LOVE READING WITH SUSAN
Follow our fiction ed’s recommendations for some scintillating holiday reading…
Reading in the sunshine on holiday is one of life’s greatest pleasures. I’m just back in the office this week following a lovely cruise around the Canaries and I’m pleased to say I managed to devour quite a few excellent new books while relaxing on deck.
I read some real crackers including the latest from one of my favourite authors, A.J.
Pearce, author of The Emmy Lake Chronicles. The latest book in the series, Mrs Porter Calling (Picador, HB, £16.99, out May 25) is like a burst of sunshine in book form, just like the previous two books in the wartime series. Emmy is such a wonderful character and I loved reading more about her experiences working on the Woman’s Friend magazine. This time the magazine has a new owner – Mrs Porter – and it’s not long before the staff realise that her “one or two tiny changes” required are going to put the magazine’s future in serious jeopardy. Fizzing with charm, warmth and plenty of humour this is a delight to read – and the sad moments are all the more impactful and poignant when set against the backdrop of such simple joy.
Speaking of cruises, I can’t fail to mention another great book out this month called The Last Passenger by Will Dean (Hodder & Stoughton, HB, £16.99, out May 11).
Set aboard the luxury cruise liner the RMS Atlantica, Cas enjoys a wonderful first evening on the ship with her partner Pete. However, when Cas awakens the following morning she discovers Pete is missing from their cabin.
Minutes later, she realises that Pete isn’t the only one who’s missing when she makes the horrifying discovery that she’s completely alone on the ship…
This was a fantastic thriller and I couldn’t put it down. Really original and unpredictable, this was full of twists and turns. Thankfully my own cruise was significantly less eventful!
Just before I left, an early proof of The Housekeepers by Alex Hay (Headline Review, HB, £16.99, out July 6) popped through my letterbox. This debut has been on my radar for some time and it didn’t disappoint. Set in 1905, a recently dismissed housekeeper, Mrs King, works with a team of fellow servants and friends to plot the heist of the century. Even better, they’ll do it during one of the most magnificent balls Park Lane has ever witnessed.
The lush period detail and the memorable cast of female characters make this ripe for a TV adaptation. As the story progresses you’ll soon realise that the housekeepers are motivated by far more than the money and you’ll be cheering them on to the finish in this gloriously entertaining period drama. I adored it!
What are you reading at the moment? Email me at myweekly@dctmedia.co.uk with ‘Love Reading With Susan’ in the title bar or catch up with me on twitter @MWFictionEditor