Featured review
Patient 1 by Charlotte Raven review
If you can remember the 90s, you weren’t really there,” writes Charlotte Raven in her memoir, Patient 1: Forgetting and Finding Myself. “I remember so little of it that I must have been more there than practically anyone, Liam Gallagher excepted.” For those…
An Evening with Noel Fielding - enjoyable silliness
An Evening with Noel Fielding - enjoyable silliness
Although Fielding seems slightly directionless without his Mighty Boosh partner, there’s plenty of madcap whimsy and wit…
I don't want to lecture you... but do tune in to Reith
I don't want to lecture you... but do tune in to Reith
In the age of soundbites and tweets, the BBC’s Reith lectures are the last bastion of our nation’s…
Lee Evans: sweaty, knotty tour de force
Lee Evans: sweaty, knotty tour de force
He defined the modern comedy industry and broke records with his huge audiences. I suspect rumours of his…
Dapper Laughs: vile, humourless misogyny? It's banter, innit?
Dapper Laughs: vile, humourless misogyny? It's banter, innit?
By giving the self-styled comic Dapper Laughs his own show, ITV is endorsing his damaging brand of lad…
Climate change play 2071 aims to make data dramatic
Climate change play 2071 aims to make data dramatic
Director Katie Mitchell, playwright Duncan Macmillan and scientist Chris Rapley let the facts speak for themselves in new…
Lamentation by CJ Sansom - a new chapter for Shardlake
Lamentation by CJ Sansom - a new chapter for Shardlake
Tudor lawyer Matthew Shardlake’s sixth outing builds to a shocking climax…
Treachery reviewed by The Observer
Treachery reviewed by The Observer
The philosopher-spy sets sail for Plymouth in SJ Parris’s fourth twisting, turning Giordano Bruno thriller…
CJ Sansom: a bestselling mix of Tudor history and mystery
CJ Sansom: a bestselling mix of Tudor history and mystery
As the eagerly awaited sixth Shardlake novel hits the shelves, Britain’s fascination with the unlikely Tudor detective –…
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber - the story of Jesus goes intergalactic
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber - the story of Jesus goes intergalactic
A Christian pastor is sent to work with aliens in a neighbouring galaxy in Michel Faber’s powerful examination…
Sara Pascoe: 'Female sexuality is an active thing'
Sara Pascoe: 'Female sexuality is an active thing'
The Edinburgh comedy award nominee and TV regular talks about monogamy being unnatural and Page 3 becoming mandatory…
Jihadis are terrorists. Don't charge them with treason
Jihadis are terrorists. Don't charge them with treason
Using a law dating back to 1351 is not the way to deal with those who swear allegiance…
John Kearns review - too much shtick, too little substance
John Kearns review - too much shtick, too little substance
Review of John Kearns at the Soho theatre, London…
Books to Die For - passionate advocacy for gems of crime fiction
Books to Die For - passionate advocacy for gems of crime fiction
This compendium of essays by crime writers of their favourite books in the genre is often personal and…
Tana French: 'I've always been interested in the intensity of friendship and the dangers that come with that'
Tana French: 'I've always been interested in the intensity of friendship and the dangers that come with that'
The award-winning crime novelist on why she switched careers and what attracts her about murder mysteries…