As the autumnal nights draw in, what better way to entertain yourself than with a good book? From intimate memoirs to thrillers for Halloween, here are the best books to add to your reading list this October.
The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister
A gripping thriller about an isolated family who worships the swamp surrounding their home, The Bog Wife is the perfect choice for those who enjoyed novels by T Kingfisher and Stephen Graham Jones. The Haddesleys have always lived a peculiar existence in the Appalachians and when Charles, the patriarch of the family, discovers he’s slowly dying, it brings all of his chickens home to roost. For Wenna, the only Haddesley child to have ever escaped the forest, it means facing a past she’d prefer to leave behind, while for eldest son Charlie, it means preventing the ever-growing, ever-hungry bog from awakening…
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
Inspired by the legend of Xishi – one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China – A Song to Drown Rivers is a historical fantasy novel about womanhood, war and the fate of two kingdoms. The 336-page novel, published on 3 October, focuses on Xishi, whose extraordinary beauty has been a blessing since birth. When she catches the eye of military leader Fanli, he presents her with an opportunity to topple the rival neighbouring kingdom by infiltrating the enemy palace and seducing their immoral king. However, what Xishi doesn’t expect is the doomed attraction between them – and how if she is unmasked as a traitor, she could easily topple both kingdoms.
From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
Penned by the late Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ daughter, and his granddaughter Riley Keough (of Daisy Jones and The Six fame), From Here to the Great Unknown is a unique glimpse into one of the most famous families in the world. Compelling and emotive, the memoir was recorded on and compiled by Keough after Presley’s death last year and spans every aspect of her life, from growing up at Graceland and her relationship with her father, to her marriages to Danny Keough and Michael Jackson. A perfect choice for Elvis fans, this is a rare opportunity to discover the life of his only child in her own words.
The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins
From the bestselling author of The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins’ latest novel centres on the mystery of a Scottish tidal island and the discovery of a small bone at the centre of a famous sculpture that turns out to be a long-forgotten human. The gruesome discovery suddenly connects three people who know the truth, and their interwoven secrets and lies that put the bone there. Featuring themes of ambition, power, art and perception, this is a real page-turner.
Sonny Boy: A Memoir by Al Pacino
Publishing on 15 October, Sonny Boy is an intimate self-reflection by one of the greatest actors in Hollywood, who grew up among the grit and soul of the South Bronx in the 1950s. It follows his life from childhood with a mentally unwell mother and enrolling at New York’s High School of Performing Arts, to exploding onto the film scene with leading roles in The Panic in Needle Park, The Godfather, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon. One for film geeks and Pacino fans, discover the story of one of America’s greatest actors in his own words.
Eat Slay Love by Julie Mae Cohen
Julie Mae Cohen, the best-selling author of Bad Men, returns this month with yet another razor-sharp, hilarious thriller focusing on three women and the man who has been lying to them all. Marina is a divorced mother of three, Lilah is a shy and lonely librarian, and Opal is a post-menopausal fitness guru – on paper, the three of them have absolutely nothing in common, but little do they know they’ve been cheated on by the same man. Having successfully tied him up in a basement, they soon discover how far each of them is willing to go to get revenge.
Read more: The astounding true story of Joan Hannington – the UK’s most notorious jewel thief
