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Original poster

Just need something undemanding to read in the middle of the night!

90 replies

NeedingEasyReading · 19/01/2025 18:43

Have NC for this as going through a tough time. I'm not sleeping very well and reaching for my Kindle in the middle of the night before I nod off again.

My usual crime and psychological thrillers aren't doing it for me at the moment sadly. Amazon is full of 'you read this so here's more of the same'.

Does anyone have any recommendations for really easy reading that doesn't require much brainpower at 3am? I'd be happy with cheesy 'girl inherits a café in Cornwall and gets it together with the local author' or 'divorced woman holidays in Italy and decides to buy a bookshop' type things as long as they aren't really badly written. My guilty pleasure is Danielle Steel (if only all problems could be solved with a cashmere sweater and pair of slacks!) but I've run out of those.

Any suggestions of books/authors would be appreciated.

OP posts:
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MsAmerica · 12/02/2025 01:51

NeedingEasyReading · 19/01/2025 18:43

Have NC for this as going through a tough time. I'm not sleeping very well and reaching for my Kindle in the middle of the night before I nod off again.

My usual crime and psychological thrillers aren't doing it for me at the moment sadly. Amazon is full of 'you read this so here's more of the same'.

Does anyone have any recommendations for really easy reading that doesn't require much brainpower at 3am? I'd be happy with cheesy 'girl inherits a café in Cornwall and gets it together with the local author' or 'divorced woman holidays in Italy and decides to buy a bookshop' type things as long as they aren't really badly written. My guilty pleasure is Danielle Steel (if only all problems could be solved with a cashmere sweater and pair of slacks!) but I've run out of those.

Any suggestions of books/authors would be appreciated.

If I'm understanding you correctly that you're having trouble sleeping, then it seems to me that you should not be reading anything with an involving plot, and certainly not thrillers.
Either you should read something exceedingly dull ... for me, that might be Mrs. Dalloway, and then you have the benefit of feeling virtuous after you finished. Or something that might be quiet amusing household family stories, especially from the past, like Life Among the Savages, by Shirley Jackson (and I see comparison's with Jean Kerr's Please Don't Eat the Daisies).

WeeBookworm · 11/02/2025 23:39

Shodan · 11/02/2025 22:48

If you want something gentle where nothing much really ever happens, I'd recommend the Miss Read books, both Thrush Green and Fairacre series.

They are my favourite antidote to insomnia/stress/unpleasantness in life.

I just got a lovely vintage hardback copy of the Chronicles of Fairacre

Shodan · 11/02/2025 22:48

If you want something gentle where nothing much really ever happens, I'd recommend the Miss Read books, both Thrush Green and Fairacre series.

They are my favourite antidote to insomnia/stress/unpleasantness in life.

Pancakeflipper · 11/02/2025 22:35

A Veronica Henry book?

Or the Jennie Godfrey The List of Suspicious Things ?

QuestionableMouse · 11/02/2025 22:13

Copperas · 19/01/2025 23:00

Eva Ibbotson !

Was going to say this!

The Outlander series absolutely isn't cosy or comforting at times - there's a lot of graphic violence, rape, and torture.

stayathomer · 11/02/2025 22:09

Rebecca Pugh books- return to lavender hill or the sunset bay one, exactly what you’ve described!

ANameForOscar · 11/02/2025 22:06

My comfort books are the Anne books (childhood favourites that have stood up well) and Georgette Heyer, who I only discovered a few years ago. Easy reading and well written.

And I've just seen another poster recommend Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series - I second that!

Boope · 11/02/2025 22:03

Good thread, I love a bit of lightweight dress.
My mother used to read what we called "clogs and shalls". Historical fiction like Catherine Cookson. My current favourite is Val Wood who's books are all set in and around Hull.

AndThereSheGoes · 11/02/2025 21:58

I agree with Lisa Jewell although simply written the plots are very intriguing.

Also Lianne Moriarty. I love they are Australian - you get the references but they aren't the predictable U.K. Irish or US ones. Great characters are interesting stories - hard to guess.

Lucy Foley. Scottish murders but seem to involve young, modern, wealthy people in the countryside.

WeeBookworm · 11/02/2025 21:45

Rosamunde Pilcher - Coming Home

This one got me through a stressful time recently 😊

rubyslipperss · 20/01/2025 13:40

Enjoying ' Wintering ' for late night reads and in the night reads.

Nicecatneighbour · 20/01/2025 12:54

Milly Johnson, specifically Here Come the Girls. I've just finished it, complete 5 star escapism.

BiscuitsBooks · 20/01/2025 12:47

How about a Catherine Cookson or a Jean Plaidy (including their pseudonyms).

Hope things get better soon @NeedingEasyReading

Sixtop · 20/01/2025 11:11

Absolutely not dross (they’re brilliant), but engaging, light-hearted and witty, and focusing on love, sex, class and food amidst upper-middle-class Manhattanites— Laurie Colwin’s novels.

Start with Family Happiness, about the perfect, well-behaved daughter of a wealthy, high-achieving, united New York family having an extramarital affair with an artist, or Happy All the Time, just about the courtship of two New York couples. Very much ‘lingering influence of Jane Austen on late 20thc fiction’.

Almost all on Kindle, bar Goodbye Without Leaving.

Original poster
NeedingEasyReading · 20/01/2025 10:46

Sorry I can't reply to everyone individually but thank you for so many great suggestions of books, audio books and podcasts. Lots of authors that I've read previously and forgotten about and I'll definitely work my way through what is now a very long list.

The idea of listening to something familiar is a good one - I've added some childhood favourites - Laura Ingalls Wilder and Noel Streatfeild - to Audible and looking forward to listing to those - I think I probably still know some of them backwards.

And thanks for the kind words - definitely the best of Mumsnet on this thread. 💐

OP posts:
Ilovemyshed · 20/01/2025 09:56

Danielle Steele
Barbara Taylor Bradford
Coleen McCullough
Elizabeth Howard
Miss Read

Are all worth a look too for easy reading

maldivemoment · 20/01/2025 05:24

If you would rather listen to, rather than read, then I would also recommend the Nothing Much Happens podcast. I’ve got it on right now. 👍🏻

tattooshka · 20/01/2025 05:06

Sophie Ranald on kindle unlimited I didn't know they were linked though so jumped around in the order but they're very readable in my humble opinion

KarmaKarmaKarm · 20/01/2025 04:03

I like to listen to any audio book narrated by Stephen Fry. Very relaxing voice to fall asleep to

madamepresident · 20/01/2025 04:01

Beth Moran
Jessica Redland
Beth Rain
Fiona Gibson
Portia Macintosh

All comfy easy reads

BettyBardMacDonald · 20/01/2025 03:54

Lovelyview · 19/01/2025 22:19

If you want to sleep then listening to an audiobook can be a nice distraction which can help you drift off. I listen to Greg Wagland from Magpie Audio reading Sherlock Holmes stories on Spotify or YouTube and a guy called Nick Martin who reads PG Wodehouse short stories on YouTube with no adverts. Both have very soothing voices.

Totally agree. Audible lets you set a timer; I set it for 30 minutes and am generally asleep before it shuts off.

BettyBardMacDonald · 20/01/2025 03:51

Don't forget the Agatha Raisin books; mindless but fun.

BettyBardMacDonald · 20/01/2025 03:50

Do you do audiobooks? I like to drift off to an Agatha Christie narrated by Hugh Fraser.

The Perveen Mistry books set in 1921 Bombay (Mumbai) are excellent; author is Sujata Massey.

The Bangalore Detectives Club books are lighter but cute and interesting.

tobee · 20/01/2025 01:50

Ooh and actually Mrs Tim of the Regiment by DE Stevenson; similar vein to Provincial Lady; fictional diaries.

She also wrote Miss Buncle's book which is on my to be read pile - that's supposed to be a lovely book.

tobee · 20/01/2025 01:46

PortiasBiscuit · 19/01/2025 21:15

Diary of a Provincial Lady series and Mapp and Lucia series do it for me.
Both written in 1930s . Nothing much happens, but in an amusing and engaging way.

I was just about to suggest these exact same authors! ☺️

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