The Black Death by Thomas Asbridge review – a medieval horror story
A magisterial history of one of the worst ever pandemics focuses on the individuals caught up in the chaos
Upward Bound by Woody Brown review – extraordinary debut from a non-speaking autistic author
This garrulous, charming story of a young man stuck in a daycare centre for disabled adults offers a vital insider’s perspective
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe review – a compulsive tale of money, lies and avoidable tragedy
A New Yorker writer traces the web of deceit that led a troubled teenager to his violent death
The Stranger review – lustrously beautiful and superbly realised modern take on the Camus classic
François Ozon’s adaptation of the 1942 novella L’Etranger passionately honours the original text while bringing a contemporary perspective to its themes of empire and race
The Hair of the Pigeon by Mohammed Massoud Morsi review – an epic tale of a refugee’s journey
The Egyptian-Danish-Australian journalist’s second novel spans continents, following a Palestinian teen as he comes of age during the Syrian civil war and is forced into exile
Into the Wreck by Susannah Dickey review – an immersive exploration of grief
Set in County Donegal, the poet’s polyphonic third novel wittily explores the fragile dynamics of a family navigating the loss of a father
Jan Morris by Sara Wheeler review – masterly account of a flawed figure
The journalistic adventurer and trans trailblazer is revealed as brilliant, prolific and deeply selfish
The best recent poetry – review roundup
Goyle, Chert, Mire by Jean Sprackland; The House of Broken Things by Kim Moore; The Tree Is Missing by Shannon Kuta Kelly; Dog Star by Michael Symmons Roberts; Horses by Jake Skeets
Original Sin by Kathryn Paige Harden review – are criminals born or made?
A psychologist delves into the genetics of bad behaviour in a book littered with fascinating scientific findings
Sororicidal by Edwina Preston review – a tale of two sisters tinged with danger
The author deftly captures the intricacies and subtle violence of a sibling relationship. As both girls age, our sympathies shift again and again
Death of an Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry audiobook review – an extraordinary chronicle of terminal illness
The author’s father-in-law died just nine days after his cancer diagnosis, inspiring this moving and sharply observed account of his last days
The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley review – the laureate of bad relationships
Riley has always skewered cruelty with shattering exactitude. What’s new in this story of two old friends in London is the delicacy she brings to moments of tenderness
Under Water by Tara Menon review – love, loss and a longing for the ocean
This debut about female friendship and environmental fragility set after the 2004 tsunami in Thailand is strong on grief, but the storytelling remains uneven
Baldwin by Nicholas Boggs review – the relationships that drove a genius
A new biography puts Baldwin’s sexuality – and the men he loved – front and centre
A Rebel and a Traitor by Rory Carroll review – the extraordinary story of Roger Casement
A journalist tells the improbable tale of a British diplomat who worked to free Ireland – and paid the ultimate price