March Book Reviews

Sprint into spring with a little science,

a dash of history, and some thrilling fiction

A REBEL AND A TRAITOR: A FUGITIVE, THE MANHUNT AND THE BIRTH OF THE IRA

by Rory Carroll

From the master storyteller behind 2023’s critically acclaimed Killing Thatcher, this is the story of a rogue imperial consul who sought to forge a new nation in the middle of a war... and the mercurial spy chief who sought to destroy him by any means.

The rogue consul was Sir Roger Casement, a decorated diplomat who turned his back on the British Empire, instead joining the rising Irish cause at the turn of the 20th century.

At the book’s centre is the manhunt for Casement led by intelligence officer Reginald ‘Blinker’ Hall, the legendary British spy chief who pioneered codebreaking, early mass surveillance and media manipulation. Proof that the truth can be stranger than fiction.

Published March 26th by HarperCollins

THE TRUTH ABOUT RUBY COOPER

by Liz Nugent

Ruby Cooper and her sister, Erin, live an idyllic life in their close-knit church community in Boston. But when Ruby is 16, she is involved in an incident that causes her family’s world to implode. Across decades, the fallout leaves a wake of destruction behind Ruby in Dublin and Erin in Boston. Eventually, and ultimately, Ruby must face the past in this gripping tale of long- buried secrets.

Published March 12th by Penguin Books

TELL ME WHERE IT HURTS: THE SCIENCE OF PAIN AND HOW TO HEAL

by Rachel Zoffness

Leading expert Rachel Zoffness bridges the gap between medicine and psychology to get to the heart of treating pain.

Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and patient stories, Rachel Zoffness completely upends the myths we’ve been told – finally reconnecting physical and emotional pain, and providing a roadmap for healing. The fact is that chronic pain is treatable, but to do that, we must target the whole person, not just a body part. Whether you live with chronic pain or know someone who does, this book offers more than insight– it offers an empowering way forward.

Published March 24th by Penguin Books

ESSEX WIVES

by Kimberley Chambers

A gripping new thriller from the No.1 bestselling Queen of Gangland Crime set in 1999, Essex. Sharon, Jolene and Evie have one thing in common – they’ve all been burned by one of the Bond boys. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and as the turn of the millennium rounds the corner, this is one year that will go out with a bang.

Published March 12th by Harper Collins