Recommend me some authors....

[ASmidgeofMidge]

Greedy soul that I am, I love finishing an amazing book safe in the knowledge that there are lots more by the same author that I can get stuck into. I've currently exhausted the back catalogues of my favourites and am on the hunt for someone new! Any recommendations?

Adore Margaret Atwood, Lesley Glaister, Maggie O'Farrell, Sarah Waters, and Michel Faber. Loved Tartt's Secret History but loathed The Little Friend so am now too scared to try The Goldfinch. Have enjoyed some Joyce Carol Oates (We Were the Mulvaneys, My Sister My Love, The Gravedigger's Daughter) but struggled with others (Blonde).

TIA

How about: Kate Atkinson, Claire Morrall, Claire Messud, Zadie Smith, Doris Lessing?

I enjoyed a Lynn Reid Banks and Margaret Drabble phase, if you like older books.

Jonathan Coe
Philip Hensher
Lionel Shriver

Of your list, I also love Atwood, Waters and Faber, but I didn't particularly enjoy O'Farrell and don't know Glaister at all. Just to give you an idea of where I'm coming from!

Three suggestions spring to mind, all of whom have plenty of books in print:

• John Irving: Very hard to sum him up, but although his subject matter is sometimes strange (slightly unusual sexual relationships, disfigurement, abortion, bears...) his books manage to have a really gentle, soothing rhythm and tone probably influenced by their New England backdrop. Great characters, epic sagas spanning decades...so much to get your teeth into. I'd start with A Widow for One Year or A Prayer for Owen Meany, his best two in my opinion.

• Carol Shields: A Canadian author, some similarities to Atwood in that respect plus in her style. I'd start with The Stone Diaries or Larry's Party.

• Patrick Gale: British author, books mostly set in Cornwall, characters are often artists, musicians or farmers. These books have a really quiet power but are very...strong somehow, and impactful, and one or two also have a great twist (not as good as Sarah Waters' though!). I'd start with Notes From an Exhibition or Rough Music.

What about Anne Tyler? I loved accidental tourist.

William Boyd
Daphne Du Maurier

Yes, to William Boyd: Adored Any Human Heart.

What about Ian McKeown: Atonement, Enduring Love or Chesil Beach

MARIA MCCANN

In caps because I'm shouting in an authoritative voice so you reflexively read all her books. She is brilliant.