Our pick of 14 excellent reads, now out in their lighter and cheaper formats
With summer holiday season around the corner , there is nothing better than a fresh batch of suitcase-friendlyreleases.
Which is why it is such good news that – almost as if it is planned – some of the biggest books of the last 12 months are newly out in such formats. Takemystery, for instance, or the latest romcom from queen of the beach read Emily Henry, or even Andrew Lownie’s jaw-dropping deep dive into Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
Here’s our pick of the best… Fun and Games by John Patrick McHugh; Love’s Labour by Stephen Grosz; The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean VuongSet over one summer on a small island off Ireland’s west coast, this striking debut follows 17-year-old John as he grapples with masculinity, class, desire and the question of who he wants to become. Tender, perceptive and beautifully observed.
Drawing on four decades as a psychoanalyst, Grosz explores the complexities of love through a series of intimate case studies. Wise and compassionate, this is a thoughtful meditation on relationships from the bestsellingwith another deeply moving novel, centred on a troubled teenager whose life is transformed after he an encounter with an elderly widow living with dementia.
Fires Which Burned Brightly by Sebastian Faulks; The Burning Grounds by Abir Mukherjee; Albion by Anna HopeFrom schooldays and Fleet Street to the publication of Birdsong and beyond, Faulks reflects on the experiences that shaped him as a writer in this warm and insightfulCaptain Sam Wyndham returns to Calcutta in the latest instalment of Mukherjee’s acclaimed historical crime series, this time drawn into the dangerous underworld of Indian cinema following a murder. Atmospheric and brilliantly plotted.
When the Brooke family reunite at their sprawling ancestral home following the death of their father, long-buried tensions begin to surface. Both a sweepingThe Patrick Melrose author’s latest novel follows estranged twins whose reunion sends shockwaves through the wider family. Exploring intimacy, identity and the consequences of the paths we choose, it is a typically psychologically astute read. A reclusive heiress invites two rival writers into her orbit, each hoping to tell her extraordinary life story.
But in true Emily Henry fashion, what unfolds is far moreWedding bells are ringing, but the Thursday Murder Club soon find themselves caught up in another fiendishly puzzling mystery involving a cryptic code and oh-so dangerous secrets. Packed with humour and clever twists, Osman once again proves why he dominates the cosy crime genre.
The Discovery of Britain: An Accidental History by Graham Robb; One of Us by Elizabeth Day; Entitled by Andrew LownieFrom vanished ancient settlements and Stonehenge to multicultural Britain and modern political upheavals, Robb takes readers on a witty, wide-ranging journey through British history. AnYears after a devastating fallout at his friend Ben’s 40th birthday party, Martin is unexpectedly drawn back into the orbit of the powerful Fitzmaurice family.
As political ambitions, buried secrets and old resentments collide, Day delivers an addictive story of power and privilege. Drawing on years of research, interviews and previously unseen material, Lownie traces the turbulent lives of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, from their courtship and marriage to scandal, divorce and links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Royal biography at its mostIn this funny and deeply nostalgic memoir, Dyer reflects on his working-class childhood in post-war England, from Airfix kits to grammar school, prog rock and discovering literature. It captures both a vanished Britain and the universal strangeness of growing up. In 1920s Provence, Joseph, a young journalist, arrives at a remote farmhouse to interview a reclusive painter. There, he is drawn into the world of his enigmatic niece Ettie, and all is not as it seems. An award-winner for good reason.
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