MARK TURNER wallows in the virtuosity of Swansea Jazz Festival openers, Simon Spillett and Pete Long
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Sci-fi & Fantasy with Mat Coward; March 14 2023
Skeletons in cupboards, futuristic Sophocles and the hell that awaits hereditary wealth
PAUL DONOVAN recommends three new books that explore the human relationship with nature
Doomed adolescents, when the missing person is you, classic whodunnit, and an anti-capitalist eco-thriller
WILL STONE takes a ticket to indie disco heaven, but misses the rarely performed tunes
Reviews of new releases by Jens Lekman, Big Thief, and Christian McBride Big Band
TOM PIERSCIONEK recommends a remarkable series of interviews with those few and brave Israeli citizens who refuse to do military service
DIYA’S best friend and flatmate has died suddenly in FAMILY BUSINESS by Jonathan Sims (Gollancz, £18.99), and she’s unemployed, so the unexpected offer of a well-paid job is something of a lifesaver – even if it is a somewhat peculiar gig.
She’s working for a small family business in London that for several generations has specialised in deep-cleaning properties after unexpected deaths. It can be gruesome – the deceased are not always discovered quickly – but there is a satisfaction in the hard labour of returning a home to its pristine condition.
It pays Diya’s bills, and it helps take her mind away from her grief. If it wasn’t for the bizarre visions she sometimes experiences during her work, she could probably get used to it. That, and the eerie figure who seems to be behind many of Slough & Sons’ call-outs.
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