Murder in Williamstown, by Kerry Greenwood

Miss Fisher is so popular that her stories sell themselves, which is presumably why Kerry Greenwood keeps writing them. There seems no other reason than a nice little earner, as the tales have become hackneyed and sloppily written. This one is three separate detective stories smooshed into one, with Phryne’s adopted children pursuing their own mysteries. They could easily have started life as three separate short stories, which have been clumsily joined up and called a novel. There is more focus on food and fashion than plot and the historical and geographical references have been shoehorned in. Opium smuggling, a runaway Chinese lesbian, embezzlement at the Blind Institute and a perverted vicar. Sadly, the sum is lesser than the parts It is disappointing to see such an interesting and amusing character degenerate into writing by numbers.

Sword and Pen, by Rachel Caine

The fifth and final volume of the Great Library series sees the team of young scholars and soldiers in Alexandria fighting against all odds for the library’s very existence. Not only has the evil deposed Archivist placed assassins and traitors in their midst, but the world’s powers – Spain, England, Wales, Japan, France and Russia – are ranged against them, hoping to scoop up the spoils of civil war. It is an epic power struggle that will determine the fate of the world, as well as the lives of Jess, Glain, Morgan, Khalila, Thomas and Dario. They must use all their skills to survive and protect their mentors, but will the sacrifice be too great? Rachel Caine’s dark alt-history series pays great tribute to librarians and their vital role in preserving knowledge. In this world, in a very real way, knowledge is power and controlling and restricting it corrupts. It provides a nice allegory for the real world and the potential benefits of a new broom.

A Good Person (2033), directed by Zach Braff

Allison is a successful pharmaceutical sales rep and talented musician, blissfully engaged to Nathan. The couple aspires to move into New York from rural New Jersey, for a more cosmopolitan lifestyle far away from their troubled childhoods. A moment’s inattention while driving causes a terrible crash with fatal consequences, sending Allison into a spiral of self-loathing and addiction. Told in a linear fashion, the film takes a while to set up the story and it all gets rather grim before a glimmer of hope shines through to make a new start seem possible. Director Zach Braff also wrote the film and he makes it crystal clear that this is the kind of thing that could happen to anyone. He shows that that resilience, redemption and recovery are not just a matter of personal strength, but also of background, support and circumstance. Florence Pugh is so good as Allison and Morgan Freeman is great as Nathan’s estranged father Daniel, a man who must find a way to both forgive and complete his own redemption. The film is not without flaws, but it is a thoughtful and moving vehicle for Pugh to demonstrate her A-list credentials.

Heroic Hearts, edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L Hughes

This collection of short stories features some favourite dark fantasy authors, including Anne Bishop, Charlaine Harris and Patricia Briggs. It’s all wizards, witches and warlocks, vampires and werewolves, elves and fae. Many of the stories are very dark indeed, which tends to overshadow the purported theme of heroic hearts. Some are overlong and some are clearly part of established worlds and don’t necessarily stand alone for those readers unfamiliar with the author’s oevre. But the beauty of a short story anthology is that there is something for everyone and, at best, it can provide a taste of one or more authors worth seeking out for more.

Spook Street, by Mick Herron

Slow Horse River Cartwright’s grandfather is descending into dementia, which is a particular problem for a former senior member of the British security services. When an attempt is made on his life is it his past coming back to bite him, or the current security chiefs cleaning house? At the MI5 dumping ground of Slough House, there are two new Slow Horses to help or hinder the investigation into a clandestine cuckoo operation with terrorist links. But how far is David Cartwright culpable and will he pay for his mistakes or will his grandson pay for him? As usual the internal politics make everything more complicated, as the power hungry Diana Taverner tries to rid herself of another boss without losing ground. Meanwhile Catherine Standish’s attempt to resign is frustrated as she is drawn back in to help her fellow losers stay alive despite themselves. These books are not stand-alone tales; you need to have read Slow Horses, Dead Lions and Real Tigers to fully appreciate what is happening on Spook Street. Mick Herron’s blackly humorous take on the security services does make one wonder if the world would actually be better off – or at least no worse off – without them.

The Night Agent (Netflix)

Low-ranked FBI agent Peter Sutherland has been seconded to the White House, monitoring a secret phone that never rings – until one night it does. A year ago he was a hero, thwarting a terrorist attack on the subway, but he is also the son of a suspected traitor who died before coming to trial. Both roles have played a part in gaining him the job. The call leads Peter into a murky world of espionage, where he is protecting a vulnerable IT specialist who witnessed an assassination while not knowing who of his colleagues and superiors he can trust. What follows is a wild ride that is wholly improbable but very entertaining. The action moves fast enough to skate over the many ‘what now?’ moments, as disbelief is not quite suspended. The cast is interesting, including Kiwi Lucianne Buchanan as the (convenient) IT specialist Rose and Aussie Phoenix Raei as an unexpectedly nuanced baddie. They all do their best with a sometimes dodgy script. A second series has already been announced.

There’s Been a Little Incident, by Alice Ryan

After leaving a London party early Molly Black has disappeared. Her family in Dublin are only moderately concerned, as Molly makes a habit of running away from her problems. But there could be something more to it this time. The police think Molly could be a witness in the disappearance of another young woman and want to talk to her. Her best friend B flips between thinking she has left to give him space in a new phase of his life and feeling abandoned. Short chapters give the reader snapshots of each family member and their relationship with the errant Molly, as well as flashbacks to childhood and more recent escapades. A comic tone belies depths of darkness in aspects of each of Molly’s cousins, aunts and uncles, as well as in Molly herself. The story addresses various reactions to and consequences of grief and loss and how a family deals with it, taking a swipe at the mass media along the way. It’s an interesting and entertaining ride that is perhaps all wrapped up a little too neatly in the end.