May Books

The books which I have enjoyed reading in May are:

Mike Gayle - All the Lonely People

Hubert is an eighty-three year old widower, living in Greater London. The highlight of his week his daughter Rose's telephone calls. But as she's in Australia and worries about him, he's made up three imaginary pensioner friends to hide the fact that he barely leaves the house and can't face talking to others. He knows he'll have to find some friends before she comes to visit, but doesn't know where to start. Then single mum Ashley moves in next door. Despite his attempts to stonewall her chattiness, his innate kind nature surfaces and he finds himself helping her out. As more people begin to come into his life, we learn more about Hubert's past, his trials coming to England from Jamaica in the 1960s, his dear wife Joyce, and why he's so lonely. A tender and heartfelt novel which explores human kindness as well as people's brokenness and how love shapes our lives. At the same time it is heartbreaking as well as uplifting.  

Lesley Pearse - You'll Never See Me Again

In the final years of World War I, Betty's husband Maritn has been invalided out with shell shock so bad that he doesn't even recognise her. But her overbearing mother-in-law Agnes has taken over his care and only sees Betty as a worker to support the three of them. On a stormy night, Betty makes an impulsive decision to fake her own death. She knows Agnes will take care of Martin, and feels that the situation would have destroyed her. Changing her name to Mabel, she falls on her feet with a position as a maid of all work with a kind employer. When her employer's death means she must find another situation, she embarks on a journey that expands her horizons, bringing fulfilment as well as heartbreak, physical danger, poverty and despair. But the past doesn't stay hidden forever, and she knows that inevitably she must face up to what she has done. Another excellent historical tale by this fine author, vividly and intricately woven.

Marius Gabriel - Goodnight Vienna

In 1937, Katya reluctantly abandons her university medicine course in Glasgow and heads for Vienna for the sake of her family. Her Russian emigre parents in England have been living beyond their means for many years, and now they're destitute. But a rich Viennese businessman, Thorwald Bachman, has to pay handsomely for Katya to be governess to his motherless and troubled daughter, Gretchen. The twelve-year-old seems to be uneducatable, and finds emotional connections difficult - but she has a wonderful musical talent on the piano. Despite herself, Katya becomes attached to the girl, and begins to form a bond with her. Thor himself is larger than life, kindly, generous and honourable, his home open to many thinkers and talented people. As the Austrian capital moves toward the darkness of a Nazi takeover, there is danger for Katya and for the people she has grown to love. The essence of Vienna and its history are vividly drawn, the characters full of life. Katya's experiences are breathtaking and heart-stopping, and I couldn't wait to turn each page. Excellent.