The Parade

The Runaways Fatima Bhutto, Viking, £14.99

Bhutto, whose father and Prime Minister aunt were assassinated, has refused to enter her family trade of Pakistani politics.

But with this book explores the political topic of Islamic radicalisation when three young runaways go to Iraq to join the Islamist cause. Bhutto explores the complicated nuances of grooming, familial expectation, poverty and power.

OUR VERDICT 9/10

Lanny Max Porter, Faber & Faber, £12.99

Lanny is an eccentric little lad, a born artist who spends his time roaming the woods around the village where his mum Jolie and his dad live.

Lanny and Jolie befriend loner artist, Pete, who starts to give the boy drawing lessons. But when Lanny goes missing Pete becomes prime suspect. An absorbing, richly evocative tale which proves deeply poetic and moving.

OUR VERDICT 8/10

Dave Eggers, Hamish Hamilton, £14.99

Pulitzer Prize-nominee Eggers’ latest novella is set in a nameless land in the aftermath of a brutal civil war.

The main characters are known only by the numbers Four and Nine. Their job is to build a road connecting the two main cities in time for a parade. A gripping read. The only complaint is that it’s too short and leaves you wanting more.

OUR VERDICT 7/10