They review – Maxine Peake’s powerful delivery leaves us wanting more

The actor’s controlled inner outrage reels us in with this eerily prescient tale from 1977 of a dystopia in which art is criminalised

Corey Fah Does Social Mobility by Isabel Waidner review – a surreal journey

The fantastical and the familiar merge in this energetic inquiry into class politics and cultural capital

Wifedom by Anna Funder review – a brilliant reckoning with George Orwell to change the way you read

Blending forensic research, fiction, life writing and criticism, Funder upends the legacy of literary triumph to reveal the woman behind it

Flatlands by Sue Hubbard review – a tender portrait of wartime youth

A poignant novel inspired by The Snow Goose about the search for connection and contentment

This is Not America by Tomiwa Owolade review – a British take on Black identity

Has the UK too readily adopted a US perspective when it comes to race?

Speak to Me by Paula Cocozza review – a modern love triangle

Sharp observations steal the show in this surprisingly poignant tale of marital meltdown featuring wife, husband – and a mobile phone

Art Monsters by Lauren Elkin review – daring to be different

In a blend of criticism and memoir, the author examines the life and work of trailblazing female artists from Vanessa Bell to Carolee Schneemann

Fevered Planet: How Diseases Emerge When We Harm Nature by John Vidal review – a frightening diagnosis

A powerful warning that the health of people, animals and the planet can no longer be treated as separate issues

Kala by Colin Walsh review – a sizzling debut of nostalgia and secrets

The disappearance of a teenage girl hangs over her former friends as they reunite in an Irish seaside village 15 years later

After Work by Helen Hester and Nick Srnicek review – domestic bliss deferred

Our houses are packed with useful gadgets – so why do we still spend so much time on chores?

After the Funeral by Tessa Hadley review – brilliantly subversive stories

Class and character are sharply observed in this immersive collection

The Age of Insurrection review: how the far right rose – and found Trump

David Neiwert offers a necessary and chilling read about American extremists and the threat they pose to us all

Crisis Actor by Declan Ryan review – all the best punchlines

Pugilism and personal reflections trade blows in a clear-sighted and adroit debut collection

Behind These Doors by Alex South review – the valuable insights of a female prison officer

This vivid, unsentimental account of South’s life as a prison guard is a powerful reminder of the need to rehabilitate our jails

Sufferah: Memoir of a Brixton Reggae Head by Alex Wheatle review – triumph over adversity

In a searing account of early trauma at the hands of social services and the police, the award-winning writer finds joy and empowerment in his love of music