From the bookshelf

As much as I lament the end of summer, I'm a little relieved to see that September is behind us.  It's been a busy month, with Dignity finding its way into the world and all the promotion that has entailed.

The marketing associated with launching a book is my least favourite part of the process, so I'm pleased to take a step back from that now and revert to some good old-fashioned writing and editing.  The Writer's Cap has been exercising significant patience, waiting for me to return to its pages, and I'm looking forward to moving it on in the coming months.

Although my creative muscles have had little exercise in the last few weeks, I have maintained a healthy approach to reading, so I thought I'd share some some of the books that I've enjoyed in recent weeks.

I loved Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka.  It provides a different perspective on the life of a serial killer awaiting execution.  Most often, writers focus on the killer in such a scenario, placing them and their crimes at the centre of the novel.  This novel differs from that trope, with Danya Kukafka giving centre stage to the victims and women in the story whose lives have been affected.

It's a powerful take, and the shift in emphasis makes for a brilliant story.  If you follow me on Facebook, you'll know that I've already lauded one particular piece of writing where Danya writes:

"The night was an open sore. The heart was an organ that beat on and on. The trees creaked their unanimous sorrow."

In the context of the novel, it is astonishing what those words convey.  They took my breath away, and should you choose to read the book, I hope they do the same for you.  It's just phenomenal storytelling.

Another of the reads that I really enjoyed was Next Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Sutanto.  It's a book that Mrs B passed across the bed when she finished reading it, suggesting that perhaps I should give it a go.

It's not a genre that I am naturally drawn to, so without the intervention, I might not have read it, but I'm so glad I did.  I don't think I've read a book with a title that fits so well.

Next Time Will Be Our Turn is a poignant read that explores love and loyalty.  It is both uplifting and heart-breaking and illustrates the sacrifice that comes with meeting others' expectations.  It also paints a glorious picture of the liberation that comes from pursuing our hopes and dreams, but also the cost that must sometimes be borne.

There Are Rivers in the Sky is the third novel that I've read from Elif Shafak and I confess to being somewhat of a fanboy.

Her prose is gorgeous and the premise of this novel, that lives are interlinked across millennia in a single drop of water, is fabulously wrought.  Shafak is a wonderful storyteller and this is yet another excellent tome from her pen.

Often when I read one of her books I wonder how she's going to pull everything together, knowing that she will, and knowing that the payoff will be delicious.  Again, she didn't disappoint, the way she wrapped this one up was just peachy.

If you fancy reading any of these books, you can get hold of them by clicking on the cover or the underlined titles.  That will take you to an affiliate link on bookshop.org, so as well as supporting these writers, you'll also support independent booksellers, and that's just a little bit splendid.

With the nights getting longer in the northern hemisphere and the weather driving us indoors, what better way to fill your evenings.  Of course, if you're occupying a land Downunder, there are days on the beach to come where any of these will contribute to a lovely day out.

That's it from me, cheerio for now

Craig

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Craig Brown is an author living in Newbury.  To follow his work visit craigbrownauthor.com

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Copyright © Craig Brown, 2026

5 October 2026.