Jennie Godfrey was raised in West Yorkshire and her debut novel, The List of SuspiciousThings, is inspired by her childhood there in the 1970s. Jennie is from a mill-working family, but as the first of the generation born after the mills closed, she went to university and built a career in the corporate world. In 2020 she left and began to write.
She is now a writer and part-time Waterstones bookseller and lives in the Somerset countryside.
The Party in the Woods (2026) Fiona McPhillips "The Party in Woods is a beguiling whodunnit with a side order of music and rave culture. I was gripped."
Peck & Peck (2026) Bonnie Garmus "An absolute triumph of storytelling, writing and characterisation, Peck & Peck had me from the first sentence. This is a glorious celebration of, and plea for, the creative arts, with a cast of truly unforgettable characters, from the eponymous Peck and Peck to the excellently named narrator Batter Gray. I won't forget this book. Ever."
The Trouble With Sister Francis (2026) Matt Coyne "I cannot express how much I enjoyed this gorgeous story, and fell in love with its characters. Matt Coyne is a brilliant storyteller with an eye for detail that makes his imagined world come alive. I also snort-laughed on more than one occasion."
The Woman Who Wasn't There (2026) William Hussey "This thriller is the very definition of a page turner with the kind of twists and turns that left my head spinning. A brilliant read."
Getting Away With Murder (2026) Shari Lapena "Getting Away with Murder is one of those brilliantly gripping thrillers you just cannot stop reading. Unfolding in layers it builds to form a compelling and claustrophobic moral dilemma. I was hooked."
Everything to the Sea (2026) Alicia Upano "I was utterly entranced by this beautiful novel. Expansive, yet deeply personal, it moves seamlessly between themes of grief, love, family, and duty with an authenticity and humanness that is irresistible."
The First Act of Summer (2026) Joanna Glen "This gorgeous, sweeping novel has my whole heart... a story about losing, then finding yourself, I defy you not to love it."
All Grown Up (2026) Daisy Buchanan "Funny, tender & relatable at every level... quite simply, wonderful."
Shrink Solves Murder (2026) Philippa Perry "What a joy Shrink Solves Murder by Philippa Perry is. This is cosy crime with a side order of psychological insight and fabulously real characters. Already looking forward to the next one!"
The Secret Thread (2026) Eve Chase "An intriguing mystery wrapped in the sumptuously glamorous life of a famous designer, The Secret Thread is a story beautifully and compassionately told. With shades of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo I was enthralled till the very end."
The Players Club (2026) Rachel Mills "Original, layered, thoughtful and mind-bendingly plausible . . . had me thinking about it a lot, even when I wasn't reading it."
Hunger and Thirst (2026) Claire Fuller "An absolute masterpiece. Utterly absorbing, genuinely unsettling ...like all the most terrifying horror films of the 70's and 80's and all the most scary ghost stories."
People Pleaser (2026) Bryony Gordon "As a recovering people-pleaser myself, I ADORED this novel from Bryony Gordon. Riotously funny, and sharply observed, it is a must read for any woman who has ever tried so hard to please everyone else, they've ended up losing themselves."
Welcome to the Neighbourhood (2026) Jane Fallon "One of those novels I couldn't wait to get to every evening. Propulsive, with twists and turns I didn't see coming, yet warm and good-hearted. I enjoyed it SO much."
The Murder at World's End (2025) (Stockingham & Pike, book 1) Ross Montgomery "A tantalising whodunnit with some of the funniest dialogue I've read in a while. I enjoyed it immensely."
Last One Out (2025) Jane Harper "I am a huge Jane Harper fan, and absolutely loved Last One Out. The atmosphere of a dying town, combined with Jane's brilliant characterisation plus a confounding mystery meant I was glued to it for days."
To Love a Liar (2025) L V Matthews "A tensely written, thoughtful thriller that will stay with you long after you've put it down."
The Killer Question (2025) Janice Hallett "I am in awe of Janice Hallett - so prolific and her books are so clever and entertaining. The Killer Question is no exception. The pub quiz teams are so brilliantly observed. Another brilliant murder mystery."
59 Minutes (2025) Holly Seddon "A gut punch of a novel. Set primarily in the fifty-nine minutes prior to a nuclear strike, it poses the question 'what would you do?' and the answers feel all too plausible, from the terrifying to the wonderful. I held my breath for most of it, but ended up finding this as moving and reflective as it was suspenseful."
My Other Heart (2025) Emma Nanami Strenner "My heart was captured by this gorgeous book. My Other Heart is one of those novels that gets its hooks into you and doesn't let go. A beautifully told story of family, identity, loss and belonging."
The Art of a Lie (2025) Laura Shepherd-Robinson "Fiendishly clever and completely gripping, The Art of a Lie had me in its grip right till the satisfying finish. I loved it."
Ordinary Love (2025) Marie Rutkoski "I stayed up way too late to finish this beautifully written novel, which had me hooked from the first page. A truthful, hopeful look at navigating family, life and love."
A Murder for Miss Hortense (2025) (Miss Hortense Mysteries, book 1) Mel Pennant "What a read! This is more than a cosy crime mystery, from the brilliant Miss Hortense and Blossom, and the rich history of their lives, it's the story of a community, one I hope I get to visit again soon."
Show Me Where it Hurts (2025) Claire Gleeson "This story of a woman's survival after the worst has happened, makes for a searingly beautiful novel. Stunningly crafted, with complex and shocking themes that are never shied away from, I found myself profoundly moved while frequently thinking about the characters when not reading it. This is a novel that lingers."
The Retirement Plan (2025) Sue Hincenbergs "The Retirement Plan is a razor sharp, clever, funny novel which is also surprisingly tender. I gulped it down over a couple of days and found myself both laughing, and gasping out loud at the twists and turns the story took. I defy you not to be rooting for these characters. It's a triumph."
The Forgotten Book Club (2025) Kate Storey "With kindness, community and tolerance at its heart, The Forgotten Book Club is a moving, warm and comforting read."
Bad Blood (2025) Sarah Hornsley "BAD BLOOD is an intricate, clever thriller that delves beautifully into family dynamics and small-town politics. I loved it."
Idle Grounds (2025) Krystelle Bamford "Every sentence positively bristles with unease. One of the most atmospheric novels I have read in a long time. Beautifully written."
The Grapevine (2025) Kate Kemp "From its shocking opening to its impeccable conclusion, The Grapevine is a cleverly revealing close-up of a claustrophobic community. I loved it."
Sweat (2025) Emma Healey "Taut, compulsive, and unsettling ... SWEAT had me holding my breath until the final, brilliant end."
The Queen of Fives (2025) Alex Hay "The Queen of Fives is as fiendishly clever as its characters, an atmospheric novel with real heart and depth."
Notes on a Drowning (2025) Anna Sharpe "A rare thing - a high-octane, page turning thriller, but with characters who are fully rounded."
The Life and Loves of Becca Valentine (2024) Laura Pearson "A gorgeous (and very clever) book. Actually stayed in bed this morning just so I could finish it, and I adored it, even if I am a little weepy now!"
Frankie (2024) Graham Norton "Immersive, stunningly written, and very emotional - this is a triumph."
After the Storm (2024) G D Wright "What an absolute rollercoaster ride of a book. Reminding me of Broadchurch, with its small town feel & its taut, propulsive plot, After The Storm is truly gripping."
Nilesha Chauvet "Such compulsive reading. Covering dark, disturbing topics, its ferocious energy takes you on a wild, thought-provoking ride."
The Betrayal of Thomas True (2024) A J West "Quite simply divine - historical, a thriller, comedic, fantastical and, above all, a love story that had me in all sorts of tears."
The Happiness Blueprint (2024) Ally Zetterberg "A rich and rewarding take on romance, relationships, family, grief and finding your place in the world. This is a funny, moving, satisfying read with characters that captivated me."
Goodbye Birdie Greenwing (2024) Ericka Waller "Goodbye Birdie Greenwing is one of those books that lingers... I laughed, cried and felt more compassionate for reading it. A triumph."
Small Hours (2024) Bobby Palmer "I devoured this in forty-eight hours, it being about my very favourite reading topic: dysfunctional families and the many ways in which they can both fracture and heal. Its connection to the natural world makes this extra-special and almost poetic. A triumph."
The Actor (2024) Chris MacDonald "Brilliant, dark, immersive, and ultimately hugely satisfying."
73 Dove Street (2023) Julie Owen Moylan "I loved That Green Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan so had high hopes for 73 Dove Street and it did not disappoint. This beautiful postwar story of three working class women is so evocative and moving. Adored it."
