The Brightest Star In The Sky by Marian Keyes
For the first time in years there’s a new Marian Keyes book out in time for Christmas, and this one has that magical seasonal vibe that means it's perfect for reading with a rug on your lap and a large glass of mulled wine. But don’t be fooled - Keyes is much more than chick-lit and as ever this has a bit of an edge. Set in Dublin, The Brightest Star in the Sky tells the story of the various inhabitants of 66 Star Street, a collection of flats. The music executive, the taxi driver, the gardener: they’re all just minding their own business until a mysterious stranger appears and changes their lives. The plot may sound simple, but it’s actually very intriguing. Nobody does homespun wisdom with as much charm and as little nausea as Keyes and this is no different. Clocking in at well over 600 pages, it makes for several evenings’ worth of blissful escapism.
By Alex Heminsley
Luxury by Jessica Ruston
Ever get tired of reading a bonkbuster written through a thick veil of irony? Almost as if the author is ashamed that she once survived on Jackie Collins and Jilly Cooper? So do we, which is why we love the fact that Jessica Ruston is bringing back sexy moguls, reckless glamour-pusses and moneyed decadence in a way we didn’t think was possible. Set in the world of luxury hotels, this is a tightly-plotted romp that gives Shirley Conran a run for her money while being very 21st century indeed. The characters are larger-than-life without being ridiculous, the settings provide escapism and the plot wraps everything in a perfect grosgrain bow. It’s what long haul flights were made for.
By Alex Heminsley
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
The Time Traveler’s Wife was one of those novels that flew from bookshop shelves because friends begged each other to read it so they could analyse and enthuse together. As a result, the arrival of Audrey Niffenegger's second novel, Her Fearful Symmetry, has a lot of readers on tenterhooks already. But don’t panic, it delivers the same spooky romanticism as its predecessor, but with a lot less of the time travel. American identical twins, teenagers Julia and Valentina, are left a flat in London when their aunt dies. It overlooks Highgate Cemetery and they immediately move there, keen to explore the surroundings. But these fragile, mysterious sisters – who are still largely inseparable – soon find themselves part of ghostly goings on. Niffenegger creates a modern day ghost story as delicate as it is believable; even if cynical readers struggle with the ending, no one can deny that she writes a cracking read.
By Alex Heminsley
For Richer For Poorer: A Love Affair With Poker by Victoria Coren
If anyone is in a position to write about poker, it’s British author and journalist Victoria Coren. After all, she won one million dollars at the European Poker Championship in 2006. But it doesn’t take an expert to know that the game isn’t all highs - what lifts this memoir of her poker career is that Coren gives a real sense of the lows as well. So despite her vivid descriptions of the intoxicating rush of a win, she is unflinchingly honest about both the eye-popping risks she has taken to continue playing and the seedier side of the game. It makes this a compulsive read which may well leave you reaching for a pack of cards.
By Alex Heminsley
A Week In December by Sebastian Faulks
Faulks took time out last year to pen the raunchy James Bond novel Devil May Care as the late Ian Fleming, but those who prefer his own style will be relieved to know there’s no sign of 007 here. Set over the course of one week in 2007, his latest takes a look at the lives of seven fictional Londoners from different walks of city life. From a school boy to a hedge fund manager to an underground train driver, each is equally trapped by modern urban life, and slowly we see their stories entwine. Faulks has a reputation for taking inspiration from the world around him, so guessing the real-life characters who might have inspired those in the novel adds an extra scoop of fun to this bewitching, well-observed snapshot of London life.
By Alex Heminsley
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