June 12, 2025
Discover what books we’ve enjoyed reading so far in 2025.
Some of our selections are books we’ve discovered recently, and others were published this year. We hope you enjoy them or if you’ve read them, tell us what you thought. Here’s what we’ve enjoyed so far this year.
The Lion Women of Tehran
Marjan Kamali
★★★★★
Marjan Kamali’s The Lion Women of Tehran is a profound and evocative novel that delves into the enduring power of female friendship against the backdrop of Iran’s tumultuous history.
The narrative follows Ellie and Homa, two girls from contrasting social backgrounds, whose bond begins in 1950s Tehran and evolves over three transformative decades. Their journey together encapsulates the challenges and triumphs of womanhood amidst societal upheaval.
Kamali’s storytelling is both lyrical and immersive, painting a vivid picture of Tehran’s vibrant culture and the complexities of its political landscape. The characters are richly developed, making their personal struggles and growth deeply resonant. The novel masterfully intertwines themes of love, betrayal, resilience, and the fight for women’s rights, offering readers a heartfelt exploration of friendship and identity.
The Lion Women of Tehran is a testament to the strength and resilience of women, and a celebration of enduring friendship. Absolutely loved this book and subsequently read another of hers just as good The Stationery Shop of Tehran.
The Secret Hours
Mick Herron
★★★★★
Mick Herron delivers yet another masterclass in espionage fiction with The Secret Hours, a gripping, sharp-witted thriller that proves why he’s one of the best in the genre.
While not a direct Slough House novel, this standalone work is steeped in the same world of bureaucratic betrayals, fading spies, and shadowy government machinations.
The novel kicks off with a seemingly mundane government inquiry into past intelligence operations—a routine investigation that quickly spirals into something far more sinister. As secrets unravel and long-buried missions come back to haunt the present, Herron expertly weaves together a story full of biting humour, razor-sharp dialogue, and his signature brand of cynicism about the intelligence world.
What makes The Secret Hours truly shine is Herron’s ability to blend tension, character depth, and dark comedy. His spies are flawed, cynical, and all-too-human, making the stakes feel both real and deeply personal. Fans of Slow Horses will find plenty to love here, while newcomers will be drawn into the murky, morally ambiguous world Herron crafts so brilliantly.
The Bad Girl
Mario Vargas Llosa
★★★★☆
The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa is a richly layered novel that explores obsession, desire, and the complexities of love through the lens of an unconventional, lifelong romance.
Inspired by Madame Bovary, the book follows Ricardo Somocurcio, a mild-mannered Peruvian who spends decades chasing the enigmatic and unpredictable Lily, a woman who constantly reinvents herself and remains just out of reach.
Vargas Llosa’s writing is elegant and immersive, capturing both the grandeur and the melancholy of Ricardo’s relentless devotion. The novel moves across time and continents—Paris, London, Tokyo—mirroring Lily’s ever-changing identity, while Ricardo remains the steadfast, often naive, lover. Their dynamic is both frustrating and fascinating, making for an emotional rollercoaster of a read.
I’m a big fan of Vargas Llosa and if you enjoy his style The Feast of the Goat is one of my favourites.
The Last Dance
Mark Billingham
★★★★★
The Last Dance introduces readers to Detective Sergeant Declan Miller, a ballroom-dancing, wise-cracking investigator returning to duty in Blackpool after the tragic murder of his wife.
Paired with the no-nonsense Detective Sergeant Sara Xiu, Miller is thrust into a perplexing case involving two seemingly unrelated victims found dead in a seaside hotel. As the investigation unfolds, Miller’s unconventional methods and sharp wit come to the forefront, making for a compelling and entertaining read.
Mark Billingham masterfully crafts a narrative that balances suspense with humour. Miller’s character is richly developed, showcasing a man grappling with profound grief while maintaining a facade of sardonic humour. His interactions with Xiu, who often finds his jokes perplexing, add a layer of depth and authenticity to their partnership. The dialogue is sharp and witty, reflecting Billingham’s background in comedy, and provides levity amidst the darker themes of loss and crime.
I made a big mistake with this book as I should have read the prequel, The Wrong Hands first so I’d urge you to do the same, if, like me, you are a sucker for maverick whose humour defeats his critics.
Greenlights (Audiobook)
Matthew McConaughey
★★★★★
My son recommended this unconventional memoir, and I decided to listen rather than read because it’s narrated by the author.
This is a wild, philosophical, and deeply entertaining ride through the life of one of Hollywood’s most charismatic stars. Narrated by McConaughey himself, the audiobook is a standout experience, bringing his signature drawl, humour, and storytelling charm to every moment.
Blending personal anecdotes, life lessons, and unconventional wisdom, Greenlights is delightfully unpredictable. McConaughey reflects on his journey—from childhood misadventures to breaking into Hollywood, from personal failures to moments of profound self-discovery—with an honesty that feels raw and refreshing. His stories are filled with humour, heart, and the kind of poetic musings that only he could deliver. It’s scattered with tales and what he won’t admit is that many are as a result of a courageous decision.
McConaughey’s energy, comedic timing, and larger-than-life personality make it feel less like a traditional memoir and more like a fireside chat with an old friend. His narration transforms the experience, making every tale feel immersive, whether he’s recounting a Hollywood success, a rough patch on the road, or the lessons he’s learned from chasing “greenlights” in life.
Whether you’re a long time fan or just looking for an audiobook that’s equal parts entertaining and enlightening, Greenlights is a must-listen. McConaughey’s voice, wisdom, and infectious enthusiasm really do merit the stars awarded.
Horse
Geraldine Brooks
★★★★★
Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington.
Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism. Written by a Pulitzer Prize winner, Horse flits between mid-19th 20th & 21st Century featuring a groom, gallery owner and Smithsonian scientist and Nigerian American art historian. The central character is an enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal who forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. When the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name on paintings of the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamor of any racetrack.
Whether you’re a fan of historical fiction, intrigued by the world of horse racing, or seeking a story that delves into the complexities of human relationships and societal issues, Horse is a highly recommended read.
Down Cemetery Road
Mick Herron
★★★★☆
Mick Herron’s Down Cemetery Road was published long before the Slough House series (dramatised as Slow Horses).
It introduces Sarah Tucker, a bored housewife living in a quiet Oxford suburb. After a nearby house explodes in a suspected gas leak — with hints that a young girl may have survived and disappeared — Sarah becomes obsessed with finding the missing child. Her amateur investigation leads her into dangerous territory, involving deceit, betrayal, and people with far more to lose than she realizes.
Down Cemetery Road is a clever, character-driven mystery that’s less about a ticking-clock thriller and more about peeling back the rot behind ordinary lives. If you like smart crime fiction with bite, it’s worth your time.
The Homemade God
Rachel Joyce
★★★★☆
Four siblings are appalled when their artist father, Vic Kemp, declares that he has fallen in love with someone 50 years his junior.
Kemp decamps to his Italian Villa and marries his young partner, Bella-Mae. When his children learn of his death, they descend on the villa to find out what has happened, who is his young wife? And where is his long promised final painting?
What unfolds is a well-structured tale in which Bella- Mae is the catalyst that tests the tenuous bonds holding the siblings together. Told with compassion and tender insight, The Homemade God explores memory, identity, grief, healing, and what happens when bonds splinter, and what it might take to find a new way forward.
The Savage Noble Death of Babs Dionne
Ron Currie
★★★★☆
Babs Dionne, proud Franco-American, doting grandmother, and vicious crime matriarch, rules her small town of Waterville, Maine, with an iron fist.
She controls the flow of drugs into Little Canada with the help of her friends and oldest daughter.
When a drug kingpin discovers his numbers are down in the upper northeast, he sends a malevolent force, known only as “The Man,” to investigate. At the same time, Babs’s youngest daughter, Sis, has gone missing.
I enjoyed this book, especially since Babs, despite her flaws, is a clever and compelling central character. It’s very well written and structured.
Fever Beach
Carl Haasen
★★★★☆
Those of you who have read our all time Top 5 books will know Carl Haasen is a favoured author.
His latest, Fever Beach, may not resonate as much as Razor Girl, nevertheless it’s still classic Haasen – a quirky hero ably assisted by a love interest as they expose a dumb and incompetent foe fuelled by right-wing extremism, white power, greed, and corruption. Another laugh-out-loud funny novel, tackling the current chaotic and polarized American culture.
The Names
Florence Knapp
★★★★★
The book explores whether a name can change a life. It starts with Cora registering her baby’s name.
Her abusive husband, a respected doctor but controlling individual, has instructed her to name the infant after him, but she chooses differently. Over the next 30 years, the narrative follows three alternate versions of Cora’s and her young son’s lives, shaped by her choice of name. In richly detailed prose, “The Names” examines the effects of domestic abuse, the complexities of family relationships, and the possibilities of autonomy and recovery. The story switches between versions and it works primarily because of its emotional power.
If you’re looking for s0mething to watch or listen to, check out our monthly cultural highlights.
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