Difficult Women by Helen Lewis review – clever and generous
An inspiring hymn to the feminists who fought for change illustrates why it pays to be demanding
Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth review – life in the Instagram age
This smart, funny novel about social media and modern romance from the author of Animals mixes humour with grief and betrayal
The Bilingual Brain by Albert Costa review – the science of learning
Why it’s never too late to learn another language ... a witty, charming guide to opening our minds
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson review – heartbreak and joy
The repercussions of a teenage pregnancy are felt down the generations of an African American family
The best recent crime and thrillers
The Guest List by Lucy Foley; The Better Liar by Tanen Jones; The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue; The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd; and GBH by Ted Lewis
Strange Antics by Clement Knox review – a history of seduction
Is seduction about deceit and power or a free pursuit of sexual pleasure? An imperfect account from Casanova to #MeToo ...
Amour by Stefania Rousselle review – how the French talk about love
A road trip to discover the healing power of relationships leads to a diverse account of love in the 21st century
Actress by Anne Enright review – the spotlight of fame
The Booker winner’s seventh novel investigates a woman’s memories of her starry, damaged mother
Dave Brubeck by Philip Clark review – a life in jazz time
On tour with the man behind ‘Take Five’ ... the definitive biography of one of jazz’s most successful pianists
House of Trelawney by Hannah Rothschild review – comic family saga
Cash-strapped aristocrats inhabit a world of vulgar greed and tasteful snobbery in this escapist satire
Weather by Jenny Offill review – wit for the end times
The follow-up to Dept. of Speculation is a dazzling response to climate crisis and political anxiety
Wuthering Heights review – extreme lovers haunt a wild wasteland
Andrew Sheridan’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s novel focuses on Cathy and Heathcliff’s morbid passions and has the feel of a ghost story
Dear Life by Rachel Clarke review – a doctor on grief, love and the NHS
A medic’s heartbreaking personal account of the loss of her father, and of witnessing the courage of the critically ill
Crongton Knights review – teen quest pursued with bravado
Friends venture into danger on a rival estate armed with sassy spirit and beatbox energy – if not a clear plan – in this lively adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s YA novel
Gathering Evidence by Martin MacInnes review – an unnerving vision
Dying forests, sinister fungi, mysterious medics and an addictive social media app power this impressive novel