Get into the good books

Latest titles from books editor Nina Pottell

THE SILENT COMPANIONS by Laura Purcell (Raven Books, £12.99) Pregnant and recently widowed, Elsie is living in her late husband’s rambling house with his cousin, and finds a locked room containing diaries, portraits and spooky ‘silent companions’. A brilliant, unsettling debut: don’t read just before bedtime! Out 5 October

THE BLIND

by AF Brady (HQ, £12.99) Sam James is a highly respected psychologist in an infamous New York psychiatric institute. She hides her alcoholism and abusive relationship from everyone. But a new patient makes her question her own motives and life in this taut, intelligent story. Out 5 October THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (Simon & Schuster, £16.99) Remember Sally and Gillian’s aunts in bestseller Practical Magic? This is their story and 1950s New York is the setting. Frances and Jet know they’re different and want to find out who they are. Fingers crossed that this is made into a film, too. Out 2 November WITHOUT A WORD by Kate Mcquaile (Quercus, £13.99) Ten years after Lillian disappeared, her friend Orla has moved back to Ireland. The detective who led the unsolved case tells her he wants to reinvestigate. Delving into the past means finding out things about both of the friends’ lives in this fast-paced read. Out 19 October THE STOLEN MARRIAGE by Diane Chamberlain (Macmillan, £14.99) Tess Demello finds herself married to a stranger and not accepted by her husband’s family or the local townspeople. But then there’s a polio outbreak and she hopes her nursing skills will win people over. A fab drama with secrets aplenty. Out 5 October UNCOMMON TYPE by Tom Hanks (William Heinemann, £16.99) Yes, this is the Tom Hanks. A wonderful collection of short stories exploring family, friendship, love and relationships. The tales are truly delightful to read and you can hear Tom’s voice in each one.

Out 17 October