Desperate for a good book! A well-written escapist read where I forget who and where I am.

[merrymelody]

Please my fellow bookworms, suggest some titles that will whisk me away from reality. Nothing dystopian, no science fiction or fantasy. It has to be well written, that’s essential. I like historical fiction, contemporary fiction, thrillers, ghost stories, mysteries, comedy, romance, biographies, autobiographies, philosophy and art. I like stories about children, too.

I can highly recommend, A Net for Small Fishes by Lucy Jago

Based on a true story at the Jacobean court, it concerns a noblewoman, a woman who dyes clothes and a plot to kill the king's favourite.

Bettany Hughes called it, "A complete joy" and so it is. No silly wise women or magical fantasy that seems to imbue a lot of historical fiction these days-no gimmicks at al-l just good writing and a plot that sweeps you along.

Just finished the daughter by t m Logan which was good.

books I’ve loved this year-
weyward Emilia hart
the nightingale Kristin hannah
the idea of you Robin Lee
the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo Taylor Jenkins Reid

Absolutely place marking as my kindle is only recommending me shite which appears both AI written and worryingly taking names from my life - though I'm probably reading too much into that after the thread the other day about phones listening 🤣
For an easy non fiction I've enjoyed a year of living Danishly, Helen Russell

It’s not time travel - it’s ‘investigating major historical events in contemporary time' please don’t upset Dr Bairstow!

Would definitely recommend this series though.

The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley absolutely loved this series!

Have you read Ellis Peters / Edith Pargeter?
the Cadfael novels - 11th century monk solves mysteries. Best if you read the first one (A Morbid Taste for Bones) first, and definitely don't read any of the rest before the second (One Corpse Too Many).
The Heaven Tree trilogy - a stonemason building a cathedral for a Marcher lord
The George Felse mysteries - contemporary when written. George is a police detective
A few stand-alone, of which I read and enjoyed By Firelight

Triple recommend Prairie Fires, so pleasing to see others rate it.

Historical fiction - Sir Robert Carey series by P F Chisholm. Based on a real life Elizabethan courtier, starts off in Carlisle/Scottish Borders which made a nice change (tho the action does move to London).

Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver
Crooked Plow - Itamar Vieira Junior
The neopolitan novels - Elena Ferrante

American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld
The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt
The Vinyl Detective series - Andrew Cartmel
The Last Party - Claire Mackintosh
Exit - Belinda Bauer
The Sacred Art of Stealing - Christopher Brookmyre
A Different Class - Joanne Harris

Anthony Horowitz "Magpie Murders" (& sequels), if you like crime/mystery.
The old favourite Cazalet series, by Elizabeth Jane Howard - still fab.
Jeeves & Wooster stories, by P G Wodehouse.
"South Riding" by Winifred Holtby - old fashioned but wonderful.
"The Pursuit of Love" by Nancy Mitford - old fashioned but hilarious!

The Cicero Trilogy - Robert Harris
Pepys: The Unequalled Life - Claire Tomalin. This and her book about Jane Austen are probably the best biographies I've ever read.
Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison
And another vote for Cuddy. What a gorgeous book ❤️❤️❤️

Purple Hibiscus- Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie
Restless- William Boyd
My Brilliant Friend -Elena Ferrante
Labyrinth- Kate Mosse
The island of missing trees-Elif Shafak
Circle of Friends - Maeve Binchy
The Little Friend - Donna Tartt
For complete escapism, love a Phillippa Gregory or an Ian Rankin - I’m never disappointed.

The Ecliptic - Benjamin Wood
The Hanging Tree - David Lambkin
The Loop - Nicholas Evans
The Lacuna - Barbara Kingsolver
State of Wonder - Ann Patchett

I was going to suggest these. I reread them every couple of years and become immersed in the lives of the characters.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is excellent.

Victoria Hislop’s novels are good reading, especially if you like Greece and history.