith in marriage was destroyed by his father. But in searching for the ring that his beloved grandfather has asked him to retrieve, Nate finds himself inconveniently engaged – to the alluring owner of the ring Mina Mastraintino!*Alessandro Di Sione is renowned for being unsentimental, but even he can’t deny his grandfather’s dream of retrieving a painting steeped in scandal. Yet the key to its return is Princess Gabriella…and Gabby is drawn to the man tortured by guilt from his past.*Divorce attorney to the stars Reed Hudson knows there’s no such thing as happily-ever-after. But red-headed stunner Lilah Strong walking into his office with an infant in her arms will put him to the test…

Would you rather get a root canal than schmooze with a bunch of strangers? Does the phrase "working a room" make you want to retreat to yours? Is small talk a big problem? Devora Zack used to be just like you--in fact, she still is. But she's also a successful consultant who addresses thousands of people each year, and she didn't change her personality to do it. Quite the contrary.Zack politely examines and then smashes to tiny fragments the "dusty old rules" of standard networking advice. You don't have to become a backslapping extrovert or even learn how to fake it. Incredible as it seems, the very traits that make you hate networking can be harnessed to forge an approach even more effective than traditional techniques. It's a different kind of networking--and it works.Networking enables you to accomplish the goals that are most important to you. But you can't adopt a style that isn't true to who you are. "I have never met a person who did not benefit tremendously from learning how to network--on his or her own terms," Zack writes. "You do not succeed by denying your natural temperament; you succeed by working with your strengths."

Would you rather get a root canal than schmooze with a bunch of strangers? Does the phrase "working a room" make you want to retreat to yours? Is small talk a big problem? Devora Zack used to be just like you--in fact, she still is. But she's also a successful consultant who addresses thousands of people each year, and she didn't change her personality to do it. Quite the contrary.Zack politely examines and then smashes to tiny fragments the "dusty old rules" of standard networking advice. You don't have to become a backslapping extrovert or even learn how to fake it. Incredible as it seems, the very traits that make you hate networking can be harnessed to forge an approach even more effective than traditional techniques. It's a different kind of networking--and it works.Networking enables you to accomplish the goals that are most important to you. But you can't adopt a style that isn't true to who you are. "I have never met a person who did not benefit tremendously from learning how to network--on his or her own terms," Zack writes. "You do not succeed by denying your natural temperament; you succeed by working with your strengths."

Every sale is made or lost in 60 seconds—make them count Cold calling and pushing your way into an office or a living room creates an atmosphere of adversity and distrust you must overcome before you close the deal. With those tired tactics, you’re swimming upstream, against a strong current, with a bag of rocks tied to your waist. Sales has changed. Legacy sales gimmicks destroy relationships right from the first minute. The 60 Second Sale is a turnkey system for building profitable, lifelong relationships. Whether you work with affluent consumers or sell to senior executives in FORTUNE 500 companies, this step-by-step guide will help you open doors, close deals, and make more money in a way that leverages your natural strengths. That’s the magnificence of the 60 second sale system. You get to be yourself and build your business. In this book you will discover: How to start a sales conversation in 60 seconds Who to target for immediate income A powerful yet easy-to-use system to generate relationship revenue Five ways to initiate new relationships What to say to make sure your business meetings result in money in the bank The secret to getting a “yes” every time, even in the most competitive sales environment The winning mindset that removes the stress, uncertainty, and fear from income generation And so many other effective business growth strategies, your competition won’t know what hit them Business relationships are built one minute at a time. From introduction to closing, every 60 seconds you have an opportunity to strengthen your relationship or destroy it. Isn’t it time you started leveraging your expertise, demonstrating your value, and building trust with your clients? When you do, they buy into who you are and how you can help them – right from the first minute. The 60 Second Sale is a fail-proof system for succeeding in today’s relationship-focused sales environment.

Turn your Mac into a productivity powerhouse with Office 2021! Long gone are the days when Microsoft's powerful office suite was just for Windows users. Mac enthusiasts are also able to pop open ubiquitous apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on their preferred desktop or laptop! But if you're new to Microsoft Office on the Mac—or you just need a hand with some of its latest features—you should check out Office 2021 For Macs For Dummies. This handy guide will show you how to conquer the essentials of all the key apps that make Office 2021 such a productivity booster. You'll also discover: Brand-new features, like an improved dark mode and better accessibility capabilities How to share documents directly in a collaborative setting How Microsoft's Text Predictions work in various apps in Office 2021 Ideal for Mac-lovers who can't escape the lure of Microsoft's iconic office software, Office 2021 For Macs For Dummies is a can't-miss resource that will help you successfully blend the reliable computing power of your Mac or MacBook with the productivity power of Microsoft Office.