Our top six books this week: an unflinching look at the British in India and more

A Place Called Winter | Patrick Gale Tinder Press, March 26 Harry Cane is a shy, privileged elder son, who has followed the rules at every step. But a scandalous affair in 1900s London forces him to abandon his family and flee to Canada. Remote and unforgiving, the prairie lands are a world away from Edwardian England and Harry must fight for his survival.

Morning Sea, Margaret Mazzantini Oneworld, March 19 Violence rages in the streets of Tripoli as Muammar Qaddafi desperately clings to power. Farid and his mother Jamila face terrible choices – make for the border and run the risk of being captured by mercenaries or risk a hazardous boat crossing. A moving portrait of a life in uncertain times.

The Lion Wakes | Richard Murphy and David Kynaston,Profile, March 5 HSBC is mired in a scandal over alleged tax avoidance at its Swiss arm. This official history does not cover these allegations, but neither does it retreat from covering HSBC’s ill-fated move into consumer -finance and the fallout from the 2008 slump.

Ray Davies: A Complicated Life | Johnny Rogan, Bodley Head, March 5 The frontman of The Kinks is one of the most enigmatic, and troubled, musicians of all time. Detailing breakdowns, bitter lawsuits and spectacular punch-ups, this promises to be an intriguing look at the man behind such classics as Sunny Afternoon and Waterloo Sunset.

The Tears of the Rajas, Ferdinand Mount, Simon and Schuster, March 12 An epic history of British India through the experiences of a single Scottish family, the Lows. From mutiny to massacre, from debt to disease, this is an unflinching look at the ineptitude and cruelty of the British in India over more than 100 years.

Take a look at the top six books we're reading this week.