Wilson, Frances (2025) Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark. Bloomsbury.
Wilson explores the formative and dramatic first thirty-nine years of Muriel Spark’s life, culminating in the publication of her debut novel. Spark sought to control her own narrative and legacy. She litigated against biographers during her lifetime. She was a woman of brilliance, contradictions, codes, and transformation. We follow Spark from her upbringing in Edinburgh and her time as an unhappy wife in Rhodesia, through her life as a mother, lover, editor, critic, novelist, and Catholic convert. Wilson interrogates Spark’s vast archives, writings and papers and she shapes the book around four different historical women named Mary (influenced by “The Queen’s Maries”). Challenging but solid literary biography.
Rating: 4/5
Tóibín, Colm (2026) The Bridge. PanMacmillan.
A new bridge connecting the remote valley home of Miquel and his father to the wider world is set to change their lives. Whilst Miquel’s father sees the opportunity to expand his smuggling operation, Miquel sees the potential for disaster. In this short novella Tóibín captures the clash between past and present with unfortunate repercussions for the protagonists. Sombre.
Rating: 3/5
Foley, Lucy (2026) Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel. HarperCollins.
Miss Marple solves a new crime in this reimagined tale. Miss Marple, her friend Dolly Bantry and Dolly’s companion, Diana Glass, are on holiday at a luxury hotel high in the Swiss Alps when a guest is found murdered at the top of the mountain. In a story told by multiple narrators, none of whom are Miss Marple, a dastardly mystery is uncovered and solved by the sleuthing powers of Miss Marple. Full of colourful characters and 1950’s tropes this book somewhat pays homage to classic Christie. Light.
Rating: 3/5
McCluskey, Laura (2026) The Cursed Road. HarperCollins.
When a young woman’s body is found on a remote road in the mountainous Scottish Highlands DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart, in their second outing, are sent to investigate. The victim has the name of a missing person carved into her arm. As George and Richie question locals they come up against the road’s bloody history that involves secrets, kidnappings, feuds and curses. On top of this we have a strained relationship, a sexual predator, a determined journalist, unethical hunting practices and a gothic castle. A tense and atmospheric police procedural. Grabs you from the beginning.
Rating: 4/5
Hurtubise, Charleen (2026) Saoirse. Eriu.
Seventeen-old Sarah steals the identity of a young Irish woman to escape danger in Michigan and journeys to 1990’s Ireland. She is invited to stay with the Byrne family. However she is shackled by her past and subject to abuse. She finds peace as she starts to express herself though her art. Then she meets Daithi. As her relationship with Daithi grows, and she raises her two daughters, her backstory begins to be revealed. But it is not until she wins a prestigious art award that her traumatic and fragile life is finally exposed. A story of survival, identity, reinvention and healing. Beautiful storytelling.
Rating: 4/5
Cleeves, Ann (2026) The Dying Light. Macmillan.
When a young woman’s body is found in the swimming pool at a luxury North Devon holiday retreat DI Matthew Venn, in his fourth outing, is called in to investigate. Then a second victim, best friend and the daughter of the house, is found. The media attention is extreme as the property belongs to a rising politician. The dead girls had been at a summer music festival the previous day, attended by both locals and outsiders. There are lots of potential suspects. During a scorching heatwave Venn and his team must interrogate dark family secrets and community tensions. Atmospheric and empathetic police procedural. Lots of red herrings. Energetic read.
Rating: 4/5
