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Can you recommend an unputdownable book?

232 replies

Seemslikethat · 25/08/2024 19:47

As the title says really…

I enjoy reading fiction and non-fiction. Fiction - some books I’ve really enjoyed are…
Penance -Eliza Clark
All the broken pieces -John Boyne
The day Shelley Woodhouse woke up - Laura Pearson
Wrong Time Wrong Place - Gillian McAllister
Tell Me How This Ends - Jo Leevers
The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah
The Satsuma Complex -Bob Mortimer
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Five People you meet in heaven - Mitch Albom
The Stand -Steven King
Catch 22 -Joseph Heller
The Time Traveller’s Wife

I've also read quite a lot by Michael Connelly, Harlen Coben, Joanna Cannon, Jodi Picoult, Lisa Jewell, Hazel Prior, Rachel Joyce, Mike Gayle, Fredrick Bachman and Matt Haig. I hated the Crawdads book and wasn’t keen on the Thursday Murder Club.

Non-fiction - I like people’s travel tales or when they do ‘challenges’ eg Tony Hawks Round Ireland with a Fridge or the George Mahood books. I also like insights into people’s work eg Adam Kay or other medical people or people who work in police / prisons / courts etc. I read a good one about someone who was a disaster victim identification specialist.

Looking forward to your recommendations!

OP posts:
Beebopmoon · 29/08/2024 18:33

mauvish · 25/08/2024 21:06

My daughter loves the Time Travellers wife too though I wasn't so keen. I think her favourite book is The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

I found the Goldfinch such hard work that if put me off reading anything for a few weeks! I'm also the only person in the world (FWIW) who didn't like Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.

So you might not rate my suggestions (though I didn't think the Crawdads or Thurs Murder Club were much cop either!) - but here they are:
The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock
Piranesi (oh god I love this book)
Wuthering Heights

Edited

Oh! Piranesi. ❤❤❤❤❤

UpstartEnglishTuition · 29/08/2024 18:32

Stuff I have MASSIVELY enjoyed:

  • I Am Pilgrim, by Terry Hayes. Read this in about two days, despite it being massive. Modern thriller.
  • A Song of Achilles and separately, Circe, by Madeline Miller. They are moving and beautifully written retellings of Ancient Greece from the perspective of someone overlooked in the original myths
  • If you're a Stephen King fan, try The Dead Zone, The Dark Half, Insomnia, Needful Things, The Shining, The Green Mile (obv.), Rose Madder, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, and Different Seasons (which features the stories that inspired Stand By Me, and The Shawshank Redemption)
  • In the mood for something gothic, or just plain spooky:
  • Dark Matter, by Michele Paver
  • The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill
  • The Fisherman by John Langham (very Set
  • The Lamplighters, by Emma Stonex
  • The Last House on Needless Street, by Catriona Ward

I could go on and on, but don't want to overwhelm you 😁

Do let me know if you read any of them!

Princecharlesfirstwife · 29/08/2024 18:31

Loved Demon Copperhead. Recently finished Stoner by John Williams which is definitely one of my top reads, and My Family by David Baddiel which I adored - funny and sad in equal measure.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 29/08/2024 18:17

Waytooearlytogetup · 29/08/2024 18:13

I recently read the Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey. It was based in a recommendation from here, and I wasn't sure, but honestly they are completely addictive. I was only sad there aren't more of them yet!

I am 5 books in, they are very addictive

Idontcareboutthestateofmyhair · 29/08/2024 18:17

Moonflowers Abigail rose-marie
The maiden Kate foster
The second chance Charlotte Butterfield
The Rachel incident Caroline O'Donoghue
All the broken places John Boyne
Something bad wrong Erik Pruity
No. 23 Burlington Square Jenni keer
Cleopatra and Frankenstein Coco mellows

In the middle of middle America trilogy

Lincslady53 · 29/08/2024 18:15

I have just finished I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes. The first few chapters jump around a bit but lay the groundwork for what is to come. Very good thriller.

Drizzlethru · 29/08/2024 18:14

If you like books by Tony Hawks, you might like Driving over Lemons by Chris Stewart (3 in series I think)

Waytooearlytogetup · 29/08/2024 18:13

I recently read the Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey. It was based in a recommendation from here, and I wasn't sure, but honestly they are completely addictive. I was only sad there aren't more of them yet!

Yahoo968 · 29/08/2024 18:03

The Seven sisters by Lucinda Reilly. 7 book series.

Damsel · 29/08/2024 18:03

Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent

HarryGrotter · 29/08/2024 18:01

I absolutely love the stand, one of my go to reads. I love the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child, took me 3 weeks to read all 25 (that I had at the time!)

PhotoFirePoet · 29/08/2024 17:59

If you are happy to read historical fiction, I recommend “That Bonesetter Woman” by Frances Quinn. My 18 year old daughter loved it too. Definitely one I will re-read…in fact, I have already! 😊

evtheria · 29/08/2024 16:58

Re: American Dirt
I don't think the fuss was necessarily about the author not being Mexican - it was more about her choice of content, the sensationalism and focus on what (I gather) is a western viewpoint: the illegal migrant desperate to reach the US, the vicious drug/crime cartels etc. I found the book gripping and horrifying, but I kind of get the criticism.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 29/08/2024 15:52

Well exactly

parrotonmyshoulder · 29/08/2024 13:36

Well Tolkien wasn’t from Middle Earth either.
Maybe I’m just a heathen.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 29/08/2024 12:49

Oh gosh really @parrotonmyshoulder it is that good though. There was a small controversy over it though re : cultural appropriation because the author isn't from that background but I still thought it was brilliant

helpmethankyou · 29/08/2024 11:35

I AM pilgrim x

Colinswheels · 29/08/2024 11:33

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller

bilbodog · 29/08/2024 11:24

Amor towels - a gentleman in moscow and the lincoln highway

parrotonmyshoulder · 29/08/2024 11:11

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit
I wish to inform you that I have just missed a train and hold you and your recommendation entirely responsible!!
Never mind, more reading time…

OneTwoTen · 28/08/2024 22:23

The Paper Palace. I read it in two days. Thought it was fantastic.

TokyoSushi · 28/08/2024 21:23

Another one adding thanks for Strange Sally Diamond, I've just read it in 2 afternoons on my holiday sun lounger, wow. I adored it!

evtheria · 28/08/2024 21:14

Seconding:
American Dirt
The Four Winds

Lincoln Highway
Fellside
Piranesi
Cloud Cuckoo Land
the Slough House series (which the tv show Slow Horses is based on)

Soontobe60 · 28/08/2024 21:01

Perfume by Peter Suskind

BackToReading · 28/08/2024 20:59

I loved Tomorrow & tomorrow & tomorrow - it's the book that got me back into reading again.

Also recently read very quickly:
11/22/63 - Stephen King
Klara & the Sun - Kazuo Ishiguro
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

Older favourites that I know I raced through:
The amazing adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon
Many Jonathan Coe books (Rotters club, What a carve up)
Rebecca