Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) review – silliness and sensibility
Rough-hewn but joyous musical take on the classic novel works in everything from Carly Simon to Chris de Burgh
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story review – Mark Gatiss’s witty dash through Dickens
Gatiss’s delayed rework amps up the ghostly effects while drawing out the overlooked dark comedy in the classic tale
The Chancellor by Kati Marton review – in search of Angela Merkel
A diligent attempt to uncover the private life and motivations of Germany’s first female head of government
Peaces by Helen Oyeyemi review – a hurtling hothouse of a novel
The legacy of empire is wild and wakeful in this exuberant story of a surreal train journey
The best recent thrillers – review roundup
Hillary Clinton makes her debut with a tightly plotted tale of political intrigue, plus new work by Julia Dahl and astronaut Chris Hadfield
The Young HG Wells review – the shape of things to come
Claire Tomalin’s restrained biography of the prolific writer and philanderer’s early years lets readers reach their own verdict on his life and deeds
Treacle Walker by Alan Garner review – the book of a lifetime
Myth meets modern science in a late masterwork brimming with ideas and imagination
Growing Up by Peter Doggett review – the seamy underbelly of free love
The 60s was the decade of sexual liberation, but, as this strange yet fascinating social history reveals, darker forces were at work too
In brief: The Secret Royals; Learwife; D: A Tale of Two Worlds – review
A gripping history of the monarchy’s relationship with the security services, a startling reinvention of Shakespeare, and a rich Dickens-inspired fantasy
Blue Skinned Gods by SJ Sindu review – a moving tale of the allure of superstition
This simply told story of a boy exploited by his father in an Indian ashram conceals a rich emotional register
Second-Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta review – fresh and timeless
This fine 1974 novel, about a Nigerian woman’s struggle to make a life in London, gets its due at last
Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe review – across the climate crisis divide
A scientist and gifted speaker makes a convincing case for calm, informed discussions in the race to avert catastrophe
Keisha the Sket by Jade LB review – ‘the literary version of the Black nod’
A viral sensation in the early 00s and now in print, this raw, groundbreaking tale of a teenager’s sex life revels in the language of Black Londoners
Too Famous by Michael Wolff review – a sneering apologist for the notorious
In this collection of his essays and columns, the American journalist takes pride in being as ruthless as some of those he writes about – from Jeffrey Epstein to Steve Bannon
Master of the Game review: Henry Kissinger as hero, villain … and neither
Martin Indyk’s well-woven biography is sympathetic to the preacher of realpolitik condemned by many as a war criminal