The New Zealand novelist Catherine Chidgey ought to be much more celebrated in this country than she is. Do not be put off by the fact that The Axeman’s Carnival (Europa, £14.99) is narrated by ...

An oil painting portrays a younger man. His face is turned three quarters while his eyes look straight ahead. His black hair is brushed back, and his beard is short. He wears a black blazer jacket, ...