The Lady from Zagreb by Philip Kerr (Quercus) R280 The issueThe 10th instalment in Kerr's hugely entertaining Bernie Gunther series. It is 1942 and our insolent and cynical Nazi-loathing Berlin detective has been sent to Zurich to track down a German actress in hiding as Joseph Goebbels wants her cast in a propaganda movie. It seems a simple enough task but the actress's father is a fanatical Croatian fascist and concentration camp commandant. In addition, the Swiss authorities have a cold case they want Gunther to investigate - a murder that is linked to some powerful figures in the Nazi party. It's perfect, lazy, long weekend reading. The issueAt least six authors - Peter Carey, Michael Ondaatje, Teju Cole, Rachel Kushner, Taiye Selasi and Francine Prose - have withdrawn from a PEN gala function next month, citing the literary and human rights organisation's decision to honour Charlie Hebdo with a Freedom of Expression Courage Award at the highlight of its annual week-long World Voices Festival in New York.The writers objected to the satirical magazine's portrayals of Muslims and "the disenfranchised generally". Prose, a former PEN American president, told The Associated Press: "I was quite upset as soon as I heard about [the award]. I couldn't imagine being in the audience when they have a standing ovation for Charlie Hebdo." She added that she was in favour of "freedom of speech without limitations" and that she "deplored" the January shootings, but added that giving an award signified "admiration and respect" for the honoree's work.PEN American president Andrew Solomon has defended the "appropriateness" of the award, arguing that the magazine had never intended to ostracise or insult Muslims but lampoon a small, fanatical minority. "We do not believe that any of us must endorse the contents of Charlie Hebdo's cartoons in order to affirm the principles for which they stand, or applaud the staff's bravery in holding fast to those values in the face of life and death threats," Solomon wrote.It would be a great pity if this minor controversy detracted from the festival's focus, which this year is on Africa. Co-curated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and featuring such writers as Adéwálé Àjàdí, Ananda Devi, Boubacar Boris Diop, BillyKahora, Alain Mabanckou, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts and Véronique Tadjo, the festival's programme aims to take audiences "beyond the news by providing a rare chance to hear voices and perspectives from contemporary Africa and its diaspora". Topics include the African gay rights movement, the hidden literary and political realities of Africa, and Western misunderstanding of African culture. The bottom line"We delude ourselves that our deadliest foes are somehow not actuated by the ideology they openly affirm." -- Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now by Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Harper)..