Read This: Books under the Radar is a weekly post written by a guest author – often a friend of mine, someone I’ve met on my writerly travels, or an author I admire – who recommends three books they think deserve more recognition. If you’re interested in buying any of the books, please click on the covers and give these hidden gems some love. You can see the full list of books which have been selected, as well as the author’s latest book on Bookshop.org, where you can have a browse and buy any that take your fancy. Happy reading!

Read This: Essie Fox

Essie and I met when we both helped form, and joined, The Prime Writers. This was a group of writers whose debuts were published when we were all over forty. At the time it felt that debuts were all about young writers (and to an extent they still are) and we were all feeling a little lost. We were there to commiserate when things weren’t going well, and to cheer when they were. We’re all loosely still in touch, and I feel a huge camaraderie with this group of writers, and love to see them doing well, and I’m always ready to support them when they have a new book out. Essie’s latest is available to pre-order now. Here’s what she has to say about herself:

Essie Fox writes historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. The Fascination was an instant Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller, and her forthcoming novel, Dangerous is a dark and vampiric-themed mystery featuring Lord Byron, when the poet resided in Venice.

Essie has lectured on the historical themes behind her novels at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Gallery in London, as well as at literary festivals and bookshop events.

Discover more about Essie at her website: essiefox.com
Here are the books Essie chose:

Little Egypt by Lesley Glaister

Little Egypt, a grand but decaying English house, is central to the action of the novel. Here, Isis and Osiris, a brother and sister in their nineties, have lived since they were born. Now, they seem to be ‘entombed’, with a dual carriageway running on one side, and a supermarket on the other. Meanwhile, Isis reflects on a period in their childhood, when their parents travel to Egypt in search of fabled tomb leaving their children all but abandoned. Lesley Glaister weaves a story that is darkly humorous, but also traumatic and sinister.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson

A middle-aged governess is sent to a job at the wrong address. Over the next twenty-four hours, Miss Pettigrew is plunged into the glamorous and chaotic world of an attractive nightclub singer. A delightful adult fairy tale (though at times it does seem old-fashioned, with regard to feminine autonomy, and some minor racial slurs) bringing to mind the classic comedy romances of Hollywood movies in the thirties and forties. Indeed, a film has now been made, starring Frances McDormand and Amy Adams.

Midwinter by Fiona Melrose

The Midwinters are Suffolk farmers – a father and his son haunted by tragedy and loss, until the desperate bitter winter when they’re forced to face their demons. A stark examination of masculine expectations, of guilt and loneliness, and the craving for belonging. Lyrical and profoundly moving.

 

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I’m delighted that we have our second Lesley Glaister novel on Books Under the Radar. The first, A Particular Man was chosen by Ruth Thomas. I’m also delighted that Essie has chosen a fellow Prime Writer: Fiona Melrose. Have you read any of these? If you’d like to be told about future Read This recommendations, you can follow me on Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter.

More Read This: Books Under the Radar

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