BEST BOOKS
Zoe West picks some top reads for you
The Night in Question by Susan Fletcher (£16.99, HB, Transworld)
What a life Florence Butterfield has lived. Full of passion, deep sadness and great joy – but there’s more to come from this spirited octogenarian. When a tragedy happens at the warden-assisted manor house Florence lives in, she’s quite sure it’s no accident. The clue: a magenta envelope discarded that day. In trying to uncover what happened, she looks back on her life, and the scars she bears to this day. Maybe in facing up to her past she can unlock what happened. An absorbing and life-affirming story.
One Girl Began by Kate Murray-browne (£20, HB, Orion)
Combining past and present, here is an immersive and beautifully told story of three women connected to the same building. In 1909, we meet Ellen working at a box factory; in 1984, Frances joins a group of squatters; and in 2020, Amanda is living in a small flat with a baby. Invited into the inner lives of these women, we learn of their struggles, their hopes and who they really want to be. Inspired by the true events and site of the 1888 Match Girl’s Strike, which saw 1,400 workers walk out, it’s a fascinating insight into women’s lives over time and how much has, and hasn’t, changed.
A Stranger in the Family by Jane Casey (£16.99, HB, Harpercollins)
Jane Casey is back with her popular detectives DS
Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent. When Rosalie Marshall vanished from her bed one summer, it tore the family apart. Sixteen years later, her mum and dad are found dead and it’s considered a straightforward murder-suicide. But, it’s far from that. And as the detective duo dig further, it seems there is a tangle of secrets, including those that the Marshalls were keeping to themselves. A masterclass in plot, suspense and tension, but also a compelling look at a complex and poignant relationship.