Top Ten of 2018

Here's a cheeky round-up of my favourite reads from last year. They are from all sorts of different genres, some were published last year, some a long time before that. The only thing that ties them together is the fact they're all books I read last year. Tenuous, I grant you. Still,  let me know if you've read any of them, and what you thought of them.

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

So far I've loved everything I've read by Ann Patchett and this was no exception. An insightful and powerful story of two families torn apart and thrust together again over the course of several decades. A masterful display of talent from an author who deserves more recognition.

Tin Man by Sarah Winman

Warning: this is bleak! But if you like a healthy dose of moving tragedy and how to cope with loss, then this is for you. Beautifully written in tight, spartan prose, the story is incredibly moving. This is one of those reads that will have you thinking about it long after you've put it down. Haunting stuff!

Chocky by John Wyndham

Matthew, at 11, is too old for an imaginary friend... But is Chocky as imaginary as it first appears? A sinister tale of alien influence, a sort of gentler version of Rosemary's Baby. But don't let the horror label put you off as this never strays further than PG-rated material. A cracking little read though.

Lullaby by Leila Slimani

Another chilling read, this time about a psychotic nanny. But this is actually so much more than that, delving as it does, into issues of motherhood, class division and power in modern-day France. Not so much a Whodunnit as a Whydunnit. Just don't expect to get too many answers.

The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh

Welcome to the Blinds, a dusty rural town populated by strangers who don't know if they are the criminals or the witnesses in protective custody. Some of the plot twists here don't quite come off as well I would have liked, but this is still a taught, page-turning but ultimately thoughtful book, with a wonderfully dry atmosphere. A bit different from the everyday crime thriller and well worth a read! 

Sunburn by Laura Lippman

A lovely little noir tale with two damaged, unreliable protagonists who find themselves dangerously attracted to each other. Full of small-town US atmosphere and formidable characterisation, you'll race through this one in no time although you might feel a little but grubby afterwards. Great stuff!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
​ by Gail Honeyman

I imagine this will appear on a lot of books-of-the-year lists as it's certainly the most talked about although there seems to have been a bit of a backlash against it lately. For me it didn't quite live up to the hype (but what could?) but it's still a wonderful book with a compelling main character. Moving one minute, and laugh-out-loud funny the next, Eleanor definitely deserves her place here. 

The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor

There was a fair bit of 80s nostalgia in 2018 but I think this was my favourite piece. So much of this book reminded me of my time growing up (except for the body count, thankfully!). A lovely, creepy crime story, on the horror border. Comparisons with Stephen King are obvious but that's no mean feat. Deserving of all the praise it's received, I can't wait to see what Tudor writes next.

Snap by Belinda Bauer

Another very different sort of crime novel. On first glance, Snap seems to be a fairly ordinary police procedural whodunnit but in truth it goes much further. With a Dickensian cast of characters, a twisting, psychological-thriller of a plot, and some very funny moments, this delivers so much more than the packaging promises.

Things Fall Apart

I'm a little bit ashamed that it has taken me so long to get round to reading this classic of modern African literature but I'm so glad I have now. The story of Okonkwo, a proud but powerless man who witnesses the ruin of his small African community. This is powerful stuff but it's also incredible writing. If you only read one of my Top Ten, let it be this one!