What the authors are reading this summer

Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst

Popular (and hilarious) memoirist and author Nina Stibbe is the author of seven books. If you fancy a bit of a laugh on your lounger, her latest book, Went To London, Took The Dog: The Diary of a 60-year-old Runaway, is now out in paperback.

“Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst is the brilliantly reimagined true story of a young couple from the Midlands who escape the misery of 1970s Britain by building a boat and setting sail, only to be stranded by a whale and drifting in the Pacific for 118 days. A gripping adventure and a compelling reflection on marriage. Really impossible to put down. I loved this book so much I’ve given it to my mum and every friend who reads it!”

Vintage “Not That Kind of Girl” by Mary Wesley

Cathy Rentzenbrink is a multi-talented menmoirist, author, and writing teacher. She has written several beautiful books about grief and loss, including The Last Act Of Love. Her latest novel Ordinary time is out now.

“This summer I will reread Not that kind of girl by Mary Wesley. It’s a love story that spans several decades and follows the relationship between Rose and Mylo from their first meeting just before World War II. It’s beautiful, wistful, sharp and funny. Perfect for a lazy sunny day.”

Long Island by Colm Toibin

Stacey Halls is the author of four highly successful historical novels, including The Familiars. Her latest novel, The Household, based on the real-life home for fallen women created by Charles Dickens, is out now.

“I read Brooklyn at the age of 19 on a girls’ holiday in Croatia, and it has stuck in my memory ever since. long Island is the sequel, set 25 years after the events that took Eilis Lacey across the Atlantic. She has two children, is thinking about leaving her husband, and is back in her small Irish town. I love how simple yet powerful Toibin’s writing style is; all the emotions and drama are kept at a distance, but you really feel them. It’s a masterpiece of character building, and I loved revisiting Eilis’ world.”

The Three Graces by Amanda Craig

Daisy Goodwin is a former television producer who created Grand Designs and the hit ITV drama Victoria. She is now an author and has written four novels. Her latest, Diva, about the legendary opera singer Maria Callas, was published earlier this year.

“I will recommend The Three Graces by Amanda Craig – it’s about octogenarians living in Tuscany who are determined to leave with a bang, not a whimper. It’s a snappy, cleverly constructed book that gets at the way older women are underestimated. Perfect reading for a shady pergola and a glass of Prosecco!”

That’s OK by Poorna Bell

Catherine Gray is a Sunday Times bestselling author best known for The joy of being sober. Her debut novel Versions of a girlhas now been published.

“That’s fine by Poorna Bell is a beautifully written ‘will they, won’t they’ with a twist; the characters we’re dying to see are an aunt and niece who come together for a summer. The main character, Padma, is recovering from a breakup because she doesn’t want children, while her niece is at a crisis point of her own. In a seaside village, unexpected help comes from unexpected places. This is a light, funny and beautiful – but at times dark and profound – summer read that I love.”

Kala by Colin Walsh

New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware is the author of nine thrillers. Her latest novel, One Perfect Couple, is perfect for fans of The Traitors.

“I am currently reading Colin Walsh’s Kala – It tells the story of friendship, first love and obsession and of a long shadow hanging over a small Irish town, jumping back and forth between the summer of 2018 and 2003. It is the perfect read for hot summer days and dark nights.’

My Family and Another Rockstar by Tiffany Murray

Viv Groskop is a modern-day Renaissance woman whose resume includes author, comedian, playwright, and radio host. Her most recent memoir, One Ukrainian Summer, is about her year studying abroad when she was 21.

“I loved My family and other rock stars by Tiffany Murray. This is a wonderfully nostalgic, wonder-filled and funny 1970s memoir of what it’s like when your mum is cook to the stars at Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire, the place where Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody. Motörhead’s Lemmy and David Bowie aren’t big eaters, but Cordon Bleu chef Joan cooks up a feast for Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, Ozzy Osbourne and dozens more “half-naked male musicians”. A fabulous evocation of the ultimate hippie childhood and a more innocent old age.”

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Journalist Jo Leevers published her debut novel “Tell Me How This Ends” last year, which was subsequently recommended by BBC Radio 2. “The Last Time I saw You” is her second book and has now been published.

“I loved sandwich by Catherine Newman, which just came out. Rocky, now in her 50s, has moved her family to Cape Cod, where she feels “squeezed” between the demands of her nearly grown children and her aging parents. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve wanted to shout “yes, that’s it” as Rocky documents everything from menopausal brain to “awkward mom moments.” But as the week progresses, the humor is never far from the heartbreak, and Catherine Newman delivers both with a velvet-glove punch.

I believe the only way to survive the gruesome intensity Night observation by Tracy Sierra is best read on a lounger in the blazing sun. During a snowstorm, a mother senses an intruder in her home and hides herself and her children in a secret dungeon. Tracy Sierra perfectly captures claustrophobia and fear, but also explores the myriad ways in which women are frightened, intimidated, and judged in everyday life, making this a gripping and haunting read.”

Girls by Kirsty Capes

Georgina Moore is an award-winning journalist and author of the summer bestseller The Garnett GirlsShe is currently working on her second novel The walnut tree which comes out next year.

“Girl by Kirsty Capes has everything I want in a novel. Family drama, emotional wounding and characters you root for. It’s a brilliant study of fame, addiction and what it’s like to live in the shadow of a celebrity. Not only is it a literary family saga that will appeal to fans of Meg Mason and Claire Lombardo, it’s also a road trip novel and the American landscape reflects the emotions of Mattie and Nora as they try to make sense of their past. Brave and brilliant and moving.”