Help help help I need urgent book recommendations for a work trip (left it too late!)

[Foxinsocks]

hello, I have left it very late and am about to go away on a fairly stressful work trip and need some book recommendations

I am reading Skippy Dies (Paul Murray) and enjoying it. Just finished a Visit from the Goon Squad which I thought was ok but not brilliant.

I liked the Dragon Tattoo books and am a fan of detective fiction like Wallander but not ultra gory or procedural stuff (I like the more literary stuff) but having said that I also like quick thrillers like Harlan Coben (always think those are perfect plane books).

I would appreciate any recommendations you may have!

I found The Help one of the best books I have read this year -

......
Enter a vanished and unjust world: Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Where black maids raise white children, but aren't trusted not to steal the silver...

There's Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own son's tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue; and white Miss Skeeter, home from College, who wants to know why her beloved maid has disappeared.

Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. No one would believe they'd be friends; fewer still would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross boundaries, they come to depend and rely upon one another. Each is in a search of a truth. And together they have an extraordinary story to tell...

I haven't read that Kinnane thanks, I will have a look at it. Sounds really interesting.

Room by Emma Donoghue?

I have just finished this , was a good read, a crime thriller set in post war London. Cheap as chips if youve got a Kindle.

Ice-cream Girls - Dorothy Koomson

thanks so much, these are great! I was starting to panic! hate not having anything to read.

Have just finished The Paris wife which was good. I loved The Art of Driving in the Rain which is a quirky book narrated by the family dog!

Doesn't fit what you've described, but my absolute favourites are Water for Elephants and Shantaram

For quick crime/thriller reads, I recommend Robert Crais (the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike books) and I've just started reading Dennis Lehane - he's hooked me!!

For more literary crime books, there's James Lee Burke (David Robicheaux or Billy Bob Holland).

Hth

Susan Hill is great for well-written crime. First book in the Simon Serailler series is The Various Haunts of Men; four others follow

Stella Rimmington's spy novels - brilliant page turners, although I don't think her days in the office were always that exciting

Oh if you like Scandi thrillers, you're in for a treat!

Camilla Lackberg - first one in series is the Ice princess - Swedish but quite light
Arnaldur Indridasson - Icelandic, bit darker
Jo Nesbo

Agree about Susan Hill! Also Val McDermid and Barbara Vine are great for thrillers.

Oooh ooh, I want new books now!

Ooh thank you so much. I haven't heard of any of these :-). You have saved me from bored hours in many airports! I am really excited at the thought of new books and some time to read them!

Will have a look for them and report back!