Calendar Girl

Calendar Girl

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy

Stand-up comic Maggie has fallen for "the girl with the Kelly McGillis body", a mysterious woman who can't commit herself. Meanwhile, South London detective Saz is hot on the trail of a woman known only as "September", who commutes between London and New York in a whirlwind of drug smuggling, gambling, and high-class prostitution. A murder brings Saz and Maggie and their respective mysteries together. Smart and sexy, Calendar Girl is a thriller high on attitude and eroticism.
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Wavewalker

Wavewalker

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy

Saz has been hired by a mystery employer, the Wavewalker, to investigate the activities of Dr Maxwell North, an internationally acclaimed therapist, healer and guru. She starts by experiencing 'The Process' at a meeting in London, then insinuates herself into North's life and home, not realising the extent to which North will go to protect the dark secrets of his past. Starting in '70s San Francisco, then crashing into her own '90's London life, the investigation propels Saz into dangerous territory and a highly combustible conclusion.
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Fresh Flesh

Fresh Flesh

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy

Everything was going just fine for Saz Martin and her partner Molly. It is summer in London, they're having a baby and all looks right with the world. Saz has even stopped taking on any weird and wild cases. No more danger, just easy, steady work and tucked up in bed before midnight... Yeah, right. Fresh Flesh, Stella Duffy's latest Saz Martin thriller, is a fast-paced ride across a contemporary London of glitzy offices, fancy restaurants, designer bars and damaged lives. It is also a frightening journey through the emotional ruins of the past, a tale of the sins of the fathers, and the mothers, and of the greatest theft of all.
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Everything is Moving, Everything is Joined

Everything is Moving, Everything is Joined

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy

This collection of short stories brings together, for the first time, a selection of Stella Duffy's award-winning writing, as well as some of the numerous stories that have been broadcast on radio and appeared in anthologies over the past 20 years. Many of these books are out of print and the radio broadcasts are unavailable; this collection therefore not only highlights the range and variety of her writing, but also breathes new life into some of her best stories.
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Beneath the Blonde

Beneath the Blonde

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy

Siobhan Forrester, lead singer of Beneath the Blonde, has everything a girl could want - stunning body, great voice, brilliant career, loving boyfriend. Now she has a stalker too. She can cope with the midnight flower deliveries and nasty phone calls, but things really turn sour when intimidation turns to murder. Saz Martin, hired to seek out the stalker and protect Siobhan, embarks on a whirlwind investigation, travelling with the band from London to New Zealand with plenty of stop-overs. As jobs go, this one shouldn't be too hard, except Siobhan is economic with the truth and Saz isn't sure she wants to keep the relationship strictly business.
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The Purple Shroud: A Novel of Empress Theodora

The Purple Shroud: A Novel of Empress Theodora

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore, Stella Duffy's chronicle of this amazing woman's early years, delighted readers with its exquisite blend of historical detail and vivid storytelling. Now, The Purple Shroud chronicles Theodora at the height of her power, bringing the ancient world alive in another unforgettable, epic saga.Theodora and Justinian have been crowned Emperor and Empress, but ruling an empire is no easy task. The two factions of Christianity are still battling for dogmatic supremacy, the Empire's borders are not secure, and Theodora worries about the ambitions of Justinian's two best generals. But the most pressing concern is close to home: Constantinople's two factions, the Blues and the Greens, are beginning to unite in their unhappiness with rising taxes. When that unhappiness spills over into all-out violence, thousands are killed (including someone very close to Theodora) and many of the City's landmarks are destroyed, including Theodora's beloved Hagia Sophia. In the aftermath of the riots, Theodora guides Justinian in gaining back the love and trust of the people, her unerring instinct for what the people want proving invaluable. Justinian promises to rebuild the Hagia Sophia to be even more spectacular than before. Theodora comes to realize that being the Augusta is simply another role she must play, though the stakes are much higher and there is no offstage. It's a role she was born to play.ReviewPraise for Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore:"Theodora *is a best-of-all-worlds book—entertaining, gripping, thoughtful and dangerously enlightening. Stella Duffy, a versatile and gifted novelist, is uniquely suited to bringing Theodora to life. She clearly has great affection for her subject, but does not allow that to undercut her keen eye and pitch-perfect ear. An achievement that many writers will envy and few will equal." —Laura Lippman "In Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore, Stella Duffy's brilliantly organized imagination has re-imagined one of the most resourceful, smart, and emotionally complex woman in history, creating a woman remarkably relevant to the 21st century: a rags-to-riches story of survival and achievement—a feminist reality tale we can all relate to. Read this book. It is a gift from Stella Duffy we should not refuse." —LAMBDA Literary Review"Lively and dramatic. Duffy explores themes of sexuality, theater, religious conversion, female oppression, and the struggle for power and recognition in a sixth-century historical setting with a surprisingly contemporary attitude." —*Library Journal"Duffy's seductive retelling of the story of the legendary empress Theodora will delight historical fiction fans. . . . a portrait of a woman who rose from misfortune and poverty to build an empire alongside a devoted husband." —Publishers Weekly"Duffy's passion for her heroine, the charismatic Theodora, is evident on every page. The result is a novel that remains true to its historical sources, whilst managing to reinvent its subject matter with great freshness and verve. A vivid and affectionate portrait of one of the most fascinating personalities of the ancient world." —Sarah Waters, author of *The Little StrangerFantastic praise from the UK: "Stella Duffy’s first historical novel will set a benchmark for others to aim for. Her story of Theodora's rise from dancing girl and whore to Empress of Constantinople is a delight in all ways . . . magical, moving and inspiring in one, this is easily Duffy's best novel to date—and that’s setting the bar pretty high." —*Manda Scott, author of the Boudica series"Not only is Theodora herself engagingly brought to life as a sassy, wise-cracking tart with a heart, but Constantinople, the great imperial capital whose crowds she woos and seduces, is also a pulsingly vivid presence." —The Guardian"It boasts a heroine to rival Becky Sharp or Moll Flanders." —The London Evening Standard"A bravura performance: a witty, moving, sexy book that bursts with as much colour and excitement as the city of Constantinople itself . . . This is a book that engages with big ideas about religion spirituality and the role of women and yet it is also a joyous and energetic read.  The pace is brisk, the dialogue is earthy and contemporary and Duffy is wonderful on the theatre and its backstage rivalries.  Throughout it all Constantinople is the star, and its rich smells, bustling streets and handsome buildings are beautifully evoked." —Kate Williams, Financial Times (UK)"Theodora, the sixth-century actress/whore who became Justinian's empress (not to mention pioneer feminist and Orthodox saint) is exquisitely summoned by Duffy . . . This is a story rich in colour, texture and taste, told in a fleet-footed narrative." —The Telegraph* (UK)"Duffy proves herself equal to the grand scope of her tale."* —Metro London"Duffy succeeds brilliantly in breathing life into her proto-feminist heroine and rescuing her from relative obscurity."  *—Mail on Sunday"Duffy has carefully followed the history of this woman, but has achieved something much more: the creation for her heroine of a real inner life, which is the most affecting achievement of a historical novel." —Jane Jakeman,* The Independent (UK)"A compelling, and at times racy, historical novel with its portrait of a remarkable woman." —Justin Warshaw,* The Times Literary Supplement*About the AuthorStella Duffy has written thirteen novels, ten plays and forty five short stories, including several for BBC Radio. Her novels have twice been longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction, she is a recipient of the Crime Writers' Association Short Story Dagger Award, and has twice won Stonewall Writer of the Year. In addition to her writing work she is an actor and theatre director.
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Mouths of Babes

Mouths of Babes

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy

Saz Martin is settled into new motherhood with her partner Molly and their nine-month-old daughter Matilda. Things have not been easy since the birth - late nights, early mornings, and a sudden death have all taken their toll - but with Molly?s return to fulltime work and Saz happily taking on the role of Matilda?s prime carer, both women feel they are finally adjusting to parenthood and the demands of their new life. And then the phone rings. The door knocks. A well-known figure arrives. Instead of moving forward into her role as a mother, Saz is forced to face her past, confronting people and events she had long ago hoped to forget. In a story of how the sins of our past always come back to haunt us, Stella Duffy reveals secrets no-one knew about Saz Martin, explores why Saz is who she is, and asks, is it still possible to believe in our heroes ? and our lovers ? when their flaws are well and truly exposed?
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