Looking in on Book Chat

We’ve been reading a lot of books by authors we have come to enjoy again and again over the years.

Fire by John Boyne is the third in a series of four, titled for the four elements and according to our reader, best read in order. All deal with some kind of abuse, a psychological examination of a character in light of past events. And, as always with this author, beautifully written, although this one was particularly disturbing.

New Stories by Owen Marshall shows that the author of classics like "Supper Waltz Wilson" and "The Rule of Jenny Pen" is just as good as ever. A marvellous new collection, often depicting life’s accidental meetings, unexpected turns, the arbitrary and the unpredictable.

Another book by an old favourite is Killing Time by Alan Bennett. This novella is set in a nursing home with a delightful cast of quirky characters, whose routine is thrown out of whack by Covid. Suddenly they are released to seize their moment and enjoy the sun.

We loved the humour of the Rosie novels by Graeme Simsion. In The Glass House, Simsion collaborates with his wife Anne Buist, an experienced psychologist. The story follows a psychologist at a psychiatric hospital dealing with an assortment of challenging cases in an over stretched medical system. Our reader found it really credible and interesting.

Sea Change by Jenny Pattrick was a top read for one reader, a new departure for the author, who has become well-regarded for her historical fiction. This novel concerns a small community on the Kaptiki Coast which becomes cut-off by a weather event. How the different characters deal with their situation and make new connections with each other is a large part of the story.

Lionel Shriver is a Pulitzer Prize winning writer and journalist of distinction, so we always know her books will make you think. Mania explores the thorny issue of the dumbing down of society, where you can’t call anyone or anything stupid. This looks set to upset the friendship of our two main characters, radio broadcaster Emory riding the tide of popular thought, and Pearson who calls her out at the risk of the life she has built for herself. A thoughtful but at times beguiling novel.

Our reader had previously loved Apeirogon by Colum McCann, a story about two fathers from different sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict who had lost daughters. His new book, Twist, is about a journalist on a cable repair vessel, where the mysterious Irish skipper goes missing. This was a psychological thriller which teaches you a lot about the technicalities of repairing fibre optic cables, which was quite interesting.

A new discovery was Virginia Evans whose novel The Correspondent was a book written in letters from the point of view of Sybil, an opinionated old woman who has led a full life. Letters from someone from the past stir up a painful time from long ago.  A delightful read with wonderful characters and plenty of bookish recommendations – a bit like 84 Charing Cross Road. We all want to read this one.

The Names by Florence Krapp has a kind of sliding doors plot, all beginning when Cora sets out to register the name of her baby son. Her bully of a husband demands one name, her nine-year-old daughter suggest another, while Cora has her own ideas. Over thirty-five years the novel gives us three different stories following this boy has he grows up, each time with a different name. A really enjoyable read.

Another novel with a speculative fiction feel was The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. This is the story of a scientific experiment in the near future where selected people are brought back from different eras to investigate the feasibility of time travel. With some romance and a touch of the spy thriller about it, our reader thought this was a brilliant idea for a book but which didn’t quite come off.

Catherine Chidgey’s new novel, The Book of Guilt, has had a lot of press, another impressive story that addresses complex moral questions. Set in a reimagined England in 1979, the story is told largely from the points of view of two young people living at the time of a chilling regime of scientific experimentation. It’s a gripping read, somewhat dark but brilliant nevertheless.

Quite a different book by Catherine Chidgey’s was the crime story, Pet which is set in a girls’ school where Justine is drawn to her glamorous teacher. Set over two time periods – 1984 and 2014, there are plot twists and an unerring sense of unease. A terrific psychological thriller.

A further story packed with suspense is Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, about a family who are caretakers on a tiny island near Antarctica. Here they look after the world’s largest seed bank, but with sea levels rising they are packing them all up for transporting elsewhere. When a woman is washed ashore following a storm, the family dynamic is set to change as dark secrets emerge.

Quite a different kind of crime novel, is Tea and Cake and Death by Gareth and Louise Ward – the second in their cosy Bookshop Detectives series. This story has a prolific poisoner, and the popular local fundraiser, Battle of the Book Clubs under threat. We agreed that we love the witty writing as much as trying to figure out whodunit.

Val McDermid is another old favourite with her novel, Insidious Intent, number 10 in the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series. The story has the pair investigating a serial killer targeting women with a motive of revenge. A solid and enjoyable crime read and as always with McDermid, really well written.

We’ve come across a few really engrossing mysteries by Tana French over the years at Book Chat. In the Woods is her first novel, also the first in the Dublin Murder Squad series. Adam has changed his name to Rob and is now a detective in the Dublin police force. Twenty years ago, he was with a group of children when his two best friends disappeared. A cold case has Adam connecting it with his own childhood mystery. Another brilliant read by French.

There were several historical novels on the table, with The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson receiving particular praise. Set on Jersey during World War Two, the story is based on real events, with locals defying the invading German forces. At the heart a book club, the joy and escapism of reading, just as things get more dangerous for the main characters. A much better read than the twee cover would suggest, said our reader.

Six Lives by Lavie Tidhar is a beguiling read about six generations, beginning with a guano merchant in 1855 travelling to South America, then on to a post-mortem photographer in 1912, a 1933 country house murder, a spy story in 1964, an actor whose career is made by a hit movie in 1987 and finally New York, 2012, where Isabelle tries to break free from her dubious heritage.

We had another glowing endorsement for James by Percival Everett, which reimagines the Tom Sawyer novel, Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of Jim, the escaped slave. Huck has also escaped, faking his death, to get away from his violent father. Together they go on the run and try to make a new life and and find freedom. A brilliant story you can read in a day.

Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshi was an interesting read, packed with travel, Indian culture and art, set in 1937. But it’s also the story of Sona, a nurse who becomes friendly with an artist who arrives at her Bombay hospital for treatment following a miscarriage. When things go wrong, Sona falls under suspicion. The answer to her innocence lies in four paintings and a cryptic note. Fascinating.

Hastings Book Chat is definitely a terrific way to discover some great new books. It meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 10:30am. New members are most welcome.

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