Fiction

A phenomenal novel which has been 20 years in the making.

The story of a small community in Ohio, America through 60 years.

How much does our given name direct our fate in life? Such a fascinating idea, explored in this debut novel.

A barrister finds himself the detective in the murder of a colleague in the Inner Temple in London in 1901.

A young boy is obsessed by the strange wooden figures all around the manor house he is now expected to call home.

Thought-provoking 'autofiction' where Esther Freud looks back on her teenage years, the time after 'Hideous Kinky'.

Despite struggling with the title, and the cover, of this debut novel, winner of the Merky Books New Writers Prize 2024, everyone enjoyed this account of grief, identity and relationship. Accomplished writing and good characterisation, it was agreed, but the alternating narratives grated with some. The car proved the star for a number of our readers!

An extraordinary thriller set in New Zealand in the 1980s, about school, childhood, betrayal and deception.

The first legal thriller by 'The Secret Barrister'. Brilliant!

Set on the Norfolk Broads in the present day, and the scientific community in London in the 1940s.

A gothic historical fantasy inspired by Marlowe's 'Doctor Faust', this is a fantastic read!

A gripping thriller which raises big issues regarding revenge and redemption.

A brilliantly gripping and compelling commentary of the world of the theatre critic!

An empassioned discussion as members of the group related how they engaged with each of the three women presented in this compelling tale of a small Irish community in the 1990s. The challenges of societal expectations rang true, and the women's dilemmas were felt keenly. The writing was considered beautifully atmospheric.

A beautiful story of the last days of an old man's life.

When one woman realises she is living the same day over and over again.

This novel divided the group. Some found the central character infantile and bewildering in his decisions, and therefore the story became frustrating. Some felt this was a book full of tropes and lacked originality. Others enjoyed the writing, particularly the world of academia. All were intrigued to learn a litlte more about the artist behind the story - the Venetian master, Gianbattista Tiepolo.

A magical, uplifting tale of the power of books.

Dropping out of university, Luca returns home and falls into a job ghostwriting a memoir.

A compelling, tragic tale. Extraordinary.