5 gripping books to keep you hooked on a rainy day

Katy Thornton

Rainy days are coming, and if you’ve watched everything on Netflix, or just fancy a break from screens, we’ve got you covered.

We may be spending a few more evenings inside again – no, not because of lockdown but because of the shift in weather. Luckily we have a list of five page-turners that are bound to keep you occupied.

1. A Ladder to the Sky, John Boyne

You may know John Boyne best from the award winning novel The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. The Irish writer has written 13 novels for adults, one of them being A Ladder to the Sky. The story follows ambitious Maurice Swift as he tries to claim fame and fortune. The one issue is that Maurice doesn’t have any talent, but his cunning nature more than makes up for it. The novel follows as Maurice dupes and uses various people in his life to gain success. It’s absolutely brilliant and you won’t be able to put it down. Even Graham Norton was a fan.

Just devoured this beauty! I enjoyed it so much – fast paced, unexpected and ultimately hugely satisfying! #aladdertothesky pic.twitter.com/g1cE1BZfUP

— graham norton (@grahnort) August 24, 2018

2. Holding, Graham Norton

Speaking of Graham Norton, his first novel Holding is perfect for a rainy day or a lazy afternoon. Sergeant P.J. Collins lives a slow life despite his job. When human remains turn up in his town of Duneen, P.J. finally has a real case to dig into – but what happens when his fellow townspeople are all suspects? Norton proved his literary ability with this novel and it is now being made into a television series.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUPXk2ngX6j/

3. The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman

You may recognise him as the super smart guy from the show Pointless. Well, he’s also a super talented writer. The Thursday Murder Club follows Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron as they live out their days in a retirement village. They’re obsessed with crime, and spend Thursdays trying to solve cold cases. It’s all just a bit of fun, until someone turns up dead on the property. Now they have a real case to solve. This book is a page-turner and also very funny. The sequel is coming next week.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE6fCiPnv3I/

4. Unravelling Oliver, Liz Nugent

I will never stop recommending Irish novelist Liz Nugent. Her stories are so fast paced and gripping and will get you through a whole night, let alone an afternoon. Alice and Oliver seemed to have the perfect marriage, until Alice ends up in a coma following a brutal beating from Oliver. Trying to figure out how the pair came to this point, we read different perspectives from those who knew Alice and Oliver best. Unravelling Oliver is a short but brilliant read.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeJKsP-j-Rb/

5. The Estate, Liza Costello

This Irish thriller only dropped in June. The Estate is about Beth who moves in with her boyfriend as she begins to drift from her college friends. Jason comes across a house that they can live in rent free for a few months, the only issue is Beth will have to live there alone for 12 weeks. This seems like no big deal, only Beth’s loneliness begins to get the better of her, and her neighbours are harbouring some serious secrets. The Estate is a book that will keep you on edge.