What could be better than giving someone hours of enjoyment as a Christmas present? This year, my book suggestions are all by women--but they can be read by anyone! I recommend the paperbacks, my favorite format, but all of these are available in e-editions and hardcovers.
1. The Secret Keeper, by Kate Morton. This novel of World War II is a riveting character piece, with one of the most satisfying plots I've ever encountered. My highest compliment is "I wish I'd written it!" and I do. I really do.
2. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonson. A lovely tale of a retired British soldier and his unlikely late-life romance. Funny, colorful, and sweetly satisfying.
3. Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson. Beautifully written, brilliantly conceived literary novel that can be enjoyed on several levels. How many possibilities are there for one life? According to Atkinson, they are all but endless.
4. The Vanishing of Katharina Linden, by Helen Grant. Surprising, thrilling, charming, and odd. It actually should be considered a horror novel, but with such an intriguing young protagonist, and none of the gore and shock we usually expect with horror. Unique and enjoyable.
5. The Silent Wife, by A.S.A. Harrison. This novel has been compared to Gone Girl, a novel I found disappointing in the end. I wasn't disappointed with Harrison's book! It's a curiously compelling look at a relationship coming apart, which sounds depressing, but isn't. I could hardly put it down.
6. The Widow's Season, by Laura Brodie. Much less well-known than The Silent Wife, but I found it just as compelling. Great mystery, finely drawn characters, lovely writing by an author who began her career in academe, but avoids the traps that can set for a writer. A nice find!
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