Gransnet forums

Books/book club

Authors you want to shout about

(230 Posts)
NellG Tue 16-Feb-21 13:04:05

Have you ever read book so good you can't understand why it's not a bestseller? Yet when you mention it no one ( or very few) has/have heard of either the book or the author. My current favourite is Jess Kidd, she's absolutely brilliant, she reminds me of Kate Atkinson, Diane Setterfield and Edna O'Brien all rolled up into accessible, beautifully written, readable fiction.

Bridie22 Tue 16-Feb-21 14:30:01

NellG, yes I have found his books adapt to films quite easily, My favourite being Atonement.

harold Tue 16-Feb-21 14:25:59

I particularly like the 44 Scotland Street series which is about some individuals and families living in Edinburgh, These books are written by Alexander McCall Smith who also writes The No. 1 Lady's Detective Agency series.

Patsy70 Tue 16-Feb-21 14:24:55

This is a good thread. I’m always looking for new authors (to me, that is). Another vote for Catherine Ryan Hyde, who I discovered last year and have since read a few of her books. Other favourites are Elizabeth Buchan, Lucinda Riley’s ‘The Seven Sisters’, Mike Gayle and many more, who don’t immediately spring to mind. ?

NellG Tue 16-Feb-21 14:24:37

Witzend Off to look them up!

Sarah48 I was disappointed with the Miniaturist, I think I left it too late to read and succumbed to the hype so much no book would have lived up to it. Plus JB was such a media 'darling' by then I think I was a bit irritated by the excessive coverage, so I may have been a bit biased.

NellG Tue 16-Feb-21 14:21:10

Bridie22 I haven't read any of his for a long time - he certainly makes you think. Do you think the films live up to the books?

muse Tue 16-Feb-21 14:16:28

The Hoarder

muse Tue 16-Feb-21 14:14:55

Thanks NellG.

Looked at some reviews on Amazon about The Horder.
Humour, mystery, intrigue, a few scary moments thrown in to thrill and some moving moments to warm the heart.
Perfect for me.

NellG Tue 16-Feb-21 14:10:59

YorkLady Anne Tyler is exquisite isn't she? Sometimes I find it very uncomfortable reading though - she almost manages to get her readers inside the skin of the main character. I have to be in the right mood for her though.

I have the Redhead btsotr to read when I am.

Sarah48 Tue 16-Feb-21 14:07:20

Oh, I loved The Miniaturist. I was worried I’d dislike the TV adaptation, but I loved that too!

Bridie22 Tue 16-Feb-21 14:07:18

Anything by Ian mcEwan, love his books.

NellG Tue 16-Feb-21 14:07:10

TerriBull They are slightly whacky, but more tending towards the surreal than barmy. I like that though.

I am frequently puzzled by very popular books - the whole Gone girl/Train girl thing ( and all the derivatives that followed) never appealed. Books about truly awful people doing truly awful things to each other. Less psychological thrillers, more in need a of a psychiatrist! lol.

Of course reading is such a subjective thing, but I do find recommendations from others far more useful than chart ratings.

DiscoGran I'll have a look, I'm very much n the mood for a slow boil book. Thank you. smile.

Witzend Tue 16-Feb-21 14:07:10

I devour anything by Sue Gee or Clare Chambers.

YorkLady Tue 16-Feb-21 14:02:18

Anything by Anne Tyler. She has a wonderful descriptive way of writing that I just love.

TerriBull Tue 16-Feb-21 14:01:53

Yes I loved The Miniaturist too Sara, also Jess Burton's follow up to that, The Muse, totally different but an engaging story.

My son gave me "Gentleman in Moscow" with a "you'll love this" I didn't, I think I told him I did though blush

DiscoGran Tue 16-Feb-21 13:55:38

NellG, no, they aren't all like that, but they are slow burners with likeable characters.

Sara1954 Tue 16-Feb-21 13:53:46

I agree TerriBull
Several years ago I bought The Miniaturist.
my daughter saw it and told me not to waste my time reading it, because it was dreadful
It sat on my pile for a couple of years, and I eventually decided to give it a go, and thought it was a wonderful book.

TerriBull Tue 16-Feb-21 13:51:57

My favourite book by Kate Atkinson, is "Life after Life" that divided opinion, just read some reviews on "The Hoarder" definitely sounds interesting although there were a couple who thought it too whacky. The Diane Setterfield book I read, "The Thirteenth Tale" had a surreal feel about it if I remember rightly that didn't put me off.

On the subject of hoarding, I thought Lisa Jewell's book "The House We Grew Up In", grown up siblings dealing with their mother's hoarding habit and what led up to her becoming one, was very good imo.

Sarah48 Tue 16-Feb-21 13:47:22

Yes, I think I’ll try The Hoarder too! I know what you mean, Terribull - Sophie Hannah gets a lot of praise, undeserved in my opinion. Her latest book, “Haven’t they Grown”, was drivel (IMO!).

Sara1954 Tue 16-Feb-21 13:37:51

Have just ordered The Hoarder

TerriBull Tue 16-Feb-21 13:37:19

I've loved some of Kate Atkinson's book, so I'll have to Google Jess Kidd. I often think there are authors that don't get the recognition they deserve. I'm often amazed at the success of other books, for instance, The Thursday Club, just can't understand the furore that surrounds that, left me very underwhelmed. I read Diane Setterfield's first book which I enjoyed, but have read anything of hers since. Same with Edna O'Brien, many years ago I read The Country Girls and Girl with the Green Eyes.

Books are very subjective of course, I remember quite a few years ago, Richard and Judy did a book club on their afternoon show. One of the books on their first list, "Star of the Sea" by Irish author Joseph O'Connor one of the best books I'd ever read. Readers were asked to vote for an overall winner from their selection, that one came runner up to one of the worst books I'd read "The Lovely Bones" angry but loads loved that book, personally I wanted to hurl it across the room!!!

Sara1954 Tue 16-Feb-21 13:33:02

That’s interesting Nell, I’ll definitely look her up
One of my favourite authors is Sue Gee, who I think is very underrated.

NellG Tue 16-Feb-21 13:30:17

DiscoGran I remember seeing the film, I think it made me cry! Are her books best read with a box of tissues too? It's a good author who can pull off emotional reactions in their readers I think.

NellG Tue 16-Feb-21 13:27:16

Maggiemaybe she seems to have that similar way of making the ordinary quite extraordinary without making it unnecessarily weird ( if you know what I mean).

DiscoGran Tue 16-Feb-21 13:25:30

I like Catherine Ryan Hyde, she wrote Pay it Forward (made into a film). I am working my way through all her books. If you have Amazon prime there is one of hers on the prime reading at the moment.

Maggiemaybe Tue 16-Feb-21 13:21:50

Anybody who reminds you of Kate Atkinson is good in my book. I’ll try her, NellG, and thank you.