Scarlett Thomas's latest novel, The Runner, opens with 34-year-old Jay on the run in Cyprus from an unknown assassin. The contract on his life, traded in bitcoin, has been active since university when a Japanese man attacked him with a samurai sword. His only apparent ally is the mysterious Ellie, though her motives are uncertain. The narrative rewinds to Jay's childhood in Kent, unraveling reasons behind the relentless attempts on his life in a tale weaving exorcism, dictators, high finance, con artists, and marathons.
Henning Mankell's The Madman: A Timeless Exploration of Division
Written in the 1970s and newly translated into English, The Madman is set in a Swedish town in the late 1940s, grappling with the aftermath of wartime neutrality. Pro-Nazis seek to bury the past, while communist sympathizers demand accountability. When a letter accusing local figures appears, newcomer Bertil Kras is blamed for stirring resentment. After a sawmill fire, Kras faces scapegoating, leading to an existential crisis. The slow-burn narrative achieves emotional depth, with themes of othering and penalizing opinions remaining topical.
Jane Casey's Everything She Didn't Say: A Standalone Irish Mystery
Bestseller Casey's first novel set in Ireland follows a woman who wakes in a remote Mayo cottage to find her companion missing, with blood covering the house and her clothes. Locals claim only one woman lived there. Detectives Ben Butler and Liam Farrell investigate from Dublin, uncovering inconsistencies and a past key to the mystery. Casey masterfully uses the west of Ireland setting, delivering a mazy plot that wrongfoots and surprises.
MJ Robotham's The Spy and the Snake: A Cold War Caper
Set in 1968, this second outing for spy Maggie Flynn finds her longing for field work while stuck at a desk at MI5. She is tasked with retrieving Fitzroy Carver, a defector with information about a traitor in the service. The mission in Budapest proves more complex than expected, with Carver insisting on a female handler. Maggie, an innocent abroad, relies on lucky breaks in a cosy spy narrative. The period setting leans heavily on James Bond and Beatles references, but the self-deprecating protagonist and European travels offer fun.
Akane Araki's Murder at the End of the World: A Cataclysmic Debut
Japanese author Araki's debut begins with an asteroid hurtling toward Earth, set to destroy Kyushu in two months. Amid global chaos, 23-year-old Haru is having a driving lesson 60 miles from the epicenter. Her instructor, ex-cop Isagawa, joins her in investigating a murdered woman found in the training car's boot. Their road trip blossoms into an odd-couple friendship as they navigate chaos, blending entertainment with thought-provoking mystery.
