The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

This epic novel (yes, there is no getting away from the fact that this is a very long book) tells the story of Harrison Shepherd.

Harrison was born in Virginia in 1916 but leaves America at a young age when his Mexican mother decides to flee to the arms of Enrique, a landowner in Mexico. The romance doesn’t last, a recurring event in her colourful life, but it is in Mexico that Harrison discovers books and begins writing the notebooks that will sustain him throughout his life.

Harrison’s career is varied to say the least; a cook to the famous muralist Diego Rivera, confidant to Diego’s eccentric wife Frida Kahlo, a secretary for exiled Bolshevik leader Leo Trotsky. All of this gives him plenty of material for his final career as a novelist.

From Mexico in the 1930s to a fear-filled America in the 1950s, this is a wonderful and moving tale with several beautifully drawn and very memorable characters.

Fiona Ashley, Reading and Youth Manager.

Black Water Rising by Attica Locke

In 1981 Jay Porter is a Black lawyer struggling to make ends meet in Houston. The only birthday treat he can afford for his very pregnant wife is a boat trip up the bayou but the evening ends disastrously when they hear a woman scream and gunshots ring out in the darkness.

Events soon spiral out of control and Jay is caught in a tangled web comprising politics, unions and the oil industry. Matters are further complicated by the involvement of a lover who cruelly betrayed him in the past.

This is an extremely atmospheric and tense thriller; you can almost smell the murky water, feel the heat trickling down your back. What makes this a wonderful novel however, is the convincing social background.

Immerse yourself in 1980s Texas and be glad you are not standing in Jay’s shoes.

Fiona Ashley, Reading and Youth Manager

The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison

On 1st September 1939 eight year old Anna Sands waits on a station platform in London, convinced that she is going to the safety of a family in Devon or Cornwall. But her train is destined for Yorkshire and she soon finds herself at Ashton Park, a country house that has been turned into a boarding school for evacuees.

Ashton Park is owned by Thomas and Elizabeth Ashton, a childless young couple trying to come to terms with the devastating aftermath of an attack of polio. As Anna settles down to life at Ashton Park, she is increasingly drawn into their deteriorating relationship.

Full of longing and crushed dreams, this is an enjoyable debut novel.

Fiona Ashley, Reading and Youth Manager

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Thomas Cromwell had an extraordinary life. His father was an alcoholic, abusive man who managed to scrape a living as a blacksmith and brewer. Forced to run away from home and make his own way in life, Thomas uses his wits to rise far above his station. He eventually becomes one of the most powerful men in the court of King Henry VIII.

This is also an extraordinary novel. A cliché it may be, but Hilary Mantel can certainly bring history to life. Intriguing and compelling, this is historical fiction at its very best.

Fiona Ashley, Reading and Youth Manager