Desperate plea: need a cracking book to read...

[LadyThompson]

Ok, I like literary fiction (favourite authors John Updike, Evenlyn Waugh, Graham Green and Jonathan Coe); I like comic novels; however, I will also read the occasional page turner (say, by David Nicholls) and I even read (and thoroughly enjoyed) the dreaded Twilight books.

I need something that is going to hook me in. Stylishly written would be great, but, as I say, I read and enjoyed the Twilight books Old or new, it doesn't matter. Please help!

Past Imperfect by Julian Fellowes - felt disappointed by it at the start then utterly hooked. (Dying billionaire contracts old friend/enemy to track down his illegitimate child in order to leave child his fortune - fascinating insight into class system, vanity of youth, parental love, friendship.)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - incredible book that moved me to fury, joy and despair. (Set in Deep South in the 1960s, looking at the relationship between black house maids and the white families they work for.)

The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller - why would an intelligent, elegant woman maintain a relationship with the husband who ran off with her daughter's best friend - ah, now I understand . . .

Others I've love recently:
A Fraction of the Whole - Steve Toltz
The Giant's House - Elizabeth McCracken
The Road - Cormac McCarthy

Off to start An American Wife

'Juliet, naked' by Nick Hornby is good, another vote for it here. And I liked his 'How to be good' - I think he does women's voices quite well, IYSWIM.

I wasn't keen on 'the virgin suicides', but 'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides totally captivates me.

I also LOVED 'The Corrections' by Jonathan Franzen, but no one else I recommended it to liked it... see what you think.

I've just started 'A Gate at the Stairs' by Lorrie Moore - good so far.

geek love was brilliant!!! a bit cruel and gruesome at times but really good, i didnt want o put it down!

loved the twilight saga too

Thank you v much for these suggestions and will investigate some of them. I have read a fair few of them unfortunately (Past Imperfect, The Corrections, One Day, How to be Good, Arthur and George, Time's Arrow etc)

What's The Gargoyle like, then?

I'd avoided the new Hornby as it got some stinky reviews but maybe I will give it a try. PLenty of others to investigate too, thanks.

another vote for The Gargoyle

I'm readiing Liz Jenson's latest The Rapture

its 'the weight of water' by anita shreve really good, head and shoulders above her other more lightweight stuff (but which are still good iyswim)

I've just read 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' trilogy - brilliant (but disturbing and v violent in parts)

If you like Vampire things 'The Night Watch' books by Sergei Lukyanenko are good, and a bit different

Thanks overthemill! Must work on my short term memory! I also read A wedding in December (I think) and it wasn't that good so I suspect I would agree with your summing up.

Anything by William Boyd

I'll second Donna Tartt - there's The Little Friend as well as Secret History - and Half of a Yellow Sun (and there's another one by this author, unspellable name, still on my bookshelf).

Comic with a brain and a heart - if you like the Short History of Tractors in Ukranian, there are 2 more by the same author, very similar cover styles. Also Mike Haddon - A Spot of Both and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

I've just read Zoe Heller The Believers, which is a good intelligent read, Notes on a Scandal excellent too if you haven't read it.

Andrea Levy's Small Island? Zadie Smith's On Beauty (her best in my eyes)?

Spot of Bother, even!

Yep, On Beauty is great. For something emotionally gripping, try Netherland by Joseph O'Neill. For elegantly written and funny, Good Behaviour by Molly Keane. And if you have time before the baby, and haven't read Anna Karenina and Middlemarch, do it while you have the chance. I've read them both twice, and am looking forward to reading them again some time.

I've read Netherland, The Curious Incident and The Believers.

Never read any William Boyd or Anita Shreve, always think I should have done. The reason why I haven't read On Beauty is because I wasn't keen on White Teeth...I wonder if that would make a difference?

Middlemarch is a good idea. Have read A. Karenina.

Girl with a Dragon Tattoo - went to a special pre-screening of the film and we were given book 2...is it good? I enjoyed the film, but is the quality of the writing any good?

When I was pregnant I enjoyed rereading some old classics like Wilkie Collins "The Moonstone" and "Lady in White"
Do you like historical fiction? I really enjoyed The Pillars of The Earth and the sequel World Without End by Ken Follett. Lots of characters, lot of plot and satisfyingly chunky books.

Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd is excellent.

Just finished Richard Yates? Revolutionary Road, but definitely NOT one to read while you?re pregnant.

Another vote here for Marina Lewycka ? Two Caravans even better than A Short History Of Tractors?

I've never read any William Boyd either - what's a good one to start with?

I'm halfway through Ordinary Thunderstorms, very good. You can dip into any http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/qid=1268323788/ref=sr_st?rs=&page=1&bbn=266239&rh=n%3A266239%2Cn%3A%211025 612%2Cp_27%3AWilliam+Boyd&sort=salesrank William Boyd I'd say. Of his recent ones Any Human Heart is good, also Armadillo, not so keen on Restless.

Sorry, not sure what happened, try here

'On Beauty' is a bit more mature than 'White Teeth', more disciplined and less cartoonish. But the central female character in both is kinda similar.

Some more suggestions (though maybe you've had enough by now!)

What about some short stories? Jumpha Lahiri's 'Unaccustomed Earth' is lovely. It's mostly about family relationships so will probably make you cry a lot in your current state. The writing is also beautiful - very spare. Short stories might be the way to go with the post-baby sleep deprived short attention span.

I've also just discovered Granta which I'd always assumed would be too high brow, but actually, it's quite nice to have something you can dip into.

Have you ever tried any PG Wodehouse? I wouldn't bother with the Jeeves books, but the Blandings ones are very funny, and perfect for when you are feeling under the weather.

Two of the best books I've read this year have been Little Stanger by Sarah Malters and The Night of the Miraj ( or "Finding Nouf" is the american title) by Zoe Ferraris. Both are beautifully written but easy reads and gripping.

Little Stranger-Ghost/ supernatural story set just after World War

Night of the miraj-A 16 year old girl in Saudia Arabia goes missing and is later found murdered. A bedouin guide originally hired by her family investigates the mystery of what happened to her. Amazing depictions of a womans life in Saudia Arabia.

I would agree about 'On Beauty' being more mature, but if you didn't like White Teeth maybe it is one to skip. I'm prob a bit biased as I even enjoyed The Autograph Man, which most people seem to think is Smith's weakest.

I've got The Rapture on my to-read pile. Jensen's 'The 9th Life Of Louie Drax' is v good.

yes to Ken Follet - not great literature by any stretch of the imagination - but good stories. CJ Sansom for better written mediaeval stuff - oh and his 'Winter In Madrid' is v good too.

I was disappointed with 'Revolutionary Road' - I thought it had style but not a great deal of substance.

I liked 'White Teeth' and yes, yes to 'The Moonstone' and to Wodehouse.

anita shreve is fine, good stories and often linked plots but that doesnt distract if you haven't read any others. But Anne Tyler is much better for relationship books (Nick Hornby says she's the best woman writing today).

For short stories try alice munro - really wonderful, little vignettes (i think?) of life. wonderful stuff you have to soak up her sentences and long for the book not to end.

I second Granta, we had a sub for years and years and keep about 15 on rotation in the loo - wonderful writing even about stuff you never knew you were interested in and often has new stories from writers you already love or introduces you to someone new!

don't you just LOVE finding anew author you really connect with and finding out he/she has 4 or 5 books for you to pile up by the bed, pure reading bliss!