The Gallopers by Jon Ransom review – gay love in the 1950s
This sly emotional thriller from the author of The Whale Tattoo explores the discord between the individual and the world
Israelis and Palestinians by Jonathan Glover review – the psychology of conflict
A moral philosopher examines the cycles of suffering that perpetuate violence
Inland by Gerald Murnane review – at the frontiers of imagination
In this reissued novel from the 1980s, the Australian great explores love, memory, grasslands and the landscapes of a solitary mind
How Life Works by Philip Ball review – the magic of biology
An essential primer on humanity’s ongoing quest to understand the secrets of life
Boy Swallows Universe review – Netflix’s Trent Dalton adaptation is one of a kind
This seven-part series based on the bestseller is impressive, following a young boy who must navigate 1980s Brisbane’s criminal world
The History of My Sexuality by Tobi Lakmaker review – funny failures
An aspiring Dutch writer discusses love, loss and philosophy in this sweetly questioning coming-of-age novel
The Disappearance of Shere Hite review – fascinating portrait of the woman who lifted the lid on sex
Shere Hite was a trailblazing sex educator who was pilloried for her work in the 1970s. This vivid documentary gives her the recognition she deserves
There Is No Blue Martha Baillie review – a tough and tender family memoir
The Canadian author explores her sister’s schizophrenia and the loss of her mother in a compelling trilogy of essays
Wild Houses by Colin Barrett review – a caper in County Mayo
The acclaimed short‑story writer vividly captures small-town Irish lives in his debut novel
Crime and thrillers of the month – review
A spy raised by drug dealers confronts a Russian villain in Elly Conway’s much-hyped debut, an exploration of female rage upends expectations and a snowstorm search is a chilling read
The Singularity by Balsam Karam review – a brilliant and beautiful study of displacement
This tale of migration and motherhood by the Swedish-Kurdish author is satisfyingly full of narrative surprises
Under the Hornbeams by Emma Tarlo review – epiphanies in the park
The anthropology professor’s account of her conversations with two men living in Regent’s Park brings insights to her own life as well as theirs
The Alternative by Nick Romeo review – moral substitutes for the free market model
A survey of the global alternatives to the current economic system makes for an enlightening, inspiring read, but you’re left wondering why such initiatives have failed to take hold
In brief: Rabbit Hole; Local; The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – reviews
A gritty, grubby tale of family secrets; an adventurer learns about his own neighbourhood; and historian Bettany Hughes explores the impact of the wonders of the world
Breakdown by Cathy Sweeney review – portrait of a marriage adrift
The acclaimed Irish writer’s first novel follows an anonymous woman’s relationship breakdown as she takes a ferry trip into the unknown