The best books to take on holiday
Few things beat relaxing in the sun with a good book. Whether you're lounging on the beach or in your own back garden, here are the 32 best reads of this summer. Whatever your taste, whether it's thrillers or family dramas - we've got something for you. Happy reading!
D Is For Death by Harriet F Townson
The first in a brilliant new series of historical mysteries from the author better known as Harriet Evans. Set in the 1930s, it follows Dora as she flees her impending nuptials – then gets caught up in a murder case after finding a body in The London Library. A fun, charming mystery with a brilliant heroine you'll fall in love with!
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
I love how deliciously dark Foley’s thrillers are, and this one is her darkest yet. Guests are arriving for the opening of a luxury wellness retreat, their every last whim catered for. But by the second day, a fire has broken out, a body has been discovered and the police have been called. This stylish, engrossing page turner is the perfect companion for a long journey.
One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
If you love TV reality shows such as The Traitors, you’ll enjoy this pacy page-turner. Scientist Lyla has been talked into appearing on the One Perfect Couple TV show by her actor boyfriend – but within days, she’s stranded on a paradise island with the other remaining contestants, one of whom will do anything to win.
None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
The queen of the plot flip follows 2022’s smash The Family Remains with another addictive thriller that will keep you guessing all the way. When podcaster Alix and dowdy Josie meet on a night out and realise they’re birthday twins, Josie comes up with an idea for a show about the two of them. But the more Alix finds out about Josie, the darker it gets…
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
This devastatingly good multi-generational drama moves between a woman fleeing China’s Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and her daughter Lily’s story in early 2000s New York. Twenty years on, Lily’s son searches for his father…
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
This Booker Prize-shortlisted novel tells the story of a once-wealthy Irish family that has fallen on hard times. Murray balances humour with poignancy and makes each voice distinct, creating a believable, absorbing picture of a family in crisis.
Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
Lombardo’s debut, The Most Fun We Ever Had, was a favourite of mine, so I had huge expectations – and this delivered in spades. Fiftysomething Julia’s contented life is turned upside down by the reappearance of an old friend who nearly precipitated her downfall. An insightful, moving look at what it means to juggle motherhood and marriage while maintaining your sense of self.
Talking At Night by Claire Daverley
Will and Rosie first meet as teenagers and seem destined to be together – until tragedy drives them apart. Tender and true, this is a stunning debut with lyrical and emotional writing that reminded me at times of Sally Rooney.
My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes
No one writes about messy, imperfect lives as well as Keyes. Her latest warm and witty story sees Anna Walsh (what a joy to be back with the Walsh sisters!) chuck in her life in New York and come home to Ireland. When she takes a job doing PR for a hotel, she becomes caught up in a tussle with locals – and one of her few allies is a man from her past with whom she has unfinished business…
Ordinary Time by Cathy Rentzenbrink
This compassionate portrait of a reluctant vicar’s wife who’s at a crossroads in her life touched me deeply. Ann has moved to Cornwall for her husband’s work but is struggling with the fact he prioritises his faith and flock over her and their son. The character of Ann is so well written, it felt as if I knew her, and the story has stayed with me as a result.
The List by Yomi Adegoke
Ola is set to marry the love of her life in a month's time until a list of is published of men accused of sexual harassment and it has her fiancé’s name on it. With a gossipy vibe, this buzzy book takes a long hard look at the dark side of social media.
Swimming For Beginners by Nicola Gill
Loretta has her life all planned out – challenging job, nice but dull fiancé – and it definitely doesn’t include children. Then an unexpected tragedy at an airport throws six-year-old Phoebe – complete with glittery fairy wings – into Loretta’s life and upends it completely. This was the perfect mix of funny, poignant and heartwarming.
The Trouble With Mrs Montgomery Hurst by Katie Lumsden
This fun comedy of manners shimmers with scandal and social faux pas. It takes place in a country town in 1841, where drama ensues after its most eligible bachelor, Mr Hurst, announces his marriage to a widow with three children.
Welcome To Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal
A slice of sunshine in book form! Newly qualified London vet Charlotte takes up a fellowship on a tiny South Atlantic island to study endangered tortoises – but she’s also there to try to track down her dad who she knows very little about. The descriptions of the island and its community are particularly gorgeous.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
The author of The Nightingale returns with a sweeping, emotional read about women in the Vietnam War. Young nurse Frankie follows her brother to war and is posted to a field hospital, where the heat is exhausting and heartbreak happens daily.
The Stargazers by Harriet Evans
As cellist Sarah starts a life with her new husband in 1970s London, memories of her childhood torment her. Only when she returns to the crumbling house where she grew up can she move on. A gripping, multilayered and atmospheric epic to get lost in.
Versions Of A Girl by Catherine Gray
Up to the age of 14, Fern’s time has split her time between her wealthy mother’s London townhouse and motel living with her father in California. At this point the narrative splits, Sliding Doors-style, and we see the versions of Fern she would become if she chose one parent over the other. A clever, compulsive read that asks big questions about the nature/nurture debate.
Spoilt Creatures by Amy Twigg
Iris is feeling lost when she meets the mysterious Hazel and moves into her womenonly commune, chasing promises of solace and sisterhood. At first it seems idyllic, but as flashbacks reveal exactly what happened at the cult-like Breach House, the sense of dread builds. An extremely accomplished debut.
Oh, Sister by Jodie Chapman
This novel follows three women who are all connected to the same extreme religion and have been ejected from the church because they have gone against its teachings. Each of their stories is so well written, distinct and movingly told that, as a reader, you really root for them to thrive.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
Lauren is shocked to wake up one day and find she has a husband she has no memory of marrying. Stranger still, after he pops up into the attic, a different man returns. So begins this clever and hilarious read that makes you seriously rethink the idea of a soulmate!
Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang
When superstar author Athena Liu dies in a freak accident, her friend June steals her unpublished novel and pretends it’s hers. How far will she go to keep up the charade? I raced through this darkly entertaining thriller and loved its behind-the-scenes peek into the publishing world.
The Ministry Of Time by Kaliane Bradley
I absolutely adored this time-travelling love story – it’s the perfect mix of witty, sexy and moving. In the near future, a Victorian explorer expatriated from the past is assigned to a young female civil servant to help him assimilate. When their relationship develops into romance, they’re forced to face the sinister reality of the project that brought them together.
The Last Time I Saw You by Jo Leevers
After a sighting on a small Scottish island, a brother and sister race to find their mum, Nancy, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Told from the viewpoints of Nancy and Georgie, the daughter, this is a compelling drama that would make a great book club read.
Girls by Kirsty Capes
Sisters Mattie and Nora are estranged after a turbulent childhood with their bohemian artist mother. When a new exhibition of her work is planned, the two women come together to try to stop a biographer who’s getting too close to the truth. There are lots of big emotions in this heartfelt read, but humour, too.
On The Edge by Sarah Turner
From the author of The Unmumsy Mum comes a family drama that mixes humour and poignancy. In order to honour her beloved grandmother’s last wish, Joni finds herself forced into a week of bonding activities with her estranged family – and learns a lot about herself in the process.
True Love by Paddy Crewe
When Keely and Finn meet, they’re drawn together by the losses they’ve experienced in their young lives. This slow-burn love story is gorgeously written, with two characters you won’t forget easily.
Long Island by Colm Tóibín
This long-awaited sequel to Tóibín’s bestseller Brooklyn delivers the same mesmerising mix of elegant and rich storytelling. Eilis Lacey is now living in the suburbs with her husband, Tony, and their children, but when she finds out he’s fathered another child, she returns home to Ireland and the love she left behind.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
This modern-day homage to the literary classic Little Women is the story of the four Padavano sisters, who are close in age – and in every other way. Into this happy family comes William, boyfriend of the eldest sister, Julia. But a trauma from William’s difficult childhood threatens to shake the girls’ loyalty to one another.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Few authors can match Patchett’s skill for creating quietly profound novels that stay with readers long after the final page. Patchett’s latest is a moving story of youthful love, marriage and motherhood. In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return home to the family cherry farm in Michigan. As the sisters pick the harvest, they quiz their mother about her past.
Playing Games by Huma Qureshi
Sisters Mira and Hana share the same birthday, two years apart, but their relationship has become increasingly strained over the years. When Mira overhears an argument between Hana and her husband, she uses it as inspiration for the play she has long been trying to write, but at what cost? Qureshi does a wonderful job of capturing the complexities of sisterhood in this intimate, thoughtful novel.
Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
This entertaining read, set on New York State’s exclusive Fire Island, is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty. Alongside the barbecues and tennis lessons, there’s a hefty dose of backstabbing and betrayal – and then a body is found under the boardwalk…
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
Books about American blue-blood families are my literary catnip, so I loved this tale of a woman marrying into a wealthy New York clan. A smart exploration of class and money and the expectations that go with both.
You Might Also Like
