Autumnal Reads
By Rebecca Weigler, Charlotte Horsfield, Steph Carroll and Georgia Wells
Oh Miriam! Stories From an Extraordinary Life by Miriam Margolyes
14 September, John Murray Press
From the voice of witty, charming and always cheeky national treasure, Miriam Margolyes, comes another collection of stories following a life on and off the screen. From dramatic talk show incidents to hilarious encounters with other celebrities, this book contains all the elements for a perfect yet heartfelt comedy.
Following the success of Margolyes’ 2022 bestselling and prize-nominated memoir, This Much Is True, the British icon once again speaks from experiences to connect with readers and bring laughter to every page. The book spans a life in show business, and all the encounters in between, to shed light on the discoveries made by Margolyes about herself and the world along the way. It also does not shy away from expressing Margolyes’ strong opinions.
However, this time round, Margolyes opens up her heart to share stories from the past and the present, and how the phrase “Oh Miriam!” came to be quintessential in her daily personal life, and how it has now found its way to the title of another predicted novel sensation to hit the non-fiction shelves this month. With the naughty and playful tone of storytelling so often associated with Margolyes, this is sure to bring a smile to readers everywhere.
The Traitor by Ava Glass
14 September, Cornerstone
The newly crowned “queen of spy fiction” Ava Glass proves herself worthy of the title with the second instalment in the Alias Emma book series. Emma Makepeace’s character stuns again as a strong yet mysterious heroine who struggles to find time to pursue a relationship because of her unwavering dedication to her career.
A troubling discovery of a dead man’s body in a chained suitcase marks the start of a tough case for Emma Makepeace to solve. The knowledge that the victim was following the movements of two oligarchs; this leads her to attempt to uncover the identity of the person deep inside the United Kingdom establishment, who is assisting them. Emma must use all of her skills to go underground in London’s labyrinthine world and find the traitor, but one wrong move means that she may not survive the consequences of her mission to find the truth.
The Traitor is sure to be a nail-biting novel for readers who this autumn have reason to be thankful for the dark nights.
Loyalty by Martina Cole with Jacqui Rose
10 October, Headline
Friendship is about one thing… trust and loyalty should be valued above all else.
Number-one bestselling author, Martina Cole, is back with another compelling crime novel this October, written alongside Jacqui Rose, a fellow queen of crime and thriller fiction.
Darla’s childhood was tough, to say the least. With her mother being addicted to cocaine, and her seven siblings needing to be looked after, she had to grow up fast. But it didn’t matter how quickly she grew up, because one day, social services split the siblings up.
Grace, a girl who led a sheltered life, finds herself flung into care after her widowed mother is attacked and left for dead.
Darla and Grace unite and form a seemingly unbreakable bond of loyalty in the face of abuse at Holly Brookes Children's Home. Loyalty often finds itself put to the test, but can Darla and Grace rely on each other to do the right thing when the time comes? Will they be able to trust each other and trust in their friendship?
What We Kept to Ourselves by Nancy Jooyoun Kim
10 October, Simon and Schuster
The mysterious year-long disappearance of Korean immigrant Sunny Kim in Los Angeles remains a haunting enigma for her family. A puzzling twist emerges when the body of a strange man, clutching a letter addressed to Sunny, appears in their yard.
Sunny, a seemingly devoted mother, left her children Ana and Ronald baffled by her sudden absence. Yet, hidden beneath the surface are complex family dynamics, including a strained relationship with her husband John, deeply scarred by the Korean War, and the lingering trauma of their gas station being torched during the Rodney King riots.
This intricately woven narrative unfolds across different timeframes, spanning from the seventies to the nineties, gradually shedding light on a wealth of mysteries. Why did Sunny depart? What ties her to the deceased homeless man, Ronald "RJ" Jones, whose name she bestowed upon her son? And how does RJ’s estranged daughter, Rhonda, who has her own quest, intertwine with Ana and Ronald's journey? And what's the explosive LAPD exposé RJ was working on, that is potentially hidden with Sunny, leading to mysterious stalking and murders?