May’s BOOK CLUB

Our books editor Zoe West gives us her favourite picks for the month, plus Harriet Tyce shares her writing secrets

My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes (£22, HB, Penguin)

We love Marian Keyes for her humour, relatable style and wisdom – all of which are present here. When Anna leaves her fabulous beauty PR job in New York to return to Ireland, people are confused. Now working for a high-end coastal resort, she meets someone from her past, someone she once called a friend. Is it time to face up to past mistakes? A big-hearted read full of big feelings.

MULTILAYERED MYSTERY

The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé (£16.99, HB, Little, Brown) When would-be bookbinder Florence Granger takes on the commission to restore the books at Lord Belfield’s library, she finds the goings-on at Rose Hall eclipse the scandal that has marked her own life. Her discovery of the diary of Belfield’s late wife, who had drowned recently, leads her to suspect foul play. Intriguing and superbly plotted, Shenjé weaves race, identity, feminism, sexuality and class into a beguiling mystery.

FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS

Goodbye Birdie Greenwing by Ericka Waller (£16.99, HB, Transworld)

A stunning novel following three women, all lost in their own way. Jane Brown moved to Brighton hoping for a fresh start, but she’s carrying a lot of guilt. Ada Kowalski is a successful oncologist but struggles to let people in. Birdie Greenwing is reaching the end of her life and lonelier than ever. As their lives intertwine, each discovers there’s more to a person than meets the eye. A beautiful portrayal of friendship and hope.

EXQUISITELY TOLD

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, who is working at a box factory; in 1984, Frances joins a group of squatters; in 2020, Amanda is living in a small flat with a baby. Invited into their lives, we learn of their struggles, hopes and who they want to be. Inspired by the 1888 Match Girls’ Strike, when 1,400 female workers walked out, it’s a fascinating insight into women’s lives over time and how much has, and hasn’t, changed.

IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

Saltblood by Francesca de Tores (£16.99,

HB, Bloomsbury) Mary Read was a remarkable woman. This fictionalisation of her life begins in 1685 ,when

Mary is born as her half-brother is dying. To continue to claim inheritance, her mum decides Mary will become Mark. From life as a footman to joining the Navy, Mary carves her own path, experiencing what it is to live in a man’s world. Exploring gender, survival, friendship, love and identity, this novel is a treasure indeed.