This is a book you will hear a lot about in 2024 and beyond. A debut coming of age novel set in the backdrop of Yorkshire in the late seventies, early eighties and very much a reflection of what was going on at the time.
Our main character, Miv thinks she can catch the Yorkshire Ripper. Why not, the police haven’t been very successful so why shouldn’t she have a go. It might also mean that she won’t have to move away from Yorkshire and everything she has even known. Along with her reluctant friend, Sharon she makes a list of suspicious things that is going on around the area.
Whether that be suspicious characters, suspicious behaviour or suspicious places, it all goes on Miv’s list. But what is it that Miv discovers?
Miv discovers that the behaviours of others is disturbing and Jennie Godfrey does not shy away from the horrors and acts of racism, alcoholism and abuse in different forms. Whilst Miv’s innocnece when it is broken is heartbreaking you can see the strong charcater that comes through it all and that perhaps she has been finding hte anserts to the problems at home by looking outwards and not inwards.
As Miv and Sharon, move through that difficult time of adolescence in the backdrop of fear and change. Their friendship inevitably changes as they learn about themselves, each other and what the future might hold as they choose their paths in life.
Excellent debut novel, is worthy of a second read, and will be on a lot of books of the year list. The subject and tone of the book could be considered dark, but it has as much light and humour in it that you feel that you have been enveloped in one of the best reads for years.
Thank you to the publisher via netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The List of Suspicious Things is out now.
The Book Jotter 
I’ve just finished this and it was such a brilliant read. It definitely took me back to my teenage years.