Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver

This fascinating book is a retelling of the classic Dickens’ David Copperfield, transposed to contemporary times in rural Appalachia. Demon/Damon has a teenage single mother who subsequently dies. Thus, the story contains crushing poverty, mean-spirited foster care and an indifferent social services system. Most compelling, however, is the descent into addictions prompted by the (mis)use of oxycontin. The perils of Demon’s journey to maturity are profound, given his perception of his own invisibility. Highly recommended.

My Murder – Katie Williams

What an interesting premise for a murder mystery: Lou/Louise, a wife and mother of a toddler, is murdered by a serial killer, and then resurrected by cloning, masterminded by the resurrection committee. But there are unsettling discrepancies between the before and after. What if the murder you have to solve is your own? And of course, VR games are a complicating factor. Overall, a very original and startling book.

The Double Life of Benson Yu – Kevin Chong

The author of the prescient The Plague has now written an inventive story of metafiction. The narrator/author creates a fictional version of himself as 12-year-old Benny living in 1980s Vancouver Chinatown. Accordingly, there is a blend of reality and invention. What if the author loses control of the narrative? Consequently, the story is often confusing because of two timelines, and thus can be frustrating. Some complex themes of child sexual abuse and suicidal ideation abound. This original story is deservedly on the Giller long-list.

The Cloisters – Katy Hays

Context is everything in this fine first novel. The Cloisters is a gothic museum of medieval, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Researchers search for 15th century tarot cards used for divination – telling the future had been the original purpose of these cards. There is a murder, of course, and academic obsession. What is fate and what is choice? Sinister secrets abound and the ending is especially seductive.

Crook Manifesto – Colson Whitehead

This is the second book (first is Harlem Shuffle) of what will be a trilogy about life in the east side of New York City (Harlem). As always, context is everything in the 1970s: progressive chaos and disintegration of the city, profound police corruption, blaxploitation movies, arson and bent politicians. Whitehead’s writing is sublime: “It was a glorious June morning. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the ambulances were screaming, and the daylight falling on last night’s crime scenes made the blood twinkle like dew in a green heaven”. The exploits of Ray Carney, furniture store owner and occasional fence, continue in a shady system. Highly recommended.

East Side Story – Growing Up At The PNE – Nick Marino

This is a sentimental history of the Pacific National Exhibition site, in particular its working class East Side aesthetic. The story is based on personal experiences as a summer employee at the fairground as a 12–17-year-old, plus interviews to obtain anecdotes and historical information about the 17 days of the fair, plus year-round Playland activity and sporting events and concerts at the Empire Stadium and Coliseum. Overall, the PNE was a place for scammers and dreamers.

The Ink Black Heart – Robert Galbraith

Be advised that this 6th book about the London PIs Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott is long (>1000 pages), but given that RG is the pseudonym for JK Rowling, there is impeccable (and necessary) detail. The often-seedy online world and a complex collection of anonymous Twitter aliases creates a real-world story with two murders and multiple conflicts to navigate. Robin and Cormoran’s formidable powers of deduction are tested but their personal chemistry remains deliciously complicated.

Pageboy – Elliot Page

This memoir is subject to the general caveat of a story based on memory. Nevertheless, what is striking in Page’s writing is the brutal honesty. There is shame and self-disgust, fear and panic, confusion and angst that is accentuated by having a public persona as an actor. The book is presented with a non-linear timeline, consistent with memory. There are two dominant narratives: coming out as queer in 2014 at age 28, and then acting on severe gender dysphoria to be transmasculine. Overall, a well-written journey of love, discovery and eventual strength.