BOOKS

BOOKS EDITOR FANNY BLAKE PICKS THE BEST NEW BOOKS OUT THIS MONTH AND TALKS TO BESTSELLING AUTHOR LYNNE TRUSS

THE BEST OF THE NEW RELEASES

GOTHIC SUSPENSE

THE LAST DAYS OF LEDA GREY BY ESSIE FOX (ORION)

A YOUNG JOURNALIST STUMBLES UPON THE RECLUSIVE LEDA GREY, ONCE AN ASPIRING SILENT-MOVIE STAR NOW LIVING IN A DILAPIDATED CLIFFTOP HOUSE. CAN HE FIND

OUT WHAT BROUGHT HER HERE? SHADES OF Sunset Boulevard IN THIS ATMOSPHERIC CHILLER.

ZANY DEBUT

THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD BY JADE CHANG (FIG TREE) CHARLES WANG IS RUINED BY THE 2008 GLOBAL FINANCIAL COLLAPSE. HE EMBARKS ON A ROAD TRIP ACROSS AMERICA TO ROUND UP HIS LOVED ONES BEFORE HEADING TO THE FAMILY PROPERTY IN CHINA. FUNNY, ENGROSSING NOVEL ABOUT A FAMILY IN CRISIS.

HISTORICAL EPIC

UNDER A POLE STAR BY

STEF PENNEY (QUERCUS) AGAINST A BACKDROP OF ARCTIC WILDERNESS, A 19TH-CENTURY LOVE AFFAIR IS PLAYED OUT BETWEEN EXPLORERS FLORA MACKIE AND JAKOB DE BEYN, MEMBERS OF TWO RIVAL ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS. ATMOSPHERIC AND ABSORBING.

PULSE-RACING CRIME

GALLOWS DROP BY

MARI HANNAH (MACMILLAN)

A BODY HANGING FROM AN ANCIENT GALLOWS KICKS OFF THIS TERRIFIC PAGE-TURNER THAT’S DARK AND TWISTING. IF, LIKE ME, YOU HAVEN’T READ ONE OF HANNAH’S NOVELS FEATURING DCI KATE DANIELS BEFORE – START NOW! YOU’VE A TREAT IN STORE.

EXOTIC ADVENTURE

THE SHOGUN’S QUEEN BY LESLEY DOWNER (BANTAM)

BE TRANSPORTED TO 19TH-CENTURY JAPAN, INTO THE LIFE OF OKATSU, A YOUNG WOMAN WHO GROWS UP TO BE THE SHOGUN’S QUEEN. IMPECCABLY RESEARCHED, PACKED WITH INTRIGUE, ADVENTURE AND ROMANCE, THIS IS A WONDERFUL EVOCATION OF A BYGONE TIME.

FAMILY DRAMA

COUSINS BY SALLEY

VICKERS (VIKING)

STUDENT WILL TYE’S ACCIDENT CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR HIS FAMILY. THE REPERCUSSIONS ARE SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF HIS SISTER, GRANDMOTHER AND AUNT AS LIVES ARE UNPICKED, SECRETS AIRED. A SUBTLE UNRAVELLING THAT REELED ME IN AND WOULDN’T LET ME GO.

KILLER CONUNDRUM

THE BEAUTIFUL DEAD BY BELINDA BAUER (BANTAM) MURDER IS PART OF TV REPORTER EVE SINGER’S JOB. BUT WHEN A KILLER CONTACTS HER DIRECTLY, IT THREATENS TO BECOME PART OF HER LIFE TOO. POLISHED AND BREATHTAKINGLY TENSE, THIS NOVEL OF OBSESSION AND MURDER TAKES A FIRM GRIP FROM THE START.

EXPLOSIVE THRILLER

THE CHEMIST BY STEPHENIE MEYER (SPHERE)

AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL MEGASELLING Twilight, MEYER TURNS HER HAND TO HER FIRST THRILLER. AN EX-US GOVERNMENT AGENT IS ON THE RUN FROM HER FORMER EMPLOYERS BUT TO CLEAR HER NAME AND SAVE HER LIFE, SHE MUST TAKE ONE LAST JOB. WILL SHE SURVIVE?