Suspenseful autumn reads
As the evenings draw in, this is the perfect time to curl up with a good book.
Autumn is the perfect time of year for a gripping and suspenseful read.
Here are four books that are perfect for this time of year – most are available to rent for free through your library or can be purchased used very cheaply from Amazon.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Susanna Clarke’s bestselling book is the perfect read for autumn. The nearly 1000-page epic tells the story of magic in England at the turn of the 19th century and the two magicians who summoned it. The reclusive Mr Norrell’s displays of magic send a thrill through the country; but when a second magician appears, the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange, the two men begin a dangerous rivalry. As the novel unfolds their own obsessions and dabblings with the dark arts begin to cause more trouble than either magician could have imagined.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Daphne Du Maurier’s enduring classic was first published in 1938, and still remains a favourite with readers of all ages. The novel charts the story of a young woman consumed by love and struggling to find her identity. After she meets handsome widower Maxim de Winter she is whisked from the glamour of Monte Carlo to his brooding estate on the Cornish Coast. When she gets there she is haunted by the memory of his dead wife Rebecca, kept alive by the housekeeper, Mrs Danvers, as she struggles to find her place in her new life. If you loved the depth and romance of Jane Eyre, you’ll love the muted mystery of this captivating page turner.
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Sarah Water’s eerie post-war novel tells the story of Hundreds Hall, a crumbling estate in rural Warwickshire, and the family who live inside it. When Dr Faraday is called out to the decaying home, little does he know his life is about to become intertwined with the Ayres family. The once grand house is now crumbling – but is there something more sinister at play than just a crumbling way of life? Gripping, mysterious and spine tingling, this novel will have you holding your breath to the very last page.
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood’s stunning historical fiction, Alias Grace, won the prestigious Canadian Giller Prize and earned her a spot on the Booker Prize shortlist. Around the true story of the enigmatic murderess Grace Marks, who emigrated from the north of Ireland to Upper Canada as a teenage girl in 1840. Just three years after taking a job as a servant in a wealthy home in Toronto, she and a stable hand are arrested for the murder of their employer and his housekeeper. But is Grace the notorious criminal the papers would have you believe, or an innocent victim caught up in something bigger? Just when you think you know the answer, Atwood twists the story again; a brilliant read and absolute page turner.
Looking for more great autumn reads? Why not join our Book Club – there are plenty of other excellent picks to keep you busy!
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
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