2025 in Books

12 January 2026

You may think that the fact I haven’t posted any news since last year’s review of books means that I have had no news. And you’d be absolutely right. Apart from hearing that a little ten-minute play of mine is going to be performed at Chesil Theatre next month, I’ve spent the whole year with my head down writing and re-writing (and re-writing) my next novel. But I have at least read and listened to some good books while doing it!

In 2025 I read 32 books and listened to 19 audiobooks - 51 in total. My overall feeling for the year was that I hadn’t read a lot of spectacular fiction that I would remember in future, but looking back now I did read a lot that I enjoyed. I gave 9/10 for enjoyment to 11 books, of which my favourites were probable:

  • The Wives of Halcyon by Eirinie Lapidaki
  • The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
  • The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die, both by Richard Osman.

These last two were quite a revelation. I had read the first Thursday Murder Club book a few years ago and had enjoyed it enough but not thought that much of it, which is why it took me ages to get round to the rest of the series. The books get so much better in my opinion. Funny and light without having zero emotional investment. Perfect escapism.

So on to my top six - the ones I gave 10/10 for enjoyment (not a score based on anything else, like how literary or clever or beautiful I thought it was - although that can add to my enjoyment!) These were:

  • The Healing Word - Barbara Brown Taylor
  • The Names - Florence Knapp
  • Beartown and Us Against You, both by Fredrik Backman
  • Havoc by Natalie Wait
  • The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay

Never thought I’d give a book of devotionals 10/10, but I found The Healing Word so glorious. The Names and the two Backman books were gorgeously but simply written with quite hard plotlines, told with sympathy and no melodrama - thoroughly recommend. And the last two, were just pure fun. Well-written and page-turning. I want to use the word ‘romp’ for them, but fear it gives connotations of low-quality literature, which they certainly aren’t. I just had a blast listening to them!

Please do get in touch to let me know your books of 2025!