The 21st Hay-On-Wye Literary Festival has just finished, and it's a proud time to be British (because we have one of the world's best book events, not because of the torrential rain). So shun the TV soap operas and exercise your erudite inner Brit with a good novel.

  Clean CutBook of the Month is Clean Cut by the acclaimed Lynda La Plante, the third in the compellingAnna Travis series. When Anna's boyfriend, DCI Langton, is horrifically injured during a murder arrest, Anna becomes vital to his recovery; and the new case she is assigned to work on gradually becomes linked to the one Langton was working on when he was attacked.   Lynda has also written a letter exclusively for Lovereading readers. Click here to read it.  American CrimeOur new category, American Crime , brings together some of the US's best crime writers, such as Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben and George P Pelecanos. Connelly's new paperback, The Overlook , isn't out until July, but you can start reading it now with our exclusive Pre-Publication Opening Extract. Plus enter our free prize draw to win one of three posters signed by the authors above!   Moon CalledHave you heard about the NEW category of books 'Paranormal Romance'? Well our Series of the Month by Patricia Briggs is a great place to start.  Moon Called is the first book charting the story of Mercedes Thompson, a coyote shape-shifter who has to deal with trolls, old boyfriends, and even older vampires. We've got the next two books in the series, Blood Bound and Iron Kiss, as exclusive Pre-Publication titles, so you can try them out and order before anyone else. Suspend disbelief and give it a try!  

We have two great Debuts of the Month:

My Vintage SummerMy Vintage Summer by Jane Elmor is a wonderfully energetic novel about two adolescent friends, Lizzie and Kim, growing up to become women in hedonistic but problematic '80s London. The Household Guide to DyingAnd The Household Guide to Dying is Australian Debra Adelaide's third novel, but her first to be published in the UK. Debra's fictional heroine, Delia, is a happy, funny and energetic family woman. But she also knows she is dying of cancer, and has some things she wants to do before leaving this world. Quirky, warm and unsentimental, this is a brilliant book.   Father's DayFather's Day is fast approaching and if you still need to find a gift, look no further. We have a special selection of books guaranteed to make papa proud. Bad Idea Anthology   Finally, we're pleased to introduce the Bad Idea Anthology, the first collection of contemporary non-fiction writing from "Bad Idea" magazine, one of the hippest literary journals around. There are pieces by fantastic new voices as well as established writers like Mil Millington and Patrick Neate. So download some free Opening Extracts of these awe-inspiring books and find some stories to make you love reading even more. And remember that all the books on Lovereading can be bought with a magnificent 25% discount on the RRP.
This Month's 'Must Read' Books Our favourites from this month's books
Say Goodbye Lisa Gardner Maybe not one for the 'arachnophobes' amongst us. A man is taking prostitutes and requesting they allow his pet spiders to crawl on them, a “harmless fetish” you might say but the prostitutes are starting to go missing. FBI Agent... 25 £9.74 Save %
The Turnaround George P Pelecanos So much more than just a crime novel this book follows the lives of a group of men who’s actions over 30 years ago caused pain and death and would inextricably link them to each other. George Pelecanos knows how... 25 £9.74 Save %
This Month's Featured 'Literary / Contemporary' Books
Diving into Light Natasha Farrant A family drama full of guilty consciences, secrets and lies. Florence is trying to avoid confronting her past by ignoring the letters her grandmother continues to send her. Full of rich and glamorous characters and beautiful backdrops of the west... £5.24 Save 25%
Star Gazing Linda Gillard This was a joy to read from the first page to the last. The characters are all interesting and involving, the settings both in Edinburgh and Skye are brought further to life through the wonderful way in which the blind... £5.24 Save 25%
The God of Animals Aryn Kyle This is a powerful tale of a livery-stable family trying to make ends meet. Steeped in emotional trauma, equestrian detail, family love and commitment, small town prejudice and bags of incident, it’s a big story on a small canvas. One... £5.24 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'Relationship Tales' Books
Operation Sunshine Jenny Colgan Fast moving, light-hearted, holiday romp centring on cosmetic surgery and skulduggery in the South of France. It is actually quite a frightening scenario of experimental surgery but true to form, all turns out okay. This author launched her writing career... £5.24 Save 25%
Hearts and Minds Rosy Thornton Rosy Thornton is a clever and thoughtful writer who comes up with engaging and interesting scenarios for her novels. This one is set in an all female Cambridge college where tradition has been broken with and a man has been... £5.24 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'Mystery / Thriller' Books
The Revenge of Captain Paine Andrew Pepper A new crime character to enjoy, although this is his second outing, time has moved on by six years for our ‘hero’, Pyke. With his criminal background he is not always the most moral of good guys but the setting... £5.24 Save 25%
Last Light Alex Scarrow Totally compelling, totally brilliant thriller. Have you ever considered how totally dependent the world is on a regular supply of oil? What would happen if this supply were cut off? What if this was being done deliberately by a group... £5.24 Save 25%
High Noon Nora Roberts A highly prolific American bestselling author who writes supernatural tales, crime and romantic suspense. This is one of the latter. She is easy to read, highly addictive, with characters you can care for and exciting plots. Just the thing to... £5.24 Save 25%
Clean Cut Lynda La Plante June 2008 Book of the Month.   A welcome return to detectives Travis and Langton. This is turning in to an excellent series with great characterisation and plot lines. Do read Lynda’s letter to our readers... £5.24 Save 25%
The Watchman Robert Crais February 2008 Book of the Month.If you like high octane, relentless and hard-boiled crime thrillers this is the book for you. Joe Pike is an ex police man turned mercenary with... £5.24 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'Historical Fiction' Books
The Sanctuary Raymond Khoury A cross between Indiana Jones and Dan Brown, an electrifying thriller of ancient secrets, of the quest for an extended life and of horrific scientific experiments. It mixes history with the present in a gripping tale of adventure and suspense.... £5.24 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'Family Drama' Books
The Household Guide to Dying Debra Adelaide June 2008 Debut of the Month.   Delia knows she is dying and wants to make sure everything is in order before she goes, including confronting secrets from her past. The book is interspersed with letters... £9.74 Save 25%
House of Joy Sarah-kate Lynch A real joy to read , not only is the story great with funny interesting characters but you can find out quite a lot about the champagne making process! Clementine is feeling like life has passed her by and having... £5.24 Save 25%
Summer at the Villa Rosa Nicky Pellegrino There seem to be more and more novels around that evoke a sense of place by cleverly focusing on food and drink from the region, but then isn’t that half the reason we love to go on holiday, and this... £5.24 Save 25%
A Hidden Life Adele Geras A spell-binding novel exploring the conflicts that lie at the heart of a family, as the last Will of Constance Barrington shocks the gathered members. This really is tremendous stuff, few family sagas come better than this, so just sit... £5.24 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'Biography / Autobiography' Books
Stradivarius Toby Faber It is always a joy to discover a book on a little written-about subject that not only informs but fascinates and delights too. This is a unique gem on the history of the violin, a biography of the great craftsman... £5.99 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'Horror / Fantasy / SciFi' Books
The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss This first in a new trilogy introduces an exciting debut author. An accessible read, although quite long, but the narrative will keep you gripped and the character of ‘Kovthe’ is a complex and arresting figure. An exciting new voice in... £6.74 Save 25%
Ubik Philip K Dick Philip K. Dick is now widely regarded as one of the most important SF writers of all time and Ubik is one of his most entertaining masterpieces, a metaphysical comedy of death and salvation, a tour de force of paranoia... £5.99 Save 25%
I Am Legend Richard Matheson I Am Legend was one of the first, and certainly the most brilliant, fusions of horror and science fiction. Its powerful and disturbing reworking of the vampire myth has made it a classic and enduring novel that has had a... £5.99 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'Action / Adventure / Spy' Books
Extinction Ray Hammond Global warming, melting ice, rising water and, ingeniously, refugees chain ships together to make a largely self-sufficient, 30-mile across floating island. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes and the earth is indeed doomed. Climate control is managed from outer-space and big business.... £5.24 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'The Real World' Books
New Europe Michael Palin In this new journey Michael Palin fills a void in his travels by visiting 22 Eastern European countries, places which had had limited access until the fall of the Berlin Wall at the end of the 1980’s. Many of the... £5.99 Save 25%
Long Way Down Ewan Mcgregor, Charley Boorman Winner of the Popular Non-Fiction Award at the Galaxy British Book Awards 2008.The boys are off again this time travelling down from John O’Groats to South Africa. Having learned a few things from their previous journey, Long Way Round, they... £5.99 Save 25%
On The Edge Richard Hammond A great book not just for fans of the Top Gear presenter. This is a very moving story about the terrible effects of brain injuries and also a story of great courage and strength and above all a reflection of... £5.99 Save 25%
The Blackout Murders Simon Read A serial killer stalking the London Underground system in the second world war sounds like the plot for some fictional thriller but this is the true story of a ruthless killer who took the lives of several women in the... £11.24 Save 25%
This Month's Featured 'For the boys !' Books
Junkies, Judges and Jail Stephen D Smith This is the second in the series form this highly popular lawyer. Smith draws on the stories from his legal career to offer up another genius comic memoir (although I believe there is some artistic license in there). Described as... £7.49 Save 25%
The Hunt for Atlantis Andy Mcdermott It has been done before and I am sure it will be done again. This one has a female archaeologist with an ex-SAS bodyguard chasing round the world pursued by some pretty nasty baddies. It’s pure Indiana Jones stuff, great... £5.24 Save 25%
Fatherhood - Poems about Fathers From Homer to Shakespeare all aspects of the father and child relationship are captured in this beautiful collection of poems. A perfect gift for all fathers on their special day. £7.49 Save 25%
Fathers' Wit Rosemarie Jarski This is so much more than a 'loo book' and, through the hundreds of fantastically funny and poignant quotes, celebrates and reevaluates fatherhood. But before dads get too big-headed there are also some witty and waspish comments from the people... £7.49 Save 25%