Under Majordomo Minor, by Patrick DeWitt

A weird combination of fable and gothic novel, with a touch of comic book adventure thrown in to the mix, Under Majordomo Minor is a bit of a headfuck. In the first few chapters the overblown language, with multiple adjectives per sentence, is a tad tedious, but it either eases up or you get used to it and it becomes less of a bother. Our hero, dear reader, aimless 17-year-old Lucien Minor, leaves home and takes a job as under majordomo in a castle in another town. His adventures include falling in with thieves, falling in love and witnessing a violent orgy. A bizarre and fantastical ride, the reader remains in Lucy’s corner all the way, despite his many flaws.

The Secret Chord, by Geraldine Brooks

King David has commissioned his personal prophet, Nathan, to write a warts and all biography. And so we receive the history of a charismatic leader with many flaws, from his abusive childhood to his bitter end. David is a musical prodigy who unites the tribes of Israel, committing brutal rapes and mass murder along the way. A clear, although possibly not intentional, demonstration of the fact that history is generally his-story and rarely her-story, Brooks’ novel is a bit of a slog through the slaughter. A redeeming feature is the hope for better from the next generation, but David’s motivation is never entirely clear. Brooks is known for bringing history to life in her novels, impeccable research informing engaging fictional characters and their stories. The Secret Chord features real historical characters, about whom there is more mythology than known facts, which creates some tension between story and actual history. Ultimately the nature of these beasts leaves rather a sour taste, most of them are characters the should perhaps stay buried in the past.

Elizabeth is Missing, by Emma Healey

This quietly devastating tale combines a murder mystery with an account of a woman’s gradual decline into dementia. Written from the point of view of Maud, the novel cleverly intersperses her ultra sharp memories of her parents and older sister in her teen years, just after World War II, with her current fuzziness about her daughter and grand-daughter. What has happened to Maud’s good friend Elizabeth? Can she solve the mystery and will she remember it if she does? Maud is determined that she will and, with the support and care of her often exasperated daughter, she uncovers more than she knows she is looking for. Emma Healy has written a poignant story of love and loss that strikes a strong and lingering chord, with a subtle examination of the effects of ageing on an individual, on her family and friends and on her community.