New Book Releases Reviewed: From Dave Eggers to Abir Mukherjee
This week's selection of new books includes the latest by acclaimed American author Dave Eggers and a thriller set in a Mumbai skyscraper. Our reviews cover five titles across fiction and non-fiction, with ratings from 7/10 to 9/10.
Contrapposto by Dave Eggers – 9/10
Contrapposto is a story that spans more than 60 years. An act of youthful rebellion introduces budding artist Cricket to Olympia, who will be his friend, his part-time lover, and his collaborator for a lifetime. He is the creator, she the curator. With this story, Eggers, a former art student himself, asks what we want from art. Cricket puts his talent to many uses – from the earnest ambition of his youth to more cynical ways of paying the bills later in life – but never loses the joy of creating for himself, even as Olympia is increasingly caught up in the business of art. But this is also a love story, and through the enduring friendship between two wandering souls, Eggers also asks what we want from each other and from ourselves. A story of love told with love, this is Eggers at his best. Contrapposto by Dave Eggers is published in hardback by Canongate Books, priced £20 (ebook £15.99). Review by Ian Parker.
The Pinnacle by Abir Mukherjee – 8/10
Living in India’s most prestigious building, with servants and a young wife hailed as the newest Queen of Bollywood, should have been enough to keep George Abercrombie happy – despite his fading Hollywood career. He drowns his sorrows in an almighty bender, with no idea how he gets back to his apartment on the 68th floor of the Pinnacle, Mumbai’s grandest skyscraper. He wakes to find his wife Sweety murdered in their bedroom and his shirt soaked in blood. George tries to pin the murder on his manservant Amit while desperately trying to contact his personal assistant Gemma. The problem is, she’s being blackmailed over an affair with a leading politician. Amit goes on the run, Gemma needs her lover to sort everything out, and George has to remember what happened when he got back from his drinking session. The plot swings up and down like a skyscraper lift, leaving readers guessing about the identity of the murderer until the final few pages. Abir Mukherjee won the 2025 British Book Awards Thriller of the Year – and The Pinnacle is an appropriate title for his latest thriller. The Pinnacle by Abir Mukherjee is published in hardback by Harvill, priced £16.99 (ebook £8.99). Review by Alan Jones.
The Life Swap by Jeananne Craig – 7/10
Sinead and Sarah are sisters with very little in common until they decide a switch in circumstances could be the solution to both their problems. Party girl Sinead joins the school-run mums in her sister’s Dublin neighbourhood, while mother-of-two Sarah moves into her sibling’s Belfast house-share after she’s offered a dream acting job. Jeananne Craig’s debut novel The Life Swap is an enjoyable read which will appeal to fans of Marian Keyes. The main characters are both endearing in their own ways and it’s impossible not to root for them. The storyline lacks some depth and the conclusion seems a bit too easy, but those looking for an uncomplicated holiday read this summer need look no further. The Life Swap by Jeananne Craig is published in paperback by Hachette Books Ireland, priced £15.99 (ebook £6.99). Review by Eleanor Barlow.
A Creative Compass by Emma Gannon – 9/10
Emma Gannon’s new book is a reorientation for the creatively lost. It’s less of a guide and more of a series of nudges towards reconnecting with a state of mind that facilitates creative thinking, whether that is through making art or more day-to-day expressions like sketching, cooking or decorating a room. Written after becoming seriously burnt out through work, the book is a result of Gannon’s process of reconnecting with her own creative self and documents the lessons she learnt. She encourages you to think of creativity like your health, taking regular steps to nourish it, while writing with an honest vulnerability which clearly comes from long periods of self-reflection. She talks about how creativity is an essential part of human nature, although less so about its opposite, how humans also feel an impulsive need to destroy, and how this could be flipped to promote creativity instead. A Creative Compass by Emma Gannon is published in hardback by Torva, priced £20 (ebook £10.99). Review by Danny Halpin.
A Buffalo Named Brave by Dr Linda Papadopoulos – 9/10
This charming picture book is about a little buffalo who is afraid of storms. He tried running away from the storm, but soon realises no matter how fast he runs, he’ll never outrun it. Instead, Brave runs into it and finds out that if he faces his fear, he’ll spend less time feeling scared and more time enjoying the sunshine afterwards. It really helps young children understand that they need to face their fears and gain confidence and growth mindset by doing so. It offers a child-friendly way to discuss fears, resilience and courage – helping them face their fears, and realise that the sunshine will soon come afterwards. A Buffalo Named Brave by Dr Linda Papadopoulos, illustrated by Carmen Saldana, is published in paperback by Farshore, priced £7.99 (no ebook). Review by Poppy Sparke. Prices correct at time of publication.
