your favorite novels set in London or elsewhere in England?
 

We're about to leave on a week-long trip to England, and it's time for me to pick a book to read on the plane and in the hotels. I'm looking for inspirations.

I like mysteries and also literary novels including historical novels. No Bridget Jones books or things like that, however. I love Dickens, too, but I hesitate to carry a really fat book with me.

I'd be interested in hearing what other people's recommendations are. Thanks!

Have you tried Catherine Aird? A vey British mystery writer. I do enjoy her books.

"The Pillars of Earth" by Ken Follett is another good one - but not much smaller than most of Dicken's books I'm afraid.

Any Dick Francis book if you like horse racing mixed in with your mysteries.

Ellis Peters' (Edith Pargeter)
Mediaeval mysteries ("Brother Cadfael") are light-weight and fun. So are the older Dorothy L. Sayers books and Mary Stewart's "The Crystal Cave".

Of course there are the old classics like "A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", "Ivanhoe" (Sir Walter Scott), and Shakespeare's plays to name a few...

Have fun!

I would recommend one of Edward Rutherfurd's wonderful books (London, Sarum, Forest) - but each is big enough to make a great doorstop. Even in paperback they are pretty hefty.

For flights/light reading, I like just about any British murder mysteries so any that unaS mentioned are good.

There are two American authors who write mysteries based on the UK and they are spot on w/ the locations, atmosphere, language (usually one can spot a non-Brit's writing right away because of little slip ups here and there)

Oops - didn't mean to hit Post

Elizabeth George and her Inspector Lynley mysteries, and Deborah Crombie whose work is very similar but I think a bit better. Hers are about Detective Superintendant Duncan Kincaid.

Both janisj and unaS have give you soon good suggestions.

For medieval mysteries which are well researched, I would add Susanna Gregory, Candance Robb,Michael Jecks and C.J.Sansom.

For more contemporary mysteries, Morag Joss is vey good. Peter Robinson is another possibility.

Even though the paper backs are still large, Edward Rutherfurd is an excellent choice.

For mysteries set in London and surrounds, I love Ruth Rendell. She also writes under the name Barbara Vine.

I second -- or third or fourth -- the recommendations for Rutherfurd and Elizabeth George. She, particularly, has the contemperary milieu down perfectly. Her most recent had her characters involved in a church on Collingham Road, a church we've passed many times on our walk from the Gloucester Road tube station to the apartment we rent when we visit London.

For a real nineteenth-century page turner set in England, try Mary Elizabeth Braddon's _Lady Audley's Secret_. It's a terrific thriller and mystery, and a bestseller back in the 1860s.

Some of my other favorites are _Cold Comfort Farm_, which is sort of like Jane Austen set in the 30s. And you can't go wrong with P.D. James mysteries; I'm a fan of _An Unsuitable Job for a Woman_.

I have just started reading Stephen Smith's 'Underground London - Travels Beneath The City Streets'.
Absolutely fascinating! To think I've walked past, over, under so many things I never had an incling existed.

Here are some of my favorites:

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks) -- historical fiction set in the village of Eyam during the plague.

I, Elizabeth (Rosalind Miles) -- historical fiction about Queen Elizabeth I

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by his Fool, Will Somers (Margaret George) -- pretty hefty, but good historical fiction

Sharon Kay Penman writes good historical fiction and mysteries -- most set in Medieval England

Maisie Dobbs (Jacqueline Winspeare) -- mysteries set in post-WWI England

The Cazalet Chronicles (Elizabeth Jane Howard) -- 4 novels that comprise a saga about a family in WWII England

I've just started reading "Case Histories" by Kate Atkinson -- it's described as a family saga/mystery set in contemporary England. It's gotten good reviews, and starts out well.

Both Atkinson and Winspear are coming to the Texas Book Festival in 2 weeks to talk about British mysteries, and I'm looking forward to hearing them!

Enjoy -- Annette

Some good suggestions here. The Elizabeth George and Ruth Rendell mysteries are good for a travel-reading.
I agree that the Rutherford books, especially "London" are great reading, but too hefty to lug around.
For more substantial reading, of course anything Dickens (but maybe do that at home), and all of Anthony Trollope's books set in London and other parts of England in the 19th Century. I just discovered those a few years ago and had a marvelous time reading them (numerous!). They are best read sort of chronologically as written, which I didn't know at first.

And DO read John Galsworthy (Forsyte Saga) if you haven't already. I know most of these I mention are too lengthy for the trip but will be great for this winter's reading!

Wow, this list is already a good one.
I can only add:
Bernard Cornwell- War history but very interesting and well written.

Dick Francis- Mysteries about horse racing.

Mists of Avalon- Marion Zimmer Bradley

P.G. Wodehouse-

I Capture the Castle. A sweet little book I read a while back about a family living in a broken down castle.

"Sleep Pale Sister" by Joanne Harris is very good - set in Victorian London. See www.joanne-harris.co.uk

Ruth Rendell's novels, whether mysteries, detective stories or her more "psychological" thrillers, are just wonderful. Unfortunately, the England they portray probably isn't what the tourist board would like! Seriously, though, she's a wonderful writer.

I love anything by PG Wodehouse, the writing is wonderful. very funny stuff.
Elizabeth George is a great read, saving her latest for my next plane trip.
Mary Wesley writes some great English novels. Some set during the war, others more current. very witty.

If you like mysteries or suspense, try "Enigma" by Richard Harris. It is about the code-breakers during WWII.

Anything by Sarah Waters.

Also Margaret York writes murder mysteries that I've always enjoyed reading.

I like Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series of mysteries [although the last few haven't been as good as the earlier ones].

Classic literary novels--anything by the Brontes, and EM Forster's Howards End.

The Henry VIII historical novel by Margaret George, as mentioned above, really got my appetite whetted to visit London. And, of course, LONDON by Rutherford. - But these are both gigantic books. I would gladly haul either one along, though, because they are both so great. Because the area is so packed with history, it's difficult to beat historical fiction for making it even more interesting to visit.

Another mystery series...this one set in England in the 15th century...is written by Margaret Frazer. Her main character is a nun, Dame Frevisse. She's a sort of female version of Brother Cadfael in the Ellis Peters novels...all of which I've read.

Great suggestions in this thread...some of which I've read and others not. Whets my appetite for more reading.

LeeParis