Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with A.K. Turner

I adopted my alter ego of Grab This Book back in the spring of 2014. Initially I had hoped my blog would encourage someone to buy books I had loved reading. Ten and a half years later that hope endures, I love to know my blog is responsible for someone buying a book and discovering the work of an author they may not have previously enjoyed.

As I prepare to share the latest contribution to my Decades Library I am able to report my blog is meeting my primary goal…someone has bought a book which has been recommended on Grab This Book. That someone is me. And the person responsible for me buying a new book is my latest Decades Curator, A.K. Turner (Ali), who has drawn my attention to a book published in the 1950’s that sounds right up my street. You’ll find out which book that is once you scroll further down this post.

But first the Decades introduction: Since January 2021 I have been assembling the Ultimate Library; a collection of unmissable and much loved books. I tried to put myself into the shoes of a librarian who was presented with a brand new library. No Books, dozens of empty shelves. Which books would the librarian (me) add to those empty shelves to ensure library visitors would only have the very best books to choose from. I decided I could not possibly fill the empty shelves alone so I invite guests to nominate their favourite reads and help me assemble a Decades Library.

Why a Decades Library? This is down to the two rules I ask all my guests to follow when making their choices:

1 – You Can Select ANY Five Books
2 – You May Only Select One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

Sometimes my guests will “flex” the rules to ensure their favourite books make the cut. But I am happy to report that this week’s guest curator, AK Turner, has stuck to the rules and made five terrific recommendations. I’ve already bought one and I’ve got my eye on the selection from the 1990s too! This is a good week for me (but perhaps not for my bank balance) so over to Ali to terrorise your TBR with more temptation than you wanted.

A K (aka Ali) lives in East London where she writes the mortuary-set Cassie Raven mysteries. Ali produces TV documentaries on true crime and science topics. And just for light relief she is a City of London guide.

Ali likes to create memorable characters, throw them into unusual settings, and add a hefty dose of murder and a twisty-turny plot. Her latest series introduces a forensic heroine – a crime-solving Goth-girl mortuary technician who talks to the dead, a character first launched in two crime shorts aired on BBC Radio 4. A K’s previous series, written under the pen name Anya Lipska, starred a London-based Polish fixer who’s happy to crack heads to solve crimes – which saw her being selected for Val McDermid’s prestigious New Blood Panel at Harrogate Crime Festival in 2012.

Ali is on Twitter (X) as: @AKTurnerauthor

Her website is: https://www.anyalipska.com/ and all of Ali’s books can be found here too: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B088P77TFC?ingress=0&visitId=226787bb-40e2-4a4b-a7fa-b09b7cfcfa58

DECADES

FIFTIES

BEAST IN VIEW, MARGARET MILLAR

A US crime novelist famous in the Fifties, Margaret Millar deserves to be better known in the UK. She was a pioneer of the psychological crime genre whose work has (still) rarely been bettered. Her prose is spare yet razor-sharp, the psychology credible, and her ability to conjure a potent noir mood is up there with Ray Chandler. For me, Beast in View – a rattlingly-told, slender but compulsive 160 pages – is her best, and in 1956 the judges of the Edgar Allan Poe Award agreed when they handed her the prestigious prize. Helen Clarvoe, who lives alone in the hotel she has inherited, is brittle and neurotic (I love Millar’s description: ‘skinny in her plaid coat’) and her anxiety is ramped to the max by a series of mysterious taunting phone calls. She hires a private detective to trace the malicious caller – and their relationship provides the emotional bedrock of the tale.

SIXTIES

IN COLD BLOOD, TRUMAN CAPOTE

Way before true crime became a podcast phenomenon this classic of the genre is Capote’s standout achievement and a work of genius. A journalist/columnist more accustomed to necking Screwdrivers in the Ritz Carlton and peddling high society gossip he was an unlikely character to chronicle the horrendous murder of the Clutters, a blameless mid-Western farming family in rural Holcomb, Kansas. Capote tells the chilling story of how a home invasion by two robbers that spirals inexorably into cold-blooded multiple murder but where his account really excels is in his psychological portrait of one of the killers, Perry Smith, who Truman interviewed – and even befriended – on Death Row over several years. Truman interrogates Smith’s utterly grim upbringing (an alcoholic mother who choked on her own vomit when he was 13, abused by nuns in an orphanage,) arguably the triggers that set him on track for a life of petty crime and eventually brutal murder. A beautifully written journey into the dark side of the American dream.

SEVENTIES

DAY OF THE JACKAL, FREDERICK FORYSYTH

When I was eleven or twelve I wasn’t allowed full access to my dad’s book collection. Undeterred, I would wait until my parents were out and clamber on a chair to reach the upper cupboard where the censored works were (poorly) concealed. Here were adult treasures like the X-rated Lolita and Onward Virgin Soldiers, but the books that really stuck with me – and which influenced my debut crime novel nearly 40 years later – was this stellar example of the thriller form.

Nowadays the descriptor ‘thriller’ can be applied indiscriminately, but Day of the Jackal delivers on the original and more precise definition – a story in which we know the identity of the bad guy upfront, and in which the narrative propulsion is whether he is going to fulfil his mission – the assassination of General de Gaulle, or whether his police inspector antagonist will stop him. Why was the book on the ‘top shelf”? I suspect because of the troubling scene in which a woman strays into his path which ends with the pair having an ill-fated one-night stand. Forysth remains unbeatable in my view for sheer storytelling. See also The Odessa Files.

EIGHTIES

NAME OF THE ROSE, UMBERTO ECO

Proof positive that an intellectual like Eco can also write a cracking whodunnit – while in the process exploring the power of heretical ideas that conflict with Church dogma of the medieval era, Greek philosophy, the history of theology, and more. From the moment the

daring thinker Brother William sets foot in a Benedictine monastery in the Italian mountains where he is charged with exploring the mysterious death of one of the brothers, you’ll be hooked. His characters are unforgettable as are his descriptions of the snow-bound monastery and its spooky and labyrinthine scriptorium, where lie hidden forbidden manuscripts which doom the reader to instant death. Cracking stuff.

NINETIES

THE THREE EVANGELISTS, FRED VARGAS

I enjoy having to navigate the unfamiliar both in terms of place and the different vibe non-UK writers, especially the French, bring to the genre. The crime fiction of continental Europe feels more quirky and less mainstream than much of our homegrown crimefic, where writers can face a more commercial attitude from the publishing industry.

Fred Vargas is one of my favourite crime writers of any nationality. Her Inspector Adamsberg policier series is a reliable treat but The Three Evangelists is my standout favourite. The ‘evangelists’ – friends Marc, Mathias, and Lucien – are hard-up historians in a dilapidated house-share who notice that a new tree has unaccountably appeared in the back garden. Soon afterwards a neighbour is murdered and they are drawn into investigating the death. The resulting tale – off-beat, amusing, and indefinably French – effortlessly transported me from workaday East London into a different world.

Five terrific selections which I am adding to my Library shelves. I’ve started collecting the Fred Vargas books but have not yet reached The Three Evangelists so it is really exciting to see this book being nominated for inclusion in the Decades Library, it bodes well for my future reading. I am so grateful to Ali for finding time to make her choices, her Cassie Raven series is easily one of the best collections I have been reading over recent years and I await each new title with an unhealthy obsession. If you have yet to discover the world of Cassie Raven then the best move you can make today is to seek out the first book (Body Language) and then thank me later.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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September 30

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with J.M. Simpson

Welcome back to the Decades Library. My ongoing quest to assemble the ultimate collection of unmissable reads returns once again (this is Decades number ninety five) and this one is an absolute cracker – five brand new titles will be added to the shelves of the Decades Library by the time you have reached the end of this post.

As pen the ninety-fifth variation of what my Decades Library is (and why we are making these choices) I rue my lack of foresight at not drafting an all-purpose introduction which I could have copied and pasted each week. However, if this is your first visit to my Library I am extremely happy to welcome you, let me explain what is about to unfold.

Back in January 2021 I was pondering the impossible dilemma a librarian may face if they were presented with a brand new library, dozens of empty shelves but ZERO books (the trauma of it still haunts me). I wondered where you would start if you were tasked with filling those shelves with nothing but the very best books which had ever been published…an Ultimate Library.

As I knew I could not answer that question alone I invited some friends to help me choose. Ninety Five friends…and counting. Each guest curator to my Decades Library nominates their favourite books or books they feel everyone should have the opportunity to read – I put their selections into my library. Why is it a Decades Library? That’s down to the two rules I ask each of my curators to follow:

1 – You May Choose ANY Five Books
2 – You May Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

Apparently following the rules causes cussing. It usually also involves Googling publication dates, revisiting favourite books from your childhood or school days and a bit more cussing as you frantically try to work out how to flex the rules to your advantage. But we have to have rules or there would be chaos.

This week I am thrilled to welcome J.M. Simpson to my Decades Library. I’ve just finished the first book in Jo’s Castleby series (Sea State) and I am rolling straight into book two as I loved the characters and I need to find out what happens next.

But time to pass control over to Jo, she has five cracking books to share with us….

J.M. Simpson was born in Essex, but was raised primarily in the West Country, never far from a rugged coastline, a sandy beach, or harbour. With a degree and PhD, much of Jo’s working career has been spent undertaking research; primarily in development and housing where her expertise lies.

Staying in the Welsh town of Tenby some years ago and watching the local lifeboat launch one stormy night, gave Jo the beginnings of an idea for a book. Jo’s novels are the Castleby series; Sea State, Sea Change, Sea Shaken, Sea Haven and Sea Rift – they are crime suspense thrillers set against the backdrop of a lifeboat crew in a coastal town. Jo also has a Castleby Christmas special planned for this coming November. In the new year (2025), Jo will release the first novel in a new Scottish series set in the Highlands. The Ophelia Murders – First in the Whistlers Peak series.

Jo lives in Kent, with her two (occasionally stroppy) teenage daughters, her extremely long-suffering husband and her rescue Border Collie, Merlin. She also runs a successful research consultancy and sits on the board of a local housing association, but dreams of becoming a full-time writer.

In what little spare time Jo has, she spends writing, seeking out live music (except difficult jazz), walking the dog, being an armchair movie critic, dreaming of Scotland or the Pembrokeshire coast; drinking endless coffee’s in various local café’s (on the pretence of writing) or drinking copious amounts of wine in her most favourite pub with friends, (where no writing occurs whatsoever).

Her Amazon page is:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/J.M.-Simpson/author/B09L6Y97RZ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1725359827&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Books can also be purchased from Jo’s website.

https://jmsimpsonauthor.co.uk/

Jo is on Twitter/X, Instagram and threads

@jmsimpsonauthor

DECADES

Huge thanks for Gordon for asking me to do this. I have so enjoyed scrolling back through my memory to try and find a book choice! Some were a very tough call and at one point I think I had a list of about three each for two decades – hard to whittle down – but here we are! Thanks for the opportunity to share!

1980 – 1989

John Grisham – A Time to Kill

I found this book in a cafe. Someone had left it on the table, and I sat and devoured it for much longer than I should have, hoping that the owner didn’t come back for it. It was my first foray into John Grisham. After that I read loads of them, but this was the one that stayed me and really affected me in a way that no book had ever before. The horror, sadness and outrage at the injustice. I still remember the feeling of being so outraged at some of the events that occurred in the book and Grisham is the absolute master of holding your emotions hostage. To this day, I think that the screen adaptation of it, with Samuel L Jackson as the father is one of the best book to film adaptations ever made.

1990 – 1999

Joe Simpson – Touching the Void

In my younger days, in a particularly difficult period when I was trying to finish my PhD (which was nothing related to writing), my PhD supervisor at the time, gave me a copy of a book. He attached a note that said. ‘Jo, same name, different struggle. Keep going.’ This book was by the wonderful Joe Simpson, famous climber and mountaineer. The book was ‘Touching the Void. This book is all about life changing decisions and hard, endless struggles. It showcases how we draw on the reserves and resilience we never knew we had, carrying on until the end is in sight. Joe’s story has always stayed with me, and I have often thought of it in really difficult times. If you’ve not read Touching the Void, then do. You’ll never hear a certain Boney M song in the same way ever again.

2000 – 2009

Linda Castillo – Sworn to Silence

I absolutely LOVE this series of books. Ever since I first saw the movie ‘Witness’ with the delectable Harrison Ford, years ago, the Amish community has really intrigued me. I discovered these books and have (it’s safe to say) consumed them all. Castillo has a wonderful way of writing, and you genuinely feel the main characters struggles, both emotionally, and in her trying to balance the past and present, together with her previous ties to the Amish community. Brilliantly written and pacey, the whole series is an absolute must.

2010- 2019

Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert

I don’t normally read books like this at all, but I heard the author talk on the radio, and she was discussing the book, with the wonderful, hugely missed, Steve Wright. Intrigued, I bought a copy, and it was this book that got me started in writing – reading it and her narrative about living more creatively, almost gave me ‘permission’ to think, ‘Yes, I don’t write fiction for a living, but could I have a go?’ And this is what I did. So, for me, this book was pivotal in my author journey. It is genuinely inspiring for people who want to live more creatively. I highly recommend it!

2020 – 2029

The Running Grave: Cormoran Strike – Robert Galbraith

Irrespective of all the stuff in the press about this author – I almost had a Harry Potter book in this list as I adored the Harry Potters. I remember reading the first one to my daughter (now 18), when she was a tiny baby. I read them to her and then later, her sister; as a family, we love Harry Potter. However; I do love The Cormoran Strike books – (well, most of them). This one is down as a firm favourite – as there is a cult involved and I found the whole thing fascinating. The relationship between Robin and Cormoran is developing, with both of them steadfastly ignoring how they feel about each other which adds to another dimension. The detail of the cult and the controlling aspects of it for the residents is superb. Apart from a few niggles, I think this has to be one of my favourites of the series.

My thanks to Jo for these fantastic selections – five brand new books added to the shelves of my Decades Library and it’s always great to see some non-fiction included in the mix. I am particularly excited to see Touching the Void included, I don’t read much non-fiction but this is one I’d inhaled many years ago and it stuck with me long after the last page was turned.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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June 23

Decades: Compiling The Ultimate Library With Eve Smith

Welcome back to the Decades Library, my ongoing quest to assemble a collection of the very best reading recommendations.

Back in January 2021 I pondered the question: If I had a brand new library and was faced with empty shelves, which unmissable books should I put into my new Library to ensure only the very best books were available for the readers. This was far too great a challenge to undertake on my own so I have been inviting guests to join me and asking them to nominate five of their favourite books which they believe should be added to my library shelves. My guests have included authors, publishers, journalists and bloggers – all booklovers and the variety of titles they have suggested has been astonishing.

Why is my Library called the Decades Library? Although I said my guests are asked to nominate five of their favourite books I haven’t quite made it as straightforward as that. I ask my guests to follow two rules when making their selections:

1 – Choose Any Five Books
2 – You Can Only Choose One Book Per Decades From Five Consecutive Decades

The oldest book to feature (so far) was Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland which was first published in 1865. The most recent release was published in 2022 – Sinead Crowley’s The Belladonna Maze. There have been many, many titles published in between these two which have also found their way to the Library shelves. I hope to be able to add many more too.

And now that we have been reminded of the rules and the ultimate aim of my Decades Library it is time for me to hand over to my guest: Eve Smith.

Eve Smith writes speculative thrillers, mainly about the things that scare her. She attributes her love of all things dark and dystopian to a childhood watching Tales of the Unexpected and Edgar Allen Poe double bills.

Longlisted for the Not the Booker Prize and described by Waterstones as “an exciting new voice in crime fiction”, Eve’s debut novel, The Waiting Rooms, set in the aftermath of an antibiotic resistance crisis, was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award and was selected as a Guardian Book of the Month. It was followed by Off-Target, about a world where genetic engineering of children is routine. Her latest thriller, One, is set in a near-future Britain ravaged by the climate crisis where a one-child policy is ruthlessly enforced. Eve’s previous job at an environmental charity took her to research projects across Asia, Africa and the Americas, and she has an ongoing passion for wild creatures, wild science and far-flung places.

You can order One and purchase Eve’s other books from all good retailers or directly from Orenda Books: https://orendabooks.co.uk/product/one www.evesmithauthor.com Twitter @evecsmith Instagram, Facebook and TikTok: evesmithauthor

DECADES

The Shining, Stephen King 1977

This has to go down as one of the most frightening books I’ve read. Then I watched the Stanley Kubrick film adaptation which really did (and still does) scare the pants off me. I put it to the test with my daughters last year, and despite all the CGI and technical wizardry they’re accustomed to, they still said it was the most terrifying thing they had ever watched. Now they just need to read the book…

The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood 1985

I remember watching the original film of The Handmaid’s Tale with my sister. We’d never seen anything like it. I rushed out and bought the book and then proceeded to read everything by Margaret Atwood that I could get my hands on. I love the way she dramatises important issues in thrilling alternative worlds that feel chillingly plausible. Her work has been a major inspiration to me.

The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver 1998

I read The Poisonwood Bible with a local book club. The novel is about a missionary family who settle in the Belgian Congo. I don’t know how many times I cried, but it has to be one of my all-time favourites. Such a powerful story about family and motherhood, and the tragedies we unwittingly let loose on those we love most, despite our best intentions.

Under the Skin, Michel Faber 2000

Under the Skin is probably one of the most surprising books I have read. I mustn’t give any spoilers, but it almost changes genres part-way through. A tantalising mystery intrigues from the first page with tight, atmospheric writing and beautiful descriptions of the Scottish countryside. I thought it was brilliant.

Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel 2014

Station Eleven is a stunning speculative novel that conveys a haunting vision of a post-pandemic world that we never could have imagined might become our reality. Beautifully written, with lyrical prose sweeping across continents, you are drawn into each character’s plight as they attempt to navigate the crisis.

Five terrific reads to welcome Decades back. Another week where i have not read all five of the books recommended so I add two to my ever growing wishlist. Huge thanks to Eve for bringing back the Decades Library with these top reading recommendations. Don’t miss out on One – Eve’s new book – which releases in July from Orenda Books and can be ordered here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/one/eve-smith/9781914585746 or at your favourite independent bookstore.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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April 28

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Adam Maxwell

I am assembling the Ultimate Library. I began this project back in January 2021 and the plan is to curate the best collection of books for readers. I only want the Library to feature the “best” reading sections, books that someone loves and would recommend any library visitor should read.

I could not possibly do this alone so I invite guests to join me and ai ask them to nominate which books get added to the Library shelves. I refer to my Library as the Decades Library and that’s because of the two rules I ask my guests to follow when making their selections:

1 – Choose ANY five books

2 – You can only select one book per decade from five consecutive decades

Sounds simple – until you try to make your own selections, finding five books from five consecutive decades does cause some angst apparently.

Now we know why we are here it’s time to pass control over to my guest curator – Adam Maxwell. I’m a huge fan of Adam’s Kilchester novels, good heist stories seem so rare these days but he’s delivering some belters – check out The Dali Deception and you’ll see what I mean.

Over to Adam…

What can you say about Adam Maxwell that he hasn’t already said about himself?

Crime writer – certainly.

Idiot – without doubt.

Genius – unlikely.

Liar – absolutely.

Having written is a variety of genres in the murky past, the days he dedicates himself to writing crime-comedy in his Kilchester series of books. Set in a fictional city in the North of England, Kilchester is a wretched hive of scum and villainy, the denizens of which he’ll have you cheering for by the end of the books…

Described variously as ‘Oceans 11 meets Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels… in book form’, ‘Glorious fun’ ‘If Hunter S Thompson wrote an Ealing comedy’ and ‘Joyous’ (the latter by the owner of this very blog). In Kilchester, Maxwell creates a fast-paced, darkly funny & effortlessly cool series of heist thrillers that you won’t be able to put down.

According to his LinkedIn profile Adam previously worked as a Private Detective and has spent many years hiding from the consequences of his actions in the wilds of Northumberland where he now lives with his wife and daughter.

If you want to find out more about him:

Amazon is a good place to start https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adam-Maxwell/e/B00EUAZN2Q

Or you can check out his website and get yourself a free ebook https://adammaxwell.com/

DECADES

Can I just start by saying aaaargh! Choosing books for Decades was a seemingly simple task that quickly descended into being dangerous overthunk by yours truly. I nearly started in the 1930’s just to ensure I could get Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse. But that meant I would have missed out on too many others so… a balance was struck. And that balance starts in the decade of my birth.

1970s

The Hot Rock – Donald Westlake

Crime and comedy. In the cinema audiences can’t get enough. In the book world… it’s readers who can’t get enough. Since it’s the genre I write in, it felt appropriate to include some of the cream of the crop of humorous crime and The Hot Rock doesn’t disappoint.

After Dortmunder is released from prison with nothing but ten dollars to his name he quickly becomes embroiled in a plan to steal a priceless emerald. The book somehow manages to achieve a perfect balance between hard-boiled and farce and, reader, that is no mean feat. As talented as the crew are, they just can’t seem to keep the damned rock in their dishonest mits without their plans unravelling in front of their eyes.

The book spawned a slew of sequels and was adapted for the big screen by none other than William Goldman in an adaptation that starred Robert Redford.

1980s

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul – Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams is remembered by most as having written the clatteringly marvellous ‘Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy’. This is not that book.

Featuring ‘holistic private detective’ Dirk Gently, this series inadvertently convinced me that not only was it possible to meld comedy and crime fiction but to make it a work of utter genius. The genius part is something I have yet to achieve but… crime and comedy… tick!

The story whirls around Thor (not the Marvel one), a supernatural deal with a green bug-eyed monster with a scythe, a Coca-Cola vending machine and a very, very angry eagle.

To say more would ruin it but if you’ve not dipped your reading toe into Adams’ Dirk Gently series then you really should remedy that. Quickly.

1990s

Get Shorty – Elmore Leonard

No… not the movie based on it with Danny DeVito. Not the TV show either… This is a library and we have no space for such frivolities.

Another hugely influential author for me, Elmore Leonard is the King of Criminals like Agatha Christie is the Queen of Crime. Only American. And more modern. Never mind, that’s a rubbish comparison. What was I talking about?

Yes! Elmore Leonard more often than not makes the criminal the protagonist and has you rooting for the bad guys from the outset. Get Shorty features Chili Palmer, a small-time loan shark from Miami who finds himself in Los Angeles. He soon comes to realise that the movie business is very much like the loan-sharking business and decides he wants a piece of the action.

The result is a laugh-out-loud explosion of petulant stars, terrified producers and drug deals gone bad all told with Leonard’s laconic style.

2000s

The Truth – Terry Pratchett

‘A lie can run around the world quicker than the truth can get its boots on…’

Any writer who puts humour in their books aspires to be as good as Terry Pratchett. And we all fail to be as good as he was. The Truth is the 25^th Discworld novel and a standalone making it all the more accessible.

It charts the Discworld’s first newspaper’s rise and fall and lights a fire in your belly about the importance of a free press while mixing it up with threats to life, a recovering vampire’s suicidal fascination for flash photography and a man who keeps begging the editor to publish pictures of his humorously-shaped potatoes.

One of the hardest things about choosing books for Decades is balancing which book from which decade but with Pratchett’s writing spanning four decades it was more ‘which Pratchett decade am I in love with currently?’

2010s

The Sacred Art of Stealing – Chris Brookmyre

I’ve talked about funny/crime books quite a bit so far but frankly, the biggest crime here is that no-one has chosen one of Chris Brookmyre’s books in any Decades selection so far. It is my utter pleasure to remedy that.

The Sacred Art of Stealing feels in the tradition of Elmore Leonard’s Out Of Sight as it features a burgeoning romance between a thief and a police officer. Brookmyre’s take on the situation is all his own and the black humour that courses through the novel’s veins balances perfectly with the violence while nodding to more literary fare along the way.

Since writing this I’ve discovered that The Sacred Art of Stealing was actually published in 2003… it was the audiobook that appeared in 2013 but such is my belief that it should be included in the Decades library that I will personally kill anyone who disagrees with my inclusion of this phenomenal tome*

*Killing will likely be in print rather than in person. Apologies to the suicidal, deranged and/or violent readers out there.

Pratchett and Douglas Adams in a single week with the added joy of Elmore Leonard and Chris Brookmyre – what a cracking mix! Huge thanks to Adam for making time to pick his five Decades selections.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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March 17

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Alex Walters

Another week has zipped by and already it’s time to throw open the doors of the Decades Library and welcome a new guest curator who will shortly tempt your TBR with some new reading recommendations.

But before we get to the books its the obligatory recap. What’s a Decades Library and why do I have a guest curator?

Back in January 2021 I asked myself the question: if I had a brand new library but no books which books should I add to the Library shelves to ensure I had the very best reading options available for Library visitors? I knew this was far too difficult an undertaking to take on alone so I have reached out to my friends for help. Each week I invite a new guest curator to join me and I ask them to nominate new books which they feel I should add to the library. I want their favourite books, the “unmissable” titles or the books which left a lasting impression.

Why is it a Decades Library? I had to bring a little order to the chaos of asking booklovers to recommend some of their favourite books – seriously, two years later there’s a real danger we would still be listening to my first guest listing the books she loves. Instead I set two rules to govern the choices each guest makes:

1 – You Can Select ANY Five Books
2 – You Must Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

So any five books but restricted to a fifty-year publication span. Easy? Have a go at selecting your own favourites, you may find you re-discover some old favourite reads.

This week it is a real delight to welcome Alex Walters to the Decades Library. I spent my teenage years in the Black Isle and Alex has written a series of books where I get to read about the characters walking down the streets of towns and villages I know so well. As a reader there’s nothing quite as exciting to me as seeing crime thrilers set in places I know. What a brilliant introduction that was to Alex’s writing and the bonus of discovering he had written lots of other books has meant I am enjoying playing catch up.

Time to pass the curator’s hat to Alex and let him guide you through the five books he wants to add to the library shelves….

Alex Walters is the author of twenty one crime and thriller novels, across several series. His first books were set in modern-day Mongolia. Since then, he has written two books set in and around Manchester featuring the undercover officer, Marie Donovan (Trust No-One and Nowhere to Hide), five books with a paranormal edge featuring DCI Kenny Murrain (Late Checkout, Dark Corners and Snow Fallen, Stilled Voices and Life Remains), and six books set in the Scottish Highlands featuring DI Alec McKay (Candles and Roses, Death Parts Us, Their Final Act, Expiry Date, For Their Sins and A Parting Gift). His most recent series is set in the Peak District featuring DI Annie Delamere (Small Mercies, Lost Hours and Bad Terms), with a fourth book, Old Evils, out later this year from Canelo.

He has also written two standalone thrillers – Winterman, a historical crime thriller set in the East Anglian fens in 1947 and his most recent book, Human Assets, a humorous spy thriller.

Prior to becoming a writer, Alex worked in the oil industry, broadcasting and banking and as a management consultant working mainly in the criminal justice sector. He now lives on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands where he runs the Solus Or Writing Retreat with his wife, Helen, and a variable number of cats.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alex-Walters/e/B00528T2NG?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1675963265&sr=8-2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexwaltersauthor

Website: https://www.alexwaltersauthor.com/

DECADES

The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R Delany (1967)

My choices here are books that made a major impact on me on first reading. I was a huge science fiction fan in my teens – though I’ve rather lost touch with the genre now – and initially borrowed this from the library largely on the basis of its title and intriguing style. It’s an extraordinary book – a retelling of the Orpheus myth, set among the non-human inhabitants of a distant-future earth. The narrative is intriguingly interspersed with literary quotations, epigraphs and (real?) excerpt’s from the author’s own journal. The book is sparse, allusive, elliptical and endlessly thought-provoking.

Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon (1973)

I first read Gravity’s Rainbow in my late teens, and I’ve re-read it several times since without ever getting close to fathoming its depths. It’s a huge compendious novel, almost impossible to summarise, set in the closing days of World War II. It combines real-life incidents with extraordinarily imagined, often hilarious fiction, addressing morality, science, war, sex and countless other themes in Pynchon’s unique and hypnotic prose style. Now, I need to read it again.

The Names by Don DeLillo (1982)

Like many people, I first came to DeLillo through White Noise, his breakout book in the UK. That sent my back to read his earlier books. Not all are to my taste, but the novel that stuck with me was The Names. It’s a tricky book to describe – a paranoid thriller, but with a plot that remains opaque, an exploration of the power of language, an examination of the nature of empire, even an atmospheric piece of travel writing, with a tone all of its own.

Complicity by Iain Banks (1993)

I was keen to include something by Iain Banks because he’s one of the writers who has given me most straightforward pleasure over the years. I’ve chosen Complicity because it’s perhaps one of the less well-known of his books, but it’s a wonderful example of his ability to tread effortlessly the line between popular and literary fiction. Complicity is a terrific page-turning thriller, filled with memorable if often dislikeable characters, but it’s also a powerful meditation on politics and power.

Thursbitch by Alan Garner (2004)

Garner is probably the writer who has had most impact on me, from the early books I read as a child through to his more recent, often challenging works. He’s far from a prolific novelist, and every book feels as if it’s been chiseled from a mass of thought, experience and research. Thursbitch is characteristic of Garner’s later work in building unexpected bridges across time and between ideas. In this case, the death of Jack Turner, an eighteenth century ‘jagger’ or salt-trader, is told in parallel with that of a contemporary couple, Ian and Sal, a geologist dying of a degenerative illness, drawing us into ancient bull-cults, shamanism, sentient landscapes, and the nature of time. It’s hugely atmospheric novel, rendered all the more potent for me by my familiarity with its Peak District setting. And its epigraph is taken from Jean Cocteau’s film Orphée, which, accidentally but satisfyingly, takes me full circle back to my first choice.

For the first time in a long time I haven’t read any of the five recommendations. This is why I have enlisted guests to help me pick the best books for the library shelves. But it is also bad for my TBR as Alex has tempted me into two book purchases as I have been pulling this post together – both The Names and Complicity are soon to be winging their way here. I am weak but I love a good book.

Huge thanks, as ever, to Alex for taking time to make his selections.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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March 10

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Steve Stred

Welcome to the latest update to my Decades Library.

Since January 2021 I have invited a guest to join me each week and I ask them which books they would add to my “ultimate library”. I began this project with a question: If I had to fill a brand new library with nothing but the very best books – which books should I add to the library shelves?

Clearly that is a huge undertaking for one person to take on so I ask my guests to help me select the books for the Decades Library – they have to nominate their favourites or the books they consider unmissable and I will add them to my Library. But there’s a catch! I can’t just keep it vague and ask for “good books” I had to set some rules which would govern their choices. Two Rules.

1 – You Can Choose ANY Five Books
2 – You Can Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

Which is why I call my library the Decades Library.

This week I am delighted to take the Decades Library across the Altantic Ocean to pass the curator’s hat to Steve Stred. I’m a fan of horror stories but don’t read anywhere near as many as I would like. Fortunately Twitter lets me keep track of some wonderful reading recommendations and Steve’s Tweets often flag up new names and suggestions which I then try to hunt down.

When I saw Steve Tweeting about discussing other writer’s work I immedately contacted him to ask if he would like to take part in Decades, happily he was able to spare some time to make his selections – over to Steve.

Steve Stred, A 2X Splatterpunk-Nominated Author. Steve Stred lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wife, son and their staffy, Cocoa.

His work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.

DECADES

1970-80 – The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (Translated by Ralph Manheim), 1979

Now, my first experience with this novel was actually through watching the film adaptation of the same name. Of course, the film only follows the first half of the book, but after I had watched this for about the 100th time, I read the novel and was just blown away. Part fantasy, part thriller, part horror novel, it covers a lot of ground and doesn’t go easy on any of its characters. The book kind of showed me how I could approach my own writing – write what I love and not be confined to a singular genre. I love this novel (and movie) so much, that my wife and I named our son, Auryn, after the all-powerful amulet featured within.

1980-90 – Pet Sematary by Stephen King, 1983

‘Sometimes dead is better.’ I mean, King was my first introduction to true out and out horror. I was eight or nine when my neighbor let me borrow some of her King books. One of my first reads of his was Pet Sematary and I was destroyed and traumatized and begging for more. There are so many phenomenal scenes throughout, but it really set the stage for just how dark dark can be. I loved this one, but I don’t know if I can bring myself to go back and read it, now that I’m a dad.

1990-2000 – Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, 1990

I actually read this novel before the movie came out. Again, my neighbor let me borrow this book (and The Andromeda Strain) and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I think this novel has influenced me heavily in the sense of a lot of my books taking place in the wilderness, things going horrifically wrong, and people having to try and survive against the creatures out there that want to kill them. Crichton has a magical way of writing his stories with fanciful prose, while maintaining a scientific eye to detail.

2000-2010 – The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, 2008

The timing of this novel coming into my life was perfect and horrific. One of my former bosses recommended it to me. I started reading it. Maybe two days after starting it, our dog at the time, OJ, had a spinal stroke and was partially paralyzed in his hind end. So, reading a novel from a dog’s perspective was a unique and enjoyable experience, but also really hard and emotional, knowing that OJ couldn’t speak to us and describe to us things he felt or what he needed. I know they made a movie out of this book, but for me, the book was so perfect, I don’t think I’ll be able to bring myself to ever watch it.

2010-2020 – The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper, 2013

If you follow me on any of my social media pages, you’ll know my love of Andrew Pyper’s work. The Demonologist was my introduction to him, and I can’t understate it when I say, discovering this novel changed my life. Not only as a reader, but also as a writer. When I found this book, I didn’t know this type of material was being written by Canadian authors. Yes, I was a sheltered kid, living in the middle of nowhere and the internet was just becoming a bigger part of my life when I found this book, but up until then, Stephen King and Michael Crichton were the ‘dark writers’ I read. This novel showed me how beautiful horror can still be, but also that you didn’t have to be American to be a successful horror author. It follows an expert on Paradise Lost, David Ullman, who is a non-believer in the demonic. He gets invited to Rome, to see for himself something that will change his beliefs, but ends up having to search for his daughter, when she’s potentially taken by a demon. Just a truly phenomenal and emotional experience.

This was quite the reading journey – The Neverending Story to The Demonologist. Don’t say Decades doesn’t bring a diverse mix of titles to my Library. Huge thanks to Steve.

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February 24

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Ed James

It’s been two weeks since our last visit to the Decades Library and I’d like to apologise for the unexpected interruption – though someone did contact me to say their TBR had breathed a small sigh of relief! What happened? Well I was having a super busy week at the day job and got half way through Thursday when I realised it was actually Friday and that I’d totally lost track of the days.

Rather than cut someone’s week short I decided to hang off for a week before passing Ed James the Library curators hat.

As ever I am mindful that this could be your first visit to the Decades Library so I’ll quickly explain why we are here. I am assembling the Ulitmate Library of books. I want my Decades Library to only house books which are loved by other readers. Each week I am joined by a new guest and I invite them to add more books to my library shelves. I ask that when they make their selections that they follow two rules:

1 – You Can Choose Any Five Books
2 – You Can Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades.

Easy! Or so it may seem but I haven’t tried to select my own five choices (yet) so I can’t speak from experience.

This week I am delighted to welcome Ed James to my Decades Library. I reviewed Ed’s new book The Turning of Our Bones earlier this week (it’s almost like I try to plan these things) it’s a real corker – great twist on a serial killer story. You can read my review here: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=7166 Over to Ed now – he’s why you’re here today….

I’m Ed James, the writer of *checks notes* over forty police procedural books over the last eleven years. While I’ve worked with some publishers over that time (Headline, Bookouture and Thomas & Mercer), I’m now focused entirely on being an indie author, which gives me much greater control over what I write and publish.And what I do write and publish is a few series set in different locations. The DI Fenchurch books are set on the gritty streets of East London, and further afield, starring a detective whose own daughter was abducted. Vicky Dodds is a single mother solving crimes in Dundee and Tayside, where I grew up. Recently, I merged the eight-book Scott Cullen, three-book Craig Hunter and six-book Cullen & Bain series into Police Scotland, my attempt at a precinct series with multiple starring cops. And this year sees the launch of the DI Rob Marshall series, with THE TURNING OF OUR BONES on the 1st February marking my first new series in seven(!) years, with another three to come this year.

DECADES

FiftiesCOP HATER by Ed McBainThere’s probably a massive article that could be written about this, but in my opinion this book is where the police procedural started. Sure, there were detective books before this and there were books about cops before this, but the genre – as we know it – roots all its tropes in this series. The 87th Precinct novels are set in Isola, as NYC as Gotham or Metropolis are, and had a huge influence on the TV flavour of police procedurals as well as selling a gazillion novels. The series is a tour de force, running to fifty-five books published between this beauty in 1956 until 2005. If I manage anything like that, I’ll still be publishing books in 2061!COP HATER is a sharp shock. A cop dies and Detective Steve Carella leads the chase to find the killer. As more cops die, McBain weaves in other POV characters, all fully fleshed out, and curiously incorporates genuine police documentation (forms, filled out for the fictional case). One of the ways this book is intriguing is in the way the hero, Carella, doesn’t appear in the second novel – what a way to show that this is an ensemble series. The writing is crisp and feels modern, with a few caveats. Also, the first twenty or so are pretty lean 30-40k jobs, so as easy to read in a sitting or two as a Maigret, say. And I’ve read them all.

SixtiesPOST OFFICE by Charles BukowskiOkay, so this might’ve been published in the 70s but it was written in 1969 so I’m claiming that for this decade. Bukowski’s loosely fictional Henry Chinaski is a low-life. His life is grim and the people he associates with even grimmer. He’s an alcoholic and a womaniser. There is nothing redemptive about his story; he gets worse, if anything, and descends in the sequels. But the writing is so spare and propulsive that you want to revel in the misery of late 60s LA. Chinaski returned for all of Bukowski’s novels, save for the surreal PULP, and each has the same grim beauty as this.

SeventiesLAIDLAW by William McIlvanneyOn this side of the Atlantic, McIlvanney’s LAIDLAW lay the roots for Tartan Noir. (Again, arguably, but let’s not have that argument just now, eh?) It’s all here – a driven detective in a gritty city investigating a brutal murder, but what McIlvanney does, that few others have done, is focus on the effect of the murder on the community. This is character over plot and the ripples of the plot throughout them, each rounded out and human. If you analyse it, you see that the titular hero only appears in a handful of the opening twenty chapters – compare that with the modern model of a victim/killer prologue and everything seen through the eyes of detectives, with some latitude for an additional victim to add a ticking clock. His lyrical flourishes are second to none, sharp and precise in their beauty. He could’ve written one of these a year and been rich, but he only finished another two (in 1983 and 1991 vs this in 1977 with a partial prequel completed during lockdown by Ian Rankin) and the success of Taggart on STV could easily have been his. But he chose another path.

EightiesTHE WASP FACTORY by Iain BanksAn absolutely mind-bending debut from yet another author tragically no longer with us. In its short page count, THE WASP FACTORY creates a tiny world, isolated from the rest of Scotland but beautifully realised. One of the few authors who I read absolutely everything by, this and the CROW ROAD are truly national treasures. His sci-fi novels bend the mind in other ways. Curious and economical, debuts don’t come better than this.

NinetiesBLACK AND BLUE by Ian RankinThis was the first police procedural novel I ever read. I picked up a copy my mum had got out of the library and didn’t set it down until I finished. Legend has it that this is Rankin’s breakthrough and you can see why – it’s got the highest of high concepts; Bible John, a real-life serial killer, comes back to hunt down a copycat. While its pages focus mainly on Rebus, that dour but drily witty detective who investigates while his private life is in tatters, the snatches from Bible John’s POV add a dimension that shows the high concept is met by high execution. I won’t spoil it here (even though it did come out almost 25 years ago…) but the twist ending is incredibly brave for a break-through novel and probably contributed to the success.

I’ve read four of Ed’s five selections and I loved each of them. If ever there was a sign that I need to read Charles Bukowski’s Post Office then this is it! Huge thanks to Ed for taking the time to make his selections, any time I get to feature an 87th Precinct book on the blog is a good day!

DECADES WILL RETURN

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January 27

Decades: Compiling The Ultimate Library with Heather J. Fitt

It was this very week in 2021 that I launched my Decades quest. So before we go any further I’d like to wish the Decades Library a very happy second birthday. Little did I suspect my quest to compile one of the best digital libraries would still be ongoing after all this time. Despite a couple of unplanned breaks in the second half of last year (demands of the day job) I have been honoured to host so many incredible guests here at Grab This Book – each prepared to give up some of their time to talk about the books they love. I am beyond grateful for their kindness and the time they gave to keep the Decades Library growing.

But perhaps this is your first visit to the Decades Library? You are very welcome, please let me explain what’s about to happen. I set myself a challenge two years ago. If I had a brand new library which had no books on any of its empty shelves, which books should I bring to the Library to ensure it only offered the very best books to readers?

I quickly realised that I could not answer that question alone so I enlisted some help. Authors, bloggers, publishers, journalists have joined me over the last two years and nominated their favourite “unmissable” books which they think the very best library should offer. But I don’t just ask them to pick books at random – I made up rules. Two rules to be exact and this is why I refer to my library as the Decades Library.

1 – Pick Any Five Books
2 – You May Only Select One Book Per Decade Over Any Five Consecutive Decades

Easy! Or is it? Have a go at making your five selections and see how quickly you can nail down all five from five consecutive decades. It’s not by accident that after two years I still haven’t managed to make my own five choices.

But enough of my rambling, it is time for me to give way and allow my first guest of 2023 to take the floor. This week sees the publication of Heather J. Fitt’s second novel (The Flight) so what better time to let Heather tell you about five of her favourite books….

Heather was born in Scotland and after moving around Europe with her parents and sister, settled in Hampshire where she met her husband, Stuart.

After leaving the rat-race in 2018, Heather re-trained as an editor and proof-reader and entered the world of publishing. These days she works as a part-time freelancer and a part-time Commissioning Advisor for Bloodhound.

Heather was inspired to start writing her novel by the authors who have become her closest friends. Now the ideas are flowing she has plans to write several more over the coming years.

Her debut novel, Open Your Eyes, was published in 2022 by Bloodhound Books, and her latest, The Flight, was published on 26^th January 2023.

You can get Heather’s books here:

Open Your Eyes geni.us/OpenYourEyes_

The Flight https://geni.us/TheFlightCover

And Heather is online at all these places:

Twitter: @HeatherJFitt

Instagram: @heatherjfitt

Facebook: Heather J. Fitt Author

TikTok: @heatherjfitt

DECADES

1980s – The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

This is a book I borrowed from someone at school, and, despite its length, I devoured. It’s also one of the few books I’ve read several times over.

1990s – 13 More Tales of Horror by Various Authors

This is a bit of a cheat. I was a teenager is the 1990s – well, for most of them – and I LOVED all of the Point Horror books, so this anthology really represents all of them!

2000s – On Writing by Stephen King

I read this one in the last few years. I’m sure many people will have picked it, but it really is an excellent book and it’s not just for writers.

2010s – Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

To me, this is one of the best and most important fiction books that discusses domestic violence. To this day, the character Lee terrifies me.

2020s – Razorblade Tears by SA Cosby

Shawn Cosby is a fairly new author on the block, but when I read this last year I knew I was going to read everything he ever wrote. I would say it’s a book of our time, and don’t forget, “love is love”.

Brilliant! Five great selections to kick off the new season of Decades. I am always delighted to see horror stories added to the Library shelves (and we don’t have many short story collections) so the Point Horror collection made me happy.

My memory is awful but is this the first time a book has made it into the Library which was written by a former Library Curator? Elizabeth Haynes made her five selections last year and now Into The Darkest Corner has found its way onto the Library shelves. I would be greatful if someone with a better memory than mine can tell me if this is indeed the first time this has happened. Then I look at Razorblade Tears and it reminds me that Mr Cosby is very high on my wishlist of future guests – he just doesn’t know it yet. Does anyone want to warn him?

My thanks to Heather for these wonderful reading recommendaitions. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of her brand new book The Flight – published this very week: The Flight https://geni.us/TheFlightCover

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November 11

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Abi Silver

I am trying to assemble the Ultimate Library. In January 2021 I began my mission to put together the very best collection of books. I only wanted to include books which were recommended and loved by booklovers. Each week I invite an author, blogger, journalist or blogger to join me here at Grab This Book and I invite them to add some new books to the shelves of my Decades Library.

Why is it a Decades Library? Well that is down to the second of the two rules I impose upon my guest’s choices. When selecting the books to be added to the shelves of the Decades Library my guests are asked to:

1 – Pick Any Five Books
2 – Only Select One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

It sounded a simple task when I started inviting guests to make their choices. Apparently when you sit down to pick five books it becomes a real trial to narrow down just five books and even more of a challenge to get one per decade from five consecutive decades.

Fortunately my guest this week is no stranger to real trials (see what I did there?) and has picked five terrific books which I shall be adding to the Library shelves. I am thrilled to be able to pass the Decades Library curator’s hat to Abi Silver, author of the fabulous Burton and Lamb books. If you use that handy wee search function (over on the right) you can find my reviews of some of Abi’s books. If you have high powered binoculars and a view into my house you may be able to see my TBR bookcase where Abi also features – once again I find I am losing the battle of “time to read” over “books I want to read”.

Time to let Abi take over…

Abi Silver grew up in Yorkshire, travelled widely and now lives in a village in Hertfordshire with her family. She is a practising lawyer and the author of the Burton & Lamb legal thriller series, featuring two defence lawyers, Judith Burton and Constance Lamb. Her legal duo are very much equals but opposites in their approach to life and the pursuit of justice… and whodunnit.

Abi’s first novel, The Pinocchio Brief, with its ‘lie-detecting software’, invited the question, who is a better judge of truth, man or machine? The thread running through her five subsequent stories (covering themes as wide-ranging as driverless cars and online gaming) is mankind’s constant quest for new and better ways of doing things. Her latest book, The Ambrosia Project (published in October and available here ), focuses on the world of food and what we should all be eating.

You can find out more about Abi’s work on her website www.abisilver.co.uk or follow her as Abi Silver (@abisilver16) / Twitter or Abi Silver, Author | Facebook

DECADES

1950 to 1960

My family and other animals by Gerald Durrell

July had been blown out like a candle by a biting wind that ushered in a leaden August sky.

Decades before the TV series brought this autobiographical story of chaotic family life in Corfu in the 1930s to the attention of millions, an impressionable 10-year old (aka me) lapped it up and clamoured for more. Was it the escapist element? I mean, who wouldn’t want to leave behind grey Yorkshire days filled with mizzle for Mediterranean sunshine? Or be free to run barefoot through the countryside and fill every conceivable space with a menagerie? Although I’m not sure I would have wanted to change places with Gerry when it came to his siblings, however hilariously he described them. This book (and the rest of the series) were housed on my sister’s bookshelf and she was very possessive. I read it secretly, adding to the thrill of turning each page.

1960 to 1970

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.

This story dealing with race and the loss of innocence, set in 1930s Alabama and narrated by six-year old ‘Scout’ Finch, is a magnificent read. Her father, Atticus, a lawyer who defends a black man accused of rape, is portrayed as a man of tremendous courage and integrity. (I’m sure I’m not alone in admitting that he is one of the reasons I became a lawyer – another was Granada TV’s Crown Court.) But the book goes so much further, covering class and gender and tolerance and its messages are often heightened by being written (delightfully) from a child’s perspective and with a wonderful fluid style.

1970 to 1980

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl

Boggis, Bunce and Bean

One fat, one short, one lean…

This is the first book I read independently and I embraced it over and over again. Yes it had striking illustrations to help me along the way, but it was the story of heroic Mr Fox, the underdog, pitting his wits against the combined power of farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean, which stole the show. The gluttony of the men (Boggis eats three boiled chickens and dumplings for breakfast) is contrasted masterfully with the moderation exhibited by the family of foxes, who eat only to survive. It’s not difficult to predict who will come out on top.

1980 to 1990

Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie

To understand just one life you have to swallow the world … do you wonder, then, that I was a heavy child?

Midnight’s Children accompanied me on my travels around India in the early 1990s. I still have the very same (precious and resilient) dog-eared copy, which survived collisions, attempted theft and numerous soakings and yet remained intact.

It tells the story of Salim Sinai born at midnight, on the day in 1947 when India gained its independence. He is one of many children who arrive into the world in that witching hour, before 1am, imbued with magical powers. Their stories and those of his family mirror real life events.

I have never read a book like this before or since. It is almost impossible to describe succinctly because it encompasses so many things. But I think what struck me most, on the first read, was the pace. I careered through the story carried by the richness of the language (much as its hero does) and I loved it.

1990 to 2000

Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson

The past is a cupboard full of light and all you have to do is find the key that opens the door.

Set in York (a promising start) the novel tells the story of Ruby Lennox, in her own words. She lives above a pet shop together with her (dysfunctional) parents and sisters. In between Ruby’s narration, there are flashbacks through her family history, going right back to her great grandmother, Alice’s, encounter with a passing photographer. Despite covering incredibly sad and difficult topics, including the tragedies associated with war, this is a hilariously funny, warm read, packed with brilliant observations on life.

A briliant mix of titles which caters for all ages. Abi quoted the song from Fantastic Mr Fox “Boggis and Bunce and Bean.” I had the audiobook for Fantastic Mr Fox when I was a child – I listened to it on loop for hours and can still sing this song in full…happy days. Huge thanks to Abi for taking the time to collate her Library selections. All five books have been added to the Decades Library shelves.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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September 23

Decades – Compiling the Ultimate Library with Chris Curran

Imagine you had a brand new library but you didn’t have any books yet. Rows and rows of empty shelves all demanding books to fill them. But which books? This was the question I first asked back in January 2021. If you could assemble a new library of nothing but the very best books where would you start?

I knew I could not answer that question alone so each week I invite a booklover (authors, publishers, journalists or bloggers) to add new books to my Ultimate Library. I call it my Decades Library for reasons I shall soon explain.

Each week my guest is asked to nominate five books which I will then add to my Decades Library. There are just two rules which govern their choices but it can apparently cause a bit of head scratching…

1 – You Can Choose ANY Five Books
2 – You May Only Select One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

This is why my collection is called the Decades Library.

This week I am thrilled to be able to pass the Decades curator hat to Chris Curran. Chris has selected five brand new reading recommendations for the Decades Library and I know you’re going to love them as much as I do.

Chris Curran’s sixth psychological suspense novel, When the Lights Go Out, publishes on December 2^nd. Chris also writes as Abbie Frost and her latest under that name is The Guesthouse. Her books have been praised in the media as: truly gripping (Sunday Express), dark, claustrophobic and full of suspense (The Courier) addictive and fun (Daily Mail), addictive (The Sun), chilling (Waitrose Magazine) thrilling (Sublime Horror)

Best selling author, Alex Lake, describes The Guesthouse as a: full of suspense…gripping mystery. And Edgar Award winner Alex Marwood calls When the Lights Go Out: wonderfully mystifying and claustrophobic; and sad and thoughtful to boot.

Chris also writes short stories and has twice been shortlisted for the CWA Margery Allingham award.

Find out more about Chris/Abbie and all her writing:

on Twitter: @FrostyAbbie

Instagram: Chris Curran (@chriscurranwriter) • Instagram photos and videos

Website: https://chriscurranauthor.com/

DECADES

1950s

Tom’s Midnight Garden – Philippa Pearce

I had to start with the 1950s in order to mention this one because it could well be my favourite book of all, surpassing even Rebecca which I adore. I taught young children and when people discovered that I also wrote stories, they always assumed these were for children. The truth is that, while I love children’s books, I have never tried to write one because the best of them are just so good! And the best are definitely not only for children.

I’ve read Tom’s Midnight Garden many times and it never fails to enthral me and to leave me thinking, smiling and crying all at the same time. As I grow older the tears flow more easily and I find more and more things in the story that speak to me. Like all great children’s books, it is both simple and profound. In a tale of two lonely children, playing together in a garden, Pearce manages to illuminate some of the great mysteries of life and living. She capitalises the word Time throughout the book, as well as Past, Present and Future because at its heart the story is about the passage of time. About childhood and aging, love and loss and how time alters us completely and yet leaves us the same.

Tom Long is forced to spend the summer with an aunt and uncle he barely knows in a flat, that, although part of a once grand house, has no garden. Banished from home because his brother is ill with measles, Tom is distraught at the loss of his playmate and of all the adventures they had planned together for the school holidays. But when the clock down in the entrance hall strikes thirteen one night he discovers a door to the wonderful midnight garden. Here he meets another lonely child, an orphan called Hatty. They spend nights exploring the garden and its surroundings as Time behaves as mysteriously as the appearing and disappearing garden.

Tom gradually comes to believe that Hatty must be a ghost, but is surprised to find that to her it’s he who is the phantom. They discover the truth during a resolution that is poignant perfection.

1960s

The Ivy Tree – Mary Stewart

Mary Stewart had huge success in the ‘50s and ‘60s, with her sparkling thrillers, but seems to have been forgotten by many readers today. I could choose any of her novels as a favourite, and her first, Madam Will You Talk? encapsulates everything I love about her books. But that was written in the 1950s so I’ve gone for The Ivy Tree from 1961. The books are often called romantic thrillers, but I think this is misleading. Whilst they all contain at least a hint of romance, along with beautiful settings, what matters is the adventure. And it’s always the heroine who pushes the story onward, not in pursuit of a man, but in her determination to solve the mystery. She faces the dangers independently, relying on her own courage and ingenuity.

The Ivy Tree is darker than many of its predecessors and, instead of the exotic locations (for the time) that Stewart often used, it’s set in the Northumberland countryside, which was deeply familiar to Stewart. The book is in the tradition of Josephine Tey’s Brat Farrar (and Stewart acknowledges her debt) and Du Maurier’s The Scapegoat, where a lookalike is persuaded to take the place of a missing person from a wealthy family.

Annabel was the much-loved granddaughter and heir of Matthew Winslow and, with Matthew close to death, Annabel’s cousin, Connor, persuades Mary Grey, a Canadian visiting England, to impersonate Annabel and claim the inheritance. But can Mary convince those who loved Anabel that she has indeed returned?

When it becomes clear that Connor and his loyal sister, Lisa, who have trained Mary to mimic Annabel, are ignorant of important aspects of Annabel’s life, Mary realises their plan is in jeopardy. Anabel’s other young cousin, Julie, reveals that Anabel had an adulterous affair with local landowner, Adam Forrest. Both Julie and Adam loved Annabel so will they, or her grandfather, see through the subterfuge?

As Mary’s suspicions about what actually happened to Annabel grow more disturbing, she fears there is no one she can trust. But can any of them trust her? Stewart keeps us guessing until the thrilling ending.

1970s

The Walking Stick – Winston Graham.

Most well-known nowadays for his Poldark series, Graham also wrote amazing psychological suspense and The Walking Stick, is a twisted love story. Deborah Dainton has a withered leg as a result of childhood polio and, as the daughter of two high-powered doctors, she fears her parents see her as their failure. She is attractive, but her lack of confidence means she can only watch as the men swarm around her two beautiful sisters.

On the surface she is resigned to a life without romance and focused on her job in a renowned auction house. But in reality Deborah longs for love and begins to believe she has found it with unsuccessful artist, Leigh Hartley. He’s a bit rough around the edges for her family and even Deborah can see that he has some dubious friends, but she warms to his vulnerability and his tenderness towards her is irresistible.

Leigh lives in a bohemian warehouse apartment in London’s Docklands (a great portrait of that area before gentrification) and when they are there the fairy tale feels utterly real for Deborah. So real that she is willing to compromise all her principles to keep it alive. This is no murder mystery, but the crime scenes, when they come, are nail-biting.

1980s

A Dark Adapted Eye – Barbara Vine

How could I leave out Ruth Rendell’s brilliant alter ego? The title is inspired, but I have to wonder if modern algorithms would warn publishers against it!

The book begins on the morning of an execution before moving back to explore the events that led to the murder. It’s the story of an intense, and in the end unhealthy, relationship between two sisters – staid Vera and glamourous, flighty Eden. Over the years romances, marriages and children, as well as WW2, intervene to complicate their lives and their powerful bond sours. When they get into a fight for the custody of young Jamie, each claiming to be his birth mother, the stage is set for tragedy.

Years later their niece, Faith, tries to unravel the complexities of their relationship and discover the truth about Jamie’s parentage.

1990s

Affinity – Sarah Waters

There seems to be a theme developing here, because Sarah Waters Affinity also deals with misguided love and betrayal. Waters third novel, Fingersmith, reveals her as the mistress of the OMG twist that is nevertheless totally convincing. In her second, Affinity, the twist is more subtle, but the book is a masterpiece of suspense.

The setting is a Victorian women’s prison, where inmates are kept in almost total isolation, seeing only their warders and occasional lady visitors. Unhappy spinster, Margaret Prior, is one such visitor. She becomes fascinated by disgraced medium, Selina Dawes, who was sentenced for apparently bringing about the death of a woman attending one of her seances.

As the women grow closer, the tension tightens so much that it becomes almost impossible to breathe as you wait and hope for the ending they both long for. When it finally comes the devastating twist is gasp-inducing, but almost a relief after the nerve-jangling wait.

I am extremely grateful to Chris for taking time to make these fantastic selections. I am even more grateful for her patience while we experienced repeated and frustrating tech issues – these selections arrived in the third email account I use. It makes me worry I may have missed other messages and be oblivious to the fact they have been sent.

One thought did strike me about Chris’s choices – in 18 months of Decades there has not been a Ruth Rendall book yet. Still many big name authors awaiting their Decades debut. It is a good job I can promise

DECADES WILL RETURN

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