15 best books of Summer

We first meet Cristabel as she waits in a faded country house by the sea in Dorset for her father to bring home his new wife. As Cristabel grows up, she pushes against society’s expectations of her and later joins the British intelligence operations in occupied France during the Second World War. I was swept away by this compelling, beautifully written debut and its plucky heroine.

I haven’t loved a character in a book as much as Elizabeth Zott for a very long time. As this feisty chemist turned TV cookery show host teaches the nation's women to cook, she's also empowering them to find their voices - and not everyone's happy about it... I savoured every page!

This moving fiction debut about a woman named Clara, who finds out she has a half-sister after her dad dies suddenly, really got to me. In order to get to know her big sister, Clara heads to the remote Norwegian island where she lives – but their meeting does not go smoothly. A gorgeous, insightful tale about grief, loneliness and sisterhood.

If you liked Meg Mason’s Sorrow And Bliss, you’ll love this novel about twin sisters whose dominant mother rules their lives, as it hits that same sweet spot between poignancy and humour. All three characters are flawed and relatable in their own ways and the complicated dynamic between them is very believable.

Taking place over 24 hours, Elle Bishop looks back on her life as she decides whether to stay with her husband or pursue a relationship with her childhood sweetheart. The descriptions of the Cape Cod coast, with its sticky beaches and cool backwater swimming ponds are mesmerising. A promising debut from a talent to watch.

The Thursday Murder Club was the surprise hit of last year. Fans are in for a treat as this sequel, set in the same luxury retirement village where murder and mayhem seem to occur almost daily, is even better. Not only is a gripping page-turner, it’s great fun too.

I love that there’s always something a bit magical about Winman’s books (she’s best known for When God Was A Rabbit). Set in Italy in the years after the Second World War, this joyful book about love in all its forms tells the story of Ulysses and how a chance encounter with a woman named Evelyn changes the course of his life. The cast of characters are unforgettable and the gorgeous descriptions of the sun-baked Tuscan landscape and food will warm your soul.

This brooding, unusual novel follows 50-something twins, Jeanie and Julius, who have led unconventional lives living with their mother in a cottage untouched by modern conveniences. After their mother dies, they struggle to cope and their lives start to unravel and the truths they’ve believed for a lifetime are not what they seemed. These memorable characters will worm their way into your head and heart the descriptions of the landscape are beautiful.

I loved this big-hearted story about identity and finding your place in the world. From a young age, Eva has felt like she doesn’t belong in her family. Why are there no baby pictures of her? And why do her parents refuse to answer questions about her early years

Set over the course of a single day in Dublin, this dazzling debut follows two women as they deal with their own personal losses and heartache. Ruth’s marriage to Aidan is in crisis, while 16-year-old Pen is struggling with feelings for her friend, Alice. Because the reader is plunged so deeply into both characters lives, this is an intimate, completely compelling read.

This ingenious thriller unfolds backwards. Jen watches aghast as her 18-year-old son stabs someone outside their house - but when she wakes up, it is the day before. High concept novels can be all style and no substance but this is genuinely gripping and the clever reveals kept me turning the pages.

Patriarch Ray Hanrahan rules over his wife and three grown-up children with his mercurial moods and larger-than-life personality. As they gather for his make-or-break art exhibition, each is keeping a secret from him and the tension is high. Read it for the characters (some you’ll love, some you’ll want to shake!), who I missed when I finished this funny family drama.

I’ve admired Shipstead’s writing since her debut Seating Arrangements. This wonderful novel weaves together the story of two women: a female aviator who goes missing in the 1920s and the Hollywood star playing her in a film in the present day. At over 600 pages it’s a commitment but one that rewards with memorable characters and vivid storytelling.

Heiny’s previous novel Standard Deviation is one of my all-time favourites so I had high expectations for this – and I wasn’t disappointed. When Jane moves to a small town in Michigan and falls for charming Duncan she soon realises that he has a bit of a playboy past and has dated most of the women in town. She’s only planning on a fling but then an accident changes everything. This wonderful book is warm and funny and Heiny excels at bringing every character she writes to messy, glorious life.

When Jennifer and Nick meet as teenagers, it’s the start of a complicated 20 year friendship between two people who love each other but just can’t get their timing right. They are such well-written characters you live their on-off love story with them and the descriptions of London through the 80s right up to the present day, the music, the clothes, are pitch perfect.