Can anyone recommend a new book for my MIL (81yo)?

[Vargas]

I'm always slightly worried about buying her an older book as she always seems to have read them, plus she loves a hardback, so if anyone can recommend something newly published along these lines:

-books about the aristocracy or diplomats; she loved the Lady Glenconner book
-romantic novels with NO sex and a very happy ending, she liked The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer for example
-detective novels of the gentler sort, i.e. no serial killers or gore
-non-fiction books with nice photos/pics about gardening or natural history

Thanking you!

That new book by Richard Osman the pointless guy is meant to be good. The Thursday Club. I've had it for a few weeks but not got round to reading it yet. Murder mystery with a bit of comedy. A nice thick hardback.

Thursday Murder Club.,

Anne Glenconner has just published a murder mystery book set in Mustique - sounds like it could fit the bill?

www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Mustique-Anne-Glenconner/dp/1529336341/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&crid=11SXR9ZNV7T7A&keywords=anne+glenconner+murder+on+mustique&sprefix=anne+glenconn%2Caps%2C159&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1607211296&sr=8-1

Olivia Williams book:
The Secret Life of the Savoy: and the D'Oyly Carte family

I recently bought it for my 81 year old MIL who had loaned me her copy of the Lady Glenconnor book. Similar taste to your MIL.

Have you looked at the British Library classics series (except they're paperbacks)? Lots of old-fashioned murder mysteries but obscure enough that she's not likely to have read them. And lovely covers. Also their new series of women writers might fit the bill. Dangerous Ages by Rose Macaulay is a nice one about generations of women in a family.

Also, she might like something by Nicola Upson - there's a new-ish one out, I think.

Miss Bensons Beetle is exactly what you're looking for!! It's a perfect book

Great suggestions, thanks so much. Off to Google now.

(I gave her the Thursday murder club for a recent birthday, but haven't heard yet how's she's got on with it. )

Gervaisse Quinn Little Village School

Anton Du Beke(dancer from Strictly) has written a trilogy set behind the scenes in a fictional hotel in London in the late 1930's. Some politics about impending war but mostly romance, family relationships and descriptions of ballroom dancing. . First one is called One Enchanted Evening .

@OctaviaOrange

Miss Bensons Beetle is exactly what you're looking for!! It's a perfect book

This looks great! Might buy it for myself too ...I loved the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and I am now trying to remember if she's read that...

@katy1213

Also, she might like something by Nicola Upson - there's a new-ish one out, I think.

Yes I liked the first Josephine Tey one an Expert in Murder set in theatre world of the 1930s.

Mrs Tim of the Regiment; diaries of a similar type to Diary of Provincial Lady but, maybe, less well known. By DE Stevenson

Hi

Would she like The Glorious Guiness Girls by Emily Hourican - I bought it for my MIL who loved the Anne Glenconnor book? Its a novel by a well known Irish journalist and doing well here in Ireland and only just out.

I think she would love "Enid" the scandalous high society life of Lady Killmore, by R. Wainwright. Only published in August so still quite new.

These are a little older, but she might have missed them first time round.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, set in a real hotel, a very gentle thriller.

A House Full of Daughters by Juliet Nicolson, about seven generations of Vita Sackville-West's family.

@D3poster

Hi

Would she like The Glorious Guiness Girls by Emily Hourican - I bought it for my MIL who loved the Anne Glenconnor book? Its a novel by a well known Irish journalist and doing well here in Ireland and only just out.

Oh thanks for this! She has some link to Guinness (not related, but worked for them once or something), so that sounds great. I've also bought the Miss Benson book for my Stepmum and the Savoy book for MIL. I'm loving all these suggestions.

I was going to suggest The Thursday Murder Club as I'm about half way through and loving it.

What about The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith?

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a wonderful read.

Although they're quite old. She may have read them.

Black Diamonds (my 84 year old godmother loved this)

Or

Lillian Boxfish takes a walk (my 81 year old mother loved this)