WHEN WAS the last time you read a truly memorable book? You know the kind: a story that keeps you up long past bedtime and has you waxing lyrical to any friend who will listen. If you cannot remember when that sensation last struck, try one of the novels listed here.

All Them Dogs. By Djamel White. Riverhead Books; 256 pages; $29. John Murray; £18.99

After years of lying low, Tony returns to Dublin’s underworld. He gets in over his head when he receives an offer to become an enforcer for the kingpin of a rival gang—and when he falls for his partner in crime. An electrifying debut about divided loyalties and unexpected desire.

Good People. By Patmeena Sabit. Crown; 400 pages; $29. Virago; £16.99

The Sharafs, who fled Afghanistan for America, are hailed as a success story. But when Zorah, their teenage daughter, is found dead, their reputation is called into question. Did this Westernised woman bring shame on the family—or was she a victim of anti-immigrant prejudice? Told through eyewitness accounts, this tale is thrilling and thought-provoking.

Kin. By Tayari Jones. Knopf; 368 pages; $32. Oneworld; £18.99

A beautifully written novel about fate and sisterhood. Two girls grow up motherless in the segregated American South. Niecy acquires an education and marries into wealth. Annie runs away to Memphis to search for the mother who abandoned her and finds herself in dodgy places with dubious men.

Look What You Made Me Do. By John Lanchester. W.W. Norton; 304 pages; $31.99. Faber & Faber; £20

Phoebe, a young screenwriter, has created a hit TV show about a passionate affair. Kate, a middle-aged widow, hears jokes and other intimacies from her marriage in the script. She sees her late husband in a new light—and plots revenge. A dark comedy about success, betrayal and generational conflict.

Lost Lambs. By Madeline Cash. Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 336 pages; $28. Doubleday; £16.99

The Flynns are a dysfunctional American family. Bud is suicidal. His wife is enjoying an extramarital “arrangement” with a neighbour. Their three teenage daughters are running wild. A chance to mend bonds comes from the unlikeliest source. A rollicking read with vibrant wordplay, quirky characters and madcap scenarios.

A Private Man. By Stephanie Sy-Quia. Grove Press; 288 pages; $27. Picador; £16.99

In an English village in the 1960s a forbidden romance blossoms between David, a Catholic priest, and Margaret, a theology teacher. In 2018 Adrian learns about his grandparents’ relationship while caring for Margaret, now in the grip of dementia. As her memory fades, he pieces together fragments of her remarkable past. A tender account of enduring love and a captivating portrait of two characters from an impressive new talent.

This is Where the Serpent Lives. By Daniyal Mueenuddin. Knopf; 368 pages; $29. Bloomsbury; £18.99

A multigenerational epic set in Pakistan. Yazid grew up on the street but rises through the ranks to become a chauffeur to an army colonel. Rustom, a landowner, tries to curb violence and corruption. Saqib, a farm manager, makes a rash, desperate attempt to better himself. This novel spans decades and skilfully weaves together stories to explore class, privilege and ambition.

Your Life Without Me. By James Meek. Canongate; 256 pages; £18.99

This novel revolves around Mr Burman, a small-town teacher, who is mourning the death of his wife and struggling to connect with his daughter. His troubles multiply when he is summoned to a prison in London to meet Raf, once his prize pupil and “surrogate son” and now a suspected terrorist. Did Mr Burman unwittingly sow the seeds for Raf’s destructive act? This slippery narrative yields surprises. ■

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