Eleven five-star reads: My top books of 2014 – number 9

I have read 11 books this year that I have given the full five stars to. Coming in at number 9 is…

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell

Taking us from Holloway in North London to Ireland, this book follows the Riordan family as they are forced back together following the sudden disappearance of their father Robert. The three grown up children all have issues of their own – Michael Francis is trapped in an unhappy marriage, black sheep Aoife is in New York working as a photographer’s assistant, while middle child Monica is living in the country with her second husband in an old house she hates. Meanwhile, Mum Gretta has plenty of secrets of her own.

This was the first Maggie O’Farrell book I had read, and following this I promptly read many more of her books – and in fact another may appear soon in this very countdown! I really enjoyed this, from the appealing cover and title down to the story of the family which is gradually pieced together. Dad’s disappearance is almost secondary as the dramas unfold…