In no particular order – I have mentioned some of these books in the past, but it’s always good to be reminded.
Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
Absolutely stunning legal thriller debut from Harriet Tyce – and I don’t even really like thrillers. Harriet is also on The Spike today! Answering some typically searching questions.
French Exit by Patrick deWitt
Extremely stylish and darkly funny tale. I swallowed it whole without chewing and it was delicious.
Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Jaw-droppingly accomplished first novel from the award-winning New York Times journalist.
Wild and Crazy Guys by Nick de Semlyen
A short history of the 80s maverick comedians – Dan Akroyd, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray and all that gang (if you are into them, which I am). A really good book to have on the go to tread water between more gripping stuff. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way – it’s a good read.
Slow Horses by Mick Herron
Another slightly water-tready book. Readable thriller-ish about a load of MI5 rejects – and the good news is if you like this book, it’s the first in a series. Cosy.
The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley
There are lots of how-I-got-sober books and blogs around by people who never quite hit rock bottom but wanted to stop drinking anyway. This is the one I read and it was great.
The Illumination of Ursula Flight
Funny and odd but completely charming tale of a Tudor woman who becomes a famous playwright.
Ordinary People by Diana Evans
Not to be confused with Normal People by Sally Rooney. I’m sure you’ve read OP already – a marriage falls apart in London with a supernatural twist. Really ace.
How to Fail by Elizabeth Day
You could look at Elizabeth Day – incredibly successful, clever, popular, charming and beautiful – and think: “You don’t know from failure, lady” but her point is that failure is all personal, it’s all relative. If you’re one of the few people left to read it, then do – I enjoyed it a lot.
Manhunt by Peter Bergen
A very odd book for me to recommend but this was just such a fascinating and fast-moving overview of the 10-year search for and capture of Osama Bin Laden that I want everyone to read it. At times, genuinely laugh-out-loud.
The Diary of a Provincial Lady by EM Delafield
An Instagram follower sent me a furious drunk message once because I had bought a dress off Samantha Cameron and in it she compared me to EM Delafield. I’d never heard of her so went away and read this book and was hugely flattered. This is a classic and it’s brilliant. Have a look if you’ve never heard of it.
Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott
A fictionalised account of Truman Capote’s doomed friendship with the cream of New York Society. Not a new story but this one is the best re-telling that I have seen.
Circe by Madeleine Miller
Another absolute triumph from the author of the Song of Achilles. Such an atmospheric and beautiful read.
We Must All Be Brave by Frances Liardet
I’m so baffled as to why this hasn’t done better (although it has certainly done well). I was blown away by how good it was.
I am also looking forward to reading:
All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison
The Truants by Kate Weinberg
Operation Jihadi Bride by John Carney
The Van Apfel Girls are Gone by Felicity McLean
Halfway through Circe and loving it! I don’t always have much time to read but this is grabbing me and pulling me in!!!
I love your book recommendations Esther, so I was pleased to see Ordinary People and How to Fail on here as I’d already bought them for my holiday, and just to add that I read Mayhem by Sigrid Rausing last summer (another of your recommendations) and it was fantastic. I don’t think a week goes by when I don’t think about it. Thanks!
Just a note – I bought Blood Orange because I’d read and loved a couple of others listed (Circe, Ursula Flight) and it is (as the cover indicates) a ‘Girl on a Train’ type book. Not my cup of tea – wouldn’t want anyone to make the same inference/ costly error.
I finished French Exit last night and second that description, very good. I have to admit here that I began We Must Be Brave and had a rather unexpectedly strong emotional response to it and had to set it aside. It may be because my daughter is the same age as the child in the books and it is so very well written that it was not for me for now, but I will go back to it. It is not new but I’ve just finished Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd and loved that. My husband said he thought I would like it because it is set in a rainforest, has an interesting woman in it, a genius having a breakdown, academic stuff, and chimpanzees. Turns out he knows me quite well, so if it sounds like your sort of chimp’s tea party too I recommend it. I’m currently reading Ordinary People, Hormonal by Eleanor Morgan (because, always!) about the menstrual cycle and how it affects women’s physical and mental health, Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez which is an eye opener on how women are often left out of data collection and the impact this can have – for eg women’s heart attack symptoms are different to men’s, crash test dummies are based on male bodies – these are the headlines but there are all sorts of other interesting things in here. I have also just started Eve’s Hollywood by Eve Babitz, a kind of fictionalised memoir of life in LA amongst the Hollywood set in the 50s/60s, it is witty and great vicarious living so far.
BRAZZAVILLE BEACH my god I HATED that book Cindy you are a lunatic
Hmm, I’ve had this sort of feedback before. I’ve hated all his others but chimp wars turn out to be my jam. I’ve just noticed that I completely *failed* to notice Wild Crazy Guys on this list earlier and WHAT?! had no idea this existed. That’s my marmalade!!! I was partially raised by those guys – my parents rented them instead of hiring a babysitter.
Two other books I loved this month!
Sloane Crosley: Look Alive Out There
and
Lisa Halliday: Asymmetry
I have just finished The Harry Quebert Affair. It’s brilliant, I couldn’t put it down. I real whodunnit page turner.
Have just finished Fleishman is in Trouble and OMFG – IT IS THE NUTS!!! Painfully and cringingly well observed with characters that you not only relate to but go through a whole circle of emotions with, whilst nodding from the examples you recognise (hence is cringing). Maybe it’s my age, or my circumstances, but I loved everything about this one. AND ALL IN A DEBUT. Thank you for the recommendation
I recommend Atikinson’s newest – Big Sky. Delicious, yummy. So quick and delightful.