I like to host the Favorites of 2024 posts. We get to see what our online friends are reading from all over the world. Today, it’s Lindy Gomm’s turn to talk about her favorite books of 2024. Thank you, Lindy!
THE NIGHT IN QUESTION by Susan Fletcher
– An absolutely wonderful, feel-good, wise book about late-in-life second chances in love and life, peopled with engaging characters, centered around an ‘accident’ that Florrie and Stanhope investigate.
THE SECRET KEEPER by Genevieve Graham
– A marvellously well-written WWII novel highlighting the exploits of Canadian women during the war. Full of heart, suspense, love, tears, and joy. Cannot recommend this one highly enough.
THE SECOND LIFE OF MIRIELLE WEST by Amanda Skenandore
– A story of a young socialite wife and mother who is discovered to have leprosy and is quarantined at a leper colony called Carville (which was a real place); her life of privilege, social status, etc. is completely taken away – even her real name. This leads to the ‘second life’ of the title, which is the one she lives in the colony. This is a fabulous historical fiction novel; eye-opening, affecting, and thoroughly immersive. Easily one of the best books I read in 2024.
THE EXCITEMENTS by C.J. Wray
– Two very elderly women, Penny and Josephine, WWII veterans hiding official secrets and double lives, journey to Paris to receive a special award. They have discovered information about a former adversary and decide to pull off ‘one last heist’ while they’re there. Accompanying them is their poor unsuspecting grand-nephew, Archie. This book is so much fun. Humour, adventure, drama, and yes – excitements. I recommend this one completely.
THE BRIAR CLUB by Kate Quinn
– A novel about women living in a rundown boardinghouse in the U.S. during the McCarthy era. We learn the stories of each of the women living there, and each one is fascinating. The landlady is fearsome. Even the house itself has a voice. Friendships are formed, and secrets are kept. It all builds bit by tantalizing bit to a terrible act of violence. But who is responsible for it? Until I read this book I didn’t realize how dangerous it was to show even a hint of sympathy for anything or anyone connected with Communism.
THE DJINN WAITS A HUNDRED YEARS by Shubnum Khan
– The story is about a dilapidated 100-year-old mansion haunted by a djinn, and currently occupied by an odd assortment of tenants, and one curious young girl. As she wanders through the house she comes upon a locked door. What happened behind this door a hundred years ago is the reason the djinn haunts. A mystery, a love story, and one of trying to belong. This wasn’t a quick read, partly because of the lyrical writing and partly because it felt like a book that should be savoured.
THE DEAD GUY NEXT DOOR by Lucy Score
– A highly entertaining humorous mystery/romance. Riley just wants a normal life, but she’s divorced, hasn’t got enough money, and sometimes has visions. Then a handsome private investigator named Nick shows up at her building looking for one of her neighbours, who turns out to be dead. Murdered. The police have Riley as their #1 suspect. Handsome Nick offers to help Riley clear her name. And what’s with the stranger who claims he was sent to help Riley with her ‘psychic gifts’? Can the three of them solve the case before Riley gets murdered too?
The pages fly by. First in a series.
HOW TO AGE DISGRACEFULLY by Clare Pooley
– A fun, yet wise, story about a group of people at vastly different ages and stages of life, each with their own issues – and how they find common ground, friendship, and new leases on life. An engaging read.
THE WAY OF ALL FLESH by Ambrose Parry
– A wonderfully absorbing historical fiction/mystery/crime novel set in 1847 Edinburgh. Will, a medical student, begins his apprenticeship with the famous Dr. Simpson. Dead women are being found in the Old Town, clearly having died similar gruesome deaths. Will and Dr.Simpson’s very intelligent housemaid Sarah work together to try to discover why these women died. The book takes place at the very beginnings of the study of anaesthesia. Absolutely fascinating to read about the experimenting that went on at the time. The book is riveting and suspenseful.
EARLS TRIP by Jenny Holiday
– Set in the Regency era, three friends (two earls and a viscount) head out on their annual two-week holiday together. The trip gets complicated by a situation involving two sisters who end up tagging along, although they’ve been ordered to stay out of the way and out of sight. Doesn’t happen of course. A historical rom-com, with more rom-com than history. Very entertaining, with great dialogue, and surprisingly thoughtful conversations between the male characters. Heaps of fun.
Great list, Lindy!
A very interesting list, Lindy, and most of the books are new to me. THE SECRET KEEPER by Genevieve Graham is one I will definitely get a copy of. I am always looking for Canadian books to read (about Canada, set in Canada, or by Canadian authors).
I have a copy of HOW TO AGE DISGRACEFULLY and will be reading it this year. THE NIGHT IN QUESTION by Susan Fletcher also sounds very good.
Tracy, My sister read several of Graham’s books after Lindy mentioned this one last year. She really liked them.
Tracy, have you read Thomas King’s Dreadful Water mysteries? He’s a Canadian author. I really like them. I got the first couple from the library and was going to buy the rest on Amazon but I was in Canada while I was reading them and found them in the bookstore cheaper.
Tracy, the only Canadian books I have are Stuart McLean’s VINYL CAFE series (which I love), Bill Richardson’s BACHELOR BROTHERS’ BED AND BREAKFAST and its sequel (dItto) and Claire Mowat’s THE OUTPORT PEOPLE – I expect you’ve read all of those? I think I also have some of Alice Munro’s collections, which were recommended by our writing class tutor when I was in St John’s over 30 years ago!
I will maybe try to think about some other great Canadian books I’ve read and pass a few titles on to you Tracy.
Oh please pass them on to me too Lindy! Thanks 🙂
All new to me, but there are a couple on here I’m going to have to follow up on.
Interesting list!
Thank you Lindy. I have read about half the list and enjoyed them so will add the others to my TBR pile. The Second Life of Mirielle West sounds particularly intriguing. Also happy there are a few lighter picks. I really need some escape reading right now.
The Second Life of Mirielle West really affected me for some reason, and still sticks with me. If I hadn’t borrowed it from my daughter it would be one that I would have kept always, and that’s rare for me.
Nice list, Lindy. It’s always fascinating to me to see how different everyone’s lists are, though I have read two of the books on yours – THE BRIAR CLUB and HOW TO AGE DISGRACEFULLY.
That Canadian WWII book made me think of a series that ran in 2011-12, BOMB GIRLS.
In the dim recesses of my mind, I think I remember watching Bomb Girls!
Lindy, our tastes definitely do overlap! The Night in Question and How to Age Disgracefully were both on my top-ten list of favorites for 2024. My book club will be reading The Briar Club in a couple of months (suggested by me), and I requested and received the book at Christmas. And coincidentally, I am reading The Excitements right now–also a book club book for me, but one I had never heard of. I have never read anything by Lucy Score before, but this one is tempting me. Also, Earls Club–I’ve been circling around that one for a while. It’s great to hear what you thought of all of these books. Thank you for a terrific list!
I wonder what you’ll think about The Excitements Margie. You’ll be the only other person I know who’s read it.
The Dead Guy Next Door is the first book by Lucy Score that I’ve read. It was a lot of fun but I understand that other books/series by her can be very explicit? racy? so maybe something I should keep in mind. Although this one was not.
What an enticing list – Thank you!
Great list and I see several that I want to add to my TBR list. Thank you!
Interesting collection of favorites Lindy, thanks for sharing.
I checked out THE DJINN WAITS A HUNDRED YEARS last year from the library and had to return unread. It’s certainly still on my TBR. And I’ve read and enjoyed three Clare Pooley books. Several of the others sound interesting too. Hopefully they are available in the US. My youngest sister lives in Vancouver and has recommended several nonfiction books that I’m unable to locate here.
Great list Lindy – I haven’t read a single one of these! I am going to look for The Night in Question (is this the same author as the one who wrote EVE GREEN?)
The Secret Keeper, The Second Life of Mirielle West, The Excitements, How to Age Disgracefully and The Dead Guy Next Door all look interesting too – I’m about to look them all up on our library catalogue.
Thanks so much for sharing.
I just looked it up, and yes. Same author as Eve Green, which sounds like a somber and dark story, but I see it has won several prizes. Have you read it?
Until ‘The Night in Question’ I had not heard of the author.
Yes, I did read Eve Green – it was a while ago now and I don’t remember liking it very much, though it was well written. One of my daughters also read it though, and liked it a lot. She enjoys gloom and doom!
This is such a helpful list, Lindy, with lots of variety. I’ve read the Ambrose Parry book and also enjoyed it a lot, but I’ve never heard of many of the others. All sound very much worth reading, so I’ll write them down! Thanks.
I hope you find one or two you like Kim!
Thank you Lesa, for posting my list of favourites. And thanks to so many of you who commented on them!
I love it here at Lesa’s, with so many friendly, encouraging people to talk books with. Thank you!