Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Summer 2021 To Read List

Published on by Margaret

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. For the rules see her blog. The topic this week is Books On My Summer 2021 To Read List.

Some of these books are ones that have been on my shelves for ages and some are more recent additions from NetGalley.

The Mouse Trap and Selected Plays by Agatha Christie – the world’s longest running play, plus three other thrillers adapted from the novels (which I have read) – And Then There Were None, The Hollow and Appointment with Death. I haven’t seen The Mouse Trap, and doubt I ever will, so the next best thing is to read it.

Set in an manor house a number of people are isolated from the outside world by a blizzard and faced with the reality that one of them is a killer.

The Enchanter’s Forest by Alys Clare – historical fiction set in Midsummer 1195. A ruthlessly ambitious man has fallen deeply into debt, his desperate situation made even more difficult by the contribution he has had to pay towards King Richard’s ransom. To make matters worse the beautiful wife he tricked into marriage has tired of him and her mother hates his guts.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles set in Paris in 1939. Odile Souchet is obsessed with books, and her new job at the American Library in Paris is a dream come true. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. But then the Nazis invade Paris, and everything changes.

Just Like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas – standalone psychological thriller. Una Richardson’s heart is broken after the death of her mother. Seeking a place to heal, she responds to an advertisement and steps into the rich, comforting world of Elspeth McKenzie. But Elspeth’s home is not as safe as it seems.

The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald – In 1912, rational Fred Fairly, one of Cambridge’s best and brightest, crashes his bike and wakes up in bed with a stranger – fellow casualty Daisy Saunders, a charming, pretty, generous working-class nurse. So begins a series of complications – not only of the heart but also of the head – as Fred and Daisy take up each other’s education and turn each other’s philosophies upside down. 

The House on Bellevue Gardens by Rachel Hore – Bellevue Gardens is a tranquil London square, tucked away behind a busy street. You might pass it without knowing it’s there. Here, through the imposing front door of Number 11, is a place of peace, of sanctuary and of secrets. It is home to Leonie; once a model in the sixties, she came to the house to escape a destructive marriage and now, out of gratitude, she opens her house to others in need.

The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jónasson –

After her father’s tragic suicide, Una is desperate to get away from Reykjavik. So when an advert appears for a teaching position in a remote, northern Icelandic village, she seizes her chance. But with unfriendly residents, bleak weather and a population of just ten, it is far from what Una knows. And then, just before midwinter, a young girl from the village is found dead. Now there are only nine villagers left. And Una fears that one of them has blood on their hands . . .

The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce – 1988. Frank owns a music shop. It is jam-packed with records of every speed, size and genre. Classical, jazz, punk – as long as it’s vinyl he sells it. Day after day Frank finds his customers the music they need. Then into his life walks Ilse Brauchmann. Ilse asks Frank to teach her about music. His instinct is to turn and run. And yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with her pea-green coat and her eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems. And Frank has old wounds that threaten to re-open and a past he will never leave behind …

True Crime Story by Joseph Knox – a standalone murder mystery told as a true crime story. In the early hours of Saturday 17 December 2011, Zoe Nolan, a nineteen-year-old Manchester University student, walked out of a party taking place in the shared accommodation where she had been living for three months.

She was never seen again. Seven years after her disappearance, struggling writer Evelyn Mitchell finds herself drawn into the mystery. Through interviews with Zoe’s closest friends and family, she begins piecing together what really happened in 2011. .

The Silence Between Breaths by Cath Staincliffe passengers boarding the 10.35 train from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston are bound for work, reunions, holidays and new starts, with no idea that the journey is about to change their lives for ever, as one of the passengers, sitting in the middle of the carriage is Saheel, carrying a deadly rucksack . . .

In the aftermath, amidst the destruction and desolation, new bonds are formed, new friendships made… and we find hope in the most unlikely of places and among the most unlikely people.

38 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Summer 2021 To Read List”

  1. Awesome. It’ amazes me to see how much effort is made in presenting such a carefully curated post. your patience is truly well appreciated and applauded Margaret. All the best for greater success in the future.

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  3. The Mouse Trap is a lovely story, one of my favourite by Agatha Christie! I first saw the theatre play, and then I read the book 😀 I hope you’ll enjoy it!!

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  5. I like your list very much, Margaret! I’d like to read The Paris Library myself, so if you get to that one, I’ll be interested to know what you think of it. And I really hope you enjoy The Mouse Trap. In my way of thinking, it’s hard to go wrong with Christie…

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  8. I haven’t read any of them but the two that appeal most are The Gate of Angels and The House on Bellevue Gardens. I shall look both of them up.

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  10. Oh, I think you’ll like The Mousetrap. It’s definitely a fun read. Haven’t visited it in years. I should read it again. Enjoy!

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  14. I’ve read only 1 book by Penelope Fitzgerald – Offshore – and struggled with it but I know she has a lot of fans so I’m thinking there are other books by her that would suit me better

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    1. I haven’t read any of Fitzgerald’s books. I remembered I had The Gate of Angels when I saw it on your blog. I started to read and then put it to one side as I was reading Little Dorrit, which took me ages. I’ll probably have to start it again!

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    1. I wish I’d seen the play too – not much chance now with all the Covid 19 precautions. I’ll get the tissues out for The Music Shop – maybe I’ll start reading it at the weekend.

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