5 new books to read this week

Curl up with a page-turning legal thriller, or go on an adventure with a merry crew of pirates…

1. A Time For Mercy by John Grisham is published in hardback by Hodder & Stoughton, Amazon

Seven years after Jake Brigance’s last appearance in John Grisham’s Sycamore Row, he’s back with another blockbuster case – this time about a dead cop. A Time For Mercy calls up the usual Ford County cast and crew, along with the Gambles, a sad little family of three who are struggling to stay afloat, and the Kofers, who are furiously seeking retribution for the death of one of their own. A slow burn, the story is centred around the case, with Jake leading all the action from the courtroom. Grisham covers small town affairs like no one else, and in a case like this, there’s plenty of them. His adept touch at painting character arcs and feeding backstories creates reassuring familiarity, even while uncertainty reigns in court. More than 30 years after A Time To Kill, A Time For Mercy is set in the same fictional Mississippi county, echoing similar questions about morality and justice.
8/10
(Review by Rebecca Wilcock)

2. Because Of You by Dawn French is published in hardback by Michael Joseph, Amazon

Actor, comedian and bestselling author Dawn French brings readers this tale of love, identity and belonging, as two baby girls born on the millennium New Year’s Day change the paths of the women who give birth to them. One is stillborn and, in her desperate grief, the bereaved mother steals the other healthy baby from the hospital. Then unfolds the story of what happens to the two couples as they face the hugely fraught situation and the consequences. The plot moves along steadily but it is the characters who really stand out, particularly the narcissistic MP husband who uses his baby’s abduction as a political tool, and the child abductor, a mother whose love will be tested to the limit as the timeframe fast-forwards 17 years. It’s a thought-provoking read that perhaps doesn’t explore the guilt factor as much as it should, but shows – in a clever twist – the true extent of motherly love.
7/10
(Review by Hannah Stephenson)

3. The Perfect Nine by Ngugi wa Thiong’o is published in paperback by Harvill Secker, Amazon

The latest novel from leading African writer Ngugi Wa Thiong’o reimagines the origin story of the Gikuyu people of Kenya in the form of an epic poem. It tells the story of Gikuyu and Mumbi who settle on the foot of Mount Kenya. When 99 suitors arrive hoping to marry their beautiful daughters, the Perfect Nine, the parents tell the young women they may make their own choice. First, the young women and suitors embark on a dangerous quest to find a magical cure for their youngest sister Warigia, who cannot walk, facing trials including menacing ogres, while Warigia must overcome challenges of her own. Its lyrical, fairy tale-like style is unconventional. But, with moments of humour and tragedy, it makes for a rather beautiful, if unusual, read.
7/10
(Review by Emily Beament)

Non-fiction

4. The Haunting Of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale is published in hardback by Bloomsbury Circus, Amazon

Wardrobes heave themselves across the room and a live bird emerges from the folds of a lady’s skirt in this fantastic exploration of the supernatural in inter-war Britain. Dubbed a “true ghost story”, Kate Summerscale’s telling of the haunting of a Croydon housewife is the latest offering in a growing body of historical narrative non-fiction. We shadow the meticulous, scientific investigation of ghost hunter Nandor Fodor, who attempts to get to the bottom of the strange occurrences, projections and apparitions linked to the increasingly disturbed Alma Fielding. Fodor’s detective work paves the way for a discovery that may frustrate some readers looking for a clear-cut explanation of what is or is not ‘real’. But its strength lies in its subtlety, and this is a compelling, creative analysis contextualising the obsession with poltergeists against a backdrop of uncertainty and looming destruction.
6/10
(Review by Jemma Crew)

Children’s book of the week

5. Pirate Stew by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell is published in hardback by Bloomsbury Children’s, Amazon

In this splendid book for under-10s, babysitter Long John McRon and his crew of buccaneers buckle their swash around town – despite having two children in tow while their parents are out. Neil Gaiman shows off his funny side with a rambunctious rhyme that bounces along merrily, albeit with a few groan-worthy line breaks, but the real lure is Chris Riddell’s detail-drenched, full-page artwork. It’s almost impossible to resist turning back the pages to look again at pirate queens, houseboats and doughnut sellers. The award winning pair are old friends: previous collaborations include The Graveyard Book and Fortunately, The Milk (characters from the latter make a cameo). The quality is unsurprising, and the story is a feast for the eyes and ears.
9/10
(Review by Natalie Bowen)

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