Recommendations please

[hanksforthememories]

For the first time ever, DH & I are going away for 3 weeks over Christmas.

I use Audible, a lot. I average 150+ books a year. It's true that I read, or listen, a lot.
Please can you recommend titles for me?

This is only a small sample of books I like/don't like:

• Crime fiction; I prefer grittier crime e.g The Max Wolfe series by Tony Parsons, M J Arlidge, Jane Casey.
Not necessarily gory, but smarter novels. IMO Belinda Bauer particularly is good at intelligent crime writing without gore.

I'm going to duck when I write this. I don't like the Richard Osman novels. I really appreciate that he is writing rounded, older characters, but felt the stories were predictable and the humour was too obvious.

• Fiction by women (I'm not going to call it chick lit!) e.g. Marian Keyes' This Charming Man, Liane Moriarty though I prefer her earlier novels, Promising Young Women, Taylor Jenkins Reid.

I don't like anything 'dumbed down', while the Shopaholic series might be fantastic, the subject doesn't interest me.

• Humour. I love humorous novels; Jonathan Harvey, Graham Norton, Ruth Jones, Amy Tintera, Sandi Toksvig, Sue Townsend, earlier Roddy Doyle, Dolly Alderton etc.

• Darned good fiction writing; The Goldfinch, The Crimson Petal And The White, Ken Follett's Kingsbridge series, Sebastian Faulks, loads more.

Please recommend good novels for me?
Thank you

I’m going to give the same recommendation I always give whenever someone asks for an Audible recommendation, and that’s the Rivers of London series. The narrator is incredible and it’s the perfect combination of police procedural and magic. (I’m not usually a big fantasy fan but it really works!)

Here are a few I've listened to recently. All very different but such good, compelling stories with incredible narration.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Still Life by Sarah Winman
Antkind by Charlie Kaufman
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

If you like crime, why not try Sherlock Holmes read by Stephen Fry. I love laying in a hot bath listening to Fry read Sherlock Holmes or P G Wodehouse. It’s funny, I don’t think any crime writer has improved on the Holmes series, just as no fantasy writer has improved on Tolkien and no ghost writer beats MR James. Agatha Christie is surprisingly good as well. I picked her up expecting stuffy, tame writing and was very pleasantly surprised. She really is good.

So far as female writers go, how about Anita Brookner? She’s criminally underrated. I think she’s a better stylist than Virginia Woolf.

As for humour, for me P G Wodehouse and Evelyn Waugh are the funniest writers in the English language. There is an audio recording of Michael Maloney reading Waugh’s Decline and Fall. Nothing ever made me laugh more. Actually, the only thing that came close was Brian Blessed’s autobiography read by the man himself. I had to stop the car I was laughing so much. Douglas Adams is also amusing - and very thoughtful and interesting as well,

Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen is the best audible book I've ever listened to.

Second choice is the Galbraith Strike books on Audible.

Also adored 'The Son' by Phillip Meyer on Audible.

I have no idea about listening to books as I can't get on with it. However I can recommend a few that seem to fit with your likes.
The Rose Code by Katie Quinn
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
The Pearlers Wife by Roxane Dhand
The Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffith (Well written crime with strong female protagonist)
Tim Weaver's David Raker series

Chronicles of St Mary's. A bunch of madcap historians exploring major historical events in contemporary time (don't call it time travel). Crosses genres: humour, action, history, scifi, bit of romance, more humour. Great female lead. (Great female author) Excellent narration. Bloody addictive.

Have you read any Barbara Vine ?(Ruth Rendell) I avoid the books with inspector Wexford but some of them are really dark and gritty.

The Poison wood Bible by Barbara King solver and I'm about to start Demon Copperhead by her too.

** Just realised you want audible recommendations, I've only read the above.

I love Belinda Bauer and Jane Casey.

I've enjoyed every book I've read by thriller writer Catherine Ryan Howard, especially The Liar's Girl and The Nothing Man.

Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen - The Wife Between Us

Jacqueline Bublitz - Before You Knew My Name

I absolutely loved Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce on Audible. The relationship that develops between the two female characters is so touching.
I am listening to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus at the moment and I'm really enjoying the feminism (set in the 50s - America).

The Observations by Jane Harris would tick most of your boxes. It's a mystery; it has a quirky and amusing narrator; it's well-written. A favourite of mine; I am always recommending it.

Christopher Brookmyre writes crime with dark humour mixed in. Not for the squeamish. Try One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night. Very entertaining.

And Ian Banks is great. The Crow Road is one of his best.

I'm sorry. I should have led with this; I have postgraduate education in Literature.

Apologies that this is a drip feed, I did not want to out myself.
When I read through your excellent recommendations I thought oh no, I am going to sound rude if I write read that and that.

This year I was involved in an accident, which resulted in the loss of my sight.
Which is why I listen to Audiobooks.

I'm going to reply to everyone in my next post.
Again I am very sorry I was not entirely honest.

No need whatsoever to apologise OP.
It doesn't change the fact that we can give you recommendations and hopefully they might be helpful.
I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your sight

@BabCNesbitt I don't like fantasy either. Nonetheless, the Rivers Of London series is excellent, I agree. That is a great recommendation for anyone who stumbles upon this thread.

@localhere Piranesi by Susanna Clarke isolation and mental health concerns, I loved this too.
Still Life by Sarah Winman 1944, brilliant story. Agreed.
Antkind by Charlie Kaufman hooray! The first one I have not read or listened to, I have purchased it in the app. TYSM.
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell this would not have been for me and it did take me a while to get into, eventually I really enjoyed it.

@Dappy777 all classics and classically good. Excellent suggestions, I am envious of anyone reading or listening to them for the first time.

Ok, so I'm not seeing any Ann Patchett on your list.

I love audible. I've had a year of Irish fiction. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray was a stand out. As was Prohet song by Paul lunch. Although the latter has perhaps not got a holiday vibe.

I've also read some Ann napolitano and that was alright. Yellowface was worth reading for the hype, just to be in on it!

Tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow was interesting.

I'm currently listening to the hearts invisible furies and really enjoying it.

Also, for authors to generally check out what about Siri Hustvedt? Emily St.john Mandell too.

But tell me you have read burial rites by Hannah Kent? Its a debut, based on a real life historical event and is just extraordinary. I could feel the cold.

Finally have you read the signature of all things by Elizabeth... ah shit I forget her surname. Eat pray love woman, but definitely do NOT let that put you off, honestly.

I did read this year's booker, the space one. Orbital? Wasn't for me.

Hope this helps.

@Lobstercrisps wait. Can you really buy lobster flavour crisps?
Back to the main plot of the thread.
Franzen - I have read The Corrections and Freedom, I would tell anyone to read them. As Crossroads is the first in a trilogy I have been holding off until they are all published, although Franzen's novels only appear every decade or so.  If Crossroads stands alone, I will definitely read it now.

Additional tip for anyone interested: Franzen's journalism is often really good too.

This will probably be a surprise; I haven't read any Strike novels, I am going to purchase the first one now.

The Son is another I haven't read, I will buy this tonight too.

@Boffle thank you.
The Rose Code by Katie Quinn brilliant, I have never read this and definitely will.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson I'm a longtime KA fan, agree that this is well worth the time.
The Pearlers Wife by Roxane Dhand oh my goodness, I found this to be very evocative and moving. Definitely recommend.
The Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffith (Well written crime with strong female protagonist) another series I have read and enjoyed very much, although I don't love the voice actor on the Audible books, they are definitely worth a listen.
Tim Weaver's David Raker series that's a good idea, I have read some of them and will definitely purchase another.

@nocoolnamesleft I love the Saint Mary's series and like you I would suggest them to anyone.

@LoafofSellotape I have found that Audible can throw up anomalies. An average book can be elevated by an excellent narrator, a good novel can similarly be unlistenable.
Yes I have read and enjoyed the Vine novels, including Wexford. However, there are a lot of them and I will check whether there are any I have missed. A great proposal.
Enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible, I will check whether Demon Copperhead is available on Audible.

@Clarice99 have you read all of The Silence Of The Lambs series? They are so good, though gory.

Have read and enjoyed some Catherine Ryan Howard, I will take a look at the novels I haven't read.
The Wife Between Us was good, I liked it a lot.
Before You Knew My Name is a new one for me, I will definitely listen to it.

@bigcheesematrix I very much enjoyed Miss Benson's Beetle and Lessons In Chemistry, thank you very much for suggesting them.

@highlandcoo I'm going to work through your list the wrong way round!
I knew Iain Banks, he was a truly brilliant man and I have reread all of his novels. Would tell anyone to read his novels aka Iain M Banks for sci fi fans.
Christopher Brookmyre I think I have read every novel of his, I will check and add it to my listening if there are any I have missed.
The Observations sounds excellent, I will definitely purchase it.

Your kindness has made me a bit teary @highlandcoo, soft lavvy heid that I am

@hanksforthememories yes, Lidl have lobster crisps right now for Xmas. But basically they are strong prawn cocktail.

I had no idea Crossroads is the first in a trilogy. It's 33 hrs of insanely brilliant character development, so now I'm super excited for the next two!!! It absolutely stands alone, but can understand you preferring to wait!

On Strike novels, Robert Glenister's narration is TOP NOTCH.

Thank you for your thread, I will be using some ideas too..
.

No need to apologise @hanksforthememories I'm sorry to hear about your accident and sight loss.

My recommendations are based on books, not Audible. Ironically, I'm deaf and I confess I've never given a second thought about the 'audio reading experience'. This thread has made me think about reading from a different perspective, listening.

Thanks for the recommendation re: Silence of the Lambs. I read them all decades ago, but I've added to my list for future reading as I really enjoyed them first time around.

My favourite audiobook this year has been Saltblood by Francesca De Tores, which is a beautifully written and evocative novel based loosely on the true story of the female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read.

I’d also recommend the Joanne Harris trilogy set in St Oswold’s Grammar School. They are Gentlemen and Players, A Different Class, and A Narrow Door - in that order. They’re dark, twisty psychological thrillers that will really get under your skin. I wasn’t expecting them to be so DARK! 😮

YY to the Gentleman and Players trilogy; they are nothing like Joanne Harris's other novels such as Chocolat etc. Darker in tone and I much preferred them.

Back to Jane - rather than Joanne - Harris. Gillespie and I is also very good. Set in Glasgow in the late 19th century. Mysterious, and with a narrator you're not sure you can really trust.

A PP mentioned Ann Patchett and I would recommend The Dutch House, read by Tom Hanks. She's one of my favourite authors. I also very much enjoyed Tom Lake read by Meryl Streep and Bel Canto is also well worth exploring.

Re Christopher Brookmyre, have you read his new series written in tandem with his wife, under the pseudonym Ambrose Parry? Historical crime set in Edinburgh. Not with the dark humour of his previous books but still a good read.

Staying in Scotland, I've enjoyed Sally Magnusson's books. The Sealwoman's Gift is based on the true story of Barbary pirates raiding the shores of Iceland in 1627 and seizing a large numbers of Icelanders who then became slaves in Algiers. She has a talent for weaving a novel around a real-life historical event. Her third novel, Music in the Dark read by Siobhan Redmond, explores the long lasting effects of the Highland Clearances through one woman's personal experience. Neither are cheerful books I have to say, but very absorbing interesting stories.

Finally, I'm so envious that you knew Iain Banks! He was a friend of a friend but I never got to meet him. Apart from being a brilliant writer, from all I've heard he was great company and generally a really decent human being. He faced his last illness with courage and grace and it was impressive how he stayed in touch online, chatting to his fans even when very ill.
I dld try to reread everything he wrote as a tribute after his death, however I came unstuck around the fourth of the Iain M space opera ones. Just not my thing. But I love the others, Crow Road and Espedair Street especially. And there's an line in The Wasp Factory that always makes me laugh out loud ( as well as a scene I didn't ever need in my head - he had a very dark imagination at times).

Also, re. Tim Weaver’s books. I’m a big fan of missing persons stories, I’ve read them all, and although they’re stand-alone mysteries, there are story arcs across books, so very much best read in the right order. I started on book 7, then went back to 1 and worked my way through. Then started buying them yearly once I’d caught up… 😍

I'll throw into the pot for you, OP, a couple of excellent series.

First, the Barchester Chronicles read by late departed Timothy West. Even if you read Trollope in your studies, as I did, the narration is so outstanding that a "re-read" is an absolute delight.

Another terrific series - much to my amazement - is the Sharpe series. Not too gory, cracks along, no bad writing, and a decent reader.

My go-to recommendation is the entire Patrick O'Brien Master and commander series, which I listen to from book 1 to book 19 every other year. I never listen to book 20 because it's heartbreaking to know that's the last one.

A terrific trilogy I discovered this year was Eloise Harpers series set in a brothel in Pompeii.

Couple of outstanding one-offs this year are two booker nominees, James, and The Safekeep.

I can't agree with you that Ken Follett is a darned good writer, sadly.