Odyssey

Stephen Fry
Michael Joseph, £25, pp432
The final instalment of Fry’s outstandingly entertaining quartet of books revisiting the Greek myths is every bit as enjoyable as its predecessors. Following Odysseus, Agamemnon, Ajax, Menelaus and Aeneas on their journeys home from Troy, Fry breathes contemporary relevance into these ancient tales. As with his previous titles, he combines scholarly research with a lightness of touch, and his wry sense of humour and natural gift for storytelling make for a highly engaging read.

Good Nature: The New Science of How Nature Improves Our Health

Kathy Willis
Bloomsbury, £20, pp336
Nature is good for us. In her illuminating new book, Kathy Willis digs into the latest science to reveal how an engagement with the natural world has beneficial effects on health. From the tactile pleasure of touching plants – as experienced by horticultural enthusiasts – to the aural satisfaction of listening to particular birdsong that’s been proven not only to improve mental health but also cognitive ability, Willis produces a fascinating, comprehensive and highly convincing argument.

Listen for the Lie

Amy Tintera
Penguin, £8.99, pp432
(paperback)
When protagonist Lucy Chase returns to her Texan home town for her grandmother’s birthday, she knows she’ll be the subject of small-town gossip; people still believe she murdered her best friend years before. Meanwhile, a podcaster is investigating the case, interviewing Lucy’s friends and family, the transcripts of which Tintera skilfully intersperses with Lucy’s own narrative. Sharp, funny and compelling, Listen for the Lie is an astute analysis of the media’s obsession with true crime and of the scapegoating of women who don’t conform to society’s expectations.

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