Pakistan
Among the almond orchards of the Swat Valley, Zamir tends goats with his son, Raza. He must make a heartbreaking decision if he is to protect his youngest child from the Taliban.
Afghanistan
On a military base in Lashkar Gah, Ben lives on edge, wondering if his family will be the next to receive life-changing news from the front line.
Cornwall
And in a ramshackle house on the Cornish coast, Ben’s mother Delphi, an artist, offers a refuge to her grandson Finn, as he retreats from the changes he senses in his family.
When Raza and Finn, two boys from impossibly different worlds, meet, they are united by their loneliness. But will their unexpected bond be enough to save not just each other, but also their families, just as all their lives are about to change forever?
- -
"The Long Road from Kandahar is a novel that is at once heartbreaking and uplifting, and its focus on the themes of war and loss, love and friendship across cultures is both topical and timeless: a powerful story from a writer operating at the height of her powers."
Jane Johnston
"Interweaving the devastation exacted by war on the lives of two boys ... this blistering story shows how no one is remote, connecting rural Cornwall with the Swat Valley of Pakistan."
Georgia Kaufmann

Ragnar Jónasson's latest chilly offering, Outside (April 2022, Michael Joseph) has been favourably reviewed by Kirkus Reviews: "The ptarmigan hunt four old friends have planned for a winter weekend in the wilds of eastern Iceland goes south when the weather turns on them and they turn on each other ... A shivery delight. It’s nice that the Icelandic Tourist Board hasn’t paid Jónasson to quit publishing." |
Emma loved her life in the seaside village of Silver Cove. But when the discovery of sunken treasure ignited a feud between her family and that of Luke, her first love, everything fell apart. Heartbroken and betrayed, she fled.
Now, as she wades into the sparkling surf for the first time in fifteen years, she remembers everything she loved about this beautiful place. Then a huge wave knocks her off her feet. Wet and dripping, Emma is rescued by none other than Luke – who is, to her dismay, even more handsome than ever.
Emma starts to wonder if returning home was a huge mistake. Or could the real treasure have been waiting here for her all along?

An irresistible novel of unexpected friendships, second chances and long-held secrets, Nora Wojnawski is 122 years and 147 days old; if she survives the next eighteen days, she'll be the world’s oldest person ever. Her vast family is organising a ceremony to mark the occasion, but Nora isn’t interested. And to add insult to ingratitude, when her great-granddaughter Debs goes to visit her in her care home just days before the event to finalise the last few details, Nora has disappeared. What follows is an extraordinary exposé of Nora’s life.
The Unlikely Kidnapping of Nora W. will be published in spring 2023.