Get into the good books

Books editor Nina Pottell recommends six new page-turners to keep you enthralled this month

Nina Pottell’s must-reads of the month

AMERICAN WAR by Omar El Akkad (£14.99, Picador) Starting in 2074 after the Second American Civil War breaks out, we follow six-year-old Sarat as she grows up in troubled times. This is an outstanding book – 1984 meets The Handmaid’s Tale – that feels closer to reality than it possibly should. Out 7 September

MY MOTHER’S SHADOW by Nikola Scott (£7.99, Headline

Review) A year after her mother’s death, a stranger turns up on Addie’s doorstep claiming to be her twin sister. Will they discover the truth about what happened on 14 February 1960?

This is a delightful debut about family and secrets. Out 21 September

THE POOL HOUSE by Tasmina Perry (£14.99, Headline

Review) Jem and Dan are enthralled when asked to spend the summer at a swanky house in the Hamptons. Then Jem finds out about an incident that took place the summer before and is determined to find out the truth. A brilliant page-turner. Out 7 September

MARIA IN THE MOON by Louise Beech (£8.99, Orenda) Catherine Hope volunteers for a crisis helpline after her home is destroyed in catastrophic flooding. The calls she receives make her query her own past and unlock thoughts buried long ago. A beautiful and compassionate read. Out 30 September

THE BREAK by Marian Keyes (£20, Michael Joseph) Amy is shocked when her husband, Hugh, tells her he’s taking a break from their marriage and their life to go and find himself in south-east Asia for six months. How will she cope and does that mean she’s on a break, too? Hilariously wise. Out 7 September

THIS IS GOING TO HURT by Adam Kay (£16.99, Picador) These are the hilarious journals Adam Kay kept on his journey from junior doctor to senior registrar. It’s also a complete eye-opener to the NHS, doctors, and gynae and obs, which he specialised in. Best to read this after you’ve had a baby... not before! Out 7 September