Books
THE BEST NEW READS
THE MIND-BENDINGONE
(Sceptre, £16.99)
★★★★★
In a near-future England, an unnamed civil servant is given a job by a mysterious government ministry. She is to be a “Bridge”, responsible for helping a refugee settle in. But her charge isn’t from a far-flung country – he’s from a far-back time. The man who moves in with her is none other than doomed Polar explorer Commander Graham Gore. He has been plucked from certain death back in 1847, where he was part of the crew of doomed ship The Terror, stranded in the Arctic Circle as part of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition. And Graham isn’t the only time traveller to arrive in the modern day – there’s a WW1 officer and a 17th-century soldier among others. As the “expats” acclimatise to the 21st century – including navigating Tinder and the mores of modern sex– it becomes clear the motives behind the ministry aren’t as altruistic as they seem and soon, everyone is in danger. A wild mash-up of time-travel, romance, sci-fi and social commentary, this is bold, sexy and fun.
THE LIFE-AFFIRMER
★★★★
SAMUEL BURR (ORION, £16.99) Two decades ago, Pippa found anewborn on the doorstep of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, the community she formed with like-minded friends. Yearning to be amum, she raised the baby as her own, but she has just died and Clayton needs to know where he came from. So, armed with clues left by Pippa, he goes on avoyage of discovery. But will he get more than he was expecting? With awonderful cast, adual timeline that reveals how the Fellowship was created, and puzzles to solve, this is a life-affirming gem.
THE FAR-FLUNG ONE
★★★★
PHOEBE MORGAN (HQ, £9.99)
Set on what should be aparadise holiday to Thailand, this is perfect for devouring on your own dream vacay –but failing that, the sofa/garden/bus will do, as you’ll quickly be transported to another world. On holiday with her husband and best friends, Saskia is determined to enjoy the trip of alifetime –until achance encounter with aface from her past forces her to confront the terrible crime she committed years ago. And when Saskia’s secret is finally revealed, she is forced into making ashocking decision. With menace on every page,
