From a Nigerian murder mystery to a meditation on parenting and grief, pick up one of these…

Fiction

1. Lightseekers by Femi Kayode is published in hardback by Raven Books priced £14.99 (ebook £5.99). Available now

Need a change from the usual Nordic noir detectives or hard boiled anti-heroes? There’s a new investigator in town. Dr Philip Taiwo isn’t a policeman – he’s an investigative psychologist. After years in the US, Taiwo returns to Nigeria to look into a crime scene. There’s no mystery around how the hideous mob killing of three university students happened, as it was captured on video. The question Philip needs to answer is why. But in this university town, everyone seems to have something to hide. Is one of the victims as blameless as he seems? What’s the involvement of the local police? And what are the real motivations of the man who’s hired him? With its twisty plot, engaging characters and brilliantly realised setting, Lightseekers will keep you eagerly turning the pages.8/10(Review by Jackie Kingsley)

2. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson is published in hardback by Chatto & Windus, priced £14.99 (ebook £9.99). Available now

Mary Lawson writes about families and relationships, history and secrets. A Canadian by birth who’s lived in the UK since the 1960s, Lawson’s latest book is set in chilly Northern Ontario in 1972. Entwined stories twist together in A Town Called Solace: Clara, just eight, finds her world turned upside down when her sister Rose runs away. Elderly next door neighbour Elizabeth thinks about the people she’s loved as she goes into hospital, and newly divorced Liam moves into her house. The impact of events from 30 years ago provide the backdrop for today. The doubts, difficulties and uncertainties of the human condition are examined carefully in a way that is both heartbreaking and joyful. If you love Anne Tyler or Carol Shields – who make the domestic drama of everyday lives extraordinary – A Town Called Solace will appeal.8/10(Review by Bridie Pritchard)

3. Insatiable by Dairy Buchanan is published in hardback by Sphere, priced £12.99 (ebook £6.99). Available now

Journalist Daisy Buchanan’s debut novel follows 20-something Violet on her post break-up voyage of self-discovery. She is uninspired both romantically and professionally until she meets the effervescent Lottie and her husband Simon, who invite her into a world of Islington town houses, high-end art, expensive clothes and lots of wild sex. This is not the kind of book you want someone reading over your shoulder on the bus, neither is it something you might recommend to your mum, but fans of Jilly Cooper should order a copy immediately. You will find yourself irritated by Violet’s flailing around, but also desperate to see how her story unfolds. It is a lot of fun to read, and serves as excellent escapism at a time when we need it most.7/10(Review by Frances Wright)

Non-fiction

4. Brown Baby by Nikesh Shukla is published in hardback by Bluebird, priced £16.99 (ebook £8.99). Available now

The challenges of parenthood, social prejudices and grief are thoughtfully examined in Nikesh Shukla’s new memoir. Lovingly addressed to his young daughter, each chapter provides a frank questioning of difficult themes, including racism, sexism and climate change. The book is loosely structured as a life manual for his child, but Shukla readily admits to not having all the answers. Veering from humour and self-deprecation to frustration and anger, Shukla honestly imparts his wisdom and perspective on society. His easy, approachable writing style, peppered with colloquialisms and cultural references, is at its most powerful when exploring family relationships, his South Asian heritage and the loss of his mother. The toll this grief takes provides the most emotional passages – particularly the vivid recollection of her cooking. Shukla’s commitment to his daughter is movingly clear, and despite future uncertainty, he leaves an uplifting message of hope: to use joy as an act of resistance.7/10(Review by Tom Pilgrim)

Children’s book of the week

5. The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, illustrated by Levi Pinfold, is published in hardback by HarperCollins Children’s Books, priced £12.99 (ebook £7.99). Available now

When April accompanies her dad to Bear Island, a wild scrap of Arctic land where he is undertaking research, she is assured polar bears no longer exist there. April believes this to be true – until she stumbles across Bear, who is starving, lost and in dire need of help. She cannot watch him suffer and vows to save him, sparking an unlikely bond and a great adventure between the little girl and big bear. Hannah Gold’s debut is beautiful and moving, telling an important tale about climate change with tact and hope. The illustrations enhance this vital and powerful story, making it a charming and impactful read for children and adults like.9/10(Review by Molly Hunter)

BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 20

HARDBACK (FICTION)1. A Court Of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas2. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell3. The Galaxy, And The Ground Within by Becky Chambers4. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman5. Daughters Of Night by Laura Shepherd-Robinson6. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart7. Slough House by Mick Herron8. The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths9. Girl A by Abigail Dean10. No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood(Compiled by Waterstones)

HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)1. How To Avoid A Climate Disaster by Bill Gates2. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse by Charlie Mackesy3. Where Hope Comes From by Nikita Gill4. Guinness World Records 2021 by Guinness World Records5. Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera6. Fall by John Preston7. Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel8. A Promised Land by Barack Obama9. Women Don’t Owe You Pretty by Florence Given10. You’ve Got This by Louise Redknapp(Compiled by Waterstones)

AUDIOBOOKS1. Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman2. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates3. A Promised Land by Barack Obama4. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab5. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig6. Orwell Collection: Animal Farm & 1984 by George Orwell7. The Runner: The China Thrillers, Book 5 by Peter May8. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Book 1 by J.K. Rowling9. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey10. Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear(Compiled by Audible)