The Needle In The Blood by Sarah Bower

Brimming with sex and violence, The Needle In The Blood is set during the Norman conquest of England and is cleverly imagined through the minor, often-overlooked figures of the Bayeux Tapestry whose identities and history remains mysterious and debatable.

 

Bad Dirt by Annie Proulx

Proulx, author of Brokeback Mountain and many other short stories, brings life and vigour to the everyday problems and back-stories of some very quirky residents of Wyoming. Her knack for descriptions and humour is incredible, and this collection of stories has a distinctly western flavour.

 

Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach

 
A captivating love story set in Amsterdam during the Dutch Masters. It follows four characters, a noblewoman, her maid, her lover and her husband through the era of ‘Tulip Mania’, when the trade of tulip bulbs ruled the economic market. The four stories all intertwine to weave a rich and fascinating tale set against a historical golden age.

 

From A to X by John Berger

 
This beautifully mysterious story is both haunting and captivating. The reader begins with minimal information about the characters, knowing only that the story is told in a series of letters: ‘A’ is writing to ‘X’. Little clues allow you to guess the situation, location and identity of the characters, but the story remains ambiguous throughout.

 

Hitler’s Canary by Sandi Toksvig

 

Hitler’s Canary explores the Danish story of the Holocaust and is a heart-warming true story of human bravery and compassion. Following the tale of one family, Toksvig narrates how the actions of ordinary Danish citizens helped to save the lives of nearly all of the country’s Jewish population.

 

words: Eleanor Healing