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Top Picks in Crime and Thrillers A selection of standout crime and thriller novels reviewed recently. Honey by Imani Thompson Honey by Imani Thompson (Borough, £16.99) centres on Yrsa, a young Black woman studying for a sociology PhD and teaching undergraduates at Cambridge. Irritated by her solipsistic, over-privileged students and tired of situationships, she’s fed up with life, and men in particular. Her first killing – that of a much older supervisor who reneges on his promise to leave his wife for a colleague, and steals her research in the process – is an accident, but Yrsa, who has catastrophically poor impulse control, enjoys the sensation and, more importantly, gets away with it. Quite Ugly One Evening by Chris Brookmyre Quite Ugly One Evening by Chris Brookmyre (Abacus, £22) features journalist Jack Parlabane, now 60, who feels increasingly like a “Boomer Ambassador” to the younger colleagues who are snapping at his heels. With his job on the line, he agrees to investigate a cold case: the death, 40 years earlier, of an MI5 operative. The Final Chapter by CB Everett The Final Chapter by CB Everett (Simon & Schuster, £18.99) is a metafictional tour de force: the story of literary superstar Jon Durward, who achieved critical acclaim, commercial success, well-regarded film adaptations and a Booker prize before he mysteriously disappeared in 2009. The Hollow Boys by Tariq Ashkanani The Hollow Boys by Tariq Ashkanani (Viper, £18.99) is set in Appalachia, a prize-winning Scottish author’s latest novel and a masterpiece of smalltown horror. The town of Aurora seems doomed – blighted by poverty, drug addiction, diseased crops, a mysterious beast that slaughters dogs and an underground coal seam fire that grows ever closer. Shrink Solves Murder by Philippa Perry Shrink Solves Murder by Philippa Perry (Hutchinson Heinemann, £18.99) features therapist Patricia Phillips, who lives on East Sussex’s South Downs with Dave the cat, and swims in the sea every morning. When her client Henry Clayton’s body is found below cliffs near the notorious suicide spot Beachy Head, the police assume he has taken his own life.

The Elevated Threat Level The United States embassy in London has issued a security alert telling its citizens in the United Kingdom to be cautious after the British government raised the national threat level to “severe”. Security Advisories and Recommendations The embassy advised citizens on Friday to remain “alert in public places” and to stay away from schools, churches, tourist locations and transportation hubs. US nationals should vary their “travel routes and times” to reduce predictability and to keep a low profile. The Implications of 'Severe' Threat Level The UK’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, said on Friday that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre had raised the threat level from “substantial” to “severe”. This is the second-highest level, signalling that an attack within the next six months is “highly likely”, MI5 said in a statement. The Driving Forces Behind the Increased Threat The increased danger has been “driven by a rise in both Islamist and Extreme Right-Wing terrorist threat from individuals and small groups in the UK,” MI5 said, noting threats in particular to “Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions, in the context of the conflict in the Middle East”. Recent Incidents and Ongoing Concerns This is the second security notice from the US embassy in the UK in the last few weeks. Recently, it posted a statement noting the recent attacks and threats “targeting Jewish and American institutions”, and advising citizens to be cautious. Last week, the Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London was targeted. Other incidents have occurred, including an attack on the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow.

Guardian reviewer Peter Chappell offers a daring, semi‑fictional scenario of a Reform Party government under Nigel Farage, turning the book What If Reform Wins? into a political thriller that doubles as a cautionary analysis of Britain’s constitutional fragilities.The Book’s Premise: A Fiction‑Styled Forecast of a Reform GovernmentChappell frames the narrative as a speculative arc, moving from Farage’s first act—withdrawal from the ECHR and the 1951 refugee convention—to a cascade of policy shocks on immigration, net‑zero, and taxation. The story is built on interviews with civil servants and Reform insiders, presenting imagined cabinet decisions alongside factual context.Key Figures and Numbers: Price, Publication, and Political StakesPublisher: BloomsburyRelease price: £16.99Publication date: 2026Political backdrop: Rising Reform Party support ahead of the next general electionWhy the Narrative Resonates: Insights into UK Populism and Institutional VulnerabilitiesThe review highlights three core policy arenas where Reform’s agenda is most explicit: aggressive immigration controls, abandonment of net‑zero commitments, and tax cuts. By dramatizing actions such as mass deportations and a war‑like stance toward the BBC, Chappell illustrates how a majority prime minister could legally bypass parliamentary scrutiny, invoke emergency powers, and reshape civil service dynamics.Looking Ahead: What the Review Suggests About Future Political ScenariosWhile some plot points—like MI5 erasing files or a surprise Labour leadership change—feel speculative, the underlying warning is clear: a single‑party majority can concentrate unprecedented authority. The reviewer cautions that logistical limits and real‑world pushback, rather than parliamentary opposition, may be the true checks on such a government, urging readers to monitor Reform’s policy drafts and internal fault lines as the election approaches.

The Guardian’s latest podcast reveals that a classified security report—prepared jointly by the UK’s environment department and the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), which oversees MI5, MI6 and other spy agencies—identified climate change and biodiversity loss as direct threats to the United Kingdom’s national security. Journalists, including Fiona Harvey, were uninvited from the event where the report was to be unveiled, hinting at political sensitivity. Key Developments October 2025: Journalists were invited to a Natural History Museum event promising a major climate‑security report. The report was to be co‑authored by the environment department and the Joint Intelligence Committee, representing the UK’s spy chiefs. Days before the launch, the invitation was rescinded and the event cancelled. Fiona Harvey and other reporters learned that the report had been suppressed for undisclosed reasons. The podcast features an interview with Lt Gen Richard Nugee, former Chief of the Defence Staff, on the security implications of climate change. Data & Market Impact While the report’s exact figures remain classified, the UK defence budget has earmarked £2 billion for climate‑related resilience projects in the 2025‑30 fiscal plan. Analysts estimate that a 1°C rise in average UK temperature could increase flood‑related defence spending by up to 15% over the next decade. Insurance firms have already adjusted premiums for coastal assets, reflecting heightened perceived risk. Why This Matters Elevates climate change from an environmental issue to a core component of national security strategy. Signals that intelligence agencies are now monitoring climate‑driven instability, potentially reshaping threat assessments. Impacts policymakers, defence contractors, insurers, and coastal communities across the UK. Raises concerns about transparency and democratic oversight when security agencies influence public discourse on climate policy. Expert Insight The involvement of the JIC and senior military figures like Lt Gen Richard Nugee underscores a strategic shift: climate‑induced events—such as extreme flooding, heatwaves, and biodiversity loss—are being framed as "threat multipliers" that could strain emergency services, disrupt supply chains, and create geopolitical friction. By classifying the analysis, the government can integrate climate risk into defence planning, but it also risks sidelining public debate and delaying coordinated civilian mitigation efforts. What Happens Next Parliamentary committees are likely to request a de‑classified summary, pressuring the government to disclose key findings. Defence procurement may accelerate contracts for flood‑resilient infrastructure and renewable energy projects. Insurance and re‑insurance markets will adjust models to incorporate intelligence‑derived climate risk data. Environmental NGOs may intensify lobbying for greater public accountability on climate‑security policies.