Our London Lives: a masterful work full of skilful nuance and profound truth
Christine Dwyer Hickey’s 10th novel charts a tumultuous relationship between two young Irish outsiders struggling to survive in 1970s London
Rare Singles by Benjamin Myers: Like the literary love child of David Nicholls and Nick Hornby
A love story and celebration of the redemptive power of music
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors: Crackling sibling chemistry
Second novel from the author of Cleopatra and Frankenstein focuses on three sisters
Shanghailanders by Juli Min: Love, marriage and familial secrets through the generations
Korean-American author Juli Min’s debut novel is a thoughtful and well-written interrogation of family relationships, but it would benefit from a more conventional timeline
One Girl Began by Kate Murray-Browne: echoes of the past
Author’s second novel conjures up life in east London in 1909 with a pulsing momentum
Two Hours by Alba Arikha: A literary masterpiece
Third novel from author of Major/Minor follows the story of Clara, a 16-year-old Parisienne forced to move to New York
The Best Way to Bury Your Husband: black comedy about the darkness of domestic violence
The author deliberately creates a completely implausible plot that places the focus on the experience of the victim
Prima Facie by Suzie Miller: the true power of storytelling
Playwright has adapted her work into an engaging, thought-provoking novel
Fifteen Wild Decembers by Karen Powell: A deeply satisfying fictionalisation of Emily Brontë's life
At its strongest, this novel illuminates the subterranean life that underpinned the writing of Wuthering Heights
Held by Anne Michaels: A profound literary experience
The seemingly disparate episodes in this novel are bonded by the connective tissue of hope
The Land of Lost Things by John Connolly: Irresistible fantasy sequel
John Connolly lures readers back to Elsewhere in inverse tale of mother maintaining a vigil beside her daughter’s beside
Pet by Catherine Chidgey: A subtle psychological thriller
Though based in New Zealand, much of the exquisite detailing of the primary school will resonate deeply with Irish readers
Speak to Me by Paula Cocozza: A love triangle for the digital age
In a world where we fixate on the cult of youth, this ‘coming-of-middle-age story’ is refreshing and provocative
The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor: Aspiring artists on the road to self-discovery
Taylor is adept at illuminating with grace how political the personal actually is, with an unflinching determination to find the truth
Whether Violent or Natural by Natasha Calder: Gothic undertones and a creeping sense of unease in this solo debut
This novel speaks to great potential for powerful work in the future