LIST: 8 Reads for Long Summer Days
I confess that I am often lost in all the dimensions of time, that the past sometimes feels nearer than the present and I often fear the future has already happened.
Great summer reads...
Great summer reads can be the perfect accompaniment to a nice beach holiday, a relaxing day in the park or to cosy up to on long summer nights. Here are 8 great summer reads.
THE COMING OF AGE MYSTERY: Kala by Colin Walsh
Colin Walsh's thriller is a searing and contemplative novel with a dual-timeline that keeps enough mystery, enough nostalgia and plenty of powerful prose to keep readers going. The final third is explosive and superbly written.
THE GENTLE BREEZE: The Little Village School by Gervase Phinn
In the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, a little village and it's little school are rocked by the appointment of a new headteacher who raises eyebrows with her less conventional, London ways. A great cast of characters and a warm heart make this a superb start to a great, twee series.
THE DREAMY READ: The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey
Cursed to live her life as a mermaid, Aycayia is attracted to the singing of a fisherman - David, an American tourist. Aycayia aims to reintegrate to life on land and regain her womanhood.
THE ALTERNATIVE CHOICE: Children of the Dead End by Patrick MacGill
An autobiographical novel, Children of the Dead End follows Dermod Flynn, a labourer and navvy who engages in the toughest backbreaking and dangerous work that was common in Scotland and Ireland in the early 1900s. Through the harsh environment, Dermod discovers a talent for writing and finds his way to Fleet Street. A brutal but brilliant work.
THE LONG NIGHTS: The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah
Glendy Vanderah is an under-appreciated force in contemporary fiction - particularly those set in stunning rural settings. In Oceanography of the Moon, Riley Mays moves to rural Wisconsin and tries to recover from the death of her mother and aunt. In time, she learns to heal but the arrival of a stranger threatens to test her future and her recovery.
THE SUMMER TALE: Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Hot Milk sees Sophia bring her mother, Rose to the Spanish coast to seek a cure for a mysterious illness. A dreamy, fairy tale sees the women navigate the strange and unusual methods of Dr. Gomez.
THE SUMMER LONGING: Songs of Love and War by Santa Montefiore
Part of the Deverill Chronicles, this first instalment is classic Santa Montefiore. Perfect part tragedy; perfect part great, sweeping landscape. Castle Deverill sits in the Irish Hills but when peace is broken, three friends: Kitty Deverill, Bridie Doyle and Celia Deverill are forced to a world of change. This epic series will keep you hooked.
THE SCANDI SUMMER: Death in Summer by Lina Areklew
A Swedish bestseller and the perfect summer read for fans of Scandi Noir. A murder in a local hotel unveils a suspect and a victim of a disaster that was supposed to be decades past. Detective Sophia Hjorten must piece together the parts.
