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Featured Extracts
Swansea Terminal - Robert Lewis
Featuring P.I. Robin Llewellyn, this is the follow-up to The Last LLanelli Train. First chapter follows... read more
Cleaning Up - Tania Glyde
In her illuminating memoir, Glyde looks at why she drank, and how to live without the constant warm glow of alcohol. This extract offers eleven excuses for drinking: read more
Mercedes Benz by Pawel Huelle
To bring his many sufferings to an end I didn't know whether to hug him or plug him, to put a bullet in his brains like with a horse that's gone lame. He was a widower, his daughter had disappeared, the lenses of his glasses were all misty and his suit, a new one, was worth less than it would cost to dry-clean it. read more
We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Dear Franklin,
I'm unsure why one trifling incident this afternoon has moved me to write to you.
read more
Latest Extracts
Small Crimes - Dave Zeltserman
Corrupt cop Joe Denton gets out of prison after a botched robbery, but finds that his former friends, family and wife are less than thrilled to see him... read more
Cleaning Up - Tania Glyde
In her illuminating memoir, Glyde looks at why she drank, and how to live without the constant warm glow of alcohol. This extract offers eleven excuses for drinking: read more
Swansea Terminal - Robert Lewis
Featuring P.I. Robin Llewellyn, this is the follow-up to The Last LLanelli Train. First chapter follows... read more
The Time of the Rebels by Matthew Collin
It was twenty minutes past eight in the evening and the city was already in darkness when one of the leaders of the youth resistance sent a text message to my mobile phone. read more
The Bridge of the Golden Horn - John Berger's Introduction
Cultural theorist, writer and art critic John Berger is such an ardent fan of Sevgi's work that he penned this introduction to her novel, The Bridge of the Golden Horn. read more
How the Dead Live - Will Self's Introduction
Will Self 'borrowed' the title How the Dead Live from Derek Raymond for one of his own novels. Here, he repays the debt with an introduction to Serpent's Tail's reissue of the Raymond original. read more
The Pools by Bethan Roberts
Bethan Roberts’ strikingly assured debut novel expertly reveals the tensions and terrors that underpin apparently ordinary lives, and can lead them to spiral suddenly out of control. read more
Cruel Poetry by Vicki Hendricks
Chapter 1
September 1, 10 am, Miami Beach, 86 degrees, seas at a light chop
Tropical Moons Hotel, Room 2-B
Renata
read more
Skin Lane by Neil Bartlett
“Under certain very particular circumstances, there may be some dispute as to who has jurisdiction over the body itself.” read more
Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quinonez
SAPO was different. Sapo was always Sapo, and no one messed with him because he had a reputation for biting. "When I'm in a fight," Sapo would spit, "whass close to my mouth is mine by right and my teeth ain't no fucken pawn-shop." read more
Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley
Crimson Shadow: Section One "What you doin' there, boy?" It was six a.m. Socrates Fortlow had come out to the alley, to see what was wrong with Billy. He hadn't heard him crow that morning and was worried about his old friend. read more
Princes Amongst Men by Garth Cartwright
Darting amongst congested traffic . . . tanned teak brown from the August sun . . . wiping windscreens with gold-toothed smiles then proffering an outstretched palm . . . read more
Nineteen Seventy Four by David Peace
'All we ever get is Lord fucking Lucan and wingless bloody crows,' smiled Gilman, like this was the best day of our lives: Friday 13 December 1974. read more
Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg
IT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME RICHARD BONE had shaved with a Lady Remington, nor did he expect it to be the last. read more
The Big Blowdown by George P. Pelecanos
Washington, D.C.
1933
Peter Karras learned to swim one afternoon at the tail end of a heat wave in early June. The heat had come upon D.C. like a bad dream and had killed several old-timers and a few who were not so old. Two had succumbed from it the day before.
read more
The Wave by Caren Gussoff
There is something wrong with me. When I say that, I mean there is nothing wrong with me, nothing wrong, nothing really, not for the most part. read more
The ASBO Show by Tony Saint
Merrion's quick walk turned into a limping jog as he neared the end of the long corridor, his steps snapping like whip cracks against the hard floor. read more
The Killing of the Saints by Alex Abella
Oyeme, chico, ven acá what's this, this big story I hear you're doing about the Cubans and the Marielitos in Los Angeles and all that? Coño, chico, you know that the Cubans are always the top, brother, nobody smarter or sexier or better looking, you know? read more
Lee & Elaine by Ann Rower
January 31, 1993. As soon as I got out here, I bought the East Hampton Star, I picked it up at the IGA along with some groceries, then popped into the liquor store for vodka. One last stop – the video store for a rental – before I finally made it to the house in Springs, also a rental. read more
Offside by Manuel Vazquez Montalban
The room still smelt of medicine, or whatever it was, she thought irritatedly, and her nose became a kind of mobile proboscis as she tried to identify the source of the offending aroma. I don't like my house smelling like that. A decent house doesn't smell like that. read more
Selected Poems by Langston Hughes
The Negro Speaks of Rivers read more
From Blue to Black by Joel Lane
It was the end of summer. A bloodshot moon hung above the tall houses in Salisbury Road, giving faint doubles to the shadows of trees. Across the road, the lights of a housing estate floated in empty air. read more
Gone Fishin' by Walter Mosley
Mouse had changed. Before he announced his engagement to EttaMae he was a happy man, full of himself. It's true that he was especially pleased when misfortune happened to someone else, but at least he kept us smiling. Life was hard back then and a good laugh was worth a month of Sundays. read more
Death in the Dordogne by Louis Sanders
There wasn’t a sound except for the occasional cry of a bird. It was Saturday but no one was out shooting, perhaps out of respect for their neighbour. In these instances, you are neighbours even if you live several kilometres from the house that’s been struck by death. read more
Coq au Vin by Charlotte Carter
Travelin' Light. Damn, I was tired. My saxophone seemed to weigh more than I did. I had awakened early that morning and immediately commenced to fill the day with activity-some of it necessary but most of it far from pressing. read more
Uninvited by Richard House
Ian roamed compulsively about the house packing and cleaning, throwing away plates and cups that he could not wash as the water was still disconnected. What little he owned, some clothes and books, were already safely stored at Gordon’s, as eviction had seemed imminent. read more
Buddha's Money by Martin Limon
THREE MINISKIRTED BUSINESS GIRLS FLITTED AROUND ERNIE LIKE butterflies bothering a bear. He pulled out a packet of ginseng gum, grinned, and passed out a few sticks. read more
Blue Light by Walter Mosley
The Radiance I didn't use a tape recorder back then, but I remember every word. Our teacher stood on a simple flat rock and told us about the blue light. What it meant—at least, as much as we could understand. Here is what he said: read more
The Burglar Diaries by Danny King
Fred sees red 'What?' says Ollie, shining the torch in my face for the umpteenth fucking time. 'Get the instructions.' 'What instructions?' 'For the video.' read more
The Sexual Life of Catherine M by Catherine Millet
Different towns, different men.. read more
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