Four books to read

by Stuart Turton

A man wakes terrified in a forest, with no memory of who he is, a glimpse of a woman chased through the trees, a gunshot and a single name on his lips: Anna. So begins The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle, the debut novel by freelance travel journalist Stuart Turton. What follows is an Agatha Christie yarn tumbling Through The Looking Glass, as our protagonist Aiden is forced to repeatedly live the day of a murder dressed up not to look like one. Each time he wakes in the body of a different guest at a country house party from hell, tasked with solving the murder to win his release. This utterly original thriller is brilliantly plotted and a real page-turner, with mind-bending twists and turns that build towards a satisfying crescendo of guilt and redemption.

The Melody

by Jim Crace

Former journalist and award-winning writer Jim Crace specialises in waiting for inspiration. In this case, a trip to Chennai, India and the sight of shadowy creatures scavenging in rubbish bins formed the seeds of this tale. Crace says his stories spring from things that puzzle or trouble him, and he certainly gives the reader plenty to think about, from the gulf between rich and poor to the 'cleansing' of the natural environment. Alfred Busi is a recently-widowed, retired singer who lives in his family home on the outskirts of a coastal town. The story begins with Busi trying to identify noises in his dark garden. Later, Busi is attacked by a wild creature that he is sure is a child. This is a tale of loneliness, fear of change and the difficulties of ageing and waning celebrity - when he goes out, Busi fears being recognised as much as not being recognised. The story is beautifully written and fabulously lyrical. The Melody is summed up by Busi as "the bins, the boy, the bite, the beatings" and in many ways, it's a simple tale, but there are rich layers of detail to enjoy.

Surprise Me

by Sophie Kinsella

Sylvie and Dan decide to shake up their marriage after a doctor tells them they are so healthy they could expect to spend another 60 years together. Cue some ill-judged and amusing attempts to surprise each other so the spark stays alive. But the real surprise is when Sylvie finds out the husband she thought she knew inside out has been hiding something from her for years. The revelation makes Sylvie question her whole life and look differently at herself, her family and friends. It's not as funny as her Shopaholic series but the usual light, easy reading you would expect from bestselling novelist Sophie Kinsella. The characters are too under developed to really come to life, so it's hard to feel truly involved in the story. And while there are a few twists towards the end, despite the title, there's little really surprising about this pleasant enough tale.

Fantastically Great Women Who Made History

by Kate Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst's descendant knows a lot of about female pioneers, and this sequel to 2016's Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is filled with 10 more splendid examples. This time, the names may not be as immediately identifiable as Amelia Earhart and Pankhurst's suffragette ancestor, but the simplified life stories of the Ancient Egyptian "female pharaoh" Hatshepsut and escaped slave Harriet Tubman are no less inspiring. Pankhurst's bright, looping layouts are illustrated with feel-good cartoons of the women, their text bubbles filled with perky encouragements to be brave and different. It's perfectly pitched at seven to 10-year-olds, enjoyable for them to read alone or with a parent and hits the double-whammy of being informative but not overwhelming.