New releases include twisty thrillers and uplifting children’s books…

Fiction

1. The Slowworm’s Song by Andrew Miller is published in hardback by Sceptre, priced £18.99 (ebook £9.99). Available now

Stephen, an ex-soldier and recovering alcoholic, has just found the daughter he never knew – but fears losing her when he is summoned to an enquiry about his involvement in an incident during The Troubles in Ireland. Unable to face telling her, he writes to her. The result is partly a love letter: for her, for his life at the time she was born, for the country, for life itself – and part confession of his own role in something he struggles to forgive himself for. Andrew Miller’s gentle, beautifully crafted sentences belie the often brutal truths behind the narrative. Memories of lost colleagues and Stephen’s own childhood sit alongside a darker past. The image of the slowworm, silent and sinister, finding its way into the precious earth, is set against a song of light and life that won’t be silenced.9/10(Review by Victoria Barry)

2. Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold is published in hardback by Sphere, priced £12.99 (ebook £6.99). Available now

Who doesn’t love a tightly-plotted thriller? If the still-flourishing success of Harlan Coben and his peers is anything to go by, twisty but lean whodunnits remain precious commodities to modern readers. Robert Gold – launching his debut Twelve Secrets after spending years as a book buyer feverishly absorbing the product – delivers an intriguing tale of a shocking teenage tragedy that continues to torture investigative journalist Ben Harper, and send shockwaves through the generations of families who live in the fictional village of Haddley. Clever twists surprise, but never take liberties – and believable dialogue creates well-crafted characters in a community reminiscent of ITV’s Broadchurch. Gold’s maiden novel is hard to put down, and full of promise for further murder mysteries to come.8/10(Review by James Cann)

3. Careering by Daisy Buchanan is published in hardback by Sphere, priced £14.99 (ebook £8.49). Available now

Careering follows two women in different stages of their careers, who have both been betrayed by the industry they once loved: Harri, who has dedicated her life to Panache magazine but is snubbed for the editor role, and Imogen, the intern she hires to write for a new feminist site. Careering is about modern womanhood, giving a funny and honest take on what it’s like when a dream job turns sour – and what happens when you reach the other side of a toxic relationship with your career. Daisy Buchanan’s writing is hilarious, and doesn’t hold back about the realities of being a young woman climbing the career ladder. If you’ve ever come to the realisation your ‘dream job’ isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, then this is the book for you.8/10(Review by Rikki Loftus)

Non-fiction

4. A Line Above The Sky: On Mountains And Motherhood by Helen Mort is published in hardback by Ebury Press, priced £16.99 (ebook £9.99). Available March 24

Poet Helen Mort offers a candid and moving exploration of early motherhood and mountaineering. She examines the physicality and instinct involved in both, and how having a child can change perceptions of the self, the body and danger. This is contrasted with the cerebral process of writing. You will learn about the author’s hero, climbing legend Alison Hargreaves, whose story is woven into her own. The writing is beautifully lyrical, inviting you to underline many passages. The descriptions of landscapes are at times dreamlike and haunting, and Mort’s love for them is contagious, tempting you to put on your hiking boots and head to the Peak District. The narrative is interspersed with second-person vignettes of a climb – you may question their purpose at first, but their significance becomes clear later.8/10(Review by Sophie Wingate)

Children’s book of the week

5. The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold, illustrated by Levi Pinfold, is published in hardback by HarperCollins Children’s Books, priced £12.99 (ebook £7.99). Available March 31

The follow-up to the acclaimed The Last Bear, The Lost Whale is another eco cry from the heart of Hannah Gold. Rio has been sent to stay with a grandmother he barely knows in California, while his mum is in hospital. A little forlorn and lost, Rio makes friends with Marina on the beach, and finds a drawing of a whale his mum had done as a child and feels an instant connection. This grows when he encounters a whale on a boat trip – until the whale goes missing. Rio’s complex feelings about his mum and looking after her runs next to his growing understanding of the dangers whales face thanks to human greed and thoughtlessness. Filled with big emotions and the need to face your fears, not to mention beautiful illustrations from Levi Pinfold, this is perfect for sensitive eco-warriors aged 8+.8/10(Review by Bridie Pritchard)

BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 19

HARDBACK (FICTION)1. Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton & James Patterson2. The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake3. Galatea by Madeline Miller4. Gallant by V.E. Schwab5. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley6. The Exhibitionist by Charlotte Mendelson7. House Of Sky And Breath by Sarah J. Maas8. Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes9. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman10. The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett(Compiled by Waterstones)

HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)1. Feel Good Food by Joe Wicks2. Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama by Bob Odenkirk3. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr Julie Smith4. Butler To The World by Oliver Bullough5. Maybe Baby by Kate Lawler6. Queen Of Our Times by Robert Hardman7. Pinch Of Nom Comfort Food by Kay Featherstone & Kate Allinson8. Otherlands by Thomas Halliday9. Taste by Stanley Tucci10. Bless The Daughter Raised By A Voice In Her Head by Warsan Shire(Compiled by Waterstones)

AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON-FICTION)1. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr Julie Smith2. Atomic Habits by James Clear3. Pieces Of Her by Karin Slaughter4. Putin’s People by Catherine Belton5. Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes6. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman7. P. G. Wodehouse Volume 2 by P. G. Wodehouse8. Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing by Bob Mortimer & Paul Whitehouse9. Windswept & Interesting by Billy Connolly10. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman(Compiled by Audible)