The List of Suspicious Things

By: Jennie Godfrey

Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt, Mark Noble, Asif Khan, Gemma Whelan, Simon Harvey

Brought to you by Penguin.

A BEST DEBUT OF 2024 BY BB

The instant Sunday Times bestseller

Yorkshire, 1979

Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.

Because of the murders.

Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking.
Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?

So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don't.

But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families - and between each other - than they ever thought possible.

What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?

THE PERFECT DEBUT NOVEL TO DISCUSS IN BOOK CLUBS


'To read it is to feel that little bit better about life'
ELIZABETH DAY

'A beautiful mystery with heart'
ROB RINDER

'This is a heart-warming book'
EMMA HEALEY

'A gorgeous, page-turning book'
I PAPER

©2024 Jennie Godfrey (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

A touching paean to lost innocence and the comfort of friendships, its dark undertow leavened by stout Yorkshire humour

I absolutely adore it! (Marian Keyes)

Godfrey succeeds brilliantly in fitting a gripping and moving story in the interstices of a horrific episode in recent history, without ever trivialising, taking focus from, or minimising the lasting impact of the original crimes.

There's been buzz around this novel - for good reason. Endearing characters and nostalgic details make this a must-read

One of the buzziest debuts of 2024, and deservedly so….prepare to have all the feelings

Fabulous. I loved Miv’s spirit

I can't believe this is a debut. Heavy themes handled with such tenderness and care, a moving, memorable tale of community, connection and curiosity. I loved it (Emma Gannon)

A heartwarming tale about the power of human connection, written with empathy, warmth and care. To read it is to feel that little bit better about life (Elizabeth Day)

[THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS] was such a joyous read . . . the story spoke to me on so many levels. The characters are adorable and we all need an Aunty Jean in our lives . . . a beautiful story of friendship, community and family. Heartwarming (Zoe Ball)

Funny, poignant and drawn with real compassion. This is a heart-warming book (Emma Healey, author of ELIZABETH IS MISSING)

really captured the era

Very believable charactersvsome of which I really cared about. Good story that left me wondering between reads.

Excellent acting - enjoyed the story from a different view

The actors were all excellent, compelling. I grew up in the same time so I liked the relevance and snippets of memorabilia! Great story.

Great narration

The characters are well drawn and they are brought to life by great narration. The ending was a disappointment on many levels but I can't go into details as not to give any spoilers. Also, the tying of the loose ends was a bit too neat and unrealistic. But of course a modern novel has to end on a super positive note regardless of how much it may hurt the credibility of the story.