What was the last book that really gripped you?

I really enjoy Kristin Hannah's books and am a bit of a reading snob so I didn't think I would but they are gripping.

“ Dissolution” reminds me of another good book “Act of Oblivion “ by Robert Harris @Abracadabra12345 . Set around the restoration of the monarchy, and the vengeful hunt for the men who had signed Charles 1st execution warrant. Gripping.

@TheGander I have raved about Small Pleasures to everyone. Such a fantastic book. OP - If that doesn’t get you over your reading slump, then nothing will 😁

I too was knocked out by American Dirt as mentioned above, incredible book.

The worst thing about getting to know the characters is leaving them behind do you can delay that awful day by investing in a series!

I adored Elly Griffiths’ series about forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway and detective Harry Nelson.

As I ended the series and was grieving the loss of these two, I was urged to read the books about private detective Coroman Strike and the complex relationship with his sidekick Robin (female) which echoes the complexities of Ruth Galloway’s relationship with Nelson. Absolutely no romantic slush though!

I’m currently reading “ Dissolution “ about the medieval detective Shardlake and am happy it’s a series because I invest a lot of emotional bandwidth in my characters!

I also love Me Before You by Jojo Meyes and pretty much everything Jodi Taylor has written

But so much is down to your personal taste

The Infinite and the Divine (thought I'd fly the flag for Black Library - it's an excellent book).

Small pleasures by Clare Chambers. Loved it and have gifted it several times, always with success. Years ago I read Midnight in the garden of good and evil, that was a great read too.

I know what you mean about wanting to get back to the book to see what the characters are doing. Some of these required a little investment but the characters grew on me.

Recently I have enjoyed:
Every Time We Burn - a palimsest
Our Holiday (the lies just kept on coming!)
Transatlantic (the Flight Portfolio) - mid-WWII Vichy France
Spare Brides - Post WWII England
The Midnight Feast (similar vibe to Our Holiday)
Fatal Inheritance - south of France
Slow Dance - contemporary midwestern USA
Vianne - Marseille et environs
After the Monsoon - Scandi detective in East Africa: neatly recycles some clichés

“A Family Matter” Claire Lynch
“Three days in June” Anne Tyler

But it’s very much going to depend on what kind of book you like. So the two above are very much about the characters, what kind of people they are, what motivated them to behave in the way they did etc… that’s what interests me, peoples characters and behaviours.

What kind of books usually float your boat?

For gripping my first thoughts go to American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins and Fingersmith by Sarah Waters both very different books and genres

I just finished ‘A Thousand Ships’ by Natalie Haynes. It was the very definition of gripping but then I am very partial to a feminist retelling of Greek myths. You may not be ☺️