Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Ian Rankin, Liberty Martin and Guardian readers

What we’re reading: writers and readers on the books they enjoyed in October

The Secret Hours by Mick Herron, Homer’s The Iliad translated by Emily Wilson, His Own Where by June Jordan.
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron, Homer’s The Iliad translated by Emily Wilson, His Own Where by June Jordan. Composite: Baskerville/ WW Norton & Co/ The Feminist Press

Ian Rankin, novelist

Mick Herron is our best and most topical spy writer but he takes a step back in time with The Secret Hours, which is partly set in Berlin in the aftermath of the Wall coming down. It’s vintage Herron though, with countless twists and turns, sharp writing and genius one-liners – plus it fills in some of the backstory for fans of his Slough House series. I loved it.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.