Shelf life
THIS WEEK: Caroline O’donoghue’s timely debut has us thinking about other books where affairs cause strife
Promising Young Women Caroline O’donoghue (£ 16.99, LITTLE BROWN)
A 20-something office worker by day, Jane Peters’ life story seems so far, so average Millennial. Jane has secrets though – firstly, her online agony aunt blog, and then, an office affair. As things start to unravel for Jane, the story becomes increasingly discombobulating as her physical and mental stability are questioned. Tinged with modern gothic, O’donoghue’s writing is deeply relatable and darkly comic, as she examines the interplay of power and sex in modern times. A story that couldn’t be more fitting for 2018, it’ll have you nodding with familiarity, thinking, laughing – and crying – as you race towards the end.