Autumn seems to have arrived with a bang but on the upside, the colder weather is perfect for curling up on the sofa with a good book. Luckily, there are some brilliant new releases out this month, from thrilling page-turners to family dramas.
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
Sometimes, you just want some good old-fashioned storytelling that transports and moves you; no bells and whistles, no experimentation and speech with actual speech marks. This multigenerational story, which starts in a small Midwestern town in the throes of the Second World War, is a real gem. It’s astonishingly accomplished for a debut novel and spans both historical length and emotional depth.
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It’s the tale of two couples: Cal, who’s deeply ashamed of not having served in the war due to a disability, and his wife, Becky, a seer who uses her gift to help families connect with those they’ve lost. Then there’s Margaret, who’s new to town, and her husband, Felix, who’s away in the navy and hasn’t been heard from for months.
When beautiful redhead Margaret walks into Cal’s hardware shop on VE Day and kisses him in jubilation at the news, it’s the start of a brief affair that has ramifications through the generations. Both couples have sons who later become friends, intertwining their lives further and leading to long-held family secrets coming out.
This is very much a character-driven novel and author Patrick Ryan has created a vivid, believable cast. Becky felt particularly real to me: flawed but determined to forge her own path after a childhood of being picked on for her gifts. Each of the characters has vulnerabilities, from Margaret’s deep-seated hurt at being abandoned as a baby to Felix’s postwar trauma, and it makes for an emotional read.
Ryan brings in moments of history, from the Civil Rights Movement to the Vietnam War, but at its heart it’s an intimate novel about the daily lives of ordinary people. The smalltown setting of Bonhomie comes alive on the page, from the diners to the small backstreets.
Such a doorstop of a book can sometimes feel a bit daunting, but this one is so well written and engaging, it was a pleasure to keep returning to it.
One Of Us by Elizabeth Day
This timely story about the abuse of power is one of those books you just want to inhale in one go. MP Ben Fitzmaurice is shooting for the top job but with his disillusioned wife, activist daughter and vengeful ex-best friend pitted against him, who needs enemies?
59 Minutes by Holly Seddon
Oh my goodness, this is one of the tensest books I’ve read in a long time. Carrie is walking through Waterloo Station on her way home to her three-year-old daughter when her phone pings with a warning of an imminent nuclear attack. Elsewhere, two other women are racing against time to save themselves and their loved ones. The very definition of a ‘just one more chapter…’ book.
The Two Roberts by Damian Barr
Based on the true story of Scottish artists Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBryde, this is a tender and beautifully written exploration of art, class and love. In 1930s Glasgow, Robert and Bobby meet at art school and so begins a love affair that will sustain them throughout their lives.
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The author of My Sister, The Serial Killer returns with another pacy novel with strong, relatable characters. Set in Lagos, it follows three generations of women who believe they come from a cursed family, destined to lead tragic lives once they fall in love with a man.
What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
McEwan takes us to 2119 and a world reshaped by climate catastrophe. Academic Tom Metcalfe is researching a mysterious poem from 2014, which went missing and that he believes contains the secrets to a lost world. An eminently readable and fascinating look at what remains after we’re gone.
The Glorious Dead by Justin Myers
When famous West End playwright Laurie dies in a tragic car accident, his partner Jo, best friend Viv and goddaughter Rosy discover he’d secretly started work on his memoirs, packed with secrets ready to spill. This is a bit of a darker departure from the romcom writer, but has his signature wit and heart.
