Small Mercies by DENNIS LEHANE, Abacus £20
The masterly Lehane’s latest, set in 1970s Boston, has two women linked by the fate of their children set against the background of incendiary interracial conflict. Both will be changed irrevocably. Lehane’s work is always about hope, however dark the scenarios; that quality shines throughout this ambitious and multi-layered novel.
Murder in the Family by CARA HUNTER, HarperCollins £8.99
In intriguing collage format, the always impressive Hunter challenges the reader to solve a brutal murder in a house in West London, provocatively raising issues of voyeurism and knotty moral choices. It’s a stunning and ingenious novel (now optioned for television) from the creator of the DI Adam Fawley series.
The Widow Couderc by GEORGES SIMENON, translated by Siân Reynolds, Penguin, £10.99
A welcome new translation of a key Simenon standalone. With its sensuously detailed rustic setting and edgy interactions between a widow managing her own farm and the dissolute, privileged ex-convict Jean, this is quietly hypnotic fare, as the joyless sex between the two central characters leads to a grim conclusion.
Resurrection Walk by MICHAEL CONNELLY, Orion £22
We’re in the best of company with LA detective Harry Bosch and Lincoln lawyer Mickey Haller, attempting to exonerate a woman who has been jailed for killing her ex-husband. As ever, Connelly is an astute commentator on society and crucial issues of legality on the street and in the courtroom.
All the Sinners Bleed by S A COSBY, Headline £20
Suffering from remorse after a badly handled case, conflicted ex-FBI agent Titus Crown is on the trail of a taunting killer involved in the death of African-American children; Crown’s stuttering progress is blocked by local prejudice. Scabrous dialogue, dexterous storytelling; the rapidly rising SA Cosby consolidates his already ironclad reputation.
