The will to make change

I AM A GIRL FROM AFRICA

Elizabeth Nyamayaro

Scribner, £20 (ebook £9.99). Rescued from starvation during a Zimbabwean drought, a young Elizabeth Nyamayaro becomes fixated on emulating her saviour: a United Nations (UN) aid worker. Her new memoir charts that extraordinary journey, from rural village to senior adviser at the UN. Battling seemingly insurmountable hardships – poverty, prejudice and educational barriers – Nyamayaro’s compassion and determination to change lives takes her from Harare to London, Geneva, New York and beyond. A central moving thread is the love and support given by family and friends, whose sacrifices and wisdom shape her humanitarian outlook. Throughout her honest and emotional account, Nyamayaro also makes space for the voices of the victims of health inequalities she works hard to help. Her remarkable story of perseverance provides ample inspiration to join the fight for change.

TOM PILGRIM

THE THERAPIST BA Paris

HQ, £12.99 (ebook £7.99).

When Alice and Leo move into an exclusive gated community called The Circle, the house initially seems perfect. But as Alice gets to know her neighbours, she discovers a gruesome secret about the house’s past and becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what really happened. This dark family drama will have readers racing through the pages, and is the kind of book you devour in one sitting. There is a palpable sense of tension that builds to a devastating conclusion. A truly emotive read about a shocking secret, and those who will go to extreme lengths to keep it hidden.

MEGAN BAYNES