The Diplomat (Netflix)

A British warship has been bombed, initial evidence points to Iran suspects Iran and the world is on the brink of war. Experienced US diplomat Katherine Wayland is about to take up a posting in Afghanistan, where she hopes to mitigate the effect of the Taliban rulers on its female population and facilitate the escape of US affiliated locals. Instead she is summoned to Washington and put on a plane to London, to deal with the fallout of an apparent Iranian attack on a British warship. Little does she know this is a test of her suitability to replace the Vice President and shore up the elderly President. In the vein of Madame Secretary, but with sharper dialogue and much less cheese, this series is fascinating and satisfying, delving into the details of US politics and international relations in the setting of post-Brexit Britain. The eight episodes follow the arc of a difficult diplomatic situation, with the underlying and parallel story of a disintegrating marriage. Keri Russell is at her peak as the reluctant new Ambassador and Rufus Sewell revels in the role of her Machiavellian former diplomat husband, who may have his own political ambitions. The supporting cast includes some fantastic British actors, such as Celia Imrie, Rory Kinnear and Penny Downie. An explosive cliffhanger ending hopefully signals a second series.

Carrie Soto is back, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Tennis prodigy Carrie Soto was coached by her father from infancy to be greatest tennis player of all time, fulfilling his own thwarted dreams. Had Carrie’s mother not been killed in a car accident she may have provided some balance to the lonely girl’s upbringing. Desperate for her Dad’s attention and approval, she threw herself single-mindedly into tennis, at the expense of friends, fun and any semblance of a normal life. Early in his daughter’s professional career, Javier realises that while grieving the loss of his wife he has created a monster. He tries to make up for it later on, supporting Carrie completely when she attempts a comeback, at the age of 37, to protect her legacy. Read creates a vividly credible picture of the professional tennis scene of the 70s, 80s and 90s, with an acute skewering of the sexist commentary typical of the era. Her fictional tennis stars are based on recognisable archetypes, rather than actual players, and are a lot of fun to spot. For all her faults, Carrie is endearingly honest and ultimately capable of both professional success and personal growth.

Real Tigers, by Mick Herron

One of the Slow Horses has been abducted and held hostage for another of their number to carry out a task for the kidnappers. Their stable, Slough House, already serves as a retirement paddock for dud and disgraced agents who are too hard to sack. Now its existence is under threat as a dodgy private security firm is employed to involve them in political machinations. New Home Secretary Peter Judd has a grudge against the intelligence service and is not above using it as a tool to further his political ambitions. In this he could be helped or hindered by the ongoing power struggle between Head of MI5 Dame Ingrid Tearney and her diabolical second desk, Diana Taverner. The Slow Horses must find a way to save themselves from increasingly dire circumstances, in a fight that looks to have no winners. Written with a dry, cynical wit, this tense and edgy thriller deepens the intrigue established in the first two books of the series. It paints a truly bleak picture of the intelligence services and political class, where the focus is firmly on personal power grabs and private vendettas and damn the public interest. Bystanders and obstacles are expendable and cover ups the norm. It is only too believable, which is kind of depressing.

Her Fidelity, by Katherine Pollock

Unashamedly riffing on Nick Hornby’s Hi Fidelity, this cautionary tale is set in contemporary Brisbane rather than 80s London. Music nerd Kathy doesn’t own or even run Dusty’s Records, but she has worked there for more than a decade, since she was a teen. Rampant sexism and misogyny, with a smidge of sexual assault, are the hallmarks of Kathy’s work and life experience and, despite her sass, she rarely snaps back, but lets it shape her. A curious mixture of smart and naïve for someone who is 29, Kathy seems to be trapped in a kind of extended adolescence – spongeing off her parents, eating badly and drinking too much. She is the centre of her own universe, with little scope for mature relationships of any flavour. In fact Kathy has a deep well of simmering anger and a couple of triggers bring this to the surface to finally spark some changes in her life. Many characters are caricatures and the tone is hyper-real, most likely a deliberate choice to provide a lighter way into the serious issues Kathy confronts on her way to belated adulthood. Ultimately a salute to enduring and sustaining female friendship, the book does acknowledge the good guys; not all men, but most of them.

Living (2023), directed by Oliver Hermanus

Mr Williams is a mid-level paper pusher at the London County Council in the 1950s. A reserved widower, he lives as a spare wheel with his son and daughter-in-law and commutes into London with the other men in suits and bowler hats. When he receives a terminal diagnosis, Mr Williams realises the pointless narrowness of his life. After contemplating suicide and a wild couple of days on the coast, he spends a few weeks thinking while siting in parks. He doesn’t tell his family or colleagues anything. Befriended by a former subordinate, the young and vibrant Miss Harris, Mr Williams decides to put some effort into gaining a small victory that gives what remains of his life meaning. Written by Kashuo Ishigura, based on a Kurasawa classic film, it is no surprise that this is a very small, quiet story. It clearly depicts the rigid class divide in post war England, with a mildly amusing script and beautiful cinematography. Bill Nighy is note perfect in the lead role, while Sex Education’s Aimee-Lou Wood is lovely as the sympathetic Miss Harris. Slow, but never dull, the film finishes on a slightly mawkish note but this doesn’t detract from the whole understated and moving tale of a life well ended.

Cult Classic, by Sloane Crosley

Serial monogamist Lola is a 30-something New Yorker, living with her fiancé. A former magazine editor, the collapse of print publishing precipitated her move into the online space. She has doubts and questions about her engagement, which only intensify when she suddenly starts running into her exes and starts analysing her previous relationships and dating behaviour. Two former magazine colleagues introduce Lola to a secret group conducting an experiment that will enable her to confront her past without getting lost in it. The story comes across as a kind of stream of consciousness Sex in the City, as Lola encounters her many exes in an attempt to reach closure and decide if she can move forward with her fiancé. But former boss Clive is aiming to monetise the experiment, using Lola as the poster girl. It is all very New York, with lots of ‘in’ words and locations and it’s a little hard to swallow that smart, cynical Lola would go along so easily with the attempted cult. A twist at the end is also highly unlikely, even if it brings resolution.