In brief: Water; Wise Gals; Bazball – reviews
The powerful tale of a traumatised woman’s search for a fresh start; the CIA’s debt to a group of female spies; and the tale of test cricket’s latest buzzword
Good Material by Dolly Alderton review – heartbreak wit with Hornbyesque charm
The Everything I Know About Love author’s second novel mixes relationship maxims with sharp observations about thirtysomething life
Family Meal by Bryan Washington review – distant voices and still lives
The American’s second novel, narrated by characters both living and dead, feels like a wan echo of his debut
Standing My Ground review: Capitol cop Harry Dunn on January 6 and the Trumpist threat
Officer who fought the insurrectionists and dealt with PTSD issues a cri de coeur for himself and for the US
Tackle! review – Jilly Cooper takes on the beautiful game
The octogenarian writer brings her unique brand of sexy silliness to the story of a League One football team, with mixed results
The Plot: The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson by Nadine Dorries review – the treachery of ‘Oddjob’, ‘The Wolf’ and ‘Dr No’
The former PM’s biggest fan pins the blame for his downfall on a group of Bond-like Baddies known as The Movement in a pyramid of piffle acclaimed by David Icke
Went to London, Took the Dog by Nina Stibbe review – more larks in London
Twenty years after leaving the capital, the diarist returns for a funny-sad adult gap year
Our Strangers by Lydia Davis review – miniature short stories
The latest collection from the US author known for her playfulness and brevity has a wintry feel
Party of the People review: Republican strength – and weakness – examined
Patrick Ruffini, a GOP pollster, soft-pedals abortion and insurrection but is sharp on his party’s working-class turn
The Plot by Nadine Dorries review – an eye-popping defence of Boris Johnson
The former MP’s book contains many troubling revelations, but do they have the ring of truth?
The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror – reviews roundup
The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub; Mothtown by Caroline Hardaker; Saturnalia by Stephanie Feldman; Writing the Future, edited by Dan Coxon and Richard V Hirst; She’s a Killer by Kirsten McDougall
Red Memory by Tania Branigan audiobook review – tracing the scars of China’s Cultural Revolution
Sons denounce mothers, students attack teachers: firsthand accounts from those caught up in Mao’s ruthless ideological purge during the 60s and 70s
Leo: Bloody Sweet review – leave your logic at the door for rampaging action yarn
The Tamil version of David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence is wildly enjoyable, packed full of hyenas, car chases, fight scenes and, of course, song and dance
Playing Games by Huma Qureshi review – a poignant sisterhood story
A young playwright borrows inspiration from the breakdown of her sister’s marriage in a novel filled with hard decisions
The Race to Be Myself by Caster Semenya review – the right to run
Humiliation, harassment and triumph are part of the very public journey of a world-class athlete