There are so many great paperbacks on our shelves at the moment, and we’ve selected our current favourites. From gripping fiction to thought-provoking non-fiction, these are the books we can’t stop recommending. We hope you find something you love from this list!

The Tower by Flora Carr

Reviewed by Vicky

I know what you’re thinking – another book on Mary Queen of Scots. This one isn’t the same as all the others. Claustrophobic and tense, this feminist retelling of Mary’s captivity at Loch Leven gives a fresh voice to an ill-fated monarch.

Confined to two rooms, Carr gives us a portrait of royalty that is often uncomfortably intimate. Here, social standing means little and this group of four women must do what must be done to achieve their goal: escape.

Carr’s writing is immediate and impactful – you’ll find yourself hoping you haven’t remembered your history correctly…

Midnight in Vienna by Jane Thynne

Reviewed by Vicky 

Set in a fascinating decade in history, Midnight in Vienna follows Stella as she tries to find a job but instead gets embroiled in international espionage. Hours after their meeting, beloved crime writer Hubert Newman is found dead, apparently from natural causes… As national tensions rise, could this seemingly insignificant death have any connection to world events?

This is Darkest Hour meets The Third Man in a page-turning tale of intrigue and suspicion. Harry and Stella make a fantastic duo – I’m hoping we see them again in future gripping mysteries.

All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Reviewed by Vicky & Jen

Jen’s review: DO NOT start reading this heart wrenching novel unless you have nothing to do for the next 15 hours – you will be unable to put it down!

Vicky’s review: This one defies categorisation. To call it a thriller is to do it an injustice. A heart-shattering, page-turning, soul-soothing phenomenon. It’s about survival and truth, about the worst of crimes, but, most of all, it’s about love in the very darkest of times. I don’t think I can ever forgive Chris Whitaker for actually ending this book.

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio 

Reviewed by Vicky

Lauren comes back from a night-out to find a strange man in her house. Stranger still, this man is her husband. All her friends and family know him, and they share a past that she can’t remember. But wait for it…when the husband goes into the attic, he comes back down as a brand new man. Bonkers right? Let yourself indulge in this world of parallel universes and you’re in for a treat. An absolute hoot of a book that hits just the right spot for when you’re in need of some fun.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Reviewed by Sarah

What could go wrong when you bring characters from the past and drop them into a near future London? This is the question Bradley tackles in her brilliant debut that details the practicalities of adjusting time travellers who arrive into the 21st century.  This book could be categorised as sci-fi, romance and maybe even a bit of espionage. But, above all, it is a bit of fun and has managed to turn a man found only in the footnotes of history into a major love interest, and write a story that made me lose track of time while reading.

Three Burials by Anders Lustgarten

Reviewed by Vicky

Cherry has had enough. As a nurse, she emerges from the pandemic as a different woman. A keen sense of injustice drives her to seek answers for a murdered immigrant and to give him a decent burial.

It’s difficult to balance brutality with a darker shade of comedy, but Lustgarten pitches it just right to create an entertaining ride alongside a thought-provoking commentary on contemporary society. A novel that inspires us to take action in the face of wrong. (Though perhaps don’t go as far as putting a body in the boot of your car…!)

The Household by Stacey Halls

Reviewed by Vicky

In Victorian England, it is all too easy for a woman to fall. Based on the lives of real women, The Household takes us inside the establishment founded by Dickens to help those beaten down by society.

The eminent writer appears as himself, but this novel has all the hallmarks of a sensation novel by his pal Wilkie Collins. As intertwining scandals reach a head, the challenge will be to try and put this book down…(I failed). An addictive world full of drama and betrayal, but also of solidarity and kindness.

Ask Me Again by Claire Sestanovich

Reviewed by Jen

A coming of age novel written in simple, largely unemotional prose, each chapter follows the question of its title as Eva looks for meaning and purpose through her twenties.

Eva and her friend James come from different New York backgrounds, and meander in and out of each other’s lives sharing an unease with modern society. This is an introspective novel with beautifully observed detail reflecting the emotional and professional challenges faced by thoughtful young people today. If you enjoy Sally Rooney’s writing then you will be engaged by this award winning writer’s quietly compelling debut novel.

Lightborne by Hesse Phillips

Reviewed by Vicky

Vivid and deeply moving, this is an original and haunting interpretation of what happened to Christopher Marlowe. Hesse Phillips’ debut novel is the result of years of research which shows in every chapter. Set amidst the web of Tudor spymasters and treachery, the tension rises through trauma and poetry in a countdown to Marlowe’s inevitable death.

Phillips reveals to us the dark side of Elizabethan London in all its brutal cruelty. A thought-provoking read about a moment that still gives historians pause today.

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

Reviewed by Sarah

This novel follows the lives of three people across centuries and dives into the rich history of Mesopotamia. Each character and timeline is supposedly connected by water yet you know there is something more that will bring all of these unlikely stories into one by the final page.

Crossing time and place, while weaving in all of the meticulous research that she has done, Shafak’s novel often reads like a fable. And while there is undoubtedly pain and sorrow to be felt as you unravel each thread of the narrative, the ending remains hopeful and perfectly finishes a glorious book.

Sister in Law by Harriet Wistrich

Reviewed by Vicky

Thank goodness for Harriet Wistrich. Not content to allow individuals to get trampled by a legal system designed to defeat them, she fights injustice until she can fight no more. An astonishing range of cases sees her challenging the police, the CPS and the government on their failures and mishandlings. At times tough and triggering, one conclusion shines above it all – you want Harriet Wistrich on your team.

Prepare to be angry, to be frustrated and to be appalled. This is an inspirational book by an indefatigable woman.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Reviewed by Jen

An insightful look into the world of therapy and human nature as Gottlieb presents stories of her patients whilst exploring her own story. Thoughtful and motivating, this is a must read for anyone interested in relationships, connections and personal growth i.e. everybody should read it!

Our booksellers love to recommend books and share their favourite reads with other booklovers (it is their job but also their hobby). Our blog is a good place to start to find some recommendations but if you still need some help, simply pop into the shop, give us a call or shoot us an email.

Find out how to contact us HERE.