A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett review – a fantasist’s formative years
The Discworld creator’s short tales from the 70s and 80s reveal a young talent bursting with invention and wit
I Love Russia by Elena Kostyuchenko review – reportage at its best
The Novaya Gazeta journalist offers brilliant, immersive bulletins from her homeland but doesn’t explain its return to totalitarian rule
Paradise Estate by Max Easton review – a layered, aching portrait of millennial malaise
In this sequel of sorts to The Magpie Wing, a group of thirtysomethings share the rent in Sydney, searching for solidarity and meaning in a sterile, gentrifying world
Picture books for children – reviews
Benji Davies returns with more coastal charms, lonely animals find acceptance – plus Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s tale about a toddler
Barry Cryer: Same Time Tomorrow? review – a life full of laughter
The late comedian’s son, Bob Cryer, offers an intimate and astute portrait of his father’s skill and wit, and the vulnerability beneath
In brief: And Then What?; The Dimensions of a Cave; Turkiye – reviews
Former EU representative Catherine Ashton is a voice of reason in a polarised world; Greg Jackson’s psychological thriller warrants comparisons with Heart of Darkness; and Julian Emre Sayerer travels Turkey on two wheels
A Green Equinox by Elizabeth Mavor review – a transgressive classic rediscovered
This newly republished 1973 novel about a bookshop owner’s love life is funny, surprising and unpredictable
Pulling the Chariot of the Sun: A Memoir of a Kidnapping by Shane McCrae review – snapshots of a stolen youth
The American poet’s visceral account of being snatched as a child by his white supremacist grandparents demonstrates the shaky and slippery nature of memory
Cecil Beaton: The Royal Portraits by Claudia Acott Williams; Queen Elizabeth II: A Photographic Portrait by Philip Ziegler – review
Two collections of photographs, one newly updated, reveal how important society snappers such as Cecil Beaton were in establishing the royals as sacrosanct figures
A Memoir of My Former Self by Hilary Mantel review – smart reflections on Wolf Hall, religion… and RoboCop
This collection of essays and journalism is a poignant reminder of the novelist’s expansive mind, and of what more she might have achieved
The Conspiracy to End America review: Trump and the fascist threat
Author Stuart Stevens ran Republican campaigns but joined the Lincoln Project. His latest book delivers a chilling warning
The Secret Life of John le Carré by Adam Sisman review – the constant philanderer
Three years after le Carré’s death, his official biographer reveals the adultery that was off limits during his lifetime. Does it further our appreciation of his work?
A Memoir of My Former Self by Hilary Mantel review – B-sides and rarities
A posthumous collection of the Booker-winner’s nonfiction shows her lesser-known works to be the equal of her hits
The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror – reviews roundup
Out There Screaming edited by Jordan Peele; A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand; Lamb by Matt Hill; My Brother’s Keeper by Tim Powers
Oh Miriam! by Miriam Margolyes audiobook review – eye-watering candour
The Bafta-winning actor on loathing Arnold Schwarzenegger, loving Vanessa Redgrave, and sharing sex secrets in her 80s