John Boyne
(The Echo Chamber at Doubleday).
I loved Joseph Knox’s True Crime StoryThis book turns true crime on its head. It’s an ambitious, rule-breaking novel that recounts the disappearance of a young woman following a party in 2011. Knox makes the reader question the truth of certain elements by including him in the story and not portraying himself positively.
Brian Cox
Quercus: “Putting the Rabbit in The Hat”
Looking for the Miraculous My desert island book is by P. D. Ouspensky. It’s all about the consciousness journey. I am certain that it has influenced my consciousness and awareness.
Amanda Craig
(The Golden Rule and Abacus).
For much of 2020/21, we’ve been living in a dystopia, so CJ Carey’s counterfactual thriller Widowland distracting. In 1956, the Nazis occupy an impoverished and broken Britain. A blend of The Handmaid’s Tale and Fatherland — but better than both.
Top UK-based writers have revealed a selection of their favourite books from this year – including Jane Ridley’s George V (pictured)
David Baldacci
(Mercy, Macmillan)
His truth is marching on Jon Meacham, one my favourite nonfiction writers. He brings out the essence of John Lewis in a clear and concise way, with elegant phrases that are often simple. Sarah Pearse’s The Sanatorium. This book shows a remarkable example of masterful hands at work. It is creepy, terrifying, and deeply claustrophobic. Only Hitchcock would still be able to make it.
Nathan Harris
Tinder Press: The Sweetness Of Water
Brian Broome’s memoir,Get me up to the godsIt simply floored my. Broome rides a bus with a black father, and he watches their interaction. This dovetails into memories of Broome’s own family, his agonising and often traumatic youth spent coming to terms with his masculinity, his sexual orientation, and so much more. It was shocking to me how vulnerable this memoir is. Broome is a brave writer of untold talent. Broome’s work deserves to be widely read.
Max Hastings
(Soldiers, William Collins)
Max Hastings has enjoyed reading Lucy Kellaway’s (pictured left) Re-educated and Chips Channon’s (pictured right) Diaries
My wife and I tremendously enjoyed Lucy Kellaway’s Re-educatedThis book is not only a story about her struggles to quit a job and marry a man and start a new life in teaching, but also because it gives an interesting account of how schools are run and communicate with kids.
Harald Jahner’s Aftermath The compelling tale of how the Third Reich ended up after World War II is an account that showcases the self-pity many Germans chose to accept as guilt.
Jane Ridley’s George VThis is an amazing royal biography. It’s a portrait of a perfectly decent king, and corrupt father. Historians owe a great debt to Simon Heffer for editing the unexpurgated edition of Chips Channon’s DiariesThis book shows how an American rich and charming bisexual man, who was also deeply nasty, swam through British society between 1918 and World War II. It compiles a fluent account of his high life, British politics, as well as the many things he did wrong.
Karin Slaughter has enjoyed reading The Book of Sand by Theo Clare and Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn
Karin Slaughter
(False Witness, HarperCollins)
The Book Of Sand by Theo Clare, by far one of the most talented writers of my generation who is always at the very top of my ‘to-read’ list. Unwell Women Elinor Clleghorn provides a fascinating and honest history about how women were treated in medical settings. This book is relevant, fascinating and very urgent.
Clare Chambers
(Small Pleasures, W&N)
Get up early in the morningThe hilarious sequel to Standard Deviation, Katherine Heiny’s hilarious comedy, “Jane” tells Jane the tale of a local teacher who becomes a thrift-store addict and a primary-school teacher. She also finds herself in a situation where she has to take on more than she expected when she weds the local Romeo. The novel, which is charming and warm-hearted, is filled with quirky characters.
Ed Balls
(Appetite, Gallery)
Ken Follett’s new novel NeverThis is a departure from the usual historical narratives. The story is set in a near-present time in America, China, and Chad. I was riveted as he recounts seemingly disparate political events as well as personal pressures that combine to bring the world to its knees. I’m not usually a big thriller fan, but this is a really good read.
Nadine Dorries
Head of Zeus, Coming Home to the Four Streets
The Missing Sister Lucinda Riley. Riley is a great writer about these extraordinary women. The Mirror and The LightHilary Mantel. I have devoured every one of Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. Her ability to see the world through the eyes of one of history’s most maligned men is breathtaking. Matt Haig, The Midnight Library. Haig is a great champion of mental health awareness in Britain and this book is beautiful and uplifting. It moved me deeply.
Helena Morrissey (pictured) has enjoyed reading The Promise by Damon Galgut and A Short History Of Islamic Thought by Fitzroy Morrissey
Helena Morrissey
Piatkus Style and Substance
I’ve enjoyed two very different books lately. This year’s Booker Prize-winning novel, The PromiseDamon Galgut is a masterful writer. The central characters are morally bankrupt with the exception of Amor, the mysterious heroine. The second isThe Short History of Islamic ThoughtFitzroy Morrissey (my son) wrote ‘The Book of Islamic History. He has managed to compress 14 centuries of Islamic history within 250 pages. It’s not just his proud mum who likes it — it’s a Spectator Book of the Year.
Sabine Durrant
(Finders, Keepers, Hodder)
This year I took most comfort in reading about people leading long lives in small towns: from Katherine Heiny’sGet up early in the morning, a brilliantly funny ‘will they, won’t they’ spread over decades, through Mary Lawson’s bitter-sweet The Town of Solace, to Elizabeth Strout’s wonderful William!This is a beautifully observed portrait of Lucy Barton’s long-lasting relationship with her ex-husband.
My psychological thriller of the year was Abigail Dean’s explosive debut Female AThis book is as much about redemption and love as it is horror.