Reading For Pleasure:: Recommended Books from the Mark Twain Library

Christine Falls, The Silver Swan and Elegy for April – all by Benjamin Black (pen name for John Banville so beautifully written) – 1950’s Dublin/Boston, Massachusetts – professional pathologist and amateur detective Quirke follows clues…

Case Histories (unbelievably good), One Good Turn, When Will There Be Good News and Case Histories ( just might be one of the best mysteries I’ve ever read) – all by Kate Atkinson.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest –all by contemporary Swedish writer Steig Larsson, who died unexpectedly after the completion of the third book. Not for the squeamish. Lisbeth Salander is one of the most enigmatic characters ever. Read them in order.

Any and all of the Kurt Wallander mysteries by Swedish author Henning Mankell.

Any and all of the Detective Inspector Adam Dalgliesh mysteries by the legendary P.D. James.

The Devil’s Feather by Brtish author Minette Walters – a mystery reminiscent of Nobel Prize-winning author J.M. Coetzee.

In the Woods by Irish author Tana French – a tight, fast paced murder mystery with interesting characters that will keep you guessing.

Mystic River and Shutter Island both by the Boston, MA area author Dennis LeHane – don’t just see the movies! Read the books – they simply cannot be put down!!

The Sea by John Banville – so beautifully written it is like listening to music - an older gentleman’s introspective look back on his life.

In the Fall by Jeffrey Lent – one of my top five favorite books – rural New England after the Civil War

Epicure’s Lament by Kate Christensen – main character Hugo Whittier is one of the cleverest, most hilarious characters (and narrator) ever. Just read it. And if you are interested in the bohemian NYC art scene, check out The Great Man, also by Kate Christensen.

The All of It by Jeannette Haien – an absolutely exquisite little book about morality and the pursuit of peace.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss – a powerful multigenerational story of love lost, found and everything in between.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, a post 9/11 novel involving a young boy’s life lessons in New York City. A very special book.

The Things They Carried, a very powerful Vietnam diary, and In the Lake Of The Woods, a post-Vietnam novel involving coming to terms with one’s own “truth”, both by Tim O’Brien.

The House At Riverton and The Forgotten Garden both by Kate Morton, and both generational sagas moving back and forth in time – light, summer reads but wonderfully written. Page turners!

Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips – family secrets, dreams, ghosts, set in 1950’s West Virginia.

The Gathering by Anne Enright – Irish siblings gather for the funeral of their brother; drama unfolds, family secrets revealed. Beautifully written.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion – Joan Didion looks back on the year following her beloved husband’s unexpected death. Absolutely magical!