I've had this on a shelf for a few years, and as we approach the big day, I thought I'd give a try.
A very atmospheric setting of English country house in the 1930s. A host of family convenes for the annual Christmas festivities held by Sir Osmund Melbury but the shadow of a changed will + with distraction of santa appearing results in a grisly find. A bit convoluted but overall a jolly Christmas murder mystery of classic proportions like our 🎅

I am enjoying this series about an Irish female detective in the met police. Maeve Kerrigan is an enjoyable character facing sexism while trying to investigate difficult crimes. In this her 2nd outing the murder of a sex offender suddenly appears to be a serial killer. The mystery quickly tales a tangent when an organised crime gang leader also takes the stage. Good read, role on book 3.

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I enjoyed this story of a young, widowed mother of 3 girls who suddenly finds herself kissed on a London street by a past admirer, actor Charlie. What ensues is the tale of how Anna copes with the change in the perception of her by 1970s society. Interesting snapshot of societal change.
For some reason litsy struggling to upload with everyone names added

I loved the character of Jessica Vye, a young girl of 12/14 growing up in 1940 in a North Eastern town. With a brilliantly drawn of characters around her, she floats through her life at school , home, and a community facing bombing from the sky with humour and emotion. At our irl group Christmas book swap this was a hit all round. It's definitely a book I wouldn't have found otherwise, so a perfect book group read.

What a strange read but one I keep thinking about. When a clinic opens in Vienna for patients with dementia to relive their memories in a time period important to them, it seems a brilliant idea from the enigmatic but elusive creator. What follows is the narrator, his acquaintance, who joins his clinic, following the destruction of the premise as nations vote to return to the era of a country's apparent greatest moments. Fascinating premise +read.

Thank you @LeahBergen for nominating me to choose the options for Feb 2026
Sorry if I've copied anyone no longer involved
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Here we go
126 Despised and Rejected Rose Allatini
149 Sofia Petrovna Lydia Chukoskaya

I really enjoyed this book, which was a snapshot of the life of a teenage boy in a small Midlands village in England in the early 1980s. Jason Taylor is a great character who struggles with managing bullying in his school and the breakdown of his parents' marriage with the self obsession of a teenager and brilliant humour. Some scenes will stay with me for a while and the funfair scenes and small town feel felt a lot like somewhere wicked....

Lovely coincidence that as I finished this wonderful book, there was the author on portrait artist of the year. I was totally absorbed in the tale of 3 characters touched by a drop of water passing through history from the court of a mesopatamian King to a victorian child born in the slums rising to an archaeologist for B museum, a teenage hazidi mid the isis terror, + water scientist in 2018 living on a houseboat. Absolutely loved it.

I finished this just b4 the prize announcement. I see the merit in the life story of Istzan, a Hungarian immigrant, + found the book v absorbing but I dont know if I actually liked the book. Its a book abt modern masculinity, so he is monosyllabic drawn into sexual relationships and struggles to express his feelings, including significant losses. It certainly is a book to discuss in a time where toxicity of negative male influences is prevalent.

From the author of Get Carter, this portrays a criminal gangsters descent into madness as his pursuit of power fuels his increasing violence and dreadful revenge on those close to him by rivals. Set in 1970s London, it also has alternating chapters in a North Lincolnshire coastal town after George escapes the culmination of his violence. This noir book + its portrayal of the dark heart of crime was at times a tough read by a master storyteller

The English Civil War and the killing of Charles 1st is a period which I would like to explore more, and this fictionalised account of the hunt for the signatories of the warrant of execution is full of facts that I reinforced that interest. In this story, Richard Whalley obsessively hunts 2 of the regicides who escape to Puritan New England. At over 500 pages, this was perfect for a short winter break + hopefully an introduction to more reading

Bake off final, which is a perfect excuse for tea and cakes. I enjoyed the cakes as I did this thriller set in a small American town where the release of a prisoner after his sentence for manslaughter of his girlfriends sister when he was a teenager sends ripples through the community especially 14 yr old Duchess. Some great characters, including Duchess and Sheriff Walk (the killers best friend). Rattled through it again like the cakes.

2 parisian women 50 yrs apart experience different feelings abt maternity. Anna, in 2019, has had a miscarriage, a psychoanalyst, she finds solace in a neighbour's friendship. Florence, in 1972, wants a child, but her husband does not, + their affairs undermine their love. Touching upon love, loss, sexuality, and feminism the reader is drawn into a deep reflection on the nature + fragility of relationships. It is also a beautiful picture of paris

Set in 2004, this was an interesting crime novel in which a young reporter + budfinh PhD. student investigate the discovery of human remains in a Liverpool building site. What follows is the story of the Irish immigrant experience in the ports docks from the early 1950s and the unions as we follow the story of criminal gangs, corrupt police, and more importantly, families. it will apparently a trilogy, so plan to read more.

A curious book in which 2 narratives show the same characters appear as actors in v different stories of their lives. In the 1st, an actress meets a young man for lunch, + he tells her he is her son, which she tells him is impossible. The story then explores her marriage as she stars on stage. In the 2nd, Xavier is her son, who brings his lover to the family home, a cuckoo in the nest. An unsettling read, stilted prose, but hypnotic + absorbing.

A multi character story that explores the impact of the sexual assault a young woman, Misty, at a party by three young men she knows. The author draws portraits of the 3 boys' mothers + Misty's father so that the reading grows in tension to the point of the assault occurs. As with 'adolescence' its a frightening picture of young men's attitude to women and sex as well as the struggle that the mother's have with loyalty to the children. Excellent.

Clyde (viper) escapes Alabama in 1936 to try his luck in the jazz world of Harlem. When told that he has no talent as a trumpeter, he joins the criminal underworld as enforcer + then his own drug supply kingdom. Told around 3 murders this noir feel novel stretches over 25 years + tells of violence, love, and the greats of the post war jazz scene as Viper's supplies them with their drugs. An atmospheric and absorbing read.

The introduction highlights this book as inspiring many great noir writing + quotes chandler praising the author. I can see the comparison to highsmith + double indemnity, but somehow, the plot stretched my credulity. It was interesting to read as a lost classic, but I don't feel it dated well.
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Ilka Weissnix, a Jewish refugee from Vienna, meets in a Nevada rail Station Carter Bayoux, an African American, twice her age. Carter + Ilka begin a loving relationship as Carter, a journalist at the centre of NY society but with an alcohol problem, introduces Ilka to a new life. A remarkable book that explores race, the nature of love, the trauma of the war, being an immigrant with humour and depth. If you do read listen to the Baclisted episode.

A book that has been on my shelf for years and it was a lovely read in which in a series of short tales we are in the world of a small post war Italian village where the eponymous priest does constant battle with the communist mayor. As Don Camillo converses with the god on the crucifix in his church, he is constantly admonished or dissuaded from using physical force on his rival, but invariably, Don Camillo finds his fist or his cunning works.

Two long train journeys this weekend allowed me to finish this story of Laura, an American 19yr old who travels to London in 1939 to stay with her aunt. Meeting a communist girl she befriends on the ship wakens a curiosity in the Soviets. As she mingles in high society, she finds herself involved in the world of espionage. In an afterword the author refers to Melinda marling, wife of Donald maclean as inspiration. An interesting book, well told.

This is my book of the year as I finish my lunch overwhelmed by the final pages.Taking in 60 yrs of Scottish history from 1950 to 2010, the book tracks a series of characters who all interconnect. Dealing with political changes it has at its centre a man back from the war in Japan who leaves his family to live on the road. His image is captured by a photographer, in 2010 the son stages an exhibition of his father's work. Tender + tough at times 5*

Finding a Penelope Lively in a charity shop that I haven't read is a bonus, especially when it proves to be another beautifully told story of lifes traumas. Frances is grieving the death of her celebrity husband. The picture of grief is very good, also the relationship with her friend, her sister in law, and adopted children. Lively is, in my view, one of the greats, and I will be on the search for more.

Having red 'a daughter in time' years ago in which Insp Alan Grant is in a hospital bed, i was interested, to go to 1st in the series. It took me a bit to adjust to the pace + style of 1920's police mystery, but I soon enjoyed the characters + a thrilling chase in the Scottish Highlands. The ending wasn't great, but overall, I enjoyed stepping back in time when people queue for the theatre + get murdered for their trouble. Definitely trying more

Had the afternoon off yesterday, so it was a perfect excuse to finish this excellent booker longlisted story in the pub. Set in a northwestern sea village, Tom Flett drags the dangerous beaches, where the sand can swallow a person every morning for shrimp. When an American film director arrives, charming Tom's mother into enlisting Tom's help, Tom's world shifts. I loved this story, which reflects on so much about a lost life and much more.

I finally read this splendid book after a friend lent it to me and i felt that this was better than her 1st two bks (I've not read her 3rd) with a remarkable portrait of two brothers whose grief + personality impacts on their relationships with each other + those close to them. The picture of siblings who love yet hate each other is well done + also the story of Ivan/Margaret, Peter/Sylvia. I found it moving, +wanting to get my chess set out. 4.5*

The story of an Irish man living on his own in London whose life takes on new purpose when he discovers a passion for cinema by visiting the compulsively the BFI where me meets similar obsessives. Brian is a character whose life seems inconsequential, but to the reader, the depiction of his thoughts + feelings are compelling + span nearly 40 yrs. Even as a lover of cinema, the film references sometimes overwhelmed me, but I still loved this book.

I love spy fiction, so it's bizarre that this is my first Len Deighton. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately ordered books 2+3 in the trilogy. Bernard Sansom is a senior officer in the service running a source in E Berlin who wants to escape, but London wants him to carry on. It emerges that someone is passing info to the Russians, but can Bernard find the source. Gripping to the very climactic end. Excited that I have so many more bks to find.

Dickens used the pen to reflect on poverty in 19th c London, so BK exposes the destruction of opioid addiction in appalachian America in the early 2000s. The plight of Demon is devastating as the plot follows the structure and characters of Copperfield, creating a lead to whom the reader becomes emotionally attached. My only issue was reading Copperfield, so recently, it was a distraction from fully enjoying it, but this is a remarkable book.

This is a very enjoyable series set in Kent and the dungeness coast. DI Alex Culpidi is on sick leave after the events of the last few books but becomes curious about the murder of a couple in a local house. As she is dragged into the investigation, she quickly becomes at risk herself as it also involves historic events covered up by her close friend.

My 2nd booker book is a satirical look on modern media. From a young reporters account of a raid upon a rave in which a gold bar is stolen, to the reporter's encounter with her obnoxious University friends and ending with a populist columnist at a literary festival, a character typical of today's media when saying anything outrageous is free speech. It is a short book that deserves a reread and definitely an appealing new literary voice.

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Another great read with (reminded me of a lost lady by WC) a central character who is the hypnotic femme fatale who attracts everyone except the sceptical narrator ,here Frankie burnaby who as a child loves the stranger + her parents forbid her to contact but as adult sees the spider like risk.

My 1st foray into the booker longlist was this story of the big freeze of 1962/63 winter in a small west country English village. 2 couples like very close to each , one the local GP + wife, the other farmer + wife. The women are pregnant and form a close bond despite their diffences. This book weaves an intricate Web of deceit, past lives, and future hopes amidst an evocation of winter + a country not yet shifting from post-war to swinging 60s.

Catherine is grieving her father + beloved stepmother. Her birth mother, susannah, died when C was a baby but left a box with a curious mix of objects. C feels little for her mother, but as she chooses to search the meaning in the objects, she learns more about a woman connected to her but unknown but more about herself. This is a reflective book with no dramatic reveal, but the writing is compelling with no word wasted, + I was completely hooked.

A comic tale of middle-class manners where the dark humour is biting as Muriel Spark paints a picture of gross characters happy to moan about each other in one breath while hugging in the other. Set around a dinner party, we meet a number of couples as they prepare for the event. With a spate of burglaries occurring in the area there also seems to be a connection to the feast. Spark is a reassuring favourite writer who never fails to captivate me.

This is a challenging read but once you get into the rhythm of the prose style it is immensely rewarding. Bill Shankly is a complicated character ,obsessive about football and success for Liverpool fc, but also incredibly humble and humane. The last 200 pages when we follow him in retirement are incredibly moving with his willingness to talk to anyone at anytime being notable. If the stories told are true it is a remarkable tribute to a great man.

My final holiday reading review is for this 2023 booker nominated family saga. I recall enjoying Skippy Dies a few years ago, so with mixed reviews, I was unsure how this book wd go as we follow the 4 members of the Barnes family through the collapse of the Irish economy. Sprawling in scope, I loved the slow reveal secrets that explain characters' decision-making + emotional reaction to events. I really enjoyed the narrative +was totally absorbed

It doesn't look like I've moved other than to grab wine + pizza, but book 2 on our holidays was this very good spy thriller set in bahrain after the Arab spring revolts. Shane Collins is a jaded CIA operative, divorced, and a heavy drinker living in the American community, having to temper his anger at a younger boss. When he is attracted to a bahranian woman, and he becomes attached to his source in the protest movement, the story gains pace.

In anticipation of reading Demon Copperhead I decided to take this classic on holiday, making my luggage 2lb heavier. I have not read it before and was soon totally lost in a world I thought I knew already. The characters are astonishing from the well-known Uriah Heep and Micawber to the wonderful Mr Dick and Traddles. I can only imagine the anticipation of waiting for a new chapter to appear each week. A brilliant read.

Thought I'd try the first maeve kerrigan having heard Jane casey talking about the most recent. She is an enjoyable character, being the only female detective in an all male murder squad. In this story , what appears to be another victim of a serial killer, has Maeve wondering about anomalies which allow her to prove how good a police officer she is. Enjoyable and will read more in the series.

A memoir about the author's love of a small North East coastal town Withernsea. Adam moved with his family as a teenager, + in a series of essays, he tackles his memories, which are, in turn, funny ( I laughed out loud about seaside seagulls), to the moving thoughts about his older brother. Mens' mental health is a significant theme in this book, which I found explored a difficult theme very well with reflection also upon family + aging. Very good

There's something comforting abt reading Anne Tyler, knowing that there are so many more of her novels that I have yet to try. Delia Grinstead is a 40 yr old mother, wife, + sister, these are her roles in life, so on a day at the beach she simply walks off + creates a new home with a job in a town she does not know. I loved how Delia, in turn, discovers her identity while her family adjusts to her absence. Should it have ended as it did, not sure.

Catching up on last weekends rdng + this v good spy story. Scarlet King is a British agent who, in 1946, helps kidnap a German scientist to Eng + then rises through the ranks of the secret service nearly to head MI6. When historian Max Archer is invited to meet Scarlet in her 90s, she has a story to tell which could be a bigger scandal than the Cambridge 5 + the establishment tries to stop the leak. Fast paced,+ well researched, the pages flew by.

This excellent story centres on 3 people returning to Vienna Post ww2 for a new life. Pr Adler confronts nazi suspicion in his old lab in a brilliant scene. Kanakis is a rich exile who wants to buy property + surround himself in admirers. Resi is a beautiful teenager sent to family. Compelling read.
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This was an enjoyable bit of gentle crime set in 1901 in the inner temple of the English legal system. When the Lord chief justice is found murdered on the steps of Gabriel Ward KC'S Chambers, he is told to investigate the crime. With his forensic intelligence, he is a very readable character who also has to deal with a trial concerning the authorship of a child's mouse story. The crocheted Paddington bookmark is a lovely fathers day present.

I am enjoying our latest foray into the persephone catalogue + so far this is an interesting tale of several individuals returning to Vienna post ww2. This was a very powerful scene in which Pr Adler is confronted by Dr Krieger + ends up justifying himself. Very powerful+ required a reflective pause
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I do like stories set in faded English seaside towns + this setting of lost glamour perfectly suited this story of 2 very different women confronting their past + current lives. Lydia was part of a one hit pop duo who has been asked to accept an apology from a man who sexually assaulted her and flees to stay with her old friend. Joyce, a woman in her 40s, lives with her mother who treats her as a sister + smothers her life. Very readable, + v sad.

A darkly funny crime story set in Glasgow. Trigger warning for violence. DI Alison McOist (Ally McOist in Glasgow is a constant joke) is suspected by colleagues of being dodgy but is pulled into various crimes in which a local car wash seems central. When a local gangster who Ally wants to nail is interested in the car wash, the plot thickens. Really great characters + a dark plot meant this was a cracking read altho very dark and violent.

Irl grp last night had an Orwell themed chat about Wifedom + this excellent retelling of 1984 from the perspective of Julia. We discover about a childhood in which she betrays her patents, her work in the ministry, and Obriens recruitment of her to use sex to reveal male enemies of big brother. If the world wasn't increasingly resembling the dystopian society imagined 70 years ago, this would have been a fun read, but today, it felt disturbing.

In a great episode of Take Four Books the author talks abt his own family (disgraced lawyer father who opens a bureau de change on the irish border + br who is kidnapped by gangs) which inspired this fictionalised story again of a true tale of a murder/suicide. At the centre is Lorraine, who is gangster Paddy's lover + as the rivalry + gang wars of the Irish troubles the bk builds to the climax with which the bk has opened. Brilliant writing.