Jo Harkin

Wolf Hall meets Demon Copperhead in a sharply ambitious, brilliantly imagined and hugely entertaining story of intrigue, deceit, revenge and ambition **NAMED AS BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE SUNDAY TIMES** **PICKED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 BY THE GUARDIAN, SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY MAIL, AND THE I** ‘A bold and brilliant comedy of royal intrigue’ Guardian ‘Funny, moving, filthy and original’ The Times ‘So alive I felt Harkin might be a time traveller’ Maggie Shipstead ‘I read it with the dedicated fervour of a kid discovering literature for the first time’ Yael van der Wouden ‘The most enjoyable historical novel I’ve read in years’ Spectator ________________________________________ 1483. The English throne is in peril. Peasant boy and pretender John Collan is faced with two options. a) Become king b) Die trying What could possibly go wrong? Seething with revenge and machination, sparkling with wit and humanity, and roaring with adventure and bravado, The Pretender is the captivating true story of a young man tossed into the chaos of history as it happens. **Praise for The Pretender**‘A brainy, heartfelt delight’ Guardian, 50 hottest books to read now ‘Witty, poignant, wildly engaging, and with a huge heart’ Sarah Waters ‘Touching and hilarious’ The Times, 80 best books to take on holiday ‘Like a Plantagenet Adrian Mole’ Jenny Colgan ‘A rollicking account of a befuddled boy’s pillar-to-post existence as a political pawn’ New York Times ‘The real deal – nimble, vibrant, playful, and daring’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave ‘Ambitious, mischievous and brilliantly written’ Daily Mail ‘I blazed through full of wonder and admiration’ Emma Stonex

Set in the tumultuous period of the Tudors' ascent, The Pretender brings to life the little-known story of Lambert Simnel. From humble beginnings as a peasant boy, Lambert's life takes an astonishing turn when, at just ten years old, he becomes a claimant to the English throne as one of the last of the Plantagenet line. As Lambert navigates the treacherous waters of royal intrigue and court life, complex themes of identity, power, and destiny unfold, weaving a tapestry of ambition and survival in a world where the stakes couldn't be higher. In 1480 John Collan's greatest anxiety is how to circumvent the village's devil goat on his way to collect water. But the arrival of a well-dressed stranger from London upends his life forever: John is not John Collan, not the son of Will Collan but Lambert Simnel, the son of the long-deceased Duke of Clarence, and has been hidden in the countryside after a brotherly rift over the crown--and because Richard III has a habit of disappearing his nephews. Removed from his humble origins and sent to Oxford to be educated in a manner befitting the throne's rightful heir, Lambert is put into play by his masters. He learns the rules of etiquette in Burgundy and the machinations of the court in Ireland, where he encounters the intractable Joan, the delightfully strong-willed and manipulative daughter of his Irish patrons, a girl imbued with both extraordinary political savvy and occasional murderous tendencies. Joan has two paths available to her--marry or become a nun. Lambert's choices are similarly stark: he will either become king or die in battle. Together they form an alliance that will change the fate of the English monarchy. Inspired by a footnote to history--the true story of the little-known Simnel, who was a figurehead of the 1487 Yorkist rebellion and ended up working as a spy in the court of King Henry VII--The Pretender is historical fiction at its finest, a gripping, exuberant, rollicking portrait of British monarchy and life within the court, with a cast of unforgettable heroes and villains drawn from fifteenth-century England. A masterful work from a major new author

Wolf Hall meets Demon Copperhead in a sharply ambitious, brilliantly imagined and hugely entertaining story of intrigue, deceit, revenge and ambition‘An absolute delight … Funny, moving, filthy and original … A frontrunner for historical fiction book of the year’ The Times‘A bold and brilliant comedy of royal intrigue’ Guardian, Book of the day‘A vivid, transporting feat of imagination’ Maggie Shipstead‘Witty, poignant, wildly engaging, and with a huge heart - I loved it’ Sarah Waters‘Brilliantly buoyant, clever, funny, original, vivid, witty’ Joanna Quinn‘The Pretender has everything: history richly drawn, amazing characterisation, humour, wit, vigour and bravery’ Emma Stonex‘I found myself laughing out loud at the sheer brilliance of Harkin’s sentences’ Victoria MacKenzie________________________________________Kill the pretender. Do not let it be known that there was a pretender to kill.The year is 1483 and England is in peril. The much-despised Richard III is not long for the throne, and the man who will become Henry VII stands poised to snatch the crown for himself. But for twelve-year-old John Collan, living in a remote village with his widowed father, these matters seem far away.But history has other plans for John.Stolen from his family, exiled – first to Oxford, then to Burgundy, and then Ireland – and apprenticed to a series of unscrupulous political operators, he finds himself groomed for power; not as John Collan, but as Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick – and rightful heir to the throne.Far from home at the Irish court, preparing for a war that will see him become king or die trying, John has just his wits – and the slippery counsel of his host’s daughter, the unconventional Joan – to navigate the choppy waters ahead.Seething with revenge and machination, sparkling with wit and humanity, and roaring with adventure and bravado, The Pretender is the captivating true story of a young man tossed into the chaos of history as it happens. ‘Wickedly funny… A work of genius, a wellspring of laughter and sorrow, a feat of time travel, and a feast of language' Karen Russell‘Raw, beautiful and true ... I loved it’ Leah Redmond Chang‘An absolute thumper … Funny and filthy and brave and brilliant’ Marianne Levy‘Superb, exhilarating and heartbreaking’ Linda Porter‘I couldn't put it down’ Tracy Borman

Wolf Hall meets Demon Copperhead in a sharply ambitious, brilliantly imagined and hugely entertaining story of intrigue, deceit, revenge and ambition'The Pretender has everything: history richly drawn, amazing characterisation, humour, wit, vigour and bravery. It's magnificent' Emma Stonex________________________________________Kill the pretender. Do not let it be known that there was a pretender to kill.The year is 1480 and England is in peril. The much-despised Richard III is not long for the throne, and the man who will become Henry VII stands poised to snatch the crown for himself. But for twelve-year-old John Collan, living in a remote village with his widowed father, these matters seem far away.But history has other plans for John.Stolen from his family, exiled - first to Oxford, then to Burgundy, and then Ireland - and apprenticed to a series of unscrupulous political operators, he finds himself groomed for power; not as John Collan, but as Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick - and rightful heir to the throne.Far from home at the Irish court, preparing for a war that will see him become king or die trying, John has just his wits - and the slippery counsel of his host's daughter, the unconventional Joan - to navigate the choppy waters ahead.Seething with revenge and machination, sparkling with wit and humanity, and roaring with adventure and bravado, The Pretender is the captivating true story of a young man tossed into the chaos of history as it happens.

Set in the tumultuous period of the Tudors' ascent, The Pretender brings to life the little-known story of Lambert Simnel. From humble beginnings as a peasant boy, Lambert's life takes an astonishing turn when, at just ten years old, he becomes a claimant to the English throne as one of the last of the Plantagenet line. As Lambert navigates the treacherous waters of royal intrigue and court life, complex themes of identity, power, and destiny unfold, weaving a tapestry of ambition and survival in a world where the stakes couldn't be higher. "A...transporting feat of imagination and storytelling."--Maggie Shipstead, New York Times bestselling-author of Great Circle "Original, vivid, and witty. The Pretender is] Glorious Exploits meets Wolf Hall--and I completely loved it."--Joanna Quinn, New York Times bestselling-author of The Whalebone Theatre In 1480 John Collan's greatest anxiety is how to circumvent the village's devil goat on his way to collect water. But the arrival of a well-dressed stranger from London upends his life forever: John is not John Collan, not the son of Will Collan but Lambert Simnel, the son of the long-deceased Duke of Clarence, and has been hidden in the countryside after a brotherly rift over the crown--and because Richard III has a habit of disappearing his nephews. Removed from his humble origins and sent to Oxford to be educated in a manner befitting the throne's rightful heir, Lambert is put into play by his masters. He learns the rules of etiquette in Burgundy and the machinations of the court in Ireland, where he encounters the intractable Joan, the delightfully strong-willed and manipulative daughter of his Irish patrons, a girl imbued with both extraordinary political savvy and occasional murderous tendencies. Joan has two paths available to her--marry or become a nun. Lambert's choices are similarly stark: he will either become king or die in battle. Together they form an alliance that will change the fate of the English monarchy. Inspired by a footnote to history--the true story of the little-known Simnel, who was a figurehead of the 1487 Yorkist rebellion and ended up working as a spy in the court of King Henry VII--The Pretender is historical fiction at its finest, a gripping, exuberant, rollicking portrait of British monarchy and life within the court, with a cast of unforgettable heroes and villains drawn from fifteenth-century England. A masterful new work from a major new author.

'Compelling' GUARDIAN'Incredibly well written . . . I really enjoyed it' MARIAN KEYES'One of the most sophisticated works of science fiction I've read recently' NEW YORK TIMES The promise at Nepenthe is simple: they will erase the memories you cannot live with.After the procedure, psychologist Noor will assess you for two things: your mental wellbeing, and the successful erasure of the memory. But there is no assessment if you choose to delete the memory of the Nepenthe procedure itself. If you do that, you're on your own.And what if one day, out of the blue, your memory is offered back to you - would you want to remember what you've chosen to forget?'Extraordinary' EMMA STONEX 'Riveting' KAREN THOMPSON WALKER 'Utterly captivating' LUCY CLARKE Thought-provoking. I loved it' MARCEL THEROUX

"Sharply, beautifully written." --The New York Times Book Review "Intriguing, frightening, witty, and humane." --The Wall Street Journal Black Mirror meets Severence in this thrilling speculative novel about a tech company that deletes unwanted memories, the consequences for those forced to deal with what they tried to forget, and the doctor who seeks to protect her patients from further harm.What if you didn't have to live with your worst memories? Across the world, thousands of people are shocked by a notification that they once chose to have a memory removed. Now they are being given an opportunity to get that memory back. Four individuals are filled with new doubts, grappling with the unexpected question of whether to remember unknown events, or to leave them buried forever. Finn, an Irish architect living in the Arizona desert, begins to suspect his charming wife of having an affair. Mei, a troubled grad school dropout in Kuala Lumpur, wonders why she remembers a city she has never visited. William, a former police inspector in England, struggles with PTSD, the breakdown of his marriage, and his own secret family history. Oscar, a handsome young man with almost no memories at all, travels the world in a constant state of fear. Into these characters' lives comes Noor, a psychologist working at the Nepenthe memory removal clinic in London. The process of reinstating patients' memories begins to shake the moral foundations of her world. As she delves deeper into how the program works, she will have to risk everything to uncover the cost of this miraculous technology. A provocative exploration of secrets, grief, and identity--of the stories we tell ourselves--Tell Me an Ending is "an intellectually and emotionally satisfying thriller" (Booklist).

'Pure pleasure' THE TIMES'Incredibly nicely written . . . [Jo Harkin] writes really well about human beings. I really enjoyed it' MARIAN KEYES'Sharply, beautifully written' THE NEW YORK TIMES'As page-turning as a thriller, and as thought-provoking as an inquiry into the human mind should be' i PAPER'Intriguing, frightening, witty and humane' WALL STREET JOURNAL'Riveting and thought-provoking' KAREN THOMPSON WALKER'Whip-smart and thoughtful with a dark vein of humour. Compulsively readable. I loved it - CHRISTINA SWEENEY-BAIRD'I literally couldn't put it down' CARYS BRAY----------What if you could erase your most painful memory? Would you still, be you? Across the world, thousands of people are shocked to receive an email telling them that they once chose to have a traumatic memory removed. Now they are being given the chance to get that memory back. For Mei, William, Oscar and Finn there is a piece missing, but they're not sure what. And each of them must decide if the truth is worth the pain, or better left unknown. For Noor, who works at the memory clinic Nepenthe, the process of reinstating their patients' memories begins to shake the moral foundations of her world. As she delves deeper into the programme, she will have to risk everything to uncover the true human cost of this miraculous technology. An exploration of secrets, grief, identity and belonging - of the stories we tell ourselves, and come to rely on, Tell Me An Ending is a sharp, dark and devastating novel about the power and danger of memory.----------'A compelling cautionary tale...an intelligent ensemble piece that raises fascinating questions about how we use memory both to create and dismantle ourselves, and the ultimate mystery of who, or possibly what, "myself" actually is' GUARDIAN 'Extraordinary...gripping, inventive, and a memory I'll never forget' EMMA STONEX 'A triumph of a novel . . . I loved it' EMYLIA HALL'Original, compelling, and utterly captivating' LUCY CLARKE 'A smart, thought-provoking page-turner. I loved it' MARCEL THEROUX'Suspenseful, richly imagined, and brimming with compassion... I finished the last page desperate to discuss this brilliant novel with everyone I know' JESSAMINE CHAN 'Thought-provoking and utterly compulsive' TAHMIMA ANAM'Original, morally complex, heartbreakingly human' TAMMY COHEN 'It will stay with me for a long time' JESSICA BARRY 'A compelling page-turner rendered in exquisite prose' SHELLEY HARRIS