Marvellously realised

In a way, we wish Adams had started writing these thirty years ago so there would be a rich vein of stories for the new fan to discover. As it is, we must be content with two very well written and funny books. At least there’s a third on the way, though it’s a shame we have to wait for it.

Several writers are now mining a very British style of urban magic, some more convincingly than others. For me, The Rain-Soaked Bride confirms Guy Adams position as the market leader... a thoroughly entertaining sequel, and well worth adding to any urban fantasy collection.

This is a great example of why you should stick with a series for at least two books. The first book always has to spend time setting everything up but the second book can really show you what an author is capable of (although it can go the other way, too, of course). I thoroughly enjoyed The Rain-Soaked Bride and hope there are many more books to come in this series.

One of the big stories in English fiction this decade has been the return and triumph of Deborah Levy... You would call her example inspiring if it weren't clearly impossible to emulate

An ice-cold skewering of patriarchy, humanity and the darkness of the 20th century Europe

In one short and sly book after another, she writes about characters navigating swerves of history and sexuality, and the social and personal rootlessness that accompanies both

Charged with themes spanning memory and mortality, beauty and time, it's as electrifying as it is mysterious

Intelligent and supple...a dizzying tale of life across time and borders

It's clever, raw and doesn't play by any rules

Superbly crafted, enigmatic, tantalizing... Levy defies gravity in a daring, time-bending new novel... Head-spinning and playful, her writing offers sophistication and delightful artistry

One of the best books I have ever read

playful, consistently surprising...Levy brilliantly plumbs the divide between the self and others

Lalwani's prose has a balletic lightness

A female lead who isn't defined by a romantic story arc? Yes please. Lalwani's serious, ravishing way of writing about the secret life of Britain is just what we need

You People is a short, complex novel that shines a light behind the smiles at your local restaurant, and asks tough questions about the nature of goodness in an unfair society

A sensitive and thought-provoking examination of an issue that is never far from the news and, as the plot accelerates, it segues into a tense and nerve-wracking thriller

Lalwani's novels are full of moments when the stories people tell about themselves and the world prove to be unreliable or open to manipulation.... observations are magical, fresh and unsettling

If you want a book to read this summer that taps into contemporary concerns, this excellent new one from Nikita Lalwani is the one to read

Lalwani explores kindness, altruism and the precariousness of interconnected lives in an economical tale that has the pace and suspense of a thriller

Lalwani eloquently explores the prejudices, financial pressures and loneliness faced by 'outsiders' trying to survive in a hostile environment