Any ideas for short novel choice for book group?

[Clawdy]

My book group choice next, and for various reasons, we've got less time to read it, so I need a shortish novel! Any ideas?

Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud
or my book group just read When the Cranes Fly South which doesn’t seem that short but is very quick to read

A friend mentioned A Far Cry From Kensington by Muriel Spark, anyone read it ?

Many of Elizabeth Taylor's novels are pretty short and excellent. Ditto Elizabeth Bowen. The Ante Room or The Land of Spices by Kate O Brien are wonderful.

Yes - it's good, but not better than Miss Jean! I actually really love The Driver's Seat - I think it's her best.

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner

Rizzio by Denise Mina

This is how you lose the time war
Goodbye Mr Chips
Death in Venice
The lost honour of Katharina Blum

Oh, yes this - it was a past book club choice of mine

Passing by Nella Larsen | Waterstones

I love social commentary novels that were written at the actual time so there is no 'contamination' with modern thinking!

This was written in 1929 about a mixed-race Black woman who passes as white

I loved Eurotrash! I’ve just finished reading it.

I was going to recommend I Who have Never Known Man too. One of the most memorable books I have ever read.

This, 100 times over. She’s a remarkable writer.

Ones I love

A Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich- not a fun read, to be fair, but amazingly powerful.

The Whale rider- also a GCSE text for anyone who might have children at this stage. I cried.

Madensky Square by Eva Ibbotson- my favourite ever book. Just really funny.

A Man Called Ove- a 'novel' but seamless so a quick read.

Yes I was just going to recommend The Driver’s Seat by Muriel Spark. Also The Girls of Slender Means.

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

Injury Time by Beryl Bainbridge. Also Another Part of the Wood by her.

The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon

Pereira Maintains by Antonio Tabucchi

Good Morning Midnight by Jean Rhys

I suggested When the Cranes Fly South to my book group but got a thorough ticking off by the organiser that first of all 'it's not on kindle' and second of all that it was only making our older members sadly aware of the problems they might have with adult children. Sigh.

(Sorry, no reason for me to add this, other than that i can't have a right moan about it IRL so taking the opportunity to moan here!).

*I think my days at that club are numbered. I can't tolerate fucking idiots who see the apogee of their existence as running a bookclub.

Up at the Villa by Somerset Maugham - takes place over a few days, set in the 40s, beautifully written, moral dilemmas of the age

Dear God no!

We've just read "Pereira Maintains" in my book group - really thought provoking.

On Chesil Beach led to loads of discussion in our reading group.
How one action can change the course of your life , destiny , free choice .
Got very deep and philosophical.
My DH got worried I was so much later than usual and was about to come and look for me 😂

Seconding both of these!

I also recommend Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Great for prompting discussion about empty nests and there role of women and people-pleasing

Any Sherlock Holmes novel other than Baskervilles.

I'd suggest Small Things like These by Claire Keegan. Very poignant, lots to discuss.

It's on kindle now, if that helps! To be fair I chose it for my book group because so many people had recommended it to me, but I did zero research beforehand. If I had, I also might not have suggested it as one of our members has recently lost both her mum and her very aged grandmother.
I wouldn't like to be in a book group that ticked people off

If you want something super short I recommend reading the Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It is superb. You can download it and read it on any device.

Time's Arrow by Martin Amis
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
Metroland by Julian Barnes