The List of Suspicious Things
Published on 15. February 2024
Book
Hardback
496 pages
978-1-5291-5329-3 (ISBN)
Description
***THE NUMBER 3 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER***
HAPPY PLACE BOOK CLUB FOR APRIL
A BEST DEBUT OF 2024 BY BBC, RED, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
'Such a fresh and interesting voice. You'll cry and you won't be able to stop reading'
MARIAN KEYES
'Such a beautiful story about friendship, community and family and secrets and what's going on underneath'
ZOE BALL
'Gripping and moving'
GUARDIAN
'To read it is to feel that little bit better about life'
ELIZABETH DAY
'A touching paean to lost innocence and the comfort of friendships'
THE TIMES
'A beautiful mystery with heart'
ROB RINDER
'This is a heart-warming book'
EMMA HEALEY
'A gorgeous, page-turning book'
I PAPER
'A wonderful story'
FEARNE COTTON
'This book will live in my heart forever. It's so tender, warm, real and evocative'
DAISY BUCHANAN
Yorkshire, 1979
Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.
Because of the murders.
Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking.
Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?
So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don't.
But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families - and between each other - than they ever thought possible.
What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?
THE PERFECT DEBUT NOVEL TO DISCUSS IN BOOK CLUBS
***READER REVIEWS***
'Left a lump in my throat and a hole in my heart'
'A book I won't forget for a while'
'A beautiful and emotional debut that I know will stay with me for a long time'
'A superb look at childhood, at growing up, at starting to see the world around you'
HAPPY PLACE BOOK CLUB FOR APRIL
A BEST DEBUT OF 2024 BY BBC, RED, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
'Such a fresh and interesting voice. You'll cry and you won't be able to stop reading'
MARIAN KEYES
'Such a beautiful story about friendship, community and family and secrets and what's going on underneath'
ZOE BALL
'Gripping and moving'
GUARDIAN
'To read it is to feel that little bit better about life'
ELIZABETH DAY
'A touching paean to lost innocence and the comfort of friendships'
THE TIMES
'A beautiful mystery with heart'
ROB RINDER
'This is a heart-warming book'
EMMA HEALEY
'A gorgeous, page-turning book'
I PAPER
'A wonderful story'
FEARNE COTTON
'This book will live in my heart forever. It's so tender, warm, real and evocative'
DAISY BUCHANAN
Yorkshire, 1979
Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.
Because of the murders.
Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking.
Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?
So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don't.
But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families - and between each other - than they ever thought possible.
What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?
THE PERFECT DEBUT NOVEL TO DISCUSS IN BOOK CLUBS
***READER REVIEWS***
'Left a lump in my throat and a hole in my heart'
'A book I won't forget for a while'
'A beautiful and emotional debut that I know will stay with me for a long time'
'A superb look at childhood, at growing up, at starting to see the world around you'
Reviews / Votes
A touching paean to lost innocence and the comfort of friendships, its dark undertow leavened by stout Yorkshire humour * The Times * I absolutely adore it! -- Marian Keyes Godfrey succeeds brilliantly in fitting a gripping and moving story in the interstices of a horrific episode in recent history, without ever trivialising, taking focus from, or minimising the lasting impact of the original crimes. * Guardian * There's been buzz around this novel - for good reason. Endearing characters and nostalgic details make this a must-read * Good Housekeeping * One of the buzziest debuts of 2024, and deservedly so....prepare to have all the feelings * Red * Fabulous. I loved Miv's spirit * Prima * I can't believe this is a debut. Heavy themes handled with such tenderness and care, a moving, memorable tale of community, connection and curiosity. I loved it -- Emma Gannon A heartwarming tale about the power of human connection, written with empathy, warmth and care. To read it is to feel that little bit better about life -- Elizabeth Day [THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS] was such a joyous read . . . the story spoke to me on so many levels. The characters are adorable and we all need an Aunty Jean in our lives . . . a beautiful story of friendship, community and family. Heartwarming -- Zoe Ball Funny, poignant and drawn with real compassion. This is a heart-warming book -- Emma Healey, author of ELIZABETH IS MISSINGMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cornerstone
Dimensions
Height: 223 mm
Width: 147 mm
Thickness: 39 mm
Weight
565 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5291-5329-3 (9781529153293)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jennie Godfrey was raised in West Yorkshire and her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, 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.