Louise Wallace’s novella *Ash* centers on Thea, a veterinarian living in a small New Zealand town overshadowed by an erupting mountain. As ash blankets the area, Thea grapples with the challenges of balancing her demanding job and caring for two young children, while her husband Nick remains largely disengaged. Wallace employs an innovative narrative structure, interspersing Thea’s internal monologue with glimpses into other women’s lives, highlighting themes of sexism, domestic strain, and personal frustration. The novella is noted for its sharp, authentic voice portraying Thea’s growing isolation and simmering anger.

*Family Friends*, a novel by Chloe Ashby, explores complex interpersonal dynamics during an annual summer retreat in a French villa. Maggie and Will, longtime guests at the home of Lydia and Roland, face shifting emotional currents after Roland’s first wife’s recent death and the arrival of his daughter from that previous marriage. As Lydia confronts the upheaval, resurfacing feelings and concealed secrets test the relationships among the group. Ashby situates the story in the sun-drenched South of France, enriching it with vivid descriptions of heat and cuisine, which complement the novel’s examination of deception, loyalty, and family tensions.

Colson Whitehead’s *Cool Machine* concludes his Harlem Trilogy with a 1980s crime narrative set against the backdrop of Reagan-era New York. The story follows Ray Carney, a furniture salesman by day and an experienced fence by night, who becomes embroiled in a scheme to reclaim an Olympic gold medal once owned by Jesse Owens, which Owens was compelled to sell. The novel blends a heist plot with a richly detailed portrait of street culture and racial history, continuing Whitehead’s broader literary focus on America’s evolving social landscape. Reviewers highlight Carney as a compelling, multifaceted protagonist whose story illuminates enduring themes of identity and survival.