Reckless

"All the books I’ve chosen so far are serious, but given I read crime fiction mainly for entertainment, I do love books that make me laugh. I think others do too, hence the popularity of Richard Osman’s books, the second of which, The Man Who Died Twice , also came out this year. Reckless is by R.J. McBrien who normally writes for television but decided during lockdown it was time to make a crime fiction debut. The (anti)-heroine is a middle-aged married woman who makes wry asides—a bit in the style of Bridget Jones—drinking lots of wine and making fun of modern life, parenthood and marriage as her desire for physical intimacy leads her into an increasingly tricky situation. A typical line: “I’d read enough magazine articles to know most young women waxed with pre-op thoroughness. Would a new lover expect that?” A few other books I enjoyed this year include: The Others , by Sarah Blau , set in Tel Aviv and translated from Hebrew. It’s a weird, quirky book, but an image of clumps of hair she finds around her apartment stays with me. I also read The Chateau by Catherine Cooper , a nicely told book of crime fiction set in France. The Therapist by B.A. Paris , set in London, is another good one and could easily have been on my best crime fiction of 2021 list. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz is also very memorable, the main protagonist’s anguish about his writing and success (or lack of it) making the reader almost ready to murder him themselves. It’s good, especially in the second half as he stops thinking and starts investigating. Part of our best books of 2021 series."