The hugely popular economist sold over one million copies of this book which exposes why the rich are rich, the poor or poor, and why you can never buy a decent used car. Part exposé of the economic principles lurking behind daily events, his book explains everything from traffic jams to high coffee prices and why the gap between rich and poor nations is so great. Harford ranges from Africa, Asia, Europe and the US to reveal how supermarkets, airlines and coffee chains to name are few are vacuuming money from our wallets. He punctures the myths surrounding some of today's biggest controversies including high cost healthcare and why certain environmental laws can put a smile on a landlord's face. He covers scare resources, market power, efficiency, price gouging, market failure, inside information, why there is a Starbucks on every corner and how not to get duped at an auction. Find out why it is difficult to get a foot on the property ladder or where banks went wrong. A brilliantly enjoyable book which illuminates every aspect of the world we inhabit. 368pp in updated second edition, paperback.

With over 30 years' experience as a nurse, Anthea Allan thought she had seen it all, but with Covid came the greatest trial, personally and professionally, of her life. Thrust hourly into life and death challenges while on the critical care unit of St George's hospital in South London, Anthea processed her shocking experiences through writing. It started with an email to request biscuits, but her appeal to help boost morale of her fellow nurses soon turned into a series of astonishingly moving stories, detailing the realities of being a frontline worker. Soon her accounts were circulating far and wide, capturing the attention of the nation and being feted by the likes of Richard Branson and Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid. "Not many doctors know how to programme a ventilator. It doesn't matter how many ventilators there are, critical care nurses are required to operate them. We don't have enough critical care nurses." These are deeply personal, moving stories with all the names changed to protect identities and privacy. Colour photographs include rainbow cakes, holding the hands of a patient delivering end of life compassion, her co-workers wearing their scrubbers' caps and a picture with her own daughter on St George's helipad. Anthea's book is a testimony to love, resilience and the human spirit. Includes colour photographs, 328 pages.

Simultaneously wall and window, our skin surrounds us physically, but it is also a part of our psychological and social being. In the author's striking phrase, it is the Swiss Army Knife of the organs, possessing a variety of functions unmatched by any other. In this highly readable book about a complex subject, the author balances scientific information with discussions of the social implications of how our skin behaves and is perceived. The political and social implications of skin colour are a constant theme. Human touch is increasingly important in an isolated and computerised society, and blindfolded people were able to identify different emotions in a touch lasting one second. The skin is involved in social situations which cause blushing or sweating, and the author discusses the physiological and psychological causes and suggests possible remedies for sufferers. The social myth of the healthy tan for White people can be balanced against the cosmetic products designed to help Black people to lighten their skin. Tattoos are more popular in our society than ever before, and the author looks at the science behind the tattoo, its social messaging and also the possibility of removal, with a fascinating insight into a spelling mistake on one of David Beckham's tattoos. Ageing is a concern of many people in western society, and the author examines what happens to the skin as the years pass and offers an assessment of the various products claiming to defeat the ageing process. Pain is experienced through the skin, and while we may think it would be wonderful to live without pain, in fact those who do have this rare congenital condition are constantly in danger because they simply do not feel the results of a cut or abrasion. The author concludes with a discussion of whether the skin can be said to be an aspect of the self. 283pp, glossary, diagrams.

First-rate suspense to devour in one sitting by the writer with a growing reputation for twisty and cunningly plotted thrillers. On the eve of his college graduation, Harry is called home by his stepmother Alice following the unexpected death of his father. But who really is Alice, his father's much younger second wife, and how much is known about her past? In a confusion of emotions, Harry must work out whether Alice's concern for him is purely maternal, or whether there is something darker and more threatening at work. Packed with suspense from the off, the real mystery underpinning this gripping tale concerns the strange relationships, deceit and trickery divided into a story of 'then' and 'now' and creating great tension and a few good surprises. A companion to another bestseller by this author Her Every Fear code 93571. 364pp, paperback.

Gulp down in one sitting this stylish story cleverly told from multiple viewpoints. Slick and grisly, it's a neatly characterised Hitchcockian thriller from the bestselling Peter Swanson. Scarred by a brutal attack, Kate Priddy never does anything bold until, in an attempt to take control of her life, she accepts an apartment swap offer from her cousin Corbin Dell, and moves from London to Boston. But soon after arriving, Kate makes a terrifying discovery - Corbin's next door neighbour Audrey Marshall may have been murdered. Far from home and emotionally unstable, Kate's fragile imagination plays out her every fear. Who can she trust? With a brilliantly original premise, this has been a Sunday Times bestseller. 412pp, paperback.

A wordprocessed list of nine names, nothing else, is mailed to nine different people across the US. They do not know each other. Some are uneasy, others shrug it off, and all continue with their daily routines. Then Frank goes to the seashore to escape his demons, and finds he has to confront them in terror as he is dragged to his death by drowning. Matthew has a difficult marriage and problem children but one evening he kisses his neighbour Michelle and suddenly life seems better. A few minutes later he is shot accurately between the shoulder blades. Arthur is mourning the recent death of his husband Richard and succumbs easily to a canister of carbon monoxide. Meanwhile the last person on the alphabetical list is Jessica Winslow, an FBI agent, who is on the alert when she hears of the first death and starts investigating, tracking down those on the list and ringing up to warn them. Talking to her father, Jessica realises there may be a connection between the apparently random victims through the older generation. But then her colleague and former lover Aaron persuades her to go into hiding. Meanwhile Jack is getting to know his neighbour Margaret, Jay is stalking a new young blonde woman he spotted in the street, and Alison is stunned by the news that the wife of her much-older lover has left him and he is now free. Detective Sam Hamilton is on the case and as the net tightens it becomes clear that the murderer will take out the whole list. But who, and why? 320pp.

As a young civil servant, Jeremy Heywood's insightful questioning of the status quo pushed him to the centre of political power in this country for more than 25 years. He directly served four Prime Ministers in various roles including the first and only Permanent Secretary of 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet Secretary, and the Head of the Home Civil Service. He was at the centre of every crisis from the early 1990s until 2018, and most of the key meetings. Invariably when faced with a new policy initiative, a Prime Minister's first response would be: 'But what does Jeremy think?' Jeremy worked up until his death, retiring just a few days before he died from lung cancer in October 2018. This book began as a joint effort between Jeremy and his wife Suzanne, working together in the last months of his life and Suzanne completed the work after his death. She captures a remarkable sweep of recent UK political history and the central part played by her late husband - a brilliant product and architect of the UK Civil Service, and arguably the most influential Cabinet Secretary of modern times and his part in making it work better. Here is an individual with a titanic intellect for supreme policy making, draughting and negotiating skills who is only seen on a few occasions in public, usually giving evidence to select committees and Heywood was no exception. The book has been updated with a new chapter in the report of lawyer Nigel Boardman on the Greensill affair, where he shows that Heywood was crucial in admitting the discredited Greensill into the centre of government, apparently blind to the resulting conflict of interest which should have been apparent at the time. 570pp, paperback with colour photos.

'Someone just called my phone, sneezed and hung up. I'm getting sick and tired of these cold calls.' The fourth collection from the Sunday Times bestseller. Q: How does a penguin build a house? A: Igloos it together. The global Instagram sensation, @DadSaysJokes, returns for another collection of side-splitting gags guaranteed to keep the laughs and groans coming in equal measure. @DadSaysJokes is a community-run dad jokes network on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, with over 5 million followers, inspired by the daily jokes of author Kit Chilvers' dad, Andrew. Every day, followers submit their jokes and the team picks their favourites - or Dad just drops in his own zinger! 'Finally my winter fat has gone... Now, I have spring rolls'. 'What do you call two guys holding up drapes in a window? Kurt and Rod.' 'What washes up on shores of small beaches? Microwaves.' 'If a pig loses its voice, does it become disgruntled?' 272 pages.

The Instagram sensation is back with the cheesiest jokes in their second edition, and be warned, this time round the jokes are full of groans! 'What is made out of brass and sounds like Tom Jones? Trombones.' 'A Roman walks into a bar, holds up two fingers and says, 'I'll have five beers please.' 'What did the fisherman say to the magician? Pick a cod, any cod.' Friend one: So I've got a new Tesla Model X; it drives itself. Friend two: Nice...where is it? Friend one: No idea! With quite a few rude bits and swear words, mostly all good very silly family fun submitted by followers of Instagram sensation. Large print, one or two jokes per page. 272pp.

Sub-titled 'Nature's Secrets to Longevity' molecular biologist Brendborg provides a hugely enjoyable whistle-stop tour of the science of ageing from far flung places to cutting-edge research labs. From the backwards-ageing jellyfish to the woman who successfully edited her own DNA, he follows the thread of every experiment, story and myth in search of immortality. With mind-bending discoveries and psychological gifts that feel closer to magic than reality, the book will make us marvel at the possibilities held by scientific discovery, and most of all at nature. We meet the fighting naked mole-rats who are much better than their close relatives mice at surviving stressors such as DNA-damaging chemicals, heavy metals or extreme heat. Chapters include The Secrets of Easter Island, Zombie Cells and How to Get Rid of Them, Winding the Biological Clock, Microbe Struggles and Immune Rejuvenation, Flossing for Longevity, Starving for Fun and Medieval Monks to Modern Science. Judicious and refreshingly clear, 270pp, paperback.