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Books

A choice of first novels: the war in Bosnia, a modern Irish council estate and the private life of Friedrich Engels

First novels usually turn out to be fourth or fifth attempts, says Mario Reading. But this latest batch is a cut above average

16 May 2015

9:00 AM

16 May 2015

9:00 AM

Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals Jesse Armstrong

Cape, pp.384, £12.99, ISBN: 9780224097345

Mrs Engels Gavin McCrea

Scribe, pp.240, £14.99, ISBN: 9781922247957

The Glorious Heresies Lisa McInerney

John Murray, pp.384, £16.99, ISBN: 9781444798852

As all writers know to their cost, first novels are never really first novels. They make their appearance after countless botched attempts at the perfect debut — a debut that always lurks just out of view, but seems tantalisingly easy for everyone else. My first published novel was fifth down the line.

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'Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals', £11.69, 'Mrs Engels', £13.49 and 'The Glorious Heresies', £13.99 are available from the Spectator Bookshop, Tel: 08430 600033

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