THE vacuous nature of contemporary politics is neatly summed up by Sir Keir Starmer saying “Labour needs to rebuild trust” ( Sir Keir Starmer: Labour has a lot of work to do to regain ground in Scotland , The Herald, January 22). If he feels we can’t trust his party he needs to elaborate on why this is, just what acts detrimental to the electorate has his organisation perpetrated that he feels led us to not trust them? He himself encapsulates the divide in society when a millionaire with the lifestyle associated with that leads the party that was created to look after the working class, the poor and the disenfranchised and is well paid by the electorate to do so. Both major parties at Westminster have become different faces of the same coin in the same pocket.
Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth by Wole Soyinka (Bloomsbury)
The Nobel laureate’s first novel in almost 50 years promises “murder, mayhem and no shortage of drama” in contemporary Nigeria.
The Thursday Murder Club 2 by Richard Osman (Viking)
Last year the
Pointless co-host’s cosy crime debut set in a retirement home broke sales records; here comes the sequel.
Waters of Salvation by Richard Coles (W&N)
A new crime series from everyone’s favourite vicar begins as a proposal to refurbish a village church ends in murder; Canon Daniel Clement must investigate.
Oh, William! by Elizabeth Strout (Viking)
Books to look out for in 2021
Irish fiction
New work that has been a long time coming generates a particular shiver of anticipation.
Small Things Like These (Faber, October) will be Claire Keegan’s first new work since her novella Foster, still a bestseller 10 years on. Her publisher says: “An exquisite wintery parable, Claire Keegan’s long-awaited return tells the story of a simple act of courage and tenderness, in the face of conformity, fear and judgment.” Small Things Like These (Faber, October) will be Claire Keegan’s first new work since her novella Foster, still a bestseller 10 years on. Photograph: Alan Betson
New Year s Eve fireworks are on in some places, but they ll look a lot different this year krdo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from krdo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.