New books to read this week

Much-loved author Jodi Picoult returns with her latest novel, mixing historical fiction with a modern-day tale…

Fiction

The Waiting by Michael Connelly is published in hardback by Orion

Los Angeles detective Renée Ballard returns to her car after surfing to discover that her police badge, ID, gun and phone had been stolen. She can’t report the theft because it would probably end her career, so she works on the burglary alone, only to be drawn into a chain of much bigger crimes. Meanwhile, Ballard’s Open-Unsolved Unit unearths a connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer from 20 years ago. Genetic profiling proves that his father must be the so-called Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a series of horrifying crimes over a five-year reign of terror. Using unconventional and sometimes not entirely legal methods, Ballard closes in on the cold case killer while at the same time trying to retrieve her police badge and save her job. A former newspaper reporter, Michael Connelly exposes the strengths and weaknesses of the main characters in what is sure to be another bestseller, keeping the reader engrossed until the end. For fans old and new, the waiting is over.

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult is published in hardback by Penguin

What if the man behind the most famous theatrical works of all time wasn’t a man at all? What if the Bard was, in fact, just an actor? By Any Other Name is an impressively researched and beautifully written homage to the works of Shakespeare, which peppers ‘his’ themes and unique phrasing throughout. In the 16th century, the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress, Emilia Bassano, uses her talent for music and storytelling to create some of the most capturing works of theatre ever imagined, but how will she bring them to the stage when women are not permitted to do so? In modern-day New York, her descendant Melina Green faces similar difficulties – until she learns of her ancestor and takes inspiration. Alternating between Elizabethan London and current Manhattan, the tales of the two women are interwoven to explore identity and women’s voices in a gripping, rich and masterful work.

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins is published in hardback by Doubleday

Paula Hawkins’ The Blue Hour is a gripping psychological thriller set on a remote Scottish island, cut off from the mainland for 12 hours each day. The chilling discovery of a human bone in the work of famous artist Vanessa Chapman sets off a disturbing chain of events. Her friend, Grace, who had moved into Vanessa’s former house on the island, seems unfazed by the solitude, but the novel weaves an unsettling atmosphere through its vivid imagery of island life and art. While some characters may feel a bit one-dimensional, the story’s suspenseful twists make it an undeniable page-turner that will keep you hooked. The ending may not deliver the biggest shock, but it still provides a satisfying conclusion to an overall enjoyable read.

Non-fiction

My Animals, And Other Animals: A Memoir Of Sorts by Bill Bailey

Comedian and Strictly Come Dancing winner Bill Bailey has written a predictably unique memoir. This is by no means a dry, chronological slog through his life – but as an animal lover, he’s hinged it around all the beasts and critters he’s encountered. These range from the familiar – like the dogs and birds he keeps at home – to the more exotic, including his pet armadillos and swimming with a dwarf minke whale in Australia. It’s a delightful look at just how passionate Bailey is about animals – and along the way giving the reader more of a sense of his life and career. While told in a loosely sequential manner, don’t expect a heavy narrative arc here – instead, it’s a series of offbeat and funny tableaus that will keep you charmed until the end.

Children’s book of the week

Where To Hide a Star by Oliver Jeffers is published in hardback by HarperCollins Children’s Books

There’s a reason kids fall for Australian-Northern Irish author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers’ books. His storylines are imaginative yet easy to follow, and the illustrations are captivating – and his latest offering, Where To Hide A Star, is no different. It follows a young boy who always plays hide and seek with his friends, a penguin and a star, until one day the star goes missing for real – and he gets some pretty unusual help in his quest to find it. It’s the kind of book with a heartwarming message that isn’t overly laboured, and with bright colours and quirky details, it’ll never get old as a bedtime story.