Cosy reads

[RedLemonade]

I’m looking for inspiration for a list of “cosy” books. You know the sort- old world sort of books with gentle story lines; mild peril, if any; descriptions of woodlands and lovely houses.

Books I’ve recently read and loved in this vein include the Cazalet chronicles, Wind in the Willows, Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher, The Herb of Grace/Eliot trilogy.

I’m also currently reading Goodnight Mister Tom to my daughter which I’ve always loved so I’m not at all averse to children’s books.

Many thanks for your suggestions oh wise mumsnetters!

There is definitely some mild peril, but I really enjoyed Mary Stewart's romantic suspense novels from the 1950s and 1960s after a recommendation on here. She is a very good writer, and particularly excellent at evoking a sense of place. My favourites are This Rough Magic, Madam, Will You Talk? and Nine Coaches Waiting. Some have a slightly gothic feel, with a very slight supernatural twist; some are more straightforward thrillers, but I find them all a cosy read.

Love this thread. Thanks OP.

I read a month in the country recently and it’s lovely.

Also a massive Pilcher and L M Montgomery fan.

I’m reading The Forgotten Garden at the moment, it’s a beast of thing and no idea how it’ll end but it’s sumptuous and gorgeous. The level of description took a while to settle into as I’m also reading some much actiony stuff but it’s delightful.

I know it had mixed reviews on here but I was a huge fan of Thursday Murder Club. It was like Pilcher doing a murder mystery.

Tom’s midnight garden is an absolute treat too, so evocative and stayed with me for decades.

I’m taking notes here!

My cosy book is Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher.

I Capture the Castle

Multiple organisms 😂

There are some good recommendations on here, thanks for starting the thread!

Maeve Binchley was my first thought.

Lucinda Riley stand alone books are worth reading also.

I’m a big fan of Rhys Bowen books also, which have a similar feel to Lucinda Riley.

Popular books often cited on mn include

Away with the Penguins
Mrs Benson Beetles
The Lido
Harold Fry (can’t remember full title)
A single thread

Apple Bough, Noel Streatfield, a childrens book I read a few years ago at 50 odd and thoroughly enjoyed.

I Capture The Castle is one of my favourites and I read Tom’s Midnight Garden to DD a year or two ago and loved it myself!

@Shinyandnew1 Oops! It was worse getting it the other way around reading aloud in biology class though

Loving all of these recommendations. You’re all wonderful!

Have a look at Sarah Harrison and Charlotte Bingham too.

I have a whole bookcase full of cosy reads

The Enchanted April

Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Older, but: the light mysteries by MM Kaye are my go-to.

Also, if you can find them, from the 70s/early 80s, "Moonraker's Bride" and other novels by Madeleine Brent are really good romantic suspense.

Just reading this thread gives me a cosy feeling!

Second Georgette Heyer, Angela Thirkell, Patricia Wentworth.

For those seeking older or out of print books, I always recommend Openlibrary.org. They have millions of books free to read online. What I love is that you read the scans of the actual books, so you see the cover art, library stamps, etc. You can borrow for an hour at a time, but keep renewing as you read.

Just checked, they seem to have most of the Heyer books!

Hiya . . . have just joined up just so I can add to this lovely discussion.

Not books or authors but I would like to highly recommend 2 publishers for their wonderfully cosy books . . . . many of the authors they publish have already been mentioned by other PP's. They are Persephone Books (all have a lovely grey cover and come with a bookmark which matches the inside cover) and Furrowed Middlebrow books

Someone recommended Harriet Evans on here recently, I just read Happy Ever After and it was great.

I personally find Jilly Coopers bonkbusters comforting, they are funny and jolly and you know it will come right (Riders, Rivals, Pandora etc)

Pride and Prejudice obviously.

Eloisa James’ Paris is Love is a memoir of living in Paris for a year, which I really like.

Kid’s novels - Swallows and Amazons, Susan Cooper’s series, Kevin Crossley Holland’s Garry’s Tale is fantastic

Circle of Friends is the only decent book Maeve Binchy ever wrote, so don’t bother with the rest.

Still Life by Sarah Bingham is fantastic

As is Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time

and small pleasures by Claire chambers

marion Keyes - Rachel’s Holiday, The Other side of the story, Angels - are some good ones

The Country girls by Edna O’Brien

Kids books - Ballet Shoes and the Growing Summer by Noel Stretfield

for previous post it’s GATTY’s Tale not Garry

Great list!

I second PG Wodehouse- funny and charming.
Agatha Christie - crime but no unpleasantness, and you can fantasise about having a cook and a maid
Benson Mapp and Lucia books - slightly cutting but funny and a great escape
Cold Comfort Farm - hilarious

Great thread!

More great recommendations!!

@snowqu33n I have Miss Pettigrew in my current “to be read” stack.

@KnittingAuntie i just bought two of the recommended books from Persephone. I’ve got a few from them already and have bought them as gifts too. They are such beautiful editions. Will definitely checked out Furrowed Middlebrow. Thank you!

Also adding PG Wodehouse and Agatha Christie as I’ve heard so many good things. Swallows and Amazons- I downloaded the movie of this as it looked cosy! Will add that to the list😊

This list is getting longer and longer. I’m going to have to ask for Christmas book tokens too- hurrah! We put our TV away for the summer and I’ve been flying through books. I’m properly addicted to reading again which hasn’t been the case since pre-DC. The TV is hereby staying in storage for the winter- too many books, too little lifetime!

Thank you all so much for a wonderful reading list❤️

Yes I agree with lots of these:-

Mapp and Lucia
Enchanted April
DE Stevenson again but Mrs Tim of The Regiment
The Village and
Little Boy Lost both by Marghanita Laski
and also Black Swan Green by David Mitchell; especially good if, like me, you were a teenager in the 80s

Children's book set in Sweden The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (sometimes called The Bullerby Children)

Oh yes the movie of Swallows and Amazons was a childhood favourite of mine!

Villette by Charlotte Bronte
Claudine at School by Colette