Suggested books from the

Penguin Random House catalogue

This booklet contains summaries of 28 titles recommended by one of Prison Reading

Groups’ most experienced volunteers.

Please choose one first choice and one second choice from this booklet, or from

the wider Penguin Random House catalogue (which includes imprints such

as Penguin Classics, Vintage and Windmill).

Choices should be sent to admin@prg.org.uk by 5 July 2019.

TranscriptionKateAtkinsonIn1940,eighteen-yearoldJulietArmstrongisreluctantlyrecruitedintotheworldofespionage.SenttoanobscuredepartmentofMI5taskedwithmonitoringthecomingsandgoingsofBritishFascistsympathizers,shediscoverstheworktobebyturnsbothtediousandterrifying.Butafterthewarhasended,shepresumestheeventsofthoseyearshavebeenrelegatedtothepastforever.Tenyearslater,nowaproducerattheBBC,Julietisunexpectedlyconfrontedbyfiguresfromherpast.Adifferentwarisbeingfoughtnow,onadifferentbattleground,butJulietfindsherselfoncemoreunderthreat.Abillofreckoningisdue,andshefinallybeginstorealizethatthereisnoactionwithoutconsequence.Transcriptionisaworkofraredepthandtexture,abravuramodernnovelofextraordinarypower,witandempathy.Itisatriumphantworkoffictionfromoneofthiscountry'smostexceptionalwriters.

IfBealeStreetCouldTalkJamesBaldwin'Achinglybeautiful'GuardianHarlem,theblacksoulofNewYorkCity,intheeraofArethaFranklinandRayCharles.ThenarratorofBaldwin'snovelisTishnineteen,andpregnant.HerloverFonny,fatherofherchild,isinjailaccusedofrape.FlashbacksfromtheirloveaffairarewovenintothecompellingstruggleoftwofamiliestowinjusticeforFonny.TothislovestoryJamesBaldwinbringsaspareandimpassionedintensity,chargingitwithuniversalresonanceandpower.'IfBealeStreetCouldTalkaffirmsnotonlylovebetweenamanandawoman,butloveofatypethatisdealtwithonlyrarelyincontemporaryfiction-thatbetweenmembersofafamily'JoyceCarolOates

PastTenseLeeChild

JackReacherneverlooksback…untilnow.

ThisthrillerfollowsReacheronaquestintohisfather'spast,andclimaxesinthemostblood-curdlingticking

timebombofanadventureyet.

Thepresentcanbetense...

AyoungcoupletryingtogettoNewYorkCityarestrandedatalonelymotelinthemiddleofnowhere.

Beforelongthey’retrappedinanominousgameoflifeanddeath.

Butthepastcanbeworse...

ATaleofTwoCitiesCharlesDickens

'Itwasthebestoftimes,itwastheworstoftimes...'

AftereighteenyearsasapoliticalprisonerintheBastilletheagingDrManetteisfinallyreleasedandreunitedwithhisdaughterinEngland.There,two

verydifferentmen,CharlesDarnay,anexiledFrencharistocrat,andSydneyCarton,adisreputablebut

brilliantEnglishlawyer,becomeenmeshedthroughtheirloveforLucieManette.FromthetranquillanesofLondon,theyarealldrawnagainsttheirwilltothevengeful,bloodstainedstreetsofParisattheheightoftheReignofTerrorandsoonfallunderthelethal

shadowofLaGuillotine.

CharlesDickensisoneofthebest-lovednovelistsintheEnglishlanguage,whose200thanniversarywas

celebratedin2012.Hismostfamousbooks,includingOliverTwist,GreatExpectations,ATaleofTwoCities,

DavidCopperfieldandThePickwickPapers,havebeenadaptedforstageandscreenandreadby

millions.

ThePowerofHabitCharlesDuhiggWhydowedodevelophabits?Andhowcanwechangethem?InThePowerofHabit,award-winningNewYorkTimesbusinessreporterCharlesDuhiggtranslatescutting-edgebehaviouralscienceintopracticalself-improvementaction,distillingadvancedneuroscienceintofascinatingnarrativesoftransformation.FromOlympicswimmerMichaelPhelpstoMartinLutherKingJr.,fromtheCEOofStarbuckstothelockerroomsoftheNFL,Duhiggexplorestheincredibleresultsofkeystonehabits,andhowtheycanmakeallthedifferencebetweenbillionsandmillions,failureandsuccess–orevenlifeanddeath.ThePowerofHabitmakesanexhilaratingcase:thekeytoalmostanydoorinlifeisinstillingtherighthabit.IvyandAbeElizabethEnfield'IfyoulikedJojoMoyes'MeBeforeYouthisistheperfectnewreadforyou...astoryforanyonewhohaseverwonderedwhatif...?'Woman'sWeeklyIvyisalwaysdestinedtomeetAbe.ButwhenistheRIGHTtime?Atschool,asafreespiritinhertwentiesorwhensheismarried...tosomeoneelse?Perhapstheymeetwhensheisawidowinhersixties?Ormaybeheremainsastranger,glimpsedonlyfleetingly.IvyandAbearesoulmates.ButwhatiftheymeetattheWRONGtime,andfateandcircumstancestandinIvy'sway?ToldoverIvy'slifetime,acrossaseriesofalternaterealities,Ivy&Abeisastoryforanyonewhohaseverwondered'whatif?'

OrdinaryPeopleDianaEvans‘Youcantakealeap,dosomethingoffthewall,somethingreckless.It’syourlastchance,andmostpeoplemissit.’SouthLondon,2008.Twocouplesfindthemselvesatamomentofreckoning,onthebrinkofacceptanceorrevolution.Melissahasanewbabyanddoesn’twanttoletitchangeherbut,inthecrookedwallsofanarrowVictorianterrace,shebeginstodisappear.Michael,growingdailymoreaccustomedtohiscommute,stilllovesMelissabutcan’tquitegetcloseenoughtohertostayfaithful.Meanwhileoutinthesuburbs,StephanieishappywithDamianandtheirthreechildren,butthedeathofDamian’sfatherhasthrownhimintocrisis–orisitsomething,orsomeone,else?Aretheyalljustinthewrongplace?Areanyofthempreparedtotaketheleap?SetagainstthebackdropofBarackObama’shistoricelectionvictory,OrdinaryPeopleisanintimate,immersivestudyofidentityandparenthood,sexandgrief,friendshipandaging,andthefragilearchitectureoflove.'DianaEvansisalyricalandgloriouswriter;aprecisepoetofthehumanheart'NaomiAlderman,authorofThePower

Family(VintageMinis)MarkHaddonGreatminds.Bigideas.Littlebooks.Aseriesofshortbooksbytheworld’sgreatestwritersontheexperiencesthatmakeushuman.FamilyistakenfromMarkHaddon’s2016collectionThePierFalls."LiteraturefortheTwittergeneration...thereisclarityinthedistillation"MarkHaddonisawriterandartist.Hisbestsellingnovel,TheCuriousIncidentoftheDogintheNight-Time,waspublishedin2003.Itwonseventeenliteraryprizes,includingtheWhitbreadAward.In2012,astageadaptationbySimonStephenswasproducedbytheNationalTheatreandwentontowin7OlivierAwardsin2013andthe2015TonyAwardforBestPlay.ThePierFalls,acollectionofshortstories,waspublishedin2016.

AMother'sDilemmaEmmaHornby

MinnieMaddoxcaresdeeplyformothersandtheirbabies–shemakesalivingbytakinginunwanted

childrenandfindingthemgoodadoptivehomes–andisdelightedforherneighbourwhenshefinally

becomesamotherafterdecadesoftrying.Butwhenthebabydiesofnaturalcauseswhileunderherroof,

andknowingherneighbourwillbedevastated,Minnieswapsitwithoneoftheinfantsinhercare.

Nowseventeen,JewelNightingaleknowsnothingofhertrueorigins.Butassaultedbyherhatefulcousin

andmakingthedreadfuldiscoverythatsheispregnant,shefacesadesperatedilemma.Fleeingherjobasadomesticmaid,shefollowsanadvertisement

toahouseinBolton'sdarkslums,whereawomanpromisestohelpherwhenthechildisborn.Little

doesJewelknowthatthere’saterriblepricetopay…

TheLibrarianofAuschwitz

AntonioIturbe

ForreadersofTheTattooistofAuschwitzandTheChoice:thisisthestoryofthesmallestlibraryinthe

world–andthemostdangerous.

'Itwasn’tanextensivelibrary.Infact,itconsistedofeightbooksandsomeofthemwereinpoor

condition.Buttheywerebooks.Inthisincrediblydarkplace,theywereareminderoflesssombretimes,whenwordsrangoutmoreloudlythanmachine

guns…’

Fourteen-year-oldDitaisoneofthemanyimprisonedbytheNazisatAuschwitz.WhenJewishleaderFreddyHirschasksDitatotakechargeoftheeightpreciousbookstheprisonershavemanagedtosmugglepast

theguards,sheagrees.AndsoDitabecomesthesecretlibrarianofAuschwitz,responsibleforthe

safekeepingofthesmallcollectionoftitles,aswellasthe‘livingbooks’-prisonersofAuschwitzwhoknowcertainbookssowell,theytoocanbe‘borrowed’to

educatethechildreninthecamp.

MetamorphosisandOtherStoriesFranzKafkaThiscollectionofnewtranslationsbringstogetherthesmallproportionofKafka'sworksthathehimselfthoughtworthyofpublication.ItincludesMetamorphosis,hismostfamouswork,anexplorationofhorrifictransformationandalienation;Meditation,acollectionofhisearlierstudies;TheJudgement,writteninasinglenightoffrenziedcreativity;TheStoker,thefirstchapterofanovelsetinAmericaandafascinatingoccasionalpiece,andTheAeroplanesatBrescia,Kafka'seyewitnessaccountofanairdisplayin1909.Together,thesestoriesrevealthebreadthofKafka'sliteraryvisionandtheextraordinaryimaginativedepthofhisthought.TheBeachWedding(QuickRead)DorothyKoomsonWillyourpastalwayscatchupwithyou?TessaDannallisexcitedandhappywhenherdaughter,Nia,arrivesattheirfamily’stropicalbeachresorttogetmarried.Tessaisalsotryingtoforgetthelasttimeshewenttoaweddingonthisbeachandhowthatdaychangedherlifeforever.Butasthebigdaydrawsnear,Tessarealisesshemustfacethedeadlyghostsfromherpast–ortheymayruinherdaughter’sfuture...‘Terrificallyaddictive’GoodHousekeeping‘Beautifullywritten’Closer‘Koomsonjustgetsbetterandbetter’WomanandHome

TheHouseSimonLelic

Theperfectcouple.Theperfecthouse...Theperfect

crime.

LondonersJackandSydmovedintothehouseayearago.Itseemedliketheirdreamhome:tonsofspace,

theperfectlocation,andafriendlyownerwhowantedayoungcoupletohaveit.

Sowhentheymadeagrislydiscoveryintheattic,

JackandSydchosetoignoreit.Thatwasamistake.

'Abundleofcreepychills,perfectlytimedforHalloween...readit'ThrilleroftheMonth,The

Observer

'Deeplycreepy...Thisclever,twistingplot,toldinconvincingvoices,willhauntyouintheverybest

way'TheSundayMirror

PigWrestlingPeteLindsayandMarkBowden

‘Thisenjoyablebookcouldbringaboutprofound

change’ProfessorStevePeters,authorofTheChimpParadox

PigWrestlingisasimplestorywithapowerful

message.MeetastressedYoungManager,whoseteamsareateachother’sthroats.Athislocalcoffeebarheshareshisfrustrationswithhisbarista–whoturnsouttobe

morethanheseems.It’sthestartofajourneyintoPigWrestling–aprocessthatcanbeusedtoresolveanyseeminglyimpossibleproblem.Byreframingtheissuewecanallcreatechange,wheneverandwhereverwe

needitmost.Developedoutoftheauthors’workinelitesportsand

business–includingManchesterCity,OlympicchampionJessicaEnnis-HillandtheEnglandCricketteam–thisinstantlymemorablestorywillhelpyou

thriveincomplexandmessytimes.

ThePassagetoIndiaAllanMallinsonItis1831,riotsandrebellionsarewidespread...InEngland,thenewgovernmentisfacingprotestsagainsttheattemptsoftheTory-dominatedHouseofLordstothwartthepassingoftheReformBill.InIndia,relationsarestrainedbetweenthepresidencyofMadrasandsomeoftheneighbouringprincelystates.HavingtakencommandoftheactioninBristoltorestoreorderafteroneofthebloodiestandmostdestructiveriotsinthenation'shistory,Lieutenant-ColonelMatthewHerveyisoutoffavourwiththenewgovernment.Butthenhisoldfriend,SirEyreSomervile,offershimalifeline.SomervilehaspersuadedtheCourtofDirectorsoftheEastIndiaCompanytoapproveanincreaseintheMadrasmilitaryestablishment.Herveyandthe6thLightDragoonsaresenttotheprincelystateofCoorg.TheRajahisinrevoltagainsttheEastIndiaCompany’stermsandHervey’sregimentiscalledupontocrushtherebellion.Withthestakesraisedbyanunexpectedvisitationfromhispast,forHerveythequestioniswhetherheandhismenwillgetoutofthisbrutalwarunscathed?

SanctumDeniseMinaFromthetwo-timewinneroftheTheakstonsOldPeculierCrimeNoveloftheYearAwardSusieHarriot,arespectedpsychiatrist,hasbeenconvictedofthebrutalmurderofaserialkillerinhercare.Itlookscertainthatshewillbegivenalifesentence,deprivingherofherhome,herfamilyandhertwo-year-olddaughter.Susie’shusband,Lachlan,isconvincedsheisinnocentandisdesperatetoproveit.Eachnight,heclimbsthestairstoherstudyandgoesthroughherpapers–hercasenotes,herinterviews,andthepresscuttingsfromthetrial.ButthemoreLachlandiscovers,themorehesuspectsthathiswifehasbeenhidingadarksecret.

NinePerfectStrangersLianneMoriarty

TheSundayTimesNo.1Bestseller,fromthe

authorbehindtheaward-winningTVseriesBigLittleLies

Nineperfectstrangers,eachhidinganimperfect

life.

Aluxuryretreatcutofffromtheoutsideworld.

Tendaysthatpromisetochangeyourlife.

Butsomepromises-likesomelives-areperfectlies...

'Fantastic'Times

'Original,suspenseful,downrightbrilliant'Clare

Mackintosh

RumpoleoftheBaileyJohnMortimer

'Rumpole,likeJeevesandSherlockHolmes,is

immortal'P.D.James

HoraceRumpole-dishevelledbarristeratlaw,drinkerofclaretandsmokerofcigars,inveteratequoterofWordsworthandeternaldefenderof

theunderdog-isoneofthegreatestEnglishcomiccharactersevercreated.Thisisthe

originalvolumeofRumpolestories,introducingustothelegaltriumphsthatfirstmadetheOldBaileyHack'sname,alongwithahostofchoice

villains,frequentforaystoPommeroy'swinebarand,ofcourse,hisformidable,magisterialwife

Hilda,SheWhoMustBeObeyed.

'Ithankheavenforsmallmercies.ThefirstoftheseisRumpole'CliveJames

'Afruity,foxymasterpiece,defenderofour

wiltingfaithinmankind'SundayTimes

TheShoemakerandHisDaughterConorO'Clery'Atourdeforce...Love,politics,murder,wars,andthefracturingofties,personalandethnic.O'Cleryisagiftedwriter.'LukeHarding,bestsellingauthorofCollusionTheSovietUnion,1962.GiftedshoemakerStanislavSuvorovisimprisonedforfiveyears.Hiscrime?Sellinghiscarforaprofit.Onhisrelease,socialshamedriveshimandhisfamilyintovoluntaryexileinSiberia,5,000kilometresfromhome.Inaclimatethat'sunfriendlybothgeographicallyandpolitically,it'stheirchancetostartagain.TheShoemakerandHisDaughterisanepicstoryspanningtheSecondWorldWartothefalloftheSovietUnion,takingineightyyearsofSovietandRussianhistory,fromStalintoPutin.FollowingthefootstepsofaremarkablefamilyConorO'Cleryknowswell-heismarriedtotheshoemaker'sdaughter-it'sbothacompellinginsightintolifeinasecretiveworldatasiesmicmomentintimeandapowerfultaleofordinarylivesshapedbyextraordinarytimes.TheNewYorkStoriesJohnO'HaraTheNewYorkstoriesofJohnO'Hara,"amongthegreatestshortstorywritersinEnglish,orinanyotherlanguage"(BrendanGill,HereatTheNewYorker)Collectedforthefirsttime,herearetheNewYorkstoriesofoneofthetwentiethcentury'sdefinitivechroniclersofthecity--thespeakeasiesandhighballs,socialclimbersandcinemastars,mistressesandpowerbrokers,unsparinglyobservedbyapopularAmericanmasterofrealism.Spanninghisfour-decadecareer,thesemorethanthirtyrefreshinglyfrank,sparelywrittenstoriesareamongJohnO'Hara'sfinestwork,exploringthematerialistaspirationsandsexualexploitsofflawed,prodigallyhumancharactersandshowcasingthesnappydialogue,tellingdetailsandironicnarrativetwiststhatmadehimthemost-publishedshortstorywriterinthehistoryoftheNewYorker.

BrainStormSuzanneO'Sullivan

‘Powerfullylife-affirming...Brainstormistestamentto

O'Sullivan'sunshowyclarityofthoughtandhercontinuedmarvellingatthemysteriesofthebrain’

Guardian

Brainstormexaminesthestoriesofpeoplewhosesymptomsaresostrangeeventheirdoctorstrugglesto

knowhowtosolvethem.Amanwhoseescartooncharactersrunningacrosstheroom;ateenagerwho

onedayarriveshomewithinexplicablytornclothes;agirlwhoseworldturnsallAliceinWonderland;another

whotransformsintoaragdollwheneversheeventhinksaboutmoving.

It’sajourneythatwillopenyoureyestothe

unfathomableintricaciesofthebrain,andtheinfinitevarietyofhumancapacityandexperience.

ABraveDogNamedSherlockPaulOsborne

TheincredibletruestoryofSherlock,thebravedog

withanoseforsavinglives.

FirefighterPaulOsborneworkswiththeFireInvestigationDogunit,wherehehandlesSherlock–an

excitable,bright-eyedcockerspaniel.

WhatmakesSherlockdifferent?He’sthemosttalentedinvestigativedogtheFireBrigadehaseverproduced,

capableofidentifyingextraordinarilysubtletracesandscentsevenafterthousand-degreeblazes–evenwhen

hehastowearspecialprotectivebootsduetothedangerousenvironments.

Today,PaulandSherlockfearlesslyplungeintothemostdramaticfirescenesinLondon,helpingtokeepthecapitalsafearoundtheclock.Withremarkable

insightintothelifeofLondon’smostheroicworkingdog,thisinspiringaccountoftheLondonFireBrigade’s

four-leggedheroeswilldelightandamaze.

WrittenincollaborationwithandwithfullsupportfromtheLondonFireBrigade.

LightningMaryAntheaSimmonsOrdinaryiswhatmostpeopleareandIamnot.Iamnotordinaryatall.Iamascientist.Onestormynight,agroupofvillagersarestruckbylightning.Theonlysurvivorisababy-MaryAnning.Fromthatmomenton,asparkislitwithinher.GrowinguppoorbutproudonthewindsweptDorsetcoast,Maryfollowsafterherfather,huntingforfossilsuncoveredbywavesandlandslips:ancientcreatures,turnedtostone.Ignoringotherpeople'staunts,Maryfacesdangertobringbackvaluabletreasurestohelpfeedherfamily.Buttragedyanddespairisneverfaraway.Marymustdependuponheruniquecourageandknowledgetofulfilherdreamofbecomingascientistinatimewhengirlshavenoopportunitiesforsuchambitions.Whatwillhappenwhenshemakeshergreatestdiscoveryofall...?TheGrapesofWrathJohnSteinbeck'I'vedonemydamndesttoripareader'snervestorags,Idon'twanthimsatisfied.'Shockingandcontroversialwhenitwasfirstpublished,TheGrapesofWrathisSteinbeck'sPultizerPrize-winningepicoftheJoadfamily,forcedtotravelwestfromDustBowleraOklahomainsearchofthepromisedlandofCalifornia.Theirstoryisoneoffalsehopes,thwarteddesiresandpowerlessness,yetoutoftheirstruggleSteinbeckcreatedadramathatisbothintenselyhumanandmajesticinitsscaleandmoralvision.

TheDeathofMrsWestawayRuthWare

THESUNDAYTIMESBESTSELLER

WhenHarrietWestawayreceivesanunexpectedletter

tellinghershe’sinheritedasubstantialbequestfromherCornishgrandmother,itseemsliketheanswertoher

prayers.

There'sjustoneproblem–Hal'srealgrandparentsdiedmorethantwentyyearsago.

Haldesperatelyneedsthecashandmakesachoicethat

willchangeherlifeforever.Sheknowsthatherskillsasaseasidefortunetellercouldhelpherconherwayto

gettingthemoney.

ButonceHalembarksonherdeception,thereisnogoingback.Shemustkeepgoingorrisklosingeverything,even

herlife…

ThebrandnewpsychologicalthrillerfromtheSundayTimesandNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorofTheWoman

inCabin10.

CarryOnJeevesP.G.Wodehouse

‘Whatavery,veryluckypersonyouare.Spreadout

beforeyouarethefinestandfunniestwordsfromthefinestandfunniestwriterthepastcenturyeverknew’

StephenFry

Acollectionoftenuproariousshortstories.FromthemomentJeevescuresBertieofaraginghangoverwithhis

ownconcoctionofWorcestershiresauceandtomatojuice,theybecomesteadfastpartners.

Whetheritisfixingaplan-gone-wrong,orsolvinghisfriends’lovelives,JeevesisBertie’sunfalteringaidethroughaseriesofaccidental–andself-imposed–

misadventures.

‘Theincomparableandtirelessgenius–perfectforreadersofallages,shapesandsizes!’KateMosse

EducatedTaraWestoverTaraWestoverwasseventeenthefirsttimeshesetfootinaclassroom.BorntosurvivalistsinthemountainsofIdaho,shepreparedfortheendoftheworldbystockpilinghome-cannedpeaches.Inthesummershestewedherbsforhermother,amidwifeandhealer,andinthewintershesalvagedinherfather’sjunkyard.Herfatherforbadehospitals,soTaraneversawadoctorornurse.Gashesandconcussions,evenburnsfromexplosions,werealltreatedathomewithherbalism.Thefamilywassoisolatedfrommainstreamsocietythattherewasnoonetoensurethechildrenreceivedaneducation,andnoonetointervenewhenTara’solderbrotherbecameviolent.Then,lackingaformaleducation,Tarabegantoeducateherself.ShetaughtherselfenoughmathematicsandgrammartobeadmittedtoBrighamYoungUniversity,whereshestudiedhistory,learningforthefirsttimeaboutimportantworldeventsliketheHolocaustandthecivilrightsmovement.Herquestforknowledgetransformedher,takingheroveroceansandacrosscontinents,toHarvardandtoCambridge.Onlythenwouldshewonderifshe’dtraveledtoofar,iftherewasstillawayhome.TheGypsyCodeMikeWoodhouseTheGypsyCodeisatruestoryofsecretidentity,revengeandforbiddenlovethat'sperfectforfansofRunningwiththeFirm,UndercoverandSoldierSpy.MikeWoodhousehadeverything:anengineeringbusiness,awinebar,ahome,aRangeRoverandaboat.Thenhecaughtagroupoftravellersstealingfromhiswarehouse.Acarchase,petrolbombingandcourtcaselater,andeverythinghadchanged.Amarkedman,MikewasforcedtoleaveeverythingbehindandmovetothePeakDistrictforafreshstart.ButhisoldlifewasneverfarbehindandwhenhefellforRhoda,aRomanyGypsy,kintotheverypeoplehewashidingfrom,heknewhewouldn'tbesafeformuchlonger...