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Books/book club

Quick quick ! Holiday reads

(82 Posts)
Lucca Sun 04-Sept-22 22:16:02

Going away next week need holiday reads.
Not too fat a book .
Not fantasy
Not gory
Not too chick lit but not intellectually demanding
No Richard Osman !!

V3ra Tue 06-Sept-22 11:53:08

I'm currently reading and enjoying "She's Up To No Good" by Sara Goodman Confino.

A mix of ages of characters, some challenging family dynamics (but nothing gory!).
It's set across two time periods but easy to follow as it's chapter by chapter.

I have it on the Kindle app.

Chrissyoh Tue 06-Sept-22 11:32:56

All Elizabeth Strout books .

Do you use Libby ? ?

Chrissyoh Tue 06-Sept-22 10:22:43

A Net for Small Fishes : Lucy Jago .

Lucca Tue 06-Sept-22 09:39:59

Has anyone read “The girl with the louding voice” or “Redhead at the side of the road “ . I have them for some reason and wondered if you enjoyed either or both ?

Retread Mon 05-Sept-22 11:09:36

Fearless by Catrina Davies. A memoir about a road trip into Scandinavia, on a whim, in a battered old van with a cello and a hope/plan to busk her way around, with an initial repertoire of about 3 pieces. Young characters and interesting people along the way (of course). Enjoyable and interesting. I won't spoil it by telling you why she did this (it does come out early on on the book).

dragonfly46 Mon 05-Sept-22 11:08:20

I second 'Still Life' - just finished it for book club and loved it.

Aveline Mon 05-Sept-22 11:02:36

Just read and thoroughly enjoyed 'Diplomatic Baggage' by Brigid Keenan. She was a diplomat's wife and her book is about the ups and downs of life in their various postings. She's a very good writer and obviously has a great sense of humour. Strongly recommended.

Parsley3 Mon 05-Sept-22 11:02:01

The Black Widow by Christopher Brookmyre.

Witzend Mon 05-Sept-22 10:57:19

Ditto to any by Clare Chambers. I’m going to download ‘Back Trouble’ on to my Kindle. Read it years ago but IIRC passed the ‘proper’ book to a sister with very similar tastes.

Another I’ve loved and passed on to same sister is Two Caravans, by Marina Lewycka - about an assortment of illegal-immigrant (mostly trafficked IIRC) strawberry pickers. There’s a wonderful canine character, too, but I won’t go into any ‘spoiling’ detail.

TerriBull Mon 05-Sept-22 10:56:08

J52

Agree Terribull , How to Kill Your Family.
But it’s a numerous crime with a great twist at the end.

Yes it's pretty tongue in cheek crime and the description of the family she sets out to kill presided over by a Philip Green (esque) head honcho gives it a great humorous edge imo.

Nell8 Mon 05-Sept-22 10:49:23

Toast: the story of a boy's hunger by Nigel Slater. Food nostalgia. Very funny in places
Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. Worth re-reading. A real page turner
The Sealwoman's Gift, by Sally Magnusson. Very well written.

Zonne Mon 05-Sept-22 10:30:06

All the light we cannot see, Anthony Doerr
The mermaid of black conch, Monique Roffey
The giver of stars, Jo Jo Moyes
Piranesi, Susanna Clarke
King Hereafter, Dorothy Dunnett
Anything by Kate Atkinson, although the Jackson Brady series are crime (sort of)

SunshineSally Mon 05-Sept-22 10:28:06

Have you read ‘A thousand splendid suns’ by Khaled Hosseini? Loved this book. He also wrote ‘The Kite Runner’ and although I’ve read both, I preferred the former.

J52 Mon 05-Sept-22 10:24:12

Humorous! But also ‘ numerous’!

J52 Mon 05-Sept-22 10:23:49

Agree Terribull , How to Kill Your Family.
But it’s a numerous crime with a great twist at the end.

Daisymae Mon 05-Sept-22 10:11:08

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. Excellent read, great characters and plot twists.

Callistemon21 Mon 05-Sept-22 10:04:14

Jennifer Scoullar books about Outback Australia?

Lucca Mon 05-Sept-22 09:28:10

Any non crime offerings? Sorry to be picky… I’ve read a lot of these eg salley vickers tracey chevalier ec and liked them.

Alypoole Mon 05-Sept-22 09:24:38

Learning to Swim also by Clare Chambers. I'd recommend all of hers.

All my Mothers.

TerriBull Mon 05-Sept-22 09:18:24

How to Kill Your Family Bella Mackie dark humour loved this book when I read it on holiday

The Vanishing Half Brit Bennett

Small Pleasures Claire Chambers

The Appeal Janice Hallett

GranyGravy, The Times recently stated that Richard Coles book "Murder at Evensong" is far better than the overrated ubiquitous Osman's cosy crime offerings may give that one a go myself.

Maya1 Mon 05-Sept-22 09:14:43

I'm with Merlotgran. Saving Missy, a lovely book. Susie Steiner's Manon Bradshaw crime novels are a good read.

Lucca Mon 05-Sept-22 09:12:13

I’ve read a lot of these ! Plus a lot seem tobe about the elderly etc? A bit doom and gloom maybe ?
Any more ?!

Witzend Mon 05-Sept-22 09:12:08

Another Salley Vickers one - Mr Golightly’s Holiday.

Septimia Mon 05-Sept-22 09:07:40

Rebecca Tope's Cotswold and Lake District mysteries.

merlotgran Mon 05-Sept-22 09:06:12

The Ellie Griffiths Max Mephisto ‘whodunnits’ are also very good.

Another vote for Saving Missy.