The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (Orion, £22)
The new novel from the author of The Passage could hardly be more different in tone and setting from that acclaimed horror trilogy. The island of Prospera provides an idyllic existence for the fortunate inhabitants, who display no curiosity about the wider world and accept having no children as the price of immortality: in old age they are ferried to the “Nursery”, from which they return, young again and memory-wiped, to start over. The reader is given plenty of hints that there’s more to this reality than the characters believe, but there are 500 pages to go before the mind-boggling reveal. That’s not the end: Cronin is far too good a writer to hang his compelling tale on a single twist. What lingers in the mind are not so much the turns of plot as the issues explored: about society, human nature, and above all what it means to live a good life.
More Perfect by Temi Oh (Simon & Schuster, £16.99)
In a near-future Britain, a simple operation to insert a chip in the brain allows access to the Panopticon, a network enabling friends to share thoughts and see through each other’s eyes. The government is pushing to make it compulsory as a way to end social isolation and prevent crime. For Moremi, suffering from depression and fear of abandonment, it means she need never be alone again; when she falls in love with Orpheus, she can be certain he shares her feelings. But gradually the dark side of the Panopticon, and the coercive ways an authoritarian government will use it, are chillingly revealed. Drawing on ancient Greek myths and modern brain science, this is a plausible, complex vision of the future, a fascinating story that never shies away from the contradictions in human nature.
Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway (Corsair, £18.99)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were the first race and the ancestors of humankind. In Harkaway’s seventh novel, they are the new elite: those wealthy enough to afford T7, a genetic therapy that may provide immortality. Each time the body clock is reset, the patient grows in strength and size, while gaining extra years of longevity. When Detective Cal Sounder is sent to investigate a murder, he knows it must have a connection with Titans, who are practically impossible to kill. He’s the go-to guy for such sensitive cases – his ex-girlfriend, now turned Titan, is the daughter of the man who discovered T7. But the crime is even more complicated than he imagined, and there are people determined to stop him uncovering the truth. A highly entertaining, satisfying blend of classic detective noir and inventive speculative fiction.
Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward (Viper, £16.99)
A novel about youthful friendships, rivalry, unspeakable crimes and the way memories mutate when dark secrets are revealed, this is probably Ward’s most complex and brilliant book yet. It is also about writers who turn life into fiction, and the question of who, if anyone, owns a story. Events are presented from different perspectives, as “the truth” (memoir, true crime) and as fiction. It’s difficult to define by genre, but with touches of witchcraft and a building sense of dread, literary horror is the neatest niche. Lovers of Shirley Jackson, Barbara Vine or Patricia Highsmith will adore this intense, psychologically acute, atmospheric thriller.
Our Hideous Progeny by CE McGill (Doubleday, £16.99)
Mary longs to make her mark as a scientist, but for a woman in Victorian London it’s almost impossible. She shares her passion for palaeontology with her husband, illustrating the papers he writes, but he has an unfortunate knack for alienating others by pointing out where their theories are wrong. When she finds a trove of old family papers detailing her great-uncle Victor Frankenstein’s experiments, she has a mad, or possibly genius, idea. If it succeeds, fame and fortune is assured. But if they fail? The debut author’s original, feminist variation on Mary Shelley’s foundational text makes for a wonderfully rich, emotionally engaging tale with the flavour and appeal of a great 19th-century novel.
