This week, the literary world witnessed the triumph of non-fiction, with significant contributions from noted authors Hallie Rubenhold and Ian Leslie.

Hallie Rubenhold’s Deep Dive into a Notorious Murder Case

Hallie Rubenhold’s latest work, Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen (Doubleday), has garnered critical acclaim for its nuanced approach to the infamous 1910 murder committed by Dr. Crippen. As Dominic Sandbrook observed in the Sunday Times, the book presents a “thoughtful, humane and gripping” narrative that shifts the focus from the murderer to his victims, Charlotte Crippen and Belle Elmore. Rubenhold argues that “no murderer should ever be the guardian of their victim’s story,” asserting a profound shift in storytelling perspective.

Sandbrook highlighted that this true-crime account serves not only as a compelling narrative but also as a lens into social history, while The Bookseller’s Caroline Sanderson hailed it as a “triumph” in literary storytelling.

Antonia Hodgson’s Genre-Bending Whodunit

Another noteworthy title is Antonia Hodgson’s The Raven Scholar (Hodderscape), which was featured in the Financial Times as part of Barry Forshaw’s roundup of new crime literature. Described as a “complex, inventive (and notably weighty)” whodunit, Hodgson’s work merges the realms of fantasy and crime. Forshaw points out that Hodgson is among the finest novelists in historical crime, suggesting that even readers hesitant about fantasy might find her “ingeniously invented society” worth exploring. The book has been referred to by The Bookseller as “a joy for any hardened fantasy reader, but also an entry point for new readers.”

Ian Leslie’s Insights on the Beatles’ Creative Dynamics

In the realm of music scholarship, Ian Leslie’s John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs (Faber) has been identified as a standout piece by Anthony Quinn in the Observer. Described as a “brilliant study of the Beatles’ music,” the book delves into the dynamic songwriting partnership between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Quinn praises Leslie for his “penetrating analysis” of their creative differences, marking the work as exceptional in its depth.

Simon Schama of the Financial Times characterized the book as “revelatory” and “analytically sharp,” complimenting Leslie’s remarkable writing style. Deborah Levy, writing for the New Statesman, referred to it as an “empathetic and enjoyable literary equivalent of a biopic,” enriching the narrative with context about fame, friendship, and rivalry in post-Second World War Britain.

According to Sanderson in The Bookseller, Leslie intricately charts the evolution of their relationship, beginning as Liverpool teenagers in 1957 and ending with Lennon’s tragic murder in 1980.

Claire Baglin’s Debut Novel on the Human Cost of Labor

Another notable debut is Claire Baglin’s On the Clock (Daunt), translated by Jordan Stump. This “piercing first novel” explores the impacts of strenuous and low-wage labor, focusing on a narrator who takes a summer job at a fast-food restaurant while interspersing her experiences with her father’s work as a factory electrician. Lucy Scholes, writing for the Telegraph, commended Baglin for maintaining a sharp focus on the toll such jobs exact on individuals, describing the narrative as imbuing labor with imagery akin to warfare.

The translation by Stump has been praised for its crispness, providing commentary that makes the novel “one of the paciest and most gripping pieces of prose” available in contemporary literature. Scholes suggests that potential readers reconsider any initial hesitations they may have about the book.