can someone recommend me a book?

[Stargazing]

used to read voraciously, but had 2 children in 16 months and have no time/ energy/ concentration for ages ... am fed up with trying to convince myself that Closer is the modern day Pride & prejudice ... can someone recommend a book that they've enjoyed?

If it helps, I love classics, and some of my favourite modern novels are: The Kite Runner, True History of the Kelly Gang, A fine Balance, Possession, The Lovely Bones, The Famished Road, My Life as a Fake...

would really appreciate some help! thanks

Another Jonathan Coe fan here, I think House of Sleep is a good one of his to start with.

I read Lionel Shriver's Post-Birthday World recently; really long but I couldn't put it down. Others of hers I've read, We Need to Talk about Kevin and Double Fault really good too; she's one of those authors where I keep reading a little description or aside and thinking, 'oh that's so true.'

I loved On Green Dolphin Street right up to the end and then...gah! Won't say more as I'd still recommend it for vivid 1960s personal/political turmoil-- haven't liked any other Faulkes I've read though.

The People's Act of Love by James Meek is a weird one but fascinating read and one that stayed with me iyswim.

Excited to see a new Siri Husvedt; I, well, loved What I Loved.

Not sure if mysteries are quite what you're after but the Kate Atkinson ones (Case Histories, One Good Turn and new one due this summer) are full of lush detail and vivid characterization (and funny too!)

A couple slightly older ones I seem to keep recommending, in case you've missed them, are Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex and Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal.

Oops, didn't mean to be quite so exhaustive, just saw a few that I'd liked on the thread and thought I'd post to keep it in threads I'm on to pick up some more recommendations!

you sound like you like same sort of books as me...

...i've just finished notes on an exhibition and it was really good, really really good.also loved 2 caravans and reading mister pip at mo.
my all time fave is keri hulmes the bone people, life changing book,totally amazing.

books next to my bed are:we need to talk about kevin, 1000 splendid suns,the coroners lunch,suite francais,kalooki nights and aint misbehavin (dog training and behaviour book!) long list as have been on mumsnet a lot last 2 wks and DD has ear infection .
i keep being tempted to join a book club but dunno not managed it yet!

thank you all for your sugestions, I have made a list and am feeling confident that I will soon be able to consider myself the literary type again! going to start with 1000 splendid suns and take it from there

thx ladies

The Outcast by Sadie Jones

googgly - I read The Interpretation of Murder last Summer in a holiday house, as it was all I had left- it was really good wasn't it? Gripping story.

I didn't like Interpretation of murder! But at the moment I am reading Small Island by Andrea Levy and its really really good, well written and a great story so far.

Muffin- What's Kalooki Nights like? I've been meaning to get it?

got kalooki nights out of library ages ago. couldn't get into it

have just started the new sebastian faulks, engleby -- good so far

bundle, i got kalooki nights in dec on recommendation from waterstones guy at airport.cant believe now i thought i wd be able to read anything at all going on 8hr flight with 20 mth old. dh managed to read whole of newspaper tho!i am going to put k nights in the bathroom cos i will read anything on the loo so put hard to get into books in there!

lol!