Rebel Prince by Tom Bower review – is Charles the best argument for a republic?
The Prince emerges from this highly negative biography as vain, cold and out of touch. But it is only a partial account of his life and its contexts
Two Sisters by Åsne Seierstad review – slow-burn Isis tragedy
A detailed exploration of how two teenage girls were lured from Norway to Syria by Isis lays bare the horrors of radicalisation
Thrillers review: While You Sleep; Tangerine; Come and Find Me
An island retreat harbouring dark secrets, a dangerous friendship and a female detective tracking a sadistic killer feature in this month’s roundup
The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton with Lara Love Hardin – review
An ex-death row inmate’s account of his decades-long struggle for justice is a tribute to friendship, faith – and a wonderful lawyer
In brief: Self & I; The Party; The Secret Barrister
An eye-opening account of life with Will Self, a gripping novel about class barriers and a dispiriting look behind the scenes of the English legal system
Bride and Groom review – odd couples in Dagestan
Political tensions and culture clashes drive Alisa Ganieva’s bold novel, set amid preparations for two weddings in a small Russian republic
Ordinary People review – a deft portrait of marital angst
Two modern black couples add parenthood and marital woes to those of cultural identity in Diana Evans’s humorous, insightful novel
Of Men and Angels by Michael Arditti – review
Religious hypocrisy comes under fire in Michael Arditti’s masterly novel based on the tale of Sodom
Brainstorm: Detective Stories from the World of Neurology; Unthinkable: The World’s Strangest Brains – review
Books by Suzanne O’Sullivan and Helen Thomson offer fascinating insights into the ‘maverick brain’ and rare mental conditions
Book clinic: recommended books about the best of humanity
From a redemptive tale set in Norfolk to classic Michael Frayn, our expert selects books that are funny and inspiring
Debussy by Stephen Walsh review – a fine biography of a painter in sound
The French composer was once dismissed as a Romantic or ‘impressionist’ who prioritised mood and feeling. This life digs deep into his innovations
The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson review – a magical YA debut
Two factions battle each other for survival in this complex and slippery tale of ancient spells cast in contemporary Ireland
Money in the Morgue by Ngaio Marsh and Stella Duffy review – Inspector Alleyn returns
This skilfully completed ‘continuation novel’, set in a New Zealand hospital, is an exquisite reminder of the brilliance of Marsh’s London detective
The End of the Fxxxing World review – a modern ballad of angst and murder
Charles Forsman’s graphic novel about teenage fugitives in the American midwest, now adapted for TV, is a lurid miniature epic
Among the Living and the Dead by Inara Verzemnieks review – a memoir of the bloodlands
An American writer uncovers the remarkable story of her Latvian grandparents, as their homeland is conquered by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union