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Picking one author to 'complete' in 2026

68 replies

atiaofthejulii · 08/12/2025 17:59

My daughter (a grown up!) heard someone talking about this and is now thinking of reading all of one author's work in 2026. Preferably someone with not too many books, lol, so she's not just reading them constantly. Looking for someone contemporary or fairly recent (e.g. not Jane Austen), would probably prefer a female author. Not into fantasy/sci fi.

At the moment I think she's leaning towards Maggie O'Farrell (9).

Wondered what suggestions other people might have, for interesting authors, and trying to hit that sweet spot of about 7-10 novels!

OP posts:
Dappy777 · 10/12/2025 17:20

Thewalrusandthecarpenter · 08/12/2025 18:54

E M Forster unless he’s not contemporary enough

Great choice.

How about Iris Murdoch? She wrote more than seven, I think, but she's wonderful and incredibly addictive. I started reading her 2025 and god it was like falling in love. I was obsessed. Just couldn't put her books down. I read about eight of her novels in two months and had to force myself to get on with some work.

  • Evelyn Waugh?
  • Aldous Huxley wrote about nine novels in total, I think. I'm a big fan so would recommend him too.
  • Virginia Woolf didn't write that much and you could easily read her major novels in a few months.
Bjorkdidit · 10/12/2025 12:41

Ooh I like this as an idea. Must look through my unread kindle books for a candidate.

Every once in a while they sell a series for 99 people each so there's probably a few I've bought and not read.

luckylavender · 10/12/2025 11:37

SheilaFentiman · 10/12/2025 10:51

The OP has stated her DD is looking for 7-10 novels.

Apologies

SheilaFentiman · 10/12/2025 10:51

luckylavender · 10/12/2025 09:59

But for a whole year?

The OP has stated her DD is looking for 7-10 novels.

HeadNorth · 10/12/2025 10:22

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie?

4 novels, 1 short story collection, 1 memoir & 2 non fiction books.

Not too many but enough to satisfy - and all worth reading.

luckylavender · 10/12/2025 09:59

SheilaFentiman · 10/12/2025 08:35

I thought of her but she wrote 26 novels!

But for a whole year?

BlessedAreThePureOfHeart · 10/12/2025 09:18

I was thinking Mary Lawson but she's only written 4!

Clare Chambers? 12 I think

SheilaFentiman · 10/12/2025 08:35

luckylavender · 10/12/2025 08:23

Iris Murdoch

I thought of her but she wrote 26 novels!

luckylavender · 10/12/2025 08:23

Iris Murdoch

DappledThings · 10/12/2025 08:20

I was going to suggest Barbara Kingsolver who has come up twice already.

I'm working my way through all the John Le Carré books. Not my usual thing but I'm enjoying them. They need a different kind of concentration.

JaninaDuszejko · 10/12/2025 08:17

My immediate thought was Sarah Waters but I know my Mum thought a lot of the characters were unpleasant so if she likes to like the characters that might be tough.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a good shout. The four novels cover a range of different themes, there's a book of short stories, and three non-fiction books, there's even a children's book.

5foot5 · 09/12/2025 23:34

How about Amanda Craig? I thought of her because I have just this evening finished a re-read of one of hers from 2017, "The Lie of the Land."

I was going to say she has written nine, but I did a quick Google to check and discovered she has a new one out this year that I didn't know about. Why didn't I notice that before I wrote my Christmas list!

NorthFaceofthelaundrypile · 08/12/2025 22:34

Barbara Kingsolver would be my choice. 9 novels.

fishcalledwonder · 08/12/2025 22:30

Sarah Waters was my first thought too.

janiejonstone · 08/12/2025 22:29

From what she's read already, I think she'd love Lissa Evans. I read her new one (Small Bomb at Dimperley) this year and couldn't believe I hadn't heard of her before. I read all the others straight after. There are five, I think? All set between 1920s and 1940s but very much not stuffy. It's sort of Muriel Spark but much lighter and warmer, and really funny. I'm trying to give them to everyone I know this Christmas 😂

SheilaFentiman · 08/12/2025 22:23

fruitpastille · 08/12/2025 22:05

Curtis Sittenfeld - 6 novels but other short stories too. Quite varied in subject - boarding school, politics and more - but with a distinctive voice and strong female protagonists.

Ooh good call

1Messycoo · 08/12/2025 22:08

SheilaFentiman · 08/12/2025 18:16

Tracy Chevalier - but that is 12.

I second this choice, love her writing !

fruitpastille · 08/12/2025 22:05

Curtis Sittenfeld - 6 novels but other short stories too. Quite varied in subject - boarding school, politics and more - but with a distinctive voice and strong female protagonists.

DoneAdulting · 08/12/2025 21:55

I was going to suggest Beth OLeary

AgentPidge · 08/12/2025 21:46

Tracey Chevalier

AgentPidge · 08/12/2025 21:45

The Kite Runner author?

John Boyne
Robert Harris
Elif Shafak

thesecondmrsdewinter20 · 08/12/2025 20:51

What about Daphne Du Maurier?

CutFlowers · 08/12/2025 20:40

I would also like to read all Maggie O'Farrell's books. Other suggestions

Colson Whitehead (9)
Sarah Moss (8)
Magda Szabo (I think she has about 7 translated into English)
Sarah Waters (6)
Barbara Kingslover (10)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (8)

uhtredofbattenberg · 08/12/2025 20:37

As pp have suggested Kate Atkinson, Elizabeth Strout, Jonathan Coe are all consistently good.

Patrick Gale is another.
Julian Barnes -
Sarah Waters

chaptersandchatter · 08/12/2025 20:31

Beth O’Leary has some good books. They’ve adapted a couple into TV series too

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