Books by Laila Lalami
“This novel has everyone’s likelihood of committing crimes scored by algorithms and the protagonist, Sara Hussein, is detained because she may become violent. What begins as a relatively short sentence is at risk of being indefinitely lengthened if prison rules are broken. The system is clearly rigged. Meanwhile, the prisoners’ dreams are being recorded for probably nefarious purposes.” Read more...
The Best Science Fiction: The 2026 Arthur C. Clarke Award Shortlist
Andrew M. Butler, Film Critics & Scholar
Interviews where books by Laila Lalami were recommended
The Best Science Fiction: The 2026 Arthur C. Clarke Award Shortlist, recommended by Andrew M. Butler
The Arthur C Clarke award highlights six outstanding science fiction books every year. This year’s field shows the breadth of contemporary science fiction, says chair of judges Andrew M. Butler. From antimemetics to royal rewilding, this year’s list offers something for everyone – and will be won, however the votes fall, by somebody who has never received the award before.
The Best Mystery Books of 2026: The Edgar Awards, recommended by Sophie Roell
The Edgar Award for Best Novel is one of the most prestigious prizes in the mystery and crime fiction genre, and an excellent starting point if you’re looking for a flavour of what kind of books are out there. As we start our list of the best mystery books of 2026, Five Books editor Sophie Roell runs us through this year’s shortlist, from Dickensian London to the wilds of the Southern Ocean.
