How To Fail podcaster Elizabeth Day is back with a new work of non-fiction…
Fiction
1. Secrets Of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden is published in hardback by Michael Joseph. Available now
#TheSecretsofHartwoodHall is out now! @KatieJLumsden has been signing copies at @GoldsboroBooks this morning. You can order your own special signed copy online here: https://t.co/XvZM7aV1aS pic.twitter.com/noDJooWRhq
— Penguin Michael Joseph (@MichaelJBooks) March 30, 2023
In her debut novel, Katie Lumsden follows the story of a young Victorian widow, Margaret Lennox. Margaret is offered a position as governess at isolated country house Hartwood Hall with an only child, Louis, and his mother, Mrs Evesham. Margaret soon hears the rumours that Mrs Evesham is a witch and the house is cursed – she does not believe in such superstitions, but she cannot deny seeing strange figures or hearing mysterious noises at night. To try to distract herself, Margaret pursues a forbidden relationship with the gardener, Paul, although she remains determined to learn the truth behind the secrets of Hartwood Hall. The novel is deeply immersive, atmospheric, and a true love letter to gothic fiction. Its modernist and unpredictable twists make it an impressive, standout debut novel, sure to leave readers on the edge of their seats.
9/10
(Review by Molly Powell)
2. To Battersea Park by Philip Hensher is published in hardback by Fourth Estate. Available now
The brilliant new novel from @PhilipHensher, TO BATTERSEA PARK, is out on Thursday.
Pre-order your copy now:https://t.co/52RNSWMKTm pic.twitter.com/A86DCwHXKN— 4th Estate Books (@4thEstateBooks) March 28, 2023
Though its theme is the confinement of the Covid lockdown, Philip Hensher’s shape-shifting, sometimes perplexing novel ranges far and wide. Arranged in four parts, it initially details the telescoping of the narrator’s world to the few streets around the home he shares with his husband. During the interchangeable days, his attention is drawn to the neighbourhood’s previously unnoticed trees and topography. He also becomes a dedicated curtain twitcher, observing (and imagining) the doings of his less rule-abiding neighbours. But this observation of minutiae can only go so far. The novel’s perspective widens to encompass the equally tiny worlds of scattered characters connected with the narrator, shifts gear into a dystopian future riven with violence, then loops back to the familiar South London street and a family tragedy. It’s an unsettling read, and some will find it too tricky, but it captures the uniquely weird atmosphere of the pandemic perfectly.
9/10
(Review by Jackie Kingsley)
3. Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose is published in hardback by Viking. Available now
#DirtyLaundry, the deliciously scandalous page-turner by @dishabossy, is out next week!
Don't miss out on this brilliant debut and pre-order yourself a treat: https://t.co/NvVYq31xwq pic.twitter.com/ACpPiMSPCbAdvertisement— Viking Books UK (@VikingBooksUK) March 23, 2023
Dirty Laundry is a classic modern life drama. Centred around the lives of three mothers, as the story develops you get to peek behind the scenes in each of their lives, live their problems and really get to know what makes them who they are. Dirty Laundry teases you at the beginning with the death of Ciara, and is a real page-turner as the book swiftly takes you back in time to before the murder, keeping you guessing until the last few chapters. The three women’s lives start to intertwine as it’s revealed who is sleeping with who, what secrets they are all keeping, and ultimately, who the murderer is. While the ending does feel a little rushed – almost like there was a chapter or two missing – this is a really easy and enjoyable read.
8/10
(Review by Randy Bainbridge)
Non-fiction
4. Friendaholic: Confessions Of A Friendship Addict by Elizabeth Day is published in hardback by Fourth Estate. Available now
COVER REVEAL! My next book is (almost) here. It’s called FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict and it’s out on 30th March 2023. Available to preorder now. 💜💚 @4thEstateBooks pic.twitter.com/GRoJx5ysuo
— Elizabeth Day (@elizabday) December 1, 2022
In a society obsessed with romantic connections, friendships are often sidelined in media and rarely examined in detail. Friendaholic: Confessions Of A Friendship Addict by journalist, novelist and podcaster Elizabeth Day sets out to right that wrong. It mixes a deeply personal, yet relatable narrative of Day’s own experiences – from ghosting to frenemies – with a broader philosophical discussion about the role of friendships in our lives, peppered with references to studies and a taste of other people’s stories. Day unpacks her tendency to collect as many friends as possible, and her long-time belief that her self-worth depends on being a Good Friend and having a large social circle (thus proving the school bullies wrong). She explains how, as the pandemic hit, she was forced to face up to the fact that she was neglecting those who really mattered by prioritising quantity over quality. Friendaholic, while refreshing in its focus, can feel bit samey after a while and could probably have been told in half the number of pages – or even a newspaper long-read.
6/10
(Review by Abbie Llewelyn)
Children’s book of the week
5. The Artist by Ed Vere is published in hardback by Puffin. Available April 6th
Writer-illustrator Ed Vere returns with another beautifully illustrated children’s book, celebrating what it means to be an artist. A classic children’s story about creativity and building self-esteem, The Artist follows a brightly coloured dinosaur as she sets out to turn her imagination full of colours, feelings, moods and dreams into art that brings joy to a colourless city. But when she accidentally slips outside the lines, The Artist feels so embarrassed that she gives up painting altogether. But how important is it to stay inside the lines? A simple but uplifting story for any child who loves to draw.
7/10
(Review by Scarlett Sangster)
Book charts for the week ending April 1st
Hardback (Fiction)
1. In Memoriam by Alice Winn
2. I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
3. Old Babes In The Wood by Margaret Atwood
4. Mother Hens by Sophie McCartney
5. A Day Of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
6. Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
7. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
8. Weyward by Emilia Hart
9. Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati, Costanza
10. Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry
(Compiled by Waterstones)
Hardback (Non-fiction)
1. Bored Of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book by Nathan Anthony
2. The Earth Transformed by Professor Peter Frankopan
3. Spare by The Duke of Sussex
4. Strong Female Character by Fern Brady
5. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
6. Bored Of Lunch: The Healthy Slow Cooker Book by Nathan Anthony
7. The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook by Clare Andrews & Air Fryer UK
8. Wild Isles by Patrick Barkham & Alastair Fothergill
9. Ravenous by Henry Dimbleby & Jemima Lewis
10. Friendaholic by Elizabeth Day
(Compiled by Waterstones)
Audiobooks (Fiction & Non-fiction)
1. I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
2. Outlive by Peter Attia & Bill Gifford
3. Atomic Habits by James Clear
4. Spare by The Duke of Sussex
5. Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
6. Double Cross by Ben Macintyre
7. Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes
8. Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane
9. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
10. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
(Compiled by Audible)
