New books to read this week

Fiction

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is published in hardback by Mantle

Georgian London hosts a cat and mouse tale of deception, murder and Italian delicacies, as Bristol-born novelist Laura Shepherd-Robinson – known for the award-winning Blood & Sugar – presents her fourth historical novel. Young widow Hannah Cole is struggling to make ends meet at her confectionery shop, but with an unexpected visit from her late husband’s friend William Devereux informing her of a fruitful bank account she wasn’t aware of, things suddenly look more promising. However, when author and magistrate Henry Fielding begins raising questions, Hannah and William must dig into her husband’s past and unravel the enigma. With changing perspectives, rich historical detail and compelling mystery, The Art of a Lie is as exciting and cunning as its protagonists. It’s going to be a hit this summer.

One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford is published in hardback by Pan Macmillan

Leigh Radford’s debut novel depicts an uncanny London dealing with the aftermath of a devastating zombie virus outbreak. Although a team of top scientists have been assigned the task of developing a cure, Kesta Shelley is working against the clock to uncover the true purpose of the underground laboratory and save her secret undead husband locked in the spare room at home. While in premise a work of science fiction, Radford’s London feels all too familiar to the shell the city became during the Covid lockdowns five years ago. Emotions run high in One Yellow Eye: the mix of grief, desperation and brief glimpses of hope make for an invigorating intensity. There are some loose plotlines and flashbacks that read as more filler content, but overall, the novel is a thrilling and emotional experience – an impressive feat of a debut.

The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun, translated by Sora Kim-Russell, is published in paperback by Doubleday

Hye-Young Pyun’s The Hole, winner of the Shirley Jackson award and translated by Sora Kim-Russell, is a psychological thriller that makes the reader experience the same existential dread as Oghi, the main character. The book’s third-person narrator maintains a detached, voyeuristic presence, recounting Oghi’s recovery under his mother-in-law’s care – a woman intent on digging holes – after a car crash. The narrator peels back the layers of his past leading up to the accident, giving a non-chronological telling that sheds light on how Oghi handled a difficult childhood, progressed in his career, fell in love with his wife, and met his ultimate demise in the moments leading up to and after the accident. This book is chilling and draws the reader in deeper with each new revelation.

Non-fiction

Tart: Misadventures of an Anonymous Chef by Slutty Chef is published in hardback by Bloomsbury

Tart is a rare and sometimes shockingly honest insight into the fast-paced and hedonistic lifestyle of working in the kitchens of high-end London restaurants. An anonymous memoir, the female chef in question (Slutty Chef on social media) gets honest about the high pressure in kitchens, brutally long hours, drugs, alcohol, sexism, and, most of all, her own sex life, which takes some twists and turns as she moves up the ladder and to different places of work, often as the only woman in the male-dominated industry. The preparation and cooking of food, from de-boning Dover sole to slicing hundreds of peaches, is intertwined in such a way that somehow only adds to the raciness, and, after a tepid start, its pace makes it easy to speed through quickly, never staying in the same place for long. Anyone with an interest in the restaurant scene might find it fascinating.

Children’s book of the week

The Tree of Life by Nalini Nadkarni, illustrated by Kendra Binney, is published in hardback by Neon Squid

The Tree of Life is a beautifully imagined and executed book. The illustrations are rich in detail and colour and the flaps give a really lovely interactive feel. Across every page the reader – child or adult – is immersed in the cultural, social and ecological importance of each tree, enhanced by short narrations and descriptions. To call this a children’s picture book doesn’t do it justice; there is something to learn and explore for all ages, and it’s hard not to be immediately immersed. We enjoyed looking for all the animals native to each tree and the glossary at the back is a nice touch.