NON-FICTION

In Extremis: The Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin Lindsey Hilsum, Chatto & Windus, £20

Six years after being killed in Syria, war correspondent Marie Colvin is brought to life in a gripping biography written by her Channel 4 journalist friend.

Hilsum writes with candour and deep affection to show a woman whose skill and nerve brought plaudits but whose personal life was often also a battlefield.

OUR VERDICT 9/10 Will You Love Me? The Rescue Dog That Rescued Me Barby Keel, Trapeze, £7.99

Keel is the owner of a Sussex animal sanctuary who, a year into her second cancer diagnosis, threw herself into caring for a neglected greyhound she named Bailey.

It’s a tear-jerking memoir from the indomitable 80-something who still “bombs around” her sanctuary on a quad bike.

OUR VERDICT 7/10 All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson

Mark Griffin, Harper, £20

Tipped as the “definitive” biography of film idol Hudson, Griffin delves into the epic 40-year career of a star who at 59 was the first public figure to die from AIDS.

He explores the legacy of the Illinois-born star who grew up poor, was abused by his step-father, and was a truck driver before hitting the big time.

OUR VERDICT 7/10