5 new books to read this week

M L Stedman’s gripping new novel has been awarded 10/10…

Fiction

1. A Far-Flung Life by M L Stedman is published in hardback by Doubleday, priced £20 (ebook £9.99). Available March 5

We have a word for something we remember – a memory. But what do we call something we have forgotten or want to forget? In A Far-Flung Life, the epic second novel from M L Stedman, the writer of the emotional bestseller The Light Between Oceans, we follow the MacBrides, a family of sheep farmers in 1950s Western Australia whose tough but happy life of grafting on the pastures is suddenly rocked by a dreadful tragedy. Then, just when it seems they might be allowed to start healing, another seismic event creates a secret that looms over everyone it could destroy. Stedman skilfully paints a picture of how we all decide what to remember, what to forget, who to protect and ultimately, despite all these battles, how to overcome. In this story, set in a beautifully realised vision of a hostile Australian Outback, the biggest danger may well just be the pettiness of parochially minded people. This a gripping novel that will leave an enduring impression long after you have read its final pages.
10/10
(Review by James Cann)

2. Strange Buildings by Uketsu, translated by Jim Rion, is published in paperback by Pushkin Vertigo, priced £14.99 (ebook £9.99). Available now

You might not know what to expect from Strange Buildings by Uketsu, the enigmatic author who can truly be described as a one-off and has created a niche literary genre. Fans of his previous offerings – Strange Pictures and Strange Houses – will be delighted by this latest, while newbies will hopefully be similarly hooked. Uketsu weaves together a macabre, unsettling story from examining 11 buildings where either sinister events have happened, or something simply doesn’t add up. Slowly, this leads to an incredible tale that gets darker and darker as the puzzles are solved and the pieces fall into place. This really is a remarkable piece of work; one that chills and delights in equal measure, and has to be read to be believed.
9/10
(Review by Karl Hornsey)

3. The Night Hag by Hester Musson is published in hardback by Fourth Estate, priced £16.99 (ebook £8.99). Available now

Haunted by nightmares brought on by sleep paralysis, a young archaeologist seeks to flee from her upbringing of sorceress’s tricks by immersing herself in a world of rationality and science. But when she is made to confront the superstitions of villagers while on a dig on a Scottish estate, she begins to question her own sanity and the secrets of her past. With effortless flair, Musson brings to life the repressed horror and self-doubt of a woman in Victorian Britain navigating class conflict, folk-tale culture and a misogynistic establishment in a narrative that unravels like a classic piece of Victorian literature, while maintaining a modern pace of writing that will keep you hooked. The only thing missing is a descent into a metaphorical, surrealistic nightmare where you, as the reader, become confused as to what is real and what is not.
7/10
(Review by Danny Halpin)

Non-fiction

4. A History Of France In 21 Women by Katherine Pangonis is published in hardback by Oneworld, priced £18.99 (ebook £10.99). Available March 5

Katherine Pangonis brings the history of France to life in her latest book, highlighting 21 women who helped shape the country. She covers a vast amount of time – starting with queen and Catholic saint Balthild of Chelles, who lived in the 600s, and ending with Brigitte Bardot, the controversial actress and singer who died last year. Some of the women’s stories might be familiar – like Joan of Arc or Coco Chanel –but others are a bit less well covered, like the story of Algerian activist Djamila Boupacha. Far from a dry textbook, Pangonis breathes life into each story, with accessible and engaging writing that leans into the inherent drama of each life. While it can occasionally feel a bit like a whistlestop tour, that’s the price you pay for covering 21 lives in one book – and it’s definitely worth the trade-off.
8/10
(Review by Prudence Wade)

Children’s book of the week

5. The Lost Robot by Joe Todd-Stanton is published in hardback by Flying Eye Books, priced £12.99 (no ebook). Available March 5

A small, broken robot called Mio wakes up on top of a rubbish dump and tries to remember how it got there. It starts to walk through the rubbish until it finds a hole in a wall, with people the other side. It remembers it was a present for a boy, enjoying life as a treasured toy until it was broken. The robot finds the house where the boy lives, only to find him playing with a new robot. It goes back to the rubbish dump, until a young girl spots it and decides to take it home to be repaired. The book is beautifully illustrated, with a theme that most broken things can always be saved – a strong message for young children and their parents in today’s throwaway society. Joe Todd-Stanton is an award-winning author and illustrator who has a natural talent for story-telling.
7/10
(Review by Alan Jones)

BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 28

HARDBACK (FICTION)
1. Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
2. The Witch And The Wolf by Lindsey Kelk
3. Berwick by LJ Ross
4. The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan
5. Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce
6. Nonesuch by Francis Spufford
7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
8. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
9. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
10. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
(Compiled by Waterstones)

HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)
1. No-Nonsense Nutrition by Dominique Ludwig
2. A Hymn To Life by Gisele Pelicot
3. My Gardening Life by Mary Berry
4. Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins & Sawyer Robbins
5. Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy
6. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
7. The Food For Life Cookbook by Tim Spector
8. Entitled by Andrew Lownie
9. Clean Magic by Nancy Birtwhistle
10. William & Catherine by Russell Myers
(Compiled by Waterstones)

AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NONFICTION)
1. Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
5. My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
6. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
7. A Hymn To Life by Gisele Pelicot
8. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
9. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
10. Entitled by Andrew Lownie
(Compiled by Audible)