With countless new titles hitting the shelves each week, choosing your next compelling read can be a challenge. Our latest review roundup cuts through the noise, offering a curated selection of page-turners spanning magical mystery, Cold War capers, pulse-quickening thrillers, and practical guides to living well.
Fiction Finds: Magic, Espionage, and Psychological Suspense
For those seeking an escape into a world of enchantment, Georgia Summers' "The Bookshop Below" offers a unique premise. Published by Hodderscape in hardback for £20, the novel follows former bookseller Cassandra Fairfax. She inherits a magical bookshop from her mentor, only to find it is a sentient entity with strong opinions, shifting walls, and a tendency to flood with books. To make matters worse, a secret society of rival booksellers is determined to take the shop from her, by any means necessary.
Reviewer Ella Walker praises the novel's quick pace and riveting exploration of Cassandra's past, awarding it 8/10. She notes that while the unfolding mystery and the protagonist's relationship with rival Lowell Sharpe are compelling, the complex logistics of the magical bookshop network can sometimes be hard to grasp as the plot races forward.
Shifting gears to historical intrigue, Ace Atkins' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" delves into the spy-filled atmosphere of 1985. Published by Corsair (£22 hardback), the thriller is set in mid-1980s Atlanta. The story kicks off when 14-year-old Peter Bennett seeks help, suspecting his mother's new boyfriend is a Russian agent.
The narrative weaves together a colourful cast including a washed-up crime writer, a drag performer, a KGB defector, and a murder, creating what reviewer Eleanor Barlow calls "a whole lot of fun." Barlow awards the book 8/10, highlighting its nostalgic Cold War setting, fast-paced action, and generous helping of humour, though she cautions that the numerous twists require a reader's full attention.
For fans of psychological suspense, Sebastian Fitzek's "Mimik" delivers a chilling premise. Available in paperback from Head of Zeus for £9.99, the German thriller centres on Hannah Herbst, the nation's top facial resonance expert. After an operation causes amnesia, Hannah wakes to find herself held hostage by an escaped criminal from a high-security hospital.
Her captor forces her to watch a video confession of a woman who murdered her family—a woman who looks exactly like Hannah. Reviewer Alan Jones notes that the search for truth leads to more murders and a shocking conclusion, typical of Fitzek's successful style. He rates it a 7/10, stating it will thrill existing fans and likely win new ones.
Non-Fiction and Children's Picks
Moving to practical advice, "Living Young: Techniques And Exercises To Lower Your Biological Age" by Dr Lara Hemeryck and Anastasia Mabel offers a beginner's guide to biohacking. Published by Michael O’Mara (£12.99 paperback), the book is structured around five key areas: eat, move, sleep, think, and live.
Reviewer Bridie Pritchard explains that while the core advice on diet, exercise, and sleep will be familiar, the book excels in providing practical, gradual tips for implementing changes. She gives it 7/10, noting it's an excellent top-level starting point for those new to longevity practices, with extensive resources listed for readers wanting to delve deeper into the research.
Finally, for a younger audience or a perfect stocking filler, Terry Deary's "Terrible Traitors (Horrible Histories)" offers another fact-packed, humorous romp through history. Published by Scholastic (£6.99 paperback), the book details fifty infamous betrayals, from Alfred the Great's cunning spy mission to the suspicious death of King William II.
Illustrated by Martin Brown and packed with extra 'Did You Know?' facts, reviewer Jane Kirby awards it 8/10. She confirms it will delight both existing Horrible Histories fans and newcomers alike with its cheeky, engaging take on historical treachery.
This week's selection proves there is no shortage of captivating new reads, whether your taste leans towards magical realism, historical thrills, psychological twists, self-improvement, or humorous history.
