Kim Bendheim argues that Maud Gonne was much more than just a muse to one of Ireland’s greatest poets and highlights her roles as ‘a fiery patriot, a political prisoner, a mother and a clever, wealthy woman’

A strict upbringing and deep-seated insecurity are credited with making Alfred Hitchcock into cinema’s master of the thriller in this enjoyable biography

John Higgs’s new book is a fascinating deep dive into the life and work of ‘far and away the greatest artist Britain has ever produced’

Whether it’s exciting new fiction, an absorbing murder mystery, current affairs or historical events that help you relax and get away from everyday life, we have the best reads for you

In a touching account of their long friendship, writer and singer Tracey Thorn highlights how Lindy Morrison, the drummer for Australian indie rock band the Go-Betweens, has been denied her deserved place in music history

Stephen Jackley’s efforts to steal from the rich and give to the poor saw him come a cropper before long, as retold in this entertaining account of his life of crime

John Preston’s biography of the late tycoon Robert Maxwell is impressively researched and thoroughly readable

Dan Morain’s biography of the US vice-president is well-observed and diligent, but frustratingly lacking in inside detail

This able retelling of Rose Dugdale’s IRA-assisted theft of paintings from Russborough House in 1974 suffers from the absence of her own voice