This Weekend's Book Recommendations Will Leave You Spoilt For Choice

by Rana Asfour

If you're stuck between books and unsure of what to start on next, here are a few recommendations, some by the industry and others by very dear friends of mine, that I'm hopeful will help you make up your mind.

'The Girl in the Spider's Web' by David Lagercrantz

The book has been released in the UK, but US release is Sept. 1

There's been a big buzz of excitement and expectation where this new release, the latest addition to the late Stieg Larsson 'Millennium Trilogy', has been concerned. As a start, the appearance of a fourth book means the trilogy is now known as the 'Millennium Series' and if the Gods of the publishing world have their way, the series is expected to extend to at least 10 books, the number initially suggested by the late Swedish journalist and writer Stieg Larsson who penned the first three books. 

'The Girl in the Spider's Web' written by Swedish journalist David Lagercrantz has very big boots to fill but initial reviews seem promising and many have applauded Lagercrantz's writing as staying true to the spirit and voice of the originals. It picks up years after the first novel in which the trilogy's famous characters Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist are reunited several years later when Blomkvist is contacted by Swedish scientist Professor Balder who wants Blomkvist's paper 'Millennium' to publish his autistic son's terrifying story.

The first three books of the trilogy were written by Swedish journalist and writer Stieg Larsson who never got to see any of them published. The writer suffered a fatal heart attack in 2004. He was only 50 years old. The entire trilogy was published posthumously, and has gone on to sell more than 80 million copies worldwide according to latest figures.

David Lagercantz is a Swedish journalist and best-selling author, best known as author of Zlatan Ibrahimović's biography 'I am Zlatan Ibrahimović'.

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'Dark Tides' by Chris Ewan (recommended by author Helen Smith @ BritCrime)

I have read all of author Helen Smith's books to date and have loved them all. BookFabulous has managed to review most of them and expect more reviews of Helen's books here very soon. Helen Smith is founder and organiser of BritCrime, an online book festival celebrating the best of crime fiction. They held their first event this July. BookFabulous was glad to take part and can't wait for the next one. 'Dark Tides' is one of Smith's latest recommendations:

'Dark Tides' which will be published in paperback in the UK on 3 September 2015, is by award-winning author Chris Ewan, writer of the highly successful thrillers 'Safe House' and 'Dead Line'. Voted as 'one of America's favourite British authors' by a Huffington Post poll, He is also the award-winning author of 'The Good Thief’s Guide' series of mystery novels (currently in development with 20th Century Fox Television). 'Dark Tides' is his latest stand alone thriller; a story about friendship, family, secrets, lies, and the things we do for love.

When Claire Cooper was eight, her mother disappeared during Hop-tu-naa, the Manx Halloween. When Claire was eighteen, she and her friends took part in a Hop-tu-naa dare that went terribly wrong. Now in her early twenties and a police officer, what happened that Hop-tu-naa night has come back to haunt them all, and Claire must confront her deepest fears in order to stop a killer from striking again.

This thriller is recommended for those who enjoy reading Stephen King and Harlan Coben. It is published by Faber & Faber.

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'The Good Girl' by Fional Neill (recommended by dearest friend Tiffany Crow)

English Playwright John Webster once wrote:  'Lay this unto your breast: Old friends, like old swords, still are trusted best' and so queue one of my dearest, most talented and beautiful friends, Tiffany Crow who's choice of books I have faithfully come to rely on and relish.

Tiffany read English literature at King's College, holds a high-powered demanding job in Dubai as General Manager at Hogarth Worldwide, and in the process is mother to two gorgeous children. With all this to juggle, it's a miracle she has time to read at all. However, her choices are not to be taken lightly especially that she comes from a family of readers and writers. Her sister is Justine Crow, co-author of 'The Little Book of Nits', who is also a columnist, blogger and runs 'The Bookseller Crow', a bookshop on a hill, in South East London, with her partner Jonathan Main who knows absolutely everything there is to know about books. (check out the BookFabulous interview with Justine Crow HERE).

So, 'The Good Girl' is the latest title Tiffany raved about when we spent last weekend catching up, celebrating birthdays, and stuffing our faces with cheesecake :)

The novel is about straight A student Romy Field who finds herself at the centre of a scandal that shocks everyone, especially her mother Ailsa - who is also the head of her new school. Ailsa is quick to hold Romy's new boyfriend and his parents responsible for what has happened. But as mother and daughter reveal their very different version of events, a much darker truth emerges. It soon becomes apparent that Romy isn't the only member of her family harbouring secrets and her disgrace becomes the catalyst for the unravelling of all those around her.

Fiona Neill is a novelist and a journalist. She is the author of the novels 'Slummy Mummy', based on her hugely popular column in the 'London Times' a Sunday 'Times' bestseller that sold in twenty-five countries, and 'What the Nanny Saw'. Neill lives in North London with her husband and three children.