Synopsis

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?

Review

So, I may have found my book of the year!

The List of Suspicious Things is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read. The plot is intricate, with a heartfelt story about childhood innocence, friendship and coming of age, set amid a backdrop of the Yorkshire Ripper murders.

Any child who’s read The Famous Five, The Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew dreams of solving mysteries, and Godfrey takes this idea and juxtaposes it with the fear and trepidation faced by women at the time. We also meet a host of local characters, all of whom have their own stories to tell, which the children discover as they make their enquiries and realise that first impressions are often wrong.

I was born in the 1980s but Godfrey conjures up so much nostalgia that I found myself yearning for the 1970s and a simpler time. Her writing transports readers to a decade of ice pops, Holly Hobbie, playing outside and – if you’re a southerner like me – introduces them to a host of local slang and traditions.

Miv is a curious, mischievous and interesting child, with her own secrets and ambitions that include staying best friends with Sharon forever. This friendship is lovely to watch and very typical of young girls on the cusp of puberty, especially once a boy comes on the scene… In fact, every person we meet is vivid, believable and memorable; the interactions the adults have with the children are delightful, reminding the characters (and us as readers) not to judge someone when you have no idea what they may be going through.

Although the story deals with a lot of difficult topics, including racism and mental health, and is extremely sad at times, Godfrey tackles them with compassion and there are glimmers of hope throughout, especially as the girls inadvertently remind everyone how important a sense of community really is.

Thoroughly engaging, vivid and poignant, Godfrey’s debut places her firmly as an author to watch out for in 2024.

Thanks to Women’s Prize for putting Jennie’s debut, which is published by Hutchinson Heinemann in February 2024, in the goodie bag! Opinions my own.