It's that time of year again

[janeite]

Long summer holidays coming up, including two weeks in Greece.

What can I read?

I need gripping and exciting novels (no chick-lit, no overly lit-fic) that will last me for a day or two each (read very, very quickly).

Things I have enjoyed recently are:

• all the CJ Sansoms
• World Without End and the other one
• A murder-mystery featuring Oscar Wilde
• re-reading Brideshead Revisited
• the Frank Talis Viennese mysteries
• somebody Kellerman - a mystery about an artist - was a Richard and Judy

Favourite authors ever are Austen and Stephen King but of course, I've read all of theirs.

Can you say books that you do like rather than what you don't? Is easier that way - other than your favourite writers - what have you liked that you've read over the last year?

As a slight aside, Gaiman has never entered my radar before but, after having googled him, his books looks interesting - which one (s) would you recommend particularly?

Have you ever tried this website - here's what putting in stephen king comes up with

Not liked much this year,although have read a lot:

• 'The Gargoyle' - liked it
• some teenage fiction: especially 'The Knife Of Never Letting Go' - brilliant
• re-read 'The Crucible' - superb, as always
• re-read 'Godot' and 'Endgame' - brilliant
• re-read some Waugh
• read 'A Clockwork Orange'- astonishing
• quite liked the Kellerman one I mention in my OP
• a history of surgery - brilliant
• am currently reading 'Hawksmoor'

My favourite Gaiman ones are 'American Gods' and 'Anansi's Boys'.

Have read most of the stuff that comes up on that King thing - don't really like horror, except King.

Ackroyd's London the Biography is very long and enjoyable (if you are into history, natch).

Antonio Fraser's Wives of Henry VII?

Anthony Beevor (although haven't read his new one yet)?

VIII of course....

Read 'London' and the Antonia fraser. Will google the other one. Thanks.

heavens, Janeite, I've never heard of anyone not liking Sarah Waters' Fingersmith before! The Night Watch is very different, but of course can't guarantee you'd like it.

I have been thinking about this Janeite! I think from your list and also a vague memory, that you are an english teacher? Is that right? An english teacher who doesn't like literary stylists other than Beckett! No wonder you are fussy.

I'm now slightly obsessed by trying to guess your taste. I can't work out what it's based on. However I am confident that you won't like American Wife from my first list, and am not absolutely sure you'll like Kavalier & Clay, but still want you to try it someday, maybe not on your holiday.

Have you read David Mitchell? Have you read any Patricia Highsmith? I think you might like those. Also E.L Doctorow or Tim Winton?

A Fatal Inversion - Barbara Vine

The Other Hand - Chris Cleave

Graham Greene?

If you're reading Hawksmoor so don't mind Peter Ackroyd (I think he's a bit lite) have you read John Banville (Ghosts, The Untouchable, etc.)? They occupy a similar space, for me, but JB is far better.

Have not long finished the Kate Atkinson Jackson Brodie ones (case histories, one good turn and when will there be good news)
Not v difficult but page turning, ideal for the beach.

Christopher Brookmyre also v entertaining but might be a bit to lite for you?

Janeite, have you read any Persephone books? - there are some lovely titles on their list, and I just got an e-mail re a 3 for 2 offer to celebrate their 10th birthday.
It doesn't seem to be on the website, so...
"Also, for this week only there is a special offer of three books for the price of two ie if you buy two books you may have a third free of charge. This applies in the shop on Thursday only but on the website all this week. (The offer also applies to readers abroad, although the third book will be sent surface mail even if the other two are sent airmail.) If you would like to take up this special offer on the internet please order and pay for two books as usual, but write ?free book please' and the title of the third book you would like in the Additional Info box on the website." 'Mariana', 'Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day' and 'The Making of A Marchioness' are favourites - easy, enjoyable reads for holiday - you might like their Dorothy Whipple novels too. Two quite different books that have gripped me recently:
'The Suspicions of Mr Whicher' by Kate Summerscale, and 'Forever Amber' by Kathleen Winsor. FA is a good long historical read at 962 pages - not literary, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

ooh I just finished the Other Hand.

Would NEVER have chosen it if it had a description on the outside but it didn't, so I got it in a 3 for 2 thing and it was v readable (I also tend to read v v quickly so it was gone over the space of 2 days).

Thank you. I love this thread and keep peeking back at it to see what people have come up with.

I know at least one other person who hated 'Fingersmith' but my dp loved it.

Have read most of those mentioned -
Greene (all of)
The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher
The Kate Atkinsons
Some Persephones (I LOVE Miss Pettigrew).

Bink - you are clearly more intelligent than me as I am finding Hawksmoor a bit of a plod.

Ahundredtimes - yep: English teacher - probably that is the problem, as I over-analyse everything.

I have just bought this

this

and this

I spend TOO MUCH MONEY ON BOOKS

Just read the new Sarah Waters...The Little Stranger.Part ghost story,part social commentary.Loved it so much am re reading straight away!
I love spy thrillers,David Downing has written some set in 1930's Berlin.Wonderful.
Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir trilogy a.gain set around WW2,also John Lawton's Troy series.
Have just reread Lady Chatterley's Lover ,am liking retro style fiction at the moment!

Philip Kerr - I think somebody recommended him before - must have a look for that.

Lol at Lady C being 'retro-style' - I like your description!

has anybody read a book called 'The Heretic's Daughter'?

Recommending 'What is the What?' by Dave Eggers, who almost certainly falls into your 'too clever' category.

But it is a totally absorbing, moving and fairly straightforward story, based on the life of a Sudanese refugee. Fairly relentlessly harrowing though - would not make an R&J list.

Second vote for Steve Toltz 'Fraction of the Whole'. Also 'Northern Clemency' by Philip Hensher, which is very thick (and good too!)

Thank you both.

Tbh work is sooooooooooooo stressful and exhausting at the monet that I just need somethingthat doesn't need much thinking about but at the same time it needs to not be just dross because my teacher-head won't allow it! It's a hard thing to find!

Dave Eggers - did he write 'A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius'? I liked that!

yes he did - I liked it too