I need GRIPPING page- turners...

[tethersend]

Am off work with a broken shoulder, in pain and so, so bored...

Please recommend me some absorbing books!

I love books about WW2, but am up for reading anything set at any time, ever.

Please help. I need books to blow me away and take my mind off things.

Have you read The Best Of Our Spies, Wallison? It is impeccably researched, and a brilliant read.

No, I haven't but if it's anything to do with Russia, count me in. Will have a look on amazon - thanks for the recommendation.

It's more the French resistance etc, but after all the detail of Stalingrad, you'll recognise lots of key stuff in the plot.

Ooh ooh ooh... Thank you

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit, we can be fracture buddies

Too many interesting sounding ones to mention, but I'll get the kindle well-stocked!

My dear I wanted to tell you. Completely amazing.

I'll second Life After Life (especially since you like WW2).

If you don't mind a bit of odd not-real-ness have you read either
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (works best if you have read Jane Eyre or are at least vaguely aware of the story)
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

BOF, it sounds great. I could really do with a big meaty read at the mo.

Tethersend, hope your shoulder gets better soon and you're not in too much pain.

Apple Tree Yard is okay - recommended on here as a "read this if you like Gone Girl" but it doesn't have the same level of stuff going on.

Last year's all-over-MN books were
Into The Darkest Corner - Elizabeth H something
Before I Go To Sleep - can't remember author.

SterlingCooper I haven't read the WW2 ones yet so couldn't recommend them but am looking forward to reading them :)

Oooh, lots of interesting suggestions, marking place Hope your shoulder gets better soon op.

The Silent Wife is good, Trills. That was being pushed as a Gone Girl type thing, but it's a lot more realistic.

Thanks BoF :)

I've just bought those two Connie Willis ones- cant wait to get going on them!

I finished The Blackhouse by Peter May today. Absolutely fucking superb. Detective thriller set in the austere remote Isle Of Lewis.

I agree about The Blackhouse BOF. Amazing original book and so much more than just another who-dun-it. Having been to the Outer Hebrides I could really picture the setting. The other two in the series are also worth reading although The Blackhouse really stands out for me.

Liking the sound of all these WW2 books too. Off to Amazon to have a look

OP,I hated gone girl too and Wolf hall.

Books I've enjoyed

A fatal inversion
Wicked girls
The poison wood Bible
Perfume
We need to talk about Kevin
Rebecca
The guilty one
Into the darkest corner
Tide line

Oh and I loved the sister brothers too but my Dh hated it daft man

None of those are ww 2

I hated Gone Girl and the Time Travellers Wife - but loved Wolf Hall.

Anyway - the Siege by Helen Dunmore - Leningrad WW2 - brilliant.

the follow ups to the black house were NOT so good
the author is on twitter - he is really nice

also the return of captain john emmet by elizabeth speller

If you're up for trying an indie author, The Rage Within by BR Crichton is a great yarn. It's very mainstream fantasy and I loved it!

Just came on to say Restless by William Boyd which has already been mentioned. Could not put it down last night (and then had totally horrible dreams as a result but that was also due to work stress). It's not normally my sort of thing (spies, thriller) but definitely compelling and about WW2.

I loathed The Blackhouse with a passion- haven't had that bad of a reaction to a book in a long time. It was so strong a hatred that I'm positive it says something about me rather than it. I couldn't stand the protagonist.

So you should read it and see what you think! I would love for someone to agree with me, everyone else seemed to love it.

Before I go to sleep by SJ Watson is fab, proper page turner and kept me guessing. Anyone who likes Linwood Barclay would love it

Place marking to come back later.

I think all the MN must reads (apple tree yard, gone girl, into the darkest corner) are all quite shallow and poorly written to be completely honest. Lots of flat characterisation, although I will admit the plots are fun. They could all have been written by the same person!