Strangers

**NOW A MAJOR FILM - ALL OF US STRANGERS - STARRING PAUL MESCAL, CLAIRE FOY, ANDREW SCOTT AND JAMIE BELL** 'Deeply satisfying. . . a wonderful study of grief and isolation.' Daily Mail 'A sharp, chilling contemporary ghost story.' The Scotsman 'Powerful.' Guardian 'Sexy, insightful and frequently funny.' Irish Examiner Middle-aged, jaded and divorced, TV scriptwriter Harada returns one night to the dilapidated downtown district of Tokyo where he grew up. There, at the theatre, he meets a likable man who looks exactly like his long-dead father. And so begins Harada's ordeal, as he's thrust into a reality where his parents appear to be alive at the exact age they had been when they had died so many years before.

**NOW A MAJOR FILM - ALL OF US STRANGERS - STARRING PAUL MESCAL, CLAIRE FOY, ANDREW SCOTT AND JAMIE BELL** 'Deeply satisfying. . . a wonderful study of grief and isolation.' Daily Mail 'A sharp, chilling contemporary ghost story.' The Scotsman 'Powerful.' Guardian 'Sexy, insightful and frequently funny.' Irish Examiner Middle-aged, jaded and divorced, TV scriptwriter Harada returns one night to the dilapidated downtown district of Tokyo where he grew up. There, at the theatre, he meets a likable man who looks exactly like his long-dead father. And so begins Harada's ordeal, as he's thrust into a reality where his parents appear to be alive at the exact age they had been when they had died so many years before.

‘No one writes with more skill and honesty about the human condition and this book is possibly her finest’ Observer THE MESMERISING FINAL NOVEL BY THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF HOTEL DU LAC, NOW WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY TESSA HADLEY ‘He was haunted by a feeling of invisibility, as if he were a mere spectator of his own life, with no one to identify him in the barren circumstances of the here and now’ Paul Sturgis – unmarried, retired, and coming towards the end of his life – lives alone in a small dark flat which has never felt like home. Each day, he walks the streets of London, passing brightly lit windows into other people’s lives and finding pleasure in fleeting exchanges with strangers: the cheerful hairdresser, the lady at the drycleaners, a café stop for a cup of coffee. When he longs for light and warmth, he takes short trips to the continent, but it is to London that he always returns. Fearing that his destiny may be to live and die among strangers, and longing for companionship or simply conversation, Paul finds himself drawn back to memories of his own failed relationships. But when a chance encounter with a recently divorced younger woman shakes up his routine, and an old girlfriend appears on the scene, he is forced to make a decision about how – and with whom – he wants to spend the rest of his days. ‘A novel of sober brilliance, and the unerring, unflinching Brookner is still a much underestimated novelist’ Helen Dunmore, The Times ‘Nothing less than brilliant, often highly amusing and, ultimately life affirming’ Sunday Telegraph

‘No one writes with more skill and honesty about the human condition and this book is possibly her finest’ Observer THE MESMERISING FINAL NOVEL BY THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF HOTEL DU LAC, NOW WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY TESSA HADLEY ‘He was haunted by a feeling of invisibility, as if he were a mere spectator of his own life, with no one to identify him in the barren circumstances of the here and now’ Paul Sturgis – unmarried, retired, and coming towards the end of his life – lives alone in a small dark flat which has never felt like home. Each day, he walks the streets of London, passing brightly lit windows into other people’s lives and finding pleasure in fleeting exchanges with strangers: the cheerful hairdresser, the lady at the drycleaners, a café stop for a cup of coffee. When he longs for light and warmth, he takes short trips to the continent, but it is to London that he always returns. Fearing that his destiny may be to live and die among strangers, and longing for companionship or simply conversation, Paul finds himself drawn back to memories of his own failed relationships. But when a chance encounter with a recently divorced younger woman shakes up his routine, and an old girlfriend appears on the scene, he is forced to make a decision about how – and with whom – he wants to spend the rest of his days. ‘A novel of sober brilliance, and the unerring, unflinching Brookner is still a much underestimated novelist’ Helen Dunmore, The Times ‘Nothing less than brilliant, often highly amusing and, ultimately life affirming’ Sunday Telegraph

If you delight in the suspense of Stephen King and The Stranger by Harlan Coben chilled you to the bone (in the best possible way), you'll love Strangers - the classic thriller by Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz. 'Not just a master of our darkest dreams but also a literary juggler' - The Times . They were strangers. A handful of people. From different backgrounds, living in different towns and cities across America, they had nothing in common - except fear. They were victims. Cold and stark, an unknown terror gripped their dreams and turned their days into living nightmares. They were chosen. And they could not escape. Deep in the heart of a sprawling desert, a dark memory called out to them, drawing them to the Tranquillity Motel - where the terrifying truth was waiting...

If you delight in the suspense of Stephen King and The Stranger by Harlan Coben chilled you to the bone (in the best possible way), you'll love Strangers - the classic thriller by Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz. 'Not just a master of our darkest dreams but also a literary juggler' - The Times . They were strangers. A handful of people. From different backgrounds, living in different towns and cities across America, they had nothing in common - except fear. They were victims. Cold and stark, an unknown terror gripped their dreams and turned their days into living nightmares. They were chosen. And they could not escape. Deep in the heart of a sprawling desert, a dark memory called out to them, drawing them to the Tranquillity Motel - where the terrifying truth was waiting...

In Strangers , Rebecca Tamás explores where the human and nonhuman meet, and why this delicate connection just might be the most important relationship of our times. From ‘On Watermelon’ to ‘On Grief’, Tamás’s essays are exhilarating to read in their radical and original exploration of the links between the environmental, the political, the folkloric and the historical. From thinking stones, to fairgrounds, from colliding planets to transformative cockroaches, Tamás’ lyrical perspective takes the reader on a journey between body, land and spirit—exploring a new ecological vision for our fractured, fragile world.

In Strangers , Rebecca Tamás explores where the human and nonhuman meet, and why this delicate connection just might be the most important relationship of our times. From ‘On Watermelon’ to ‘On Grief’, Tamás’s essays are exhilarating to read in their radical and original exploration of the links between the environmental, the political, the folkloric and the historical. From thinking stones, to fairgrounds, from colliding planets to transformative cockroaches, Tamás’ lyrical perspective takes the reader on a journey between body, land and spirit—exploring a new ecological vision for our fractured, fragile world.

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The empowering, must-read memoir of the end of a marriage and the start of a personal revolution, perfect for readers of Glennon Doyle and Miranda July. AS SEEN ON THE OPRAH WINFREY PODCAST A BEST BOOK FOR SUMMER FOR THE GUARDIAN, SUNDAY TIMES, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, BRITISH VOGUE, AND MORE! SET TO BE A MAJOR NETFLIX PRODUCTION STARRING GWYNETH PALTROW 'A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship' Joyce Carol Oates, award-winning author of Blonde ‘More than a memoir of divorce, it is a powerful testament to reclaiming voice, power, and joy. ’ Adrienne Brodeur, bestselling author of Wild Game ‘So engaging , so addictive’ Vogue ----- How do we go on when a loved one betrays us? On a chilly day in March of 2020, in the early days of the pandemic, Belle Burden’s husband of twenty years announced, with no prior warning, that he was leaving her. His decision shocked Belle to her core: she believed he was a happy man, a committed partner, and a devoted father to their three children. She thought he was a man who had settled into the life he had always wanted: a successful career, summers spent at their beloved home on Martha’s Vineyard, lots of tennis. Overnight, he transformed from her steady companion into a stranger. As she pieces her life together in the wake of a loss she had never imagined coming, she finds she is much stronger than she ever expected. Belle reflects on her transformation from a shy, quiet girl, nicknamed ‘Belle the Good’ to a powerful, brave, determined woman. A woman who has learned to use her voice to expose the patriarchal structures that have forced women to be discreet and compliant for far too long. Based on Belle’s popular ‘Modern Love’ essay , Was I Married to a Stranger?, this is the emotional and empowering memoir of self-discovery and what it means to finally be heard. Praise for Strangers: 'A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship' Joyce Carol Oates, award-winning author of Blonde ‘Incredibly, incredibly well done. I inhaled it ’ Zara McDonald, host of 'Shameless' ‘A beautifully written instant classic. Strangers is gripping and heartbreaking and a must-read for every wife-and husband.’ Graydon Carter, bestselling author of When The Going Was Good ‘A beautiful memoir: Hard-won, incandescently honest, and ultimately affirming .’ Elise Loehnen, bestselling author of On Our Best Behavior ‘If you've ever been ghosted, gaslit or dumped by text, this divorce memoir is the book you need to read ’ Good Housekeeping ‘I devoured Strangers in about two days, greedily absorbing every twist and painful turn … I loved it. ’ Telegraph 'Beautiful [and] devastating ... Strangers reads with all the momentum and colour of water-tight literary fiction' British Vogue ‘Has the pacing of a true crime novel, while being deeply personal and evocatively written .’ The Independent ‘A game-changer in the conversations and attitudes around infidelity’ Irish Independent

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The empowering, must-read memoir of the end of a marriage and the start of a personal revolution, perfect for readers of Glennon Doyle and Miranda July. AS SEEN ON THE OPRAH WINFREY PODCAST A BEST BOOK FOR SUMMER FOR THE GUARDIAN, SUNDAY TIMES, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, BRITISH VOGUE, AND MORE! SET TO BE A MAJOR NETFLIX PRODUCTION STARRING GWYNETH PALTROW 'A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship' Joyce Carol Oates, award-winning author of Blonde ‘More than a memoir of divorce, it is a powerful testament to reclaiming voice, power, and joy. ’ Adrienne Brodeur, bestselling author of Wild Game ‘So engaging , so addictive’ Vogue ----- How do we go on when a loved one betrays us? On a chilly day in March of 2020, in the early days of the pandemic, Belle Burden’s husband of twenty years announced, with no prior warning, that he was leaving her. His decision shocked Belle to her core: she believed he was a happy man, a committed partner, and a devoted father to their three children. She thought he was a man who had settled into the life he had always wanted: a successful career, summers spent at their beloved home on Martha’s Vineyard, lots of tennis. Overnight, he transformed from her steady companion into a stranger. As she pieces her life together in the wake of a loss she had never imagined coming, she finds she is much stronger than she ever expected. Belle reflects on her transformation from a shy, quiet girl, nicknamed ‘Belle the Good’ to a powerful, brave, determined woman. A woman who has learned to use her voice to expose the patriarchal structures that have forced women to be discreet and compliant for far too long. Based on Belle’s popular ‘Modern Love’ essay , Was I Married to a Stranger?, this is the emotional and empowering memoir of self-discovery and what it means to finally be heard. Praise for Strangers: 'A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship' Joyce Carol Oates, award-winning author of Blonde ‘Incredibly, incredibly well done. I inhaled it ’ Zara McDonald, host of 'Shameless' ‘A beautifully written instant classic. Strangers is gripping and heartbreaking and a must-read for every wife-and husband.’ Graydon Carter, bestselling author of When The Going Was Good ‘A beautiful memoir: Hard-won, incandescently honest, and ultimately affirming .’ Elise Loehnen, bestselling author of On Our Best Behavior ‘If you've ever been ghosted, gaslit or dumped by text, this divorce memoir is the book you need to read ’ Good Housekeeping ‘I devoured Strangers in about two days, greedily absorbing every twist and painful turn … I loved it. ’ Telegraph 'Beautiful [and] devastating ... Strangers reads with all the momentum and colour of water-tight literary fiction' British Vogue ‘Has the pacing of a true crime novel, while being deeply personal and evocatively written .’ The Independent ‘A game-changer in the conversations and attitudes around infidelity’ Irish Independent

A gorgeous memoir about the sudden end to a seemingly happy marriage--an aching, love-filled, and transcendent account of surviving betrayal and discovering joy "Riveting . . . examines the very nature of intimacy."--Joyce Carol Oates It was a great love story, one for the ages. The speed of our beginning and the speed of our ending felt like matching bookends. They both came out of nowhere. He wanted it, he wanted me. And then he didn't. In March 2020, Belle Burden was safe and secure with her family at their house on Martha's Vineyard, navigating the early days of the pandemic together--building fires in the late afternoons, drinking whisky sours, making roast chicken. Then, with no warning or explanation, her husband of twenty years announced that he was leaving her. Overnight, her caring, steady partner became a man she hardly recognized. He exited his life with her like an actor shrugging off a costume. In Strangers, Burden revisits her marriage, searching for clues that her husband was not who she always thought he was. As she examines her relationship through a new lens, she reckons with her own family history and the lessons she intuited about how a woman is expected to behave in the face of betrayal. Through all of it, she is transformed. The discreet, compliant woman she once was--someone nicknamed "Belle the Good"--gives way to someone braver, someone determined to use her voice. With unflinching honesty and profound grace, Burden charts a path through heartbreak to show the power of a woman who refuses to give up on love. Strangers is a stunning, deeply moving, compulsively readable memoir heralding the arrival of a thrilling new literary talent.

A gorgeous memoir about the sudden end to a seemingly happy marriage--an aching, love-filled, and transcendent account of surviving betrayal and discovering joy "Riveting . . . examines the very nature of intimacy."--Joyce Carol Oates It was a great love story, one for the ages. The speed of our beginning and the speed of our ending felt like matching bookends. They both came out of nowhere. He wanted it, he wanted me. And then he didn't. In March 2020, Belle Burden was safe and secure with her family at their house on Martha's Vineyard, navigating the early days of the pandemic together--building fires in the late afternoons, drinking whisky sours, making roast chicken. Then, with no warning or explanation, her husband of twenty years announced that he was leaving her. Overnight, her caring, steady partner became a man she hardly recognized. He exited his life with her like an actor shrugging off a costume. In Strangers, Burden revisits her marriage, searching for clues that her husband was not who she always thought he was. As she examines her relationship through a new lens, she reckons with her own family history and the lessons she intuited about how a woman is expected to behave in the face of betrayal. Through all of it, she is transformed. The discreet, compliant woman she once was--someone nicknamed "Belle the Good"--gives way to someone braver, someone determined to use her voice. With unflinching honesty and profound grace, Burden charts a path through heartbreak to show the power of a woman who refuses to give up on love. Strangers is a stunning, deeply moving, compulsively readable memoir heralding the arrival of a thrilling new literary talent.

A gorgeous memoir about the sudden end to a seemingly happy marriage--an aching, love-filled, and transcendent account of surviving betrayal and discovering joy "Riveting...examines the very nature of intimacy."--Joyce Carol Oates It was a great love story, one for the ages. The speed of our beginning and the speed of our ending felt like matching bookends. They both came out of nowhere. He wanted it, he wanted me. And then he didn't. In March 2020, Belle Burden was safe and secure with her family at their house on Martha's Vineyard, navigating the early days of the pandemic together--building fires in the late afternoons, drinking whisky sours, making roast chicken. Then, with no warning or explanation, her husband of twenty years announced that he was leaving her. Overnight, her caring, steady partner became a man she hardly recognized. He exited his life with her like an actor shrugging off a costume. In Strangers , Belle revisits her marriage, searching for clues that her husband was not who she always thought he was. As she examines her relationship through a new lens, she reckons with her own family history and the lessons she intuited about how a woman is expected to behave in the face of betrayal. Through all of it, she is transformed. The discreet, compliant woman she once was--someone whose nickname was "Belle the Good"--gives way to someone braver, someone determined to use her voice. With unflinching honesty and profound grace, Burden charts a path through heartbreak to show the power of a woman who refuses to give up on love and rediscovers trust in herself. Strangers is a stunning, deeply moving, compulsively readable memoir heralding the arrival of a thrilling new literary talent.

A gorgeous memoir about the sudden end to a seemingly happy marriage--an aching, love-filled, and transcendent account of surviving betrayal and discovering joy "Riveting...examines the very nature of intimacy."--Joyce Carol Oates It was a great love story, one for the ages. The speed of our beginning and the speed of our ending felt like matching bookends. They both came out of nowhere. He wanted it, he wanted me. And then he didn't. In March 2020, Belle Burden was safe and secure with her family at their house on Martha's Vineyard, navigating the early days of the pandemic together--building fires in the late afternoons, drinking whisky sours, making roast chicken. Then, with no warning or explanation, her husband of twenty years announced that he was leaving her. Overnight, her caring, steady partner became a man she hardly recognized. He exited his life with her like an actor shrugging off a costume. In Strangers , Belle revisits her marriage, searching for clues that her husband was not who she always thought he was. As she examines her relationship through a new lens, she reckons with her own family history and the lessons she intuited about how a woman is expected to behave in the face of betrayal. Through all of it, she is transformed. The discreet, compliant woman she once was--someone whose nickname was "Belle the Good"--gives way to someone braver, someone determined to use her voice. With unflinching honesty and profound grace, Burden charts a path through heartbreak to show the power of a woman who refuses to give up on love and rediscovers trust in herself. Strangers is a stunning, deeply moving, compulsively readable memoir heralding the arrival of a thrilling new literary talent.