Wanting to get your teeth into a good book, but don't know where to start?
Here are some recommendations for some of the best books released this week.
by Anuk Arudpragasam is published in hardback by Granta Books, priced £12.99 (ebook £8.54)
Available October 6
The final days of the Sri Lankan civil war were truly terrible for those caught up in it. Philosophy student Anuk Arudpragasam's first novel concerns a day in the life of Dinesh, a young man caught between Government forces and the ever-present danger of being conscripted into what he refers to as "the movement" - the wretched remains of the once formidable Tamil Tigers guerrilla army.
His existence of sheer survival changes when he's approached by a man requesting that he marry his daughter for her safety. Set in a refugee camp subjected to nightly bombardment, this is a tale with the emotional power of a Greek tragedy - a Euripidean Trojan Women with white beaches and neem trees. And it's told with a hallucinatory attention to detail that makes it feel like a first-hand account, although Arudpragasam (himself a Tamil) was fortunately shielded from the worst excesses of the conflict.
Now he bears witness for the silenced victims, shattering our complacency with an unsentimental depiction of human beings in extremis that is also a heartbreaking love story. (Review by Liz Ryan)
by Graham Norton is published in hardback by Hodder & Stoughton, priced £20 (ebook £9.99).
Available October 6
The Irish village of Duneen, Ireland doesn't see much excitement. Sergeant PJ Collins is inactive and overweight and has never had a real crime to solve. That is until human remains are discovered on a farm that are believed to belong to Tommy Burke, an old resident of the village who was last seen boarding a bus many years before. Discovering that Tommy was romantically involved with two women in the village, Brid and Evelyn, PJ begins to unwind years of secrets, regret, devastation and resentment, in an attempt to unearth the truth.
Holding is the debut novel from comedian and TV presenter Graham Norton, who proves his writing capabilities by managing to subtly inject his distinctively dry sense of humour into a largely dark text.
The sleepy village of Duneen comes to life and brings with it a certain peculiar charm that combines with sadness, comedy and intrigue to form an easy-to-love and impressive first novel from Norton. (Review by Erin Bateman) by Michelle Paver is published in hardback by Orion, priced £12.99 (ebook £6.99).
Available October 6
This haunting new novel and long-awaited sequel to the chilling Dark Matter by Michelle Paver certainly doesn't disappoint. The plot of Thin Air is undeniably gripping and a genuine page-turner. After finding herself mesmerized by the history, vastness and the terrifying solitude of the Himalayas, Paver used it as the setting for this undeniably gripping account of a 1935 expedition up Kangchenjunga. Young medic Stephen Pearce joins his brother Kits and an elite team to attempt to scale the world's third highest mountain, following in the footsteps of tragic 1906 Lyell Expedition. The mysterious potential of such a remote location presses the relatable Stephen to ask: "What if ghosts really were to exist?" We follow Stephen's reflective journey as he embarks on the expedition of a lifetime. If you enjoyed Dark Matter, you'll love Thin Air. Step in with enthusiasm and excitement, yet the greatest of caution... (Review by Alice Crick)
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