THE BEST PAPERBACKS Conclave The Black Prince Of Florence The Essex Serpent Wild Kingdom: Bringing Back Britain’s Wildlife

FICTION

Robert Harris

Arrow € 9.50 The endlessly versatile Harris has written about political skulduggery in many forms, but in this brilliantly conceived and plotted novel he gives the format an ingenious twist by setting it in the Vatican following the death of a Pope. As the cardinals meet in secret to choose the next pontiff, strange rumours abound and decidedly worldly plots are hatched.

NON-FICTION

Catherine Fletcher

Vintage €13.57 There are few periods in history as spectacular as the Italian Renaissance, and this fascinating biography of the comparatively obscure Florentine Duke Alessandro de’ Medici is a positive riot of vivid incident and intrigue. Although his mother was an African slave and he was illegitimate, he rose to be head of his powerful family, only to be undone by a jealous rival.

FICTION

Sarah Perry

Serpent’s Tail €10.95 Set in Victorian Britain, Parry’s beautifully crafted and wonderfully atmospheric novel combines elements of gothic horror and mystery with an unusual love story. A newly widowed woman moves to a remote part of southeast England, where the locals are convinced that a legendary monster was responsible for a gruesome killing. Can she uncover the truth?

NON-FICTION

StephenMoss

Vintage €12.33 Much like our own, the British countryside has been transformed out of all recognition since World War II – and not in a good way. To take just one example, the United Kingdom has lost more than 480,000km of its hedgerows and the effect of this and other changes has been devastating for its wildlife and, by extension, for its people. Moss judiciously assesses what can be done in this excellent but sobering book.