If you’re looking for the more recent Richard and Judy Club 2023 books list, please click here.
The first Richard and Judy Book Club list of 2022 was released in Spring and two more have since followed. There were so many great picks in the various lists last year and I’m looking forward to seeing what they choose throughout 2022.
Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 Book List (March 2022)
There are some great choices for the Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 March List. I definitely want to read The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah as I love her books, especially The Nightingale. I’m also intrigued by The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman.
Here are all six books chosen for the Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 March List:
I Have To Tell You Something by Susan Lewis
Publisher’s Blurb:
High-flying lawyer Jessica Wells has it all. A successful career, loving husband Tom and a family she adores. But one case – and one client – will put all that at risk.
Edward Blake. An ordinary life turned upside down – or a man who quietly watched television while his wife was murdered upstairs? With more questions than answers and a case too knotted to unravel, Jessica suspects he’s protecting someone.
Then she comes home one day and her husband utters the words no one ever wants to hear. Sit down … I have something to tell you. Now Jessica must fight not only for the man she defends, but for the man she thought she trusted with her life – her husband.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Publisher’s blurb:
She will discover the best of herself in the worst of times . . .
Texas, 1934. Elsa Martinelli had finally found the life she’d yearned for. A family, a home and a livelihood on a farm on the Great Plains. But when drought threatens all she and her community hold dear, Elsa’s world is shattered to the winds.
Fearful of the future, when Elsa wakes to find her husband has fled, she is forced to make the most agonizing decision of her life. Fight for the land she loves or take her beloved children, Loreda and Ant, west to California in search of a better life. Will it be the land of milk and honey? Or will their experience challenge every ounce of strength they possess?
From the overriding love of a mother for her child, the value of female friendship and the ability to love again – against all odds – Elsa’s incredible journey is a story of survival, hope and what we do for the ones we love.
Click here to read my review of The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.
The Twins by Jane Casey
Publisher’s blurb:
Two sisters. An intense bond. A bitter rivalry. Margo is a live-in nanny for an upper-class family. Cora is a penniless dancer on the cusp of a big break.
Total opposites, bound by the worst secret you can imagine. And when it’s revealed, only one can survive.
But can there be a winner when a secret is so dark?
The Killing Kind
Publisher’s blurb:
Ingrid will never forget what John did. The people he hurt. The way he lied about it so easily. The way she defended him. Now he’s back. He says a murderer is after her. He says only he can protect her. Would you trust him? The clock is ticking for Ingrid to decide. Because the killer is ready to strike…
The Push by Ashley Audrain
Publisher’s blurb:
Blythe and Violet. Mother and daughter. It’s a bond like no other.
But what if your little angel is a monster? And what if no one sees it but you?
The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman
Norman and Jax are a legendary comedic duo in waiting, with a five-year plan to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe by the time they’re fifteen. But when Jax dies before they turn twelve, Norman decides a tribute act for his best friend just can’t wait, so he rewrites their plan:
1. Look after Mum | 2. Find Dad | 3. Get to the Edinburgh Fringe
Sadie knows she won’t win Mother of the Year and she’s not proud she doesn’t know who her son’s father is. But when she finds Norman’s list, all she wants is to see her son smile again. So, enlisting the help of eccentric friend Leonard – an 84-year-old veteran with superior planning skills and a thirst for adventure! – they set off on a pilgrimage to Edinburgh, making a few stops to find Norman’s dad along the way.
Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 Book List (May 2022)
They picked some really great books for the May list and there are a couple I haven’t read yet. I always like the mix of genres in their picks.
Malibu Rising was a brilliant read, one of my favourites of 2021. Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022 and is currently sitting on my TBR (to be read) pile.
Here are all six books chosen for the Richard and Judy Book Club List May 2022.
Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena
Publisher’s blurb:
In this family, everyone is keeping secrets – even the dead.
In the quiet, wealthy enclave of Brecken Hill, an older couple is brutally murdered hours after a tense Easter dinner with their three adult children. Who, of course, are devastated.
Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of them is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you’d know.
Wouldn’t you?
The Beloved Girls by Harriet Evans
Publisher’s blurb:
A successful London barrister, Catherine Christophe, goes missing the day before her wedding anniversary. The clue to her disappearance, it seems, lies buried thirty years in the past.
Somerset, 1989. Janey Lestrange arrives to stay for the summer at the grand old house of the Hunter family. But something is wrong behind the beautiful façades of Vanes. Janey’s childhood friend, Kitty Hunter, her brother and their eccentric parents – once so welcoming – do not seem to want her there.
It is only as the night of an ancient and mysterious family ritual looms closer that Janey comes to realise they need her . . .
Decades later, the tragic events of that unforgettable summer still cast the darkest shadow. Can the truth about what happened that night ever be brought into the light?
Click here to read my full review of The Beloved Girls by Harriet Evans.
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Publisher’s blurb:
On a perfect August morning, Elle Bishop heads out for a swim in the pond below ‘The Paper Palace’ – her family’s holiday home in Cape Cod. As she dives beneath the water she relives the passionate encounter she had the night before, against the side of the house that knows all her darkest secrets, while her husband and mother chatted to their guests inside…
So begins a story that unfolds over twenty-four hours and fifty years, as Elle’s shocking betrayal leads her to a life-changing decision.
Click here to read my review of Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller.
Out of Her Depth by Lizzy Barber
Publisher’s blurb:
There are summers that could change your life. There are summers that could end it.
Meet Rachel. An unassuming young woman from a quiet London suburb.
Picture the scene:
A summer job at the beautiful Villa Medici in the Tuscan hills.
A group of glamorous teenagers, used to a life of privilege.
Lavish parties, heady sun-soaked days, backstabbing and bedhopping.
Until someone goes too far. And nothing will ever be the same.
Tell Me Your Lies by Kate Ruby
Publisher’s blurb:
Lily Appleby will do anything to protect the people she loves. She’s made ruthless choices to make sure their secrets stay buried, and she’s not going to stop now.
When her party-animal daughter, Rachel, spins out of control, Lily hires a renowned therapist and healer to help her. Amber is the skilled and intuitive confidante that Rachel desperately needs. But as Rachel falls increasingly under Amber’s spell, she begins to turn against her parents, and Lily grows suspicious.
Does Amber really have Rachel’s best interests at heart or is there something darker going on? Only one thing is clear: Rachel is being lied to. Never quite knowing who to believe, her search for the truth will reveal her picture-perfect family as anything but flawless.
Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 Book List (July 2022)
There’s some really interesting picks for the Richard and Judy Book Club summer list. I’ve not actually read any of the books on the list yet. I have however read a few of the authors’ previous works. I loved Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I’ll therefore definitely be checking their books on the list.
Here are all six books chosen for the Richard and Judy Book Club List July 2022.
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
Publisher’s blurb:
Joy and Stan Delaney have four grown-up children, a successful family business and their golden years ahead of them.
Then Joy vanishes. Questions are asked. The police get involved.
Scratch the surface and this seemingly happy family has much to hide . . .
A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
Publisher’s blurb:
Three women, connected by one brutal crime.
Three women, determined to right the wrongs done to them.
Three women, with everything to hide.
When it comes to revenge, even good people are capable of terrible things.
But only one person killed Daniel Sutherland.
How long can their secrets smoulder, before they explode into flame?
Never by Ken Follett
Publisher’s blurb:
A stolen US army drone.
A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert.
A secret stash of deadly chemicals.
Each is a threat to global stability. Each can be overcome with only the highest levels of diplomacy. But when those in charge disagree and refuse to back down, an international chain reaction kicks off with potentially catastrophic consequences: a world edging closer to war . . .
Now three people must work with the utmost skill to stop that from happening:
A spy working undercover with jihadis.
A brilliant Chinese spymaster.
A US president beleaguered by a populist rival for the next election.
The only question is – in a game of brinksmanship, can the inevitable ever be stopped?
One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke
Publisher’s blurb:
The six of us arrived on that beautiful Greek island dreaming of sun-drenched beaches and blood orange sunsets, ready to lose ourselves in the wild freedom of a weekend away with friends.
On the first night we swam under a blanket of stars.
On the second night the games began on our clifftop terrace.
On the third night the idyll cracked, secrets and lies whispering on the breeze.
And by the final night there was a body on the rocks below . . .
WHO WOULD KILL FOR IT?
Lily by Rose Tremain
Publisher’s blurb:
London, 1850. On a freezing winter’s night, a baby is abandoned at the gates of a park only to be saved by a young policeman and taken to the Foundling Hospital.
After suffering years of brutal hardship at the Hospital, Lily is released into the world of Victorian London. But she is hiding a dreadful secret…
When Lily and the policeman meet again, Lily is convinced that he holds the key to her happiness. But might he also be the one to uncover her crime and so condemn her to death?
How To Kill Your Best Friend by Lexie Elliott
Publisher’s blurb:
Georgie, Lissa and Bronwyn have been best friends since they met on their college swimming team. Now Lissa is dead – drowned off the coast of the remote island where her second husband owns a luxury resort. But could a star open-water swimmer really have drowned? Or is something more sinister going on?
Brought together for Lissa’s memorial, Georgie, Bron, Lissa’s grieving husband and their friends find themselves questioning the circumstances around Lissa’s death – and each other. As the weather turns ominous, trapping the guests on the island, it slowly dawns on them that Lissa’s death was only the beginning. Nobody knows who they can trust. Or if they’ll make it off the island alive…
Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 Book List (Autumn 2022)
Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay
When his wife Brie vanishes from their home one night, never to be seen again, people assume Andy got away with murder. The police can’t build a case against him, but still his friends and neighbours abandon him.
Six years later, Andy’s life is back on track, and he’s settled with a new girlfriend. And when he hears his old house has been bulldozed and rebuilt, he’s not bothered. Things are good.
But then one day, a woman who looks like Brie shows up at their old address, screaming ‘Where’s my house? What happened to my house?’ before vanishing as quickly as she appeared.
And as dark suspicions resurface, Andy’s future depends on discovering what the hell is going on. The trick is staying alive long enough to find out…
One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner
A young man disappears during a stag weekend in the woods. Years later, he’s still missing.
But his friends who were with him that day are still searching for him. Still hunting for answers.
They hike deep into the wilderness.
With them is missing person specialist Frankie Elkin.
What they don’t know is that they are putting their own lives in terrifying danger, and may not come back alive …
Little Wing by Freya North
1969. Florence Lawson, a 16-year-old schoolgirl who dreams of being an artist, finds herself pregnant and banished to one of the most remote parts of the UK.
1986. Dougie Munro, searching for adventure, leaves the Isle of Harris – the island of his birth – for art college and a career in London as a photographer.
2005. Nell Hartley, content with her life managing a care-in-the-community cafe in Colchester, discovers a shocking truth about her family.
Between the sprawl of London, suburban Essex, and the wild, unpredictable Outer Hebrides, three lives collide and interweave as questions are asked and secrets surface. What happened to Florence? Why is Dougie now so reluctant to return home? How can Nell make peace with the lies she’s been told?
The Herd by Emily Edwards
Two best friends
Elizabeth and Bryony are polar opposites but their unexpected friendship has always worked. They’re the best of friends, and godmothers to each other’s daughters – because they both trust that the safety of their children is their top priority.
One little secret
Little do they know that they differ radically over one very important issue. And when Bryony, afraid of being judged, tells what is supposed to be a harmless white lie before a child’s birthday party, the consequences are more catastrophic than either of them could ever have imagined.
Every parent’s worst nightmare . . .
The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas
Twenty years ago: One rainy night, Olivia Rutherford is driving three friends home when a figure in the road causes her to swerve and crash. Regaining consciousness, she finds herself alone in the car – her friends have vanished.
THEY ARE NEVER SEEN AGAIN
Now: Journalist Jenna Halliday visits the close-knit community of Stafferbury to persuade Olivia to talk and solve the mystery of the girls’ disappearance. But Olivia won’t speak.
What happened?
Is Olivia hiding something?
Why are the people of Stafferbury so frightened?
How many secrets can one small town hide?
Click here to read my review of The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas.
Payday by Celia Walden
Late one night, three women share secrets.
They barely know each other, but they all know Jamie Lawrence. They know what he’s guilty of. And they agree something must be done.
But as their plan spirals out of control, they begin to doubt themselves . . . and each other. Then Jamie is found dead. And suddenly everything is at stake. As lies are unravelled and truths exposed, two urgent questions emerge:
Who is really guilty?
And who will have to pay?
Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 Book List (Winter 2022)
Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold
Ben Harper’s life changed for ever the day his older brother Nick was murdered by two classmates. It was a crime that shocked the nation and catapulted Ben’s family and their idyllic hometown, Haddley, into the spotlight.
Twenty years on, Ben is one of the best investigative journalists in the country and settled back in Haddley, thanks to the support of its close-knit community. But then a fresh murder case shines new light on his brother’s death and throws suspicion on those closest to him.
Ben is about to discover that in Haddley no one is as they seem. Everyone has something to hide.
And someone will do anything to keep the truth buried . . .
The Match by Harlan Coben
He is known as Wilde, the boy from the woods.
Discovered living a feral existence in the Ramapo mountains of New Jersey, he has grown up knowing nothing of his parents, and even less about his own identity.
Until now.
When a match on a DNA database puts him on the trail of a close relative – the only family member he has ever known – Wilde thinks he might be about to solve the mystery of who he really is.
Only this relation disappears as quickly as he’s resurfaced. Undaunted, Wilde continues his research, becoming caught up in a secret community committed to exposing anonymous online trolls.
Then one by one, people start to die, and it soon becomes clear that a serial killer is targeting this secret community.
And that the next victim could be Wilde himself . . .
The French House by Jacquie Bloese
In Nazi-occupied Guernsey, the wrong decision can destroy a life…
Left profoundly deaf after an accident, Émile is no stranger to isolation – or heartbreak. Now, as Nazi planes loom over Guernsey, he senses life is about to change forever.
Trapped in a tense, fearful marriage, Isabelle doesn’t know what has become of Émile and the future she hoped for. But when she glimpses him from the window of the French House, their lives collide once more.
Leutnant Schreiber is more comfortable wielding a paintbrush than a pistol. But he has little choice in the role he is forced to play in the occupying forces – or in his own forbidden desires.
As their paths entwine, loyalties are blurred and dangerous secrets forged. But on an island under occupation, courage can have deadly consequences…
A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe
When we go through something impossible, someone, or something, will help us, if we let them . . .
It is October 1966 and William Lavery is having the night of his life at his first black-tie do. But, as the evening unfolds, news hits of a landslide at a coal mine. It has buried a school: Aberfan.
William decides he must act, so he stands and volunteers to attend. It will be his first job as an embalmer, and it will be one he never forgets.
His work that night will force him to think about the little boy he was, and the losses he has worked so hard to forget. But compassion can have surprising consequences, because – as William discovers – giving so much to others can sometimes help us heal ourselves.
Click here to read my review of A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe
The Favour by Nora Murphy
Leah Dawson and McKenna Hawkins had a lot in common, but they had never met.
They are smart, professional women living in the same sunny, prosperous neighbourhood in lovely houses with picket fences and beautiful gardens. And they were both married to successful, good-looking men who both seem bent on having ‘the perfect wife’.
They don’t – ever – find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or in the coffee shop. And they don’t – ever – discuss their problems and find common ground.
But they do cross paths. And they see something each recognizes in the other.
That they are living in hell.
Neither narrator is unreliable. They always tell us the truth. And their truth hurts. A lot. Because these two attractive, intelligent professional women are living in a hell of their husband’s making. And there is no way to get out of hell. Is there?
The School For Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Frida Liu had fed and changed her toddler Harriet. She had a work deadline – an article to finish, a job hanging by a thread, a file she’d left in the office. She would go get it. Harriet would be fine. But then the neighbours heard her crying.
Soon, the state will decide that Frida is not fit to care for her daughter. That she must be re-trained. That bad mothers everywhere will be re-educated. Will their mistakes cost them everything?
Click here to read my review of The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan.
Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 Book List Summary
And that’s the complete list of Richard and Judy Book Club books 2022! I’ll update this post as and when more lists are released.
Enjoy!
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