Summer books 2023: The hottest holiday reads for cool seasonal nights

I want something uplifting

Queuing For The Queen by Sweta Rana (Aria, July 6) may not sound uplifting, but it’s an astute debut. A British Indian mother and her daughter spend 24 hours queuing to see the late Queen lying in state. What begins as a way of marking respect becomes an exploration into the people they meet in the queue. Ideal if you’re already a fan of Beth Morrey or Rachel Joyce.

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by David M Barnett (Orion, out now) asks the question: how do you find love when you’ve the loneliest job in the world? Gayle and Martin fall in love over the course of a decade, all thanks to an annual visit to an isolated island. But when Gayle doesn’t return, it’s up to Martin to find her.

Ciara Geraghty’s Queen Bee (HarperCollins, out now) will make you root for protagonist Agatha Doyle. She’s 50 and loving her life, despite being called an empty-nester, until the dreaded hot flushes arrive… along with a few other things. Rather than fret about feeling invisible, Agatha does whatever she can to take on the menopause with hilarious results.

Annabel Monaghan’s Same Time Next Summer (Hodder & Stoughton, out now) follows almost-married Sam’s search for a wedding venue. She’s home in Long Island and doesn’t expect to run into first love Wyatt (AKA, the man who broke her heart). Suddenly, Sam’s wondering whether the life she has, which is perfect on paper, is really the life she wanted. A fan of Beth O’Leary? We’re sure you’ll be a fan of Annabel’s novel too.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Doubleday, out now) centres on Sally Milz, a comedy writer for a well-loved Saturday Night Live-style sketch show where her dorky colleague Danny falls in love with actress guest host Annabel. So frustrated by the phenomenon of distinctly average men becoming involved with accomplished and beautiful women, she writes a sketch poking fun at it, while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.

The Sunrise Sisterhood by Cathy Bramley (Orion, out now) honours three generations of women and the summer that saved them. Liz cannot wait to see her goddaughters, Skye and Clare. The half-sisters couldn’t be more different, however, and must navigate this unexpected summer together.

Have you any historical fiction?

​Dubbed a mash-up of Ocean’s 8 with a Regency series, Alex Hay’s The Housekeepers (Headline Review, July 6) offers perfectly drawn characters and a lot of secrets behind closed doors. Mrs King, housekeeper of Park Lane’s most salubrious house, has been dismissed, right before the event of the season. But never fear: Mrs King has a plan in mind. She shall go to the ball… sort of, and in her own way.

Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks (Jonathan Cape, out now) is an explosive debut about dub reggae, love and freedom set in the late 1970s and early 1980s across London, Bristol and Jamaica.

If you prefer to stick to the canon, as such, opt for Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes (Piatkus, out now). The story takes us back to the 1700s, when Charlotte, a woman of colour from Germany, is brought to England to marry King George. Told from a variety of perspectives, it follows Charlotte navigating the British court — one which is not particularly open to non-white princesses — while falling in love with her new husband and discovering a dark truth.

The Birdcage Library by Freya Berry (Headline, June 22) is set in 1932 whereby adventuress and plant-hunter Emily Blackwood accepts a commission from Heinrich Vogel, a former dealer of exotic animals in Manhattan, now living in Scotland. Emily is tasked to find a long-lost treasure which Heinrich believes has been hidden within the castle walls. But instead she discovers the pages of a diary, written by Hester Vogel, who died after falling from the Brooklyn Bridge.

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales (Orion, June 27) sees Agatha Christie meet Jane Austen. Beatrice Steele has none of the accomplishments of a true lady: she is terrible at needlework, has no musical ability and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Little does anyone know that Beatrice also harbours a dark secret — an obsession with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. And when a murder presents itself, she’s first on the case.

In Katie Lumsden’s debut novel, The Secrets Of Hartwood Hall (Michael Joseph, out now), the author follows the story of a young Victorian widow, Margaret Lennox. Margaret is offered a position as governess at isolated country house Hartwood Hall with an only child, Louis, and his mother, Mrs Evesham. Margaret soon hears the rumours that Mrs Evesham is a witch and that the house is cursed.

I like a bit of noir

Perhaps The Devil’s Playground by Craig Russell (Corvus, out now) will be to your taste. Hollywood studio fixer Mary Rourke is called to Norma Carlton’s home. But the star of the silent film, The Devil’s Playground, is found dead. Was her death linked to rumours of the production being cursed? Mary finds herself seeking out the truth. Flash forward 40 years later, film historian Paul Conway is on the trail of, rumour has it, the single copy of the film that is believed to still exist.

The Curator by Owen King (Hodder & Stoughton, out now) promises to be a Dickensian fantasy that will draw the reader in — an alternate universe full of thieves and conjurers. The main character, Dora, is a maid at The National Museum Of The Worker, a place filled with wax figures of jobs from the past.

Also try Lucy Clarke’s The Hike (HarperCollins, out now), a tale of solitude and almost total silence. Inspired by Lucy’s trek through the Norwegian wilderness with her husband, her characters, Liz, Helena, Maggie and Joni, couldn’t predict that they’d be bound together by murder. They want to lose themselves in the wilderness, uncovering a body at the same time. Ooh-er.

Going to prison for a crime you didn’t commit is one thing, but going to prison for killing your toddler son and then being told there is a chance he may still be alive makes for terrifying reading in Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You (Century, out now). David Burroughs is merely surviving life in a high-security prison as a convicted ‘child killer’, his marriage in tatters, until his former sister-in-law shows up with an unbelievable photograph.

Matthew Richardson’s The Scarlet Papers (Michael Joseph, out now) has been called a classic in the making. From Vienna in 1946 to Moscow in 1964 and present-day London, what is the connection between a promising academic, rising star of the British diplomatic service and a brilliant German scientist?

Aoife Fitzpatrick’s The Red Bird Sings (Virago, out now) has an 1897 murder trial as its origin. After the death of Zona Shue a few months after her wedding, her mother, Mary Jane, has a vision: her daughter was murdered and her husband is responsible. Few believe Mary Jane, except an aspiring reporter and unmarried woman, Lucy Frye. Beautifully and intricately researched.

Darren O’Sullivan’s The Price (HarperCollins, out now) sees Clara and George’s world turned upside down with the news that their baby has cancer. George throws himself into his police work and gathering enough evidence to put local bad guy Mantel away for good. That is, until Mantel’s businesses become victims of robberies.

I love books about friendship

Sophie White’s My Hot Friend (Hachette Ireland, out now) focuses on Claire, Joanne and Lexi, who all need new best friends. But it’s very hard to make friends in your 30s, as they discover. As fate throws the three together, they navigate the twisty turns that friendship brings, trying to discover along the way the relationships they want to keep and the relationships that are past their sell-by date.

Ella Berman’s Before We Were Innocent (Aria, July 13) is a coming-of-age story about those intense friendships that punctuate our youth. Bess and Joni were cleared of any wrongdoing in their friend Evangeline’s death in Greece a decade ago. Now, Joni has been linked to another crime and needs an alibi from Beth, no questions asked.

#Panic by Luke Jennings (John Murray, out now) is based around superfans of a TV show — Jaleesa, Kai, Ilya and Dani — who all share their love of the series online. When the foursome are told that the lead of their favourite show is in danger, they take their online fandom to real life.​

I’d like something unusual

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Chain-Gang All-Stars (Harvill Secker, July 13) is a one-of-a-kind novel. Welcome to the highly popular, highly controversial profit-raising TV programme… inside America’s private prison system. Prisoners compete for their freedom and Loretta and Hamara (AKA Hurricane) are the fan favourites. A novel for those who devoured Netflix’s Squid Game.

Whether Violent Or Natural by Natasha Calder (Bloomsbury Publishing, out now) involves a world where complete antibiotic resistance has resulted in the loss of most human life. Kit and Crevan live on an island, safe from everyone else… until a woman is washed ashore. One wants to keep her alive; the other isn’t so sure.

Lady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler (Raven Books, out now) is an action-packed historical tale and a reimagining of the life of the Scottish queen who inspired the story of Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth.

Children Of The Sun by Beth Lewis (Hodder & Stoughton, out now) welcomes you to Atlas in 1982, a community where off-grid living is the only way. Founded by the enigmatic Sol, the group now prepares for their final ceremony: the opening of the Golden Door. They believe they will cross to another world. But journalist James Morrow is determined to get the scoop on the ‘cult’ in the woods, accepting an invitation to the camp.

The People Watcher by Sam Lloyd (Bantam Press, out now) focuses on Mercy Lake, quite an unusual character. She enjoys ‘fixing’ people, helping where possible and where it’s not always appreciated. But Mercy has multiple phobias so needs to step out only at night to help those around her. Hers is a lonely life, but it’s a useful one. She’s on her own until she meets Louis, who shares her love for intervention. Except… his takes a little more of a decidedly violent turn.

The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin (Simon & Schuster, August 31) has been dubbed a mix of Stuart Turton and The Magpie Murders. If immersive fiction is for you, you’ll adore this tête-bêche novel — comprising two books wherein both can be read in either direction, one set in 1880s England and 1930s California. Expect two very different stories that magically come together.

You’d Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace (Viper, September 21) will introduce you to Claire, a part-time serial killer. Claire meets Lucas the night after her father’s funeral, and while she goes home with him willingly (and willingly murders him), she doesn’t know someone is watching every move she makes…

Relationships interest me

Kate Sawyer’s This Family (Coronet, out now) focuses on Mary’s family, who unite for her wedding day in the home that has been both a sanctuary and a battleground. Reminiscent of Mrs Dalloway, the novel is set over the course of a summer’s day but peppered with memories from the past four decades. Can a location where so much happened become a haven?

Emily Henry’s Happy Place (Penguin Random House, out now) focuses on Harriet and Wyn, seemingly the perfect couple. For the past 10 years they’ve enjoyed a holiday with their favourite people. This year, same people, same holiday, but the pair have broken up. They’re being forced to fake a relationship for another week. Not hard at all, right?

Stephanie Bishop’s The Anniversary (W&N, out now) details the story of a marriage and a death. JB Blackwood is on a cruise with her husband, Patrick, celebrating their anniversary. His success is waning while hers (she’s a novelist) is on the rise. Now it looks like her talent and her career will overshadow his, for the first time. But when a storm hits and something falls from the ship, truths come to light.

The Story Of The Forest by Linda Grant (Virago, out now) begins in Latvia, with Mina’s revelatory walk in the forest to collect mushrooms, and follows her escape from an overbearing father — with the help of her older brother — to the city of Liverpool, in a bid to reach New York, but then on to London.

Sarah Gilmartin’s Service (Pushkin Press, out now) examines the fallout experienced by a high-end Dublin restaurant. Chef Daniel Costello is facing accusations of sexual assault, causing Hannah to replay the summer she spent as a waitress in the establishment. What was kindness turned into something unsettling and, now, Daniel’s wife is hiding from the paparazzi. All three must rethink their pasts in a powerful story about the lies we tell each other and ourselves.

Old Babes In The Wood by Margaret Atwood (Chatto & Windus, out now), the author’s latest collection of short fiction, is bookended by two stories following married couple Nell and Tig across the decades. The middle consists of unconnected short stories on a range of sometimes peculiar subjects, including a snail soul finding itself in a woman’s body; an interview with the late George Orwell through a medium; and an alien attempting to tell human fairy tales.

Emily Habeck’s Shark Heart (Quercus, August 3) concerns the very short marriage of Lewis and Wren. A few weeks into wedded bliss, Lewis receives a diagnosis: though he’ll retain most of his intellect and memories, his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark. How will Wren deal with her husband’s fate?

A House For Alice by Diana Evans (Chatto & Windus, out now) is told in the shadow of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire — on the same night the elderly patriarch of a fictional west London family dies in an unrelated fire. The grown-up children are left to pick up the pieces and deal with their mother, whose one desire is to return home to Nigeria.

Annie Macmanus’ 2021 debut Mother Mother was exceptional, and her follow-up, The Mess We’re In (Wildfire, out now), is every bit as good. Orla Quinn moves into a squalid Kilburn house in London with her CD collection and demo tape. She’s a long way from home, where her parents’ marriage is crumbling and two loved ones are drinking too much. Even if Orla’s dreams aren’t going anywhere, those of her band, Shiva, are. But will they come at a cost?

Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose (Viking, out now) is a classic modern-life drama. Centred around the lives of three mothers, the story, as it develops, allows the reader to peek behind the curtain in each of their lives, live their problems and really get to know what makes them who they are. The three women’s lives start to intertwine as it’s revealed who is sleeping with who and what secrets they are all keeping.

Anything for the kids?

The Sun And The Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro (Puffin, out now) is a standalone Nico Di Angelo (the son of Hades) adventure, as part of the Percy Jackson universe. He’s been through a lot but he’s got his boyfriend, Will Solace, by his side and together they can overcome any obstacle — until now, when reformed Titan named Bob is in some kind of trouble and needs their help. Recommended for children aged nine and upwards.

If you know any kids who love reading stories set during the Second World War, then I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey (Piccadilly Press, out now) could be right up their street. I, Spy is an adventure set in Bletchley Park (once the home of war code-breakers) in 1939 and tells the story of Robyn, a 12-year-old girl who has her heart set on finding out what is really going on behind closed doors.

Skandar And The Phantom Rider by AF Steadman (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK, out now) fills the magical hole left by Harry Potter and the battles for survival of Maze Runner.

Skandar And The Phantom Rider, the sequel to Skandar And The Unicorn Thief, is set in a world where children, at the age of 13, take a test to see if they are worthy of hatching and bonding with a unicorn (think of the Hogwarts letters, but with a little more admin, and if you took a blood oath with the Sorting Hat). Skandar is now in his second year of school and is slowly starting to shape his craft.

I prefer non-fiction

The Rooster House: A Ukrainian Family Memoir by Victoria Belim (Virago, out now) is a timely exploration of the country’s difficult past. During a 2014 visit to her grandmother, amid Russia annexing Crimea, the writer learns of an unknown uncle, Nikodim, who disappeared in the 1930s “fighting for a free Ukraine”. Victoria’s determination to uncover his fate triggers a moving personal journey, unravelling complex family relationships, secrets and memories.

In Me Vs Brain: An Overthinker’s Guide To Life (Century, out now), comedian Hayley Morris, who has 4.3m followers on TikTok and 2m on Instagram, writes about overthinking everything — from dating to mental health to menstrual cups.

Victoria Smith’s Hags: The Demonisation Of Middle-Aged Women (Fleet, out now) is a brilliantly witty, engaging and insightful book; a righteous polemic which examines and questions why middle-aged women are hated and, crucially, what this means for women today. It covers a broad range of themes — everything from care work to sex and beauty — and looks at how it relates to middle-aged women.

I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was by Ruby Wax (Penguin Life, out now) provides a brutally honest and thoughtful insight into the comedian’s mental health journey, including conversations with therapists and the highs and lows of fame. Ruby combines anecdotes about her time in a mental institution with her incredible celebrity adventures without it feeling disjointed.