The Wedding People
Alison Espach
Phoenix, £20, pp384
When newly divorced Phoebe Stone arrives at a luxury Rhode Island hotel with the express intention of killing herself, she discovers she’s the only guest not attending the week-long, million-dollar wedding of spoiled little rich girl Lila. Terrified that a suicide would ruin her perfect wedding, Lila befriends Phoebe, who gradually discovers reasons to cherish life again. Espach’s sparkling social observations and deft prose make for a novel that’s sharp, funny and a joy to read.
Ingrained: The Making of a Craftsman
Callum Robinson
Doubleday, £22, pp320
“What is it about wood that can capture our imaginations so – draw us in, speak to us as no other material can?” asks Robinson in a debut that’s both a paean to the art of woodworking and a memoir about creative endeavours. Having been taught by his father – himself a master woodcarver – the author takes the reader on a journey through timber yards to high-end professional assignments and finally back to the workshop, where he reconnects with his craft.
On the Brink: Stories of Harm and Healing from a Lifetime in Psychiatry
Penelope Campling
Elliott & Thompson, £10.99, pp320 (paperback)
For four decades, Campling has been a psychiatrist and psychotherapist working in the NHS. During her career, she has witnessed profound changes in the way we treat and talk about mental health, and yet is passionate there is more to be done. Combining case studies with personal reflections about how mental health provisions could be improved, On the Brink is a book brimming with compassion, insight and tentative hope.
• To order The Wedding People, Ingrained or On the Brink go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
