I’m looking for a book for my very well-read aunt who has read more books than anyone I’ve ever known. She and I have differing tastes in books, but I’d like to gift her a book that I think she’d like.
Likes: mystery/thriller/suspense (gory is ok), detective series and books, books that take place in England or during Victorian times, quirky characters, in-depth and complex plots, clever book titles, memoirs
Dislikes: romance, war, plot holes, bad writing, anything too popular or mainstream, fantasy, magical realism
Favorite books: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Geek Love, Stephen King books, Kate Atkinson mysteries
Thank you for your help!
by Veglaw
10 Comments
Jack Reacher? There’s are a lot books out of one series
Edit: grammar, my brain supplies words to fast then skips typing the words out
James Rollins Sigma Force series is one of my favorite thriller series. I think there are 16 or 17 of them.
Does she like non-fiction? It’s esoteric, it’s academic (and therefore dry), but for someone who likes mysteries, Victorian times, and things off the beaten path, she might enjoy Sara Lodge’s “The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective”, published by Yale University Press last year. It discusses the history of female detectives, real and fictional.
The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Beekeepers apprentice by Laurie King is an excellent Holmes tribute
How about a regency era series set in England about middle aged spinsters who use their social invisibility to help out women in awful situations? There are mystery elements, some romance that isn’t smut, Pinkerton detectives, a highwayman, and an unfolding conspiracy.
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is the first book, and The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin is book two. She’s writing book three at the moment.
There are some dark elements in it. Some of the storylines are about awful ways in which women have been historically treated, and Goodman has a PHD in historical research, so it’s….accurate. There is also a breast cancer storyline.
It doesn’t match the requirements, but Mary Lovell’s *The Riviera Set* comes to mind. It’s nonfiction and tells the story of an American actress who rises to the top of British society and is a key player in transforming the Riviera from a seasonal retreat to a year-round playground for the wealthy.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel by Susannah Clarke, but if she’s well read she probably already has it. It was great tho and checks a few of her boxes.
Has she read Peter Robinson? The Inspector Banks series? I’m not sure how well known they are since he was Canadian (sadly died a few years ago). His books are well written, set in England (he was an ex-pat) and quite literary – he taught writing at a university level and was Writer in residence for years.
The September House by Carissa Orlando
It’s a beautifully written book about a haunted house, a marriage and survival.
Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone
Jane is seeking revenge on her best friend’s ex boyfriend after her friend commits suicide. Jane is badass.