Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy, by Martha Wells

In Murderbot 3 the independent SecUnit goes in search of evidence against the evil GrayCris company, allying with and protecting a new group of humans and learning a lot about the potential of human relationships along the way. The fourth and concluding novella in the Murderbot series sees the rogue SecUnit on a rescue mission to save Dr Mensah, its mentor and possible friend from the first story, who has been kidnapped by the GreyCris corporation. A satisfying journey arc is completed with trademark humour and humanity.

My Old Ass (2024), directed by Megan Park

Elliott is 18 and about to leave the family cranberry farm for Uni in the big city of Toronto. While taking a mushroom trip with friends she encounters her 39-year-old self, who has words of wisdom that change the way Elliott looks life. It starts slowly but builds to a beautifully sad climax, where it turns out Elliot has things to teach her old ass too. Stunning cinematography is complemented by a lovely performance from newcomer Maisie Stella.

The Alternatives, by Caolinn Hughes

Four sisters have overcome their troubled childhoods to become successful in different ways. When the eldest goes AWOL the others go in pursuit, re-evaluating tricky relationships along the way. A not quite successful meld of dystopian despair and family drama attempts interesting things but is overly didactic.

Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells

Book two in the Murderbot Diaries follows on directly from All Systems Red, with the rogue security unit now on the run from both The Company that owns it and the benevolent former clients trying to help it. It hitches a ride with an unstaffed AI-driven cargo ship to a remote mining station, on a quest to discover the mystery of its past and the origins of its violent self-inflicted nickname. This involves reaching a level of trust with its powerful host and taking on a private security contract with a group of naïve researchers trying to regain their intellectual property from a criminal gang. Literally digging up the past raises as many questions as answers for the troubled SecUnit and the mission is complicated by its sense of obligation to protect its hapless clients, despite no imperative to do so. The tale is action-packed and funny and, although it has few organic parts and an enormous capacity for destruction, the SecUnit demonstrates more humanity than many of the actual humans it encounters.

The Decameron (Netflix)

In plague-ridden mediaeval Italy a group of nobles and their downtrodden servants assemble in a country villa to try to stay safe from the illness. Scheming and seduction, murder and mayhem ensue as a power struggle unfolds and alliances form and shift. External threats from violent marauders put everyone’s lives at risk, along with the ever-present, lurking plague. Can they work together to keep themselves safe? Probably not. Based on a contemporary set of short stories, this 8-part series is colourful and wickedly funny - The Canterbury Tales meets Agatha Christie, but perhaps drags on a bit long. The soft pedal ending sits oddly against the earlier action and violence but pays a nice tribute to the original text.

The Hollow Boy, by Jonathan Stroud

Successful psychic investigations mean Lockwood & Co are overwhelmed with cases dealing with recalcitrant ghostly phenomena. This is exacerbated by a huge outbreak in Chelsea soaking up the resources of the major agencies. Taking on efficient Holly Munro as admin manager makes work go more smoothly, but she is the diametric opposite of Lucy and the two girls clash. Lucy’s particular psychic sensitivities are also causing her problems, creating dangerous distractions in the field as they develop. This third book of the series sees the Lockwood team navigating its own internal friction and dealing with the broader politics and economics of the ghost fighting industry and its shifting alliances while struggling for a secure place within it. The tricky relationship between Lucy and Anthony Lockwood puts the whole team at risk, leading to a big decision for Lucy that will dramatically affect the future of the agency. Smart, funny and scary, Stroud’s Lockwood & Co series operates on several levels. Each fast-paced teen mystery is underpinned by a complex world and punctuated with clues to an overarching conspiracy that promises a satisfying eventual conclusion.

Beach Read, by Emily Henry

Successful romance writer January Andrews is struggling to even start her latest novel. This is not surprising as she is reeling from her father’s untimely death, discovery of his infidelity to her cancer stricken mother and the break-up of her long term relationship. January is trying to work while preparing for sale the house on the shores of Lake Michigan that her father left her. Finding her college nemesis, hardened cynic Gus, lives next door sparks a writing challenge – they will each dip in to each other’s genre and see who is more successful. The ensuing friendship, lust and misunderstanding is textbook rather than beach read, with some ludicrous dialogue amid the occasional welcome laughs. While January’s challenges are interesting, most of the characters are one dimensional, including Gus, with too many exercises in diversity box-ticking. Their romance is just not credible, with tortuous twists, tedious turns and mystifying motivations.