Books without missing children or cupcakes?

[Frombothsidesnow]

Since having children I struggle to read books about dead or missing infants. Actually sad things full stop, which is immensely frustrating as good books involve strong emotions. But I also don't want to read dross about women finding love in the country over cupcakes. Please help me find some decent literature that will make my brain work but doesn't involve dead babies?

Conclave by Robert Harris. Lots of priests, lots of cloak and dagger priestly shenanigans. No cupcakes or kids (dead or otherwise) in sight. Better than it sounds, obviously. Cold Comfort Farm? Diary of a Provincial Lady? Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day?

Or how about some light, funny, non-fiction? All Creature Great and Small by James Herriot and 21st Century Yokel by Tom Cox are both good, funny nature books. The Pedant In The Kitchen by Julian Barnes is hilarious.

Have read CCC, Miss Pettigrew, Provincial Lady, all of Herriot (as a child - not massively a nature person now). I haven't read that Barnes although I do like some of his stuff.

Basically I used to read a lot, which is why I'm more looking for new things. If it's been published since 2009 I'm far less likely to have read it!

I adore Persephone books by the way.

I enjoyed Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty last year, would definitely describe it as good 'chick lit' which you mentioned above.

I have read that! My book club did it.

Joining this thread, as I'm the same. I can handle missing children as long as I'm guaranteed a happy ending and no actual bad stuff.

I love tana French's books op. Only ones I buy pre release in hardback.

I also loved the new poirots

Jane Fallon does good but not cupcakey chick lit

I've read all of Jane Fallon and I agree.

Tana French is detective fiction, is that right?

It is yes but I think it's unfair to describe it as procedural. Her writing is imo really good, I got completely immersed in in the woods.

Sorry I know you didn't but I've seen reviews etc describing them as police procedurals. That to me sounds like eg val mcdermid (who I also love) but a very different style.

I guess it feels like lots of 'mainstream' literature at the moment has a grief and loss theme. I don't mind appropriate grief within the context of a wider story but life has enough sadness in it for me right now, and I'm quite anxious, and I would like to be taken out of it all.

Have you read 11.22.63 by Stephen king? Not a horror but historical fiction, about a time traveller and the death of JFK. It’s well worth a read.

OK, I'll give them a look. I don't mind a procedural either.

Yes agree. Val mcdermid does have some grief and loss but I can cope with that level.
Ehat else have you read? I am looking for summer reading!

Oh, that sounds interesting, thanks. I know King is a great writer. I have read Misery.

SGB I'm trying to think of recent successes.

I loved All the Light We Cannot See, Versions of Us, Miss You, Wait for Me, A Spool of Blue Thread, The Sellout. Those come to mind. A few of them were similar - relationships over time/time twisted sort of thing.

Thank you. Not heard of any of those so will have a look

Hi OP! We sound similar in our tastes! Have you read Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons? Very funny and so beautifully written.

I'm also enjoying The Chronicles of St Mary's by Jodi Taylor. There are 8 or 9 books I think so a lot to get your teeth in to. It's humorous again with some history thrown in. I read about them on Mumsnet and a very good find for me as I like history but it's missing a bit from my education and these books send me off in new directions. Happy reading!

CCC is a great favourite of mine and the reason I've read so little DH Lawrence! I do have the Jodi Taylor series on my Kindle so that's a good prompt to get stuck in.

A Spool of Blue Thread is Anne Tyler's latest.

Can highly recommend the Patrick Melrose series by Edward St Aubyn. Very moving and funny. It's currently showing as a tv series on sky and they've captured the books amazingly.

Have you read any Patrick Gale? I loved A Place Called Winter and enjoyed Notes from an Exhibition.

How about Helen Dunmore? Not Mourning Ruby perhaps, but House of Orphans is good (and not really about the orphanage or children despite the title!). And Zennor in Darkness. (I'm bearing in mind your initial proviso here).

Recently enjoyed fiction

Elif Batuman, The Idiot
Yewande Omotoso, The Woman Next Door
Aminatta Forna, Happiness
Octavia Butler, Kindred
Diana Tutton, Guard Your Daughters
Barbara Kingsolver, Flight Behaviour & Prodigal Summer

I think Anne Tyler's most recent novel is actually Vinegar Girl - a Hogarth Shakespeare retelling - I enjoyed it but I know that lots of people haven't liked it. The best of the Hogarth Shakespeares so far that I've read is Margaret Atwood's Hag-Seed (a take on the Tempest).

Have you read the recent reprints of Stella Gibbons' other novels? I loved Nightingale Wood.

I just finished Hugh Howey's Wool trilogy. Definitely no cupcakes there! (There is definite sadness in all three of the books, but I found it bearable- and since having children I've experienced exactly what you describe, a real aversion to reading about awful things happening to children and a general preference not to be dragged through the emotional wringer when reading.)

If it's funny you're after I always recommend Christopher Brookmyre. One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night in particular is brilliant.

Naomi Alderman's The Liar's Gospel is so, so good- I liked it far more then The Power. I also enjoyed Disobedience by her but that is centred around a bereavement so maybe not one to recommend to you in this thread.

I always thought Jennifer Weiner did good chick lit. (Avoid Little Earthquakes though, it's a heartbreaking book and the loss in it hurts me even to remember.)

I agree with Versions of us by Laura Barnett. I just read her latest book too, Greatest Hits and enjoyed that.
Us by David Nichols.
Moving On by Jenny Eclair.
Essex Serpent.
Midwinter Break by Bernard McLaverty.
I’ve just started Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, no sign of peril yet.

It’s true, a lot of novels contain missing children or people being murdered etc. I’m really not keen.

Also re cupcakes; see vintage teacups.