NEW FICTION
The Devil And The River by RJ Ellory is published in hardback by Orion, priced £14.99 (ebook £7.99). Available now Critically acclaimed British writer RJ Ellory's latest offering The Devil And The River is another page turner centring on a strong detective character struggling to make sense of a girl's murder in small-town America.
Vietnam veteran Sherif John Gaines and his colleagues dig 16-year-old Nancy Denton out of a river bed and discover she has been sliced down the middle and her heart replaced by a snake in a basket.
To make things even more bizarre, it turns out Nancy was killed two decades ago but presumed missing at the time. Can Sherif Gaines piece together the mystery? Even when his prime suspect is murdered?
This is an enjoyable whodunit that keeps the twists and turns coming until the very end. The reflective chapters about the sherif's experiences in Vietnam slow the story down in parts but overall it's a great read.
7/10
(Review by Caroline Davison)
Angelfall: Penryn And The End of Days by Susan Ee is published in paperback by Hodder, priced £6.99 (ebook £3.49). Available now A debut novel from the lawyer-turned-writer about a teenager's mission to save her sister.
It has been six weeks since the world was destroyed by angels. As territorial gangs roam the streets, survivors try to flee to safety...none more so than 17-year-old Penryn Young.
The teen is determined to lead her mentally ill mum and wheelchair-bound sister Paige to a safer hiding place. But they watch in horror as five angel warriors saw off the white wings of angel Raffe. When Paige unintentionally makes a sound, the now wingless angel severely wounds the leader who commands the others to retreat - only for one of them to kidnap Paige. Knowing the dangers she now faces, Penryn bags the wings and bargains with Raffe - in exchange for his feathers he has to help her find Paige. But can she trust him?
A gripping page turner that will leave you wanting more.
9/10
(Review by Julie Cheng)
The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman is published in hardback by Headline, priced £16.99 (ebook £8.49). Available June 18 He's written Doctor Who episodes, comics, short stories, speeches and picture books in the meantime, but this is Gaiman's first novel since 2008's beautiful Graveyard Book. That was billed as a children's book, but delighted adult readers; this one is marketed for adults, but would also hook any inquisitive and bookish child who gets hold of it. The unnamed narrator, though adult, fully inhabits his seven-year-old self as he recounts the extraordinary events of one childhood spring, beginning when (in an incident borrowed from Gaiman's own past) his parents' lodger commits suicide in their car.
This stirs up uncanny forces which can only be laid to rest by the three Hempstock women, who live in a farm at the end of the lane and are all far older (and odder) than they appear. The story is enthralling, the style powerfully evocative, and the child's-eye viewpoint is handled impeccably.
9/10
(Review by Alex Sarll)
