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Original poster

Books about women in their 50s/60s

59 replies

changednameagainobvs · 10/01/2026 23:40

Can anyone recommend books about women in their 50s or 60s? Nothing too heavy, relatively easy to get into. Thank you.

OP posts:
Getupgetout · 13/01/2026 07:54

Marzahn, mon amour by Katja Oskamp

The main character is 44 at the start so not quite the brief, but close! She’s a podiatrist and her clients are mostly older women. Published 2019.

DisplayPurposesOnly · 13/01/2026 07:42

Don't forget the granny of them all though...Miss Marple.

And the forerunner to Miss Marple - Miss Silver (by Patricia Wentworth).

[But doesn't fit OP's brief for contemporary novels, sorry.]

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 13/01/2026 07:34

AncientMarina · 12/01/2026 20:20

"Aunts! Nature's howler".

Show quote history

It is no use telling me there are bad aunts and good aunts. At the core, they are all alike. Sooner or later, out pops the cloven hoof.

when Aunt is calling Aunt like mastodons bellowing across primeval swamps

I feel a big re-read coming on.

(Apologies for derail.)

deplorabelle · 12/01/2026 21:46

Philandbill · 12/01/2026 19:57

@deplorabelle Many years ago I lived in London in a shared house. My landlady's Canadian cousin from Winnipeg was visiting, she was in her sixties then. We were talking about books and I said "Do you know Carol Shields?" meaning had she read any of her novels. I was quite surprised when landlady's cousin replied "Oh yes, I serve on the library committee with her". Still wish I'd asked more questions....

Show quote history

Oh that's amazing I'm so jealous

ShackletonSailingSouth · 12/01/2026 21:45

Old Baggage by Lissa Evans. Written a few years ago and set in 1928. Mattie Simpkin age 58 is a powerhouse, a former suffragette in need of a new project to fire her up. Her companion Florrie (known as The Flea), also in her fifties and a former suffragette, is a health visitor for the poor women of the postwar slums. Chalk and cheese, but they are great friends. It's hilarious and moving. Highly recommend.

AncientMarina · 12/01/2026 20:25

I'm sorry, this is another period piece and the protagonist is perhaps a bit younger than your specification, but I just had to mention Diary of a Provincial Lady by E. M. Delafield. A fabulous, fun read.

Have you read the Flappy books by Santa Montefiore? Middle aged social queen at the centre of village life. Entertaining and light.

Mumblechum0 · 12/01/2026 20:21

TabbyTom · 11/01/2026 06:47

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

Olive is actually an older woman, probably in her 70s, and the book is about her looking back across her entire adult life. Each chapter or story is a moment in time - about love, loneliness, regret, moving on.

It’s actually one of the best books I’ve ever read, full of great characters and so well observed - very wise and moving, but also very funny in places…

I love all of the Olive Kitteridge books (some of ES’s books mention her as a minor character too)

AncientMarina · 12/01/2026 20:20

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 12/01/2026 08:47

Almost certainly won't meet the brief but anything by P. G. Wodehouse featuring one of his formidable aunt characters.

"Aunts! Nature's howler".

EsmeArcher · 12/01/2026 20:16

Anne Tyler writes well about the complexities of families, often from an older woman’s perspective.
Three days in June and The Amateur Marriage spring to mind.

Philandbill · 12/01/2026 19:57

deplorabelle · 12/01/2026 08:13

More or less anything by Carol Shields would fit the bill. Happenstance is two separate stories told from the wife and husbands point of view. The woman in it is in her forties but it was published in 1980 so I feel 40 then is equivalent to 50 now. Her last book Unless is a masterpiece IMO.

In all her books she writes so well and so appealingly about people (usually women) finding their skills in employment or art. Great for midlife - and any time in fact.

Just as an aside, Jeremy Paxman is obviously a fan. He once chided some students on University Challenge for not knowing a Carol Shields question. Something like: have you never read any novels by Carol Shields? You should. They're wonderful.

Edited

@deplorabelle Many years ago I lived in London in a shared house. My landlady's Canadian cousin from Winnipeg was visiting, she was in her sixties then. We were talking about books and I said "Do you know Carol Shields?" meaning had she read any of her novels. I was quite surprised when landlady's cousin replied "Oh yes, I serve on the library committee with her". Still wish I'd asked more questions....

myturntonamechange · 12/01/2026 18:31

TabbyTom · 11/01/2026 06:47

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

Olive is actually an older woman, probably in her 70s, and the book is about her looking back across her entire adult life. Each chapter or story is a moment in time - about love, loneliness, regret, moving on.

It’s actually one of the best books I’ve ever read, full of great characters and so well observed - very wise and moving, but also very funny in places…

99p on kindle at the moment too.

Original poster
changednameagainobvs · 12/01/2026 12:29

I should probably have said in the title but I'm looking for more contemporary novels.

OP posts:
Mydadsbirthday · 12/01/2026 09:10

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 12/01/2026 08:47

Almost certainly won't meet the brief but anything by P. G. Wodehouse featuring one of his formidable aunt characters.

Agree. I love the Aunt characters in Jeeves and Wooster.

Mydadsbirthday · 12/01/2026 09:09

UC not UV

Mydadsbirthday · 12/01/2026 09:09

deplorabelle · 12/01/2026 08:13

More or less anything by Carol Shields would fit the bill. Happenstance is two separate stories told from the wife and husbands point of view. The woman in it is in her forties but it was published in 1980 so I feel 40 then is equivalent to 50 now. Her last book Unless is a masterpiece IMO.

In all her books she writes so well and so appealingly about people (usually women) finding their skills in employment or art. Great for midlife - and any time in fact.

Just as an aside, Jeremy Paxman is obviously a fan. He once chided some students on University Challenge for not knowing a Carol Shields question. Something like: have you never read any novels by Carol Shields? You should. They're wonderful.

Edited

These sound great. I have a biography of Jane Austen by Carol Shields but the novels sound good too. I like the UV anecdote!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 12/01/2026 08:47

Almost certainly won't meet the brief but anything by P. G. Wodehouse featuring one of his formidable aunt characters.

Bjorkdidit · 12/01/2026 08:36

I hesitate to recommend anything on here because most of what I like would probably be considered trash by MN literary types but I thought that Lucky Day by Beth Morrey was a fun read.

The main character might not be quite 50, she's a typical 40 something perimenopausal mother of teens juggling a full time job and a useless DH who has a bit of a 'fuck it' day.

deplorabelle · 12/01/2026 08:13

More or less anything by Carol Shields would fit the bill. Happenstance is two separate stories told from the wife and husbands point of view. The woman in it is in her forties but it was published in 1980 so I feel 40 then is equivalent to 50 now. Her last book Unless is a masterpiece IMO.

In all her books she writes so well and so appealingly about people (usually women) finding their skills in employment or art. Great for midlife - and any time in fact.

Just as an aside, Jeremy Paxman is obviously a fan. He once chided some students on University Challenge for not knowing a Carol Shields question. Something like: have you never read any novels by Carol Shields? You should. They're wonderful.

ChessieFL · 12/01/2026 07:16

The Marlow Murder Club series by Robert Thorogood - the women in that range from 40s - 70s.

Marian Keyes’ latest, My Favourite Mistake, is about a woman in her 50s.

Silverbirchleaf · 11/01/2026 17:53

Another cosy mystery series. Really good series.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patricia-Fisher-Mysteries-All-Books-ebook/dp/B086SD474K

JustOneMoreChapter · 11/01/2026 17:51

Fair Play by Tove Jansson is a very gentle novel about the companionship, support and love between two older women, one a writer the other an artist. I don't know if it was meant to be autobiographical but I suspect it was based a lot on TJ's relationship with her partner Tuulikki Pietilä.

Mydadsbirthday · 11/01/2026 12:38

I was going to suggest Miss Marple as well, or the Thursday murder club! Although think those characters older than 50-60.

BookAndPiano · 11/01/2026 12:06

If you like cosy detective fiction then The Dinner Lady Detectives series by Hannah Hendy might suit you.

Don't forget the granny of them all though...Miss Marple.

Another vote for the brilliant Mapp and Lucia!

GrumpySparkler · 11/01/2026 07:28

Killers of a certain age by Deanna Raybourn. Not heavy. It's not deep or profound but I enjoyed it. I thought it was good fun.

FudgeFridays · 11/01/2026 07:20

Echo "The weekend" by Charlotte Wood. A quietly profound book about women and their choices.