Six Good Books The undead for adults A vampire novel for people who don’t like vampire novels, and the life of a much-loved control-freak
Six Good Books Gleams of the uncanny An outstanding first novel from Australia, powerful non-fiction from the Deep South, and a genius poet
Six Good Books Top picks for Christmas A tender life of one novelist, and sparkling new work from three more – plus the pick of the year
Six Good Books Striking gold A masterpiece by a young New Zealander, another hit from Robert Harris, and a slim volume about Auden
Six Good Books Compelling campaign, painstaking details A stirring novel about the Lockerbie bombing, a thriller about social media and a memoir of autism
Six Good Books Upwards, downwards Searing novels by Claire Messud and Louise Erdrich and sparkling histories of ballooning and servants
Six Good Books Best things, worst places Heart-rending tales of parental love and family history, and lessons in happiness from Guantánamo
Six Good Books Holograms and cyberstalkers A Dave Eggers tragicomedy, William Dalrymple conquering Afghanistan, and a short, sharp e-book
Six Good Books A lost masterpiece An early novel by Patrick White, pin-sharp stories from Alice Munro, and the best of 2012
Six Good Books High tension, quiet plot An unlikely king, a contemporary urban gang, a word for God and three formidable novels