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Original poster

Books set in London

115 replies

argyllherewecome · 25/02/2025 20:08

Needing a bit of a London fix, any suggestions for books set in London? Doesn't have to be a major part, just small references. Bonus points if it's a mews setting or somewhere quite nice.

OP posts:
TheodoraCrumpet · 07/03/2025 18:47

MyCatNamedCookingFat · 26/02/2025 01:37

The Dreaming Suburb by RF Delderfield
Small pleasures by Clare Chambers
The Heart of London by Monica Dickens

Joy and Josephine (Monica Dickens) gives an earlier view of contrasting parts and lifestyles in London. And One Pair of Hands takes you on an autobiographical tour of various London households, including her own home in Chepstow Villas.

TitusMoan · 07/03/2025 18:37

Lots of the CJ Sansom Shardlake novels are set in London (there are exceptions eg York, Portsmouth) and you get to find out about the history of some of the streets. Really interesting.

orlandob · 07/03/2025 18:27

Thank you to whoever recommended ordinary thunderstorms on this thread, I have started it off the back of this thread and i am really enjoying it. Love how the river seems to be at the core of the story. I am having a horrible time at the minute and this book has been a great distraction. Love William Boyd.

SoloSofa24 · 07/03/2025 14:55

@Brienneoftarthismyhero It helps if you read them in order of publication, as the characters develop and there are references to previous cases and so on, but each book is a complete story in itself.

Brienneoftarthismyhero · 06/03/2025 19:56

roselilylavender · 25/02/2025 20:35

Rivers of London series

Can I ask if you need to read the whole series or is each book concluded?

Hoppinggreen · 06/03/2025 16:33

If you like a bit of Fantasy the Ben AAronivitch (sp?) books are really good

Cattery · 06/03/2025 16:33

Most of the Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell stories are London-based and excellent they are too

IdaGlossop · 06/03/2025 16:32

Dorothy Richardson's Pilgrimage

IdaGlossop · 06/03/2025 16:31

Brideshead Revisited - lots of London between the wars, plus bits of Wiltshire, Paris and the Atlantic Ocean

Newgirls · 06/03/2025 16:24

One of our local authors wrote a good one set around St Pancras and soho which is good - thriller. Someone Like You. Set now rather than historical

mochimoons · 06/03/2025 16:23

roselilylavender · 25/02/2025 20:35

Rivers of London series

I just bought this very excited to start!

orlandob · 05/03/2025 19:57

SheilaFentiman · 05/03/2025 10:28

And, on TV, New York City is a character in many shows.

However, I think that poster is keener on selling us his link....

Quite

orlandob · 05/03/2025 19:57

JaninaDuszejko · 05/03/2025 09:11

London has this unique way of becoming a character in the books set within its streets.

I completely disagree, I think many places can become a character. For example, Glasgow in the books of Alasdair Gray, Naples in Elena Ferrante's novels, Cornwall in Daphne du Maurier.

Yes, Edinburgh is a character in loads of books, the Rebus series for example

SheilaFentiman · 05/03/2025 10:28

And, on TV, New York City is a character in many shows.

However, I think that poster is keener on selling us his link....

JaninaDuszejko · 05/03/2025 09:11

London has this unique way of becoming a character in the books set within its streets.

I completely disagree, I think many places can become a character. For example, Glasgow in the books of Alasdair Gray, Naples in Elena Ferrante's novels, Cornwall in Daphne du Maurier.

Dolamroth · 05/03/2025 08:06

The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst

Adamjones · 05/03/2025 07:59

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Thighdentitycrisis · 02/03/2025 23:06

Lots of Peter Ackroyd

LoserWinner · 02/03/2025 22:42

And if you want something very light, ‘It’s Complicated’ by Emma Hughes is set in Ealing.

SkaneTos · 02/03/2025 22:17

@argyllherewecome
I hope you are feeling better!

Thank you for starting the thread, I got lots of interesting book recommendations from it.

Original poster
argyllherewecome · 02/03/2025 16:03

Thank you everyone, sorry for not replying earlier, I've been too unwell. Will bookmark all of these.

OP posts:
JulesJules · 28/02/2025 12:22

MissRoseDurward · 25/02/2025 20:36

Rivers of London series

You beat me to it!

I was going to suggest these too!
Also Ralph's Party by Lisa Jewell

Adamjones · 28/02/2025 12:03

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Deathraystare · 28/02/2025 10:22

tobee · 27/02/2025 01:59

Well there's the Agatha Christie short story Murder in the Mews. 😃

Definitely The Paying Guests. How about London Belongs to Me by Norman Collins? Or The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon?

Obviously plenty of Dickens especially A Christmas Carol but wrong time of year maybe.

The sequels to Diary of A Provincial Lady - The Provincial Lady Goes Further and The Provincial Lady in Wartime.

Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers.

Jeeves and Wooster stories often largely take place in London.

Love a London book!

Loves a Jeeves and Wooster! It is the description of the terrifying Aunts that does it for me!!!

Deathraystare · 28/02/2025 10:20

SoloSofa24 · 25/02/2025 20:56

Oh yes, another must-read is Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor.

Loved that. Got the DVD too! Was one of my bookclub choices.