BOOK CLUB Awards

CLASSIC WHODUNNIT

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (£14.99, HB, Viking)

With his debut novel, Richard Osman not only kicks off a new mystery series with a bang, but places Christie-style sleuthing centre stage. In the peaceful retirement village of Coopers Chase, four friends meet every Thursday to investigate unsolved murders. Though things start quietly, the danger soon ramps up a notch when they find themselves in the middle of a live murder case. This intriguing tale has a brilliant blend of classic mystery elements with a distinctly original premise that won’t fail to charm you.

PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA

Blurred Lines by Hannah Begbie (£7.99, PB, HarperCollins)

A timely story of moral dilemmas. When Becky catches her boss, Matthew, with a woman who isn’t his wife, she says nothing. She owes him so much. But when the woman accuses Matthew of rape, Becky questions what she saw. The lines become very blurred and no one is quite who they seem to be. Essentially about a woman taking back power, it’s perfectly executed and we loved it.

TOPICAL DRAMA

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (£14.99, HB, Headline)

There was a huge buzz around this novel at the beginning of the year, the first to explore what it must be like to illegally cross the US-Mexico border. As a mother and her son flee their middle-class home, they instantly become migrants on the run – and their journey is every bit as emotional and harrowing as you would expect. As they ride – the trains that head to the US – and come into contact with members of the drug cartels, the heart-stopping moments keep coming. This outstanding book of loss and hope deserves to be read, and was a firm favourite in this year’s fantastic line-up of exciting novels.