THIS WEEK’S BEST BOOKS

Green Dot by Madeleine Gray (W&N, £18.99)

An academic high-achiever, Hera is drifting through life in Australia until, forced to make a living, she lands a job as an online community moderator at a Sydney news outlet. Here, she meets older journalist Arthur, with whom she begins an all-consuming affair. As the story unfolds, what begins as a laugh-out-loud observation of office politics, full of sharply penned scenes that fans of Fleabag will love, slowly gives way to become a deeply poignant journey of messy self-discovery.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides (Michael Joseph, £18.99)

Former film star Lana Farrar invites a group of friends to a private Greek island to relax and reconnect. But the holiday is anything but relaxing, quickly turning from a happy gettogether to a gripping murder mystery. Winds batter the island, leaving the group stranded and arguing, before they’re caught up in a terrifying search for a murderer. The plot thickens as the increasingly desperate search is hampered by shocking secrets being revealed.

My Friends by Hisham Matar (Viking, £18.99)

Love, friendship and longing are the three main themes in this moving story about friends living in political exile. Readers are introduced to Khaled Abd al Hady, a literature student who, when visiting London, attends an anti-government protest in front of the Libyan embassy. This spur-ofthe-moment decision is one that impacts the rest of Khaled’s life. My Friends isn’t just a touching story about the pain of political exile – it’s also about the country that defines us and the actions we’re prepared to take in order to protect our home.

Lovers In Auschwitz: A True Story by Keren Blankfeld (WH Allen, £22)

In this moving true story, the lives of two Holocaust survivors, Zippi Spitzer and David Wisnia, unfold against the backdrop of Auschwitz. The story guides us from the circumstances that led them to Auschwitz to their daily struggles for survival, culminating in a remarkable reunion over 70 years later. This is a compelling, sensitive tale of love and sacrifice. Amid all the darkness, it reveals not only how love can emerge but what individuals are prepared to do to save others.