The month’s BEST BOOKS

LITERARY EDITOR Sarra Manning PICKS HER FAVOURITE READS

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue The Borough Press, £16.99, out 23rd May

This darkly funny debut novel will resonate with anyone who’s worked a soul-crushing corporate job. Office loner Jolene despises her co-workers but when an IT error gives her access to their computers, she realises they’re also unhappy and forges new connections with them. But with job cuts looming, will Jolene use her new-found knowledge to her advantage?

The Next Girl by Emiko Jean Viking, £14.99, out 9th May

In a deserted region of Washington state, girls keep disappearing until teenager Ellie Black is found alive. Ellie won’t talk about her two-year ordeal and so it’s up to Detective Chelsey Calhoun, whose sister went missing 20 years ago, to solve the investigation before the next girl vanishes. I loved this atmospheric and twisty slow-burn thriller.

The Ministry Of Time by Kaliane Bradley Sceptre, £16.99, out 14th May

A junior civil servant is selected as the ‘bridge’ to Victorian Arctic explorer, Commander Graham Gore, one of several ‘expats’ plucked from history by the government. As she helps him

21nst navigate the a sinister truth about the project emerges, and a tender and very sexy love story. Already a contender for my book of the year, this broke me in such a beautiful way.

Hold Back The Night by Jessica Moor Manilla Press, £16.99, out 9th May

This powerful and thought-provoking novel follows Annie, a student nurse at a mental hospital pioneering controversial treatments. Starting in 1959, we are taken through decades of Annie’s life to the 1980s, when she opens her home to AIDS patients who’ve been shunned by their families, and finally to 2020, when the pandemic and the death of a friend forces her to reflect on her past.

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors 4th Estate, £16.99, out 23rd May

Three sisters deal with the unexpected death of their fourth sister in different but equally self-destructive ways in this second novel from the author of Cleopatra

And Frankenstein. A year after their bereavement, Avery, Bonnie and Lucky will only find peace if they can stop fighting, which is easier said than done. A poignant and visceral exploration of sisterhood and grief.

Funny Story by Emily Henry Viking, £18.99, out now

Another absolutely pitch perfect romcom from Emhen. When Daphne is ditched by perfect Peter before their wedding (he’s fallen in love with his best friend, Petra), she moves in with Petra’s ex, Miles, who has a room to rent and knows what she’s going through. Expect top-notch banter, sizzling chemistry and a hero you’ll adore (despite his yellow Crocs!)