‘Really funny. David is a great writer’
Paula Hawkins, Good Housekeeping

‘A riotously good novel, witty and earnest, brimming with sharply drawn characters and creeping suspense. David Thewlis is a fabulous writer’
Anna Bailey, Sunday Times bestselling author of Tall Bones

‘A deliciously smart, hilarious human drama with the pace and intrigue of a gripping thriller. One of the year’s most memorable novels’
B P Walter, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dinner Guest

Celebrated director Jack Drake can’t get through his latest film (his most personal yet) without his wife Martha’s support.

The only problem is, she’s dead…

When Jack sees Betty Dean – actress, mother, trainwreck – playing the part of a crazed nun on stage in an indie production of The Devils, he is struck dumb by her resemblance to Martha. Desperate to find a way to complete his masterpiece, he hires her to go and stay in his house in France and resuscitate Martha in the role of ‘loving spouse’.

But as Betty spends her days roaming the large, sunlit rooms of Jack’s mansion – filled to the brim with odd treasures and the occasional crucifix – and her evenings playing the part of Martha over scripted video calls with Jack, she finds her method acting taking her to increasingly dark places.

And as Martha comes back to life, she carries with her the truth about her suicide – and the secret she guarded until the end.

A darkly funny novel set between a London film set and a villa in the south of France.
A mix of Vertigo and Jonathan Coe, written by a master storyteller.

PRAISE FOR DAVID THEWLIS’S FICTION

‘David Thewlis has written an extraordinarily good novel, which is not only brilliant in its own right, but stands proudly beside his work as an actor, no mean boast’ Billy Connolly
‘Hilarious and horror-filled’ Francesca Segal, Observer
‘A fine study in character disintegration… Very funny’ David Baddiel, The Times
‘Exquisitely written with a warm heart and a wry wit… Stunning’ Elle
‘Queasily entertaining’ Financial Times
‘A sharp ear for dialogue and a scabrously satiric prose style’ Daily Mail
‘Laugh-out-loud, darkly intelligent’ Publishers Weekly
‘This is far more than an actor’s vanity project: Thewlis has talent’ Kirkus

Whether you’re a complete beginner or wanting to refresh your knowledge, Hugo: Dutch in Three Months will have you speaking Dutch fluently in just 12 weeks. With a fresh new look and an accompanying audio app, the latest edition of this classic self-study course provides all the resources needed to speak, read, and write in Dutch.

The 12 weekly chapters contain lessons on the key grammatical structures and present a range of useful vocabulary, along with exercises to reinforce your learning. The essentials of Dutch grammar are clearly explained and tested in conversational exercises, giving you the authentic feel of the language. In addition to a written “imitated pronunciation” guide, which replaces Dutch sounds with English syllables you’re already familiar with, the new audio app also allows you to perfect your pronunciation – at home or on the go.

Whether you’re learning Dutch for work, a future holiday, or because you’re interested in languages, this course is the perfect place to start. Learning Dutch has never been so easy!

‘Really funny. David is a great writer’
Paula Hawkins, Good Housekeeping

‘A riotously good novel, witty and earnest, brimming with sharply drawn characters and creeping suspense. David Thewlis is a fabulous writer’
Anna Bailey, Sunday Times bestselling author of Tall Bones

‘A deliciously smart, hilarious human drama with the pace and intrigue of a gripping thriller. One of the year’s most memorable novels’
B P Walter, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dinner Guest

Celebrated director Jack Drake can’t get through his latest film (his most personal yet) without his wife Martha’s support.

The only problem is, she’s dead…

When Jack sees Betty Dean – actress, mother, trainwreck – playing the part of a crazed nun on stage in an indie production of The Devils, he is struck dumb by her resemblance to Martha. Desperate to find a way to complete his masterpiece, he hires her to go and stay in his house in France and resuscitate Martha in the role of ‘loving spouse’.

But as Betty spends her days roaming the large, sunlit rooms of Jack’s mansion – filled to the brim with odd treasures and the occasional crucifix – and her evenings playing the part of Martha over scripted video calls with Jack, she finds her method acting taking her to increasingly dark places.

And as Martha comes back to life, she carries with her the truth about her suicide – and the secret she guarded until the end.

A darkly funny novel set between a London film set and a villa in the south of France.
A mix of Vertigo and Jonathan Coe, written by a master storyteller.

PRAISE FOR DAVID THEWLIS’S FICTION

‘David Thewlis has written an extraordinarily good novel, which is not only brilliant in its own right, but stands proudly beside his work as an actor, no mean boast’ Billy Connolly
‘Hilarious and horror-filled’ Francesca Segal, Observer
‘A fine study in character disintegration… Very funny’ David Baddiel, The Times
‘Exquisitely written with a warm heart and a wry wit… Stunning’ Elle
‘Queasily entertaining’ Financial Times
‘A sharp ear for dialogue and a scabrously satiric prose style’ Daily Mail
‘Laugh-out-loud, darkly intelligent’ Publishers Weekly
‘This is far more than an actor’s vanity project: Thewlis has talent’ Kirkus

Improve your spoken German from home with 101 real-world conversations in intermediate German.

Real German people don’t speak like your textbook… so it’s no wonder you feel unprepared when it’s your turn to speak! This book fixes that. For the first time, you’ll learn to move beyond beginner level, and speak German in the real world! With 101 authentic conversations in intermediate German, you’ll become confident in the words, phrases and expressions you need to communicate like a local.

101 Conversations in Intermediate German transports you into a real-world story that unfolds between six German characters, told by the people themselves. Over 15,000 words of real German, you’ll immerse yourself in a gripping German drama and get an education in natural German in the process. Here’s what you’ll get:

• 101 conversations in intermediate German, so you can learn the real German spoken in the street, understand spoken German with ease, and have German roll off your tongue more fluently
• Over 15,000 words of dialogue – an unparalleled resource that will immerse you in German, at a level you can understand. You’ll learn real spoken German without getting lost or overwhelmed
• Real, daily spoken German throughout – it’s as if we held up a microphone and recorded the exact words coming out of people’s mouths – so you can learn the expressions that real people use on the street (not in textbooks). You’ll sound more authentic when you speak and make German-speaking friends more easily.
• Situational dialogues from typical daily circumstances, so you can prepare yourself to survive realistic German encounters, in shops, cafés, and on the street, making meeting people second nature
• Conversations that are carefully written to be accessible for intermediate learners (B1-B2 on the CEFR), so you can learn from real, spoken conversations, without having to go through the rollercoaster of difficult conversations with strangers
• Each conversation is limited to around 15 lines of dialogue (150 words), so you can get that crucial sense of achievement and motivation when you finish each conversation, and say “I actually understood all of that!”
• Word lists with English definitions in every chapter, so you can get instant translations of any difficult words. This means you can focus on enjoying the story rather than wasting time in a dictionary
• Summaries of each conversation which contextualise each dialogue, so you can easily follow the plot and enjoy the story without getting lost

The story is set in Germany and includes expressions that are typical German. However, since the conversations use mostly “neutral” German, you’ll have plenty to learn, whether you’re learning the German of Berlin, Munich or Cologne.

Created by Olly Richards, internationally-renowned language teacher and author, 101 Conversations in Intermediate German gives you an experience in real German that you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll be better prepared for using German in the real world, speak with more confidence, and take a giant leap towards fluency in German!

SCROLL UP AND GRAB YOUR COPY NOW

The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with conversational dialogues in French that use 100 percent real French. As language learners ourselves, we understand the desire to learn the real French language as used by native speakers. Textbook dialogues and grammar books not only are boring, but they also don’t represent the real French language that is used every day.

With our book French Conversational Made Natural, you can immerse yourself in real French conversations that tell an authentic story through a variety of dialogues. Each chapter builds upon the narrative by featuring short, genuine exchanges between native French speakers in both formal and informal settings. You will find conversations between close friends, coworkers, family members, classmates, and strangers that will help prepare you to speak French in the real world.

Along the way, you’ll also find several situational scenarios from daily life to improve your French language ability. These include picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy, checking out books from the library, and ordering food at a restaurant.

Each dialogue has been written and edited by native French speakers, so you can be absolutely sure that you are getting the most natural French grammar, vocabulary, and phrases.

Each chapter also comes with comprehension questions to test your understanding of the story and the French used. No drills or grammatical exercises are necessary to learn French!

Our language learning method focuses on the power of extensive reading and listening to achieve fluency. You will find more information about this in the book’s introduction.

(The level of the material is best suited for intermediate learners or beginners who are looking for a challenge.)

Grab your copy now and get started today!

With over 6,500 illustrated words and phrases in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian, and now with a free audio app featuring all these languages, this learner dictionary offers a quick and stimulating way to learn and recall everyday vocabulary.

Featuring a wide range of objects and scenes from everyday life, this dictionary shows you what others only tell you. Perfect for tourists and business travellers alike, DK’s 5 Language Visual Dictionary is your essential companion when buying food and clothes, talking about work and interests, discussing health and sport, and studying these languages.

The dictionary is incredibly easy to follow, with thematically organized vocabulary so you can find closely related words according to topic. Words and phrases are pictured with full-colour photographs and illustrations, helping to fix new vocabulary in your mind. Five comprehensive indexes provide an instant reference point for each language.

The supporting audio app enables you to hear each word and phrase spoken out loud by native speakers of English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. Available on the App Store and Google Play, the audio app is easy to use and provides an intuitive reference for language learning, helping you learn, retain, and pronounce important vocabulary, and make yourself understood.

Real-life examples cover every holiday and business situation, along with cultural and conversational tips. Features such as a 2,000-word dictionary and a menu guide with more than 300 food terms make learning fun and easy. You can even use the extended cover to hide the answers and test yourself as you learn.

DK’s 15 Minute German has the structure of a distance learning course, perfect for all language learning travellers. Practice 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 12 weeks and you’llbe speaking German in no time at all.

This pack includes a 144-page, full-colour course book and 2 x 60-minute audio CDs.

Whether you’re learning for business, travel or just for fun, its straightforward, step-by-step approach will ensure you’re soon able to speak Japanese in a range of everyday situations.

With its specially designed activities and clear, jargon-free grammar explanations you’ll quickly develop your language skills and make genuine progress right from the start.

• Make real progress using the successful, proven Talk method.
• Develop your language skills with tips and strategies to help you learn.
• Practise and learn with interactive activities to support every topic.

Other languages in the series: Arabic, French, German, Greek, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.  

 www.bbcactivelanguages.com

This pack includes a 144-page, full-colour course book and 2 x 60-minute audio CDs.

Whether you’re learning for business, travel or just for fun, its straightforward, step-by-step approach will ensure you’re soon able to speak Arabic in a range of everyday situations.

With its specially designed activities and clear, jargon-free grammar explanations you’ll quickly develop your language skills and make genuine progress right from the start.

• Make real progress using the successful, proven Talk method.
• Develop your language skills with tips and strategies to help you learn.
• Practise and learn with interactive activities to support every topic.

Other languages in the series: French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.  

www.bbcactivelanguages.com