All That She Carried by Tiya Miles review – social fabric

A simple cloth sack brings to life generations of enslaved women and reminds us of the enduring power of love

The best recent crime and thriller writing – review roundup

The past catches up with nine criminals; a carer finds work with a woman accused of murder; and more than one child goes missing

Retroland by Peter Kemp review – an author preoccupied with his past

The veteran Sunday Times critic’s survey of 50 years of British fiction rattles through titles, authors and genres, but often at the expense of insight

What About Men? review – Caitlin Moran defends the beleaguered bloke

A brave, intelligent and often very funny attempt to jump-start a modern men’s movement

Go the Way Your Blood Beats by Emmett de Monterey review – vivid account of a world of difference

This insightful memoir sheds light on the author’s life as a disabled gay man who is often rendered invisible

In brief: The Art Thief; The Bookbinder of Jericho; ‘You Dirty Old Man’: The Authorised Biography of Wilfrid Brambell – reviews

A gripping, generous profile of a self-styled art collector; a rich novel about a woman freed from drudgery by war; and a frustrating study of actor Wilfrid Brambell

Art Monsters: Unruly Bodies in Feminist Art by Lauren Elkin review – when freestyle thinking goes too far

Elkin’s capacious survey of female artists who focused on the body might have worked better as a collection of essays

Mrs S by K Patrick review – a sultry queer romance of self-discovery

This striking debut novel explores sexual power, gender identity and sensual discovery amid a heatwave at a girls’ boarding school

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah review – a big and bold dystopian satire that lacks nuance

The US author’s violent tale of death row inmates starring in gladiatorial contests for mass entertainment is an intriguing conceit, but its execution is heavy-handed

After the Funeral by Tessa Hadley review – supremo of the short story

In this skilful, polished collection centred on women, Hadley is superb at capturing an atmosphere

No Trade Is Free review: Trump’s man plots an unusually civil course

Robert Lighthizer, once US trade representative, is a rare aide of little interest to investigators. His readable book shows why

War and Punishment: The Story of Russian Oppression and Ukrainian Resistance by Mikhail Zygar – review

This haunting history explores 350 years of ‘Russocentric exceptionalism’, debunking the myths fuelling Putin’s imperialism

Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life & Sudden Death by Laura Cumming review – up in smoke

The critic explains her fascination with Carel Fabritius, whose studio was destroyed in a 17th-century explosion

Original Sins by Matt Rowland Hill audiobook review – faith, dark farce and addiction

Welsh actor Daniel Hawksford offers a textured narration, capturing the absurdities of Hill’s religious upbringing and later drug use

The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror – reviews roundup

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi; Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs; Silent City by Sarah Davis-Goff; Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; Red Smoking Mirror by Nick Hunt