100 books like Elizabeth Is Missing

If I looked up “curmudgeon” in the dictionary, I’d half expect to find Olive’s picture. Perpetually grumpy and disappointed that the people around her don’t live up to her expectations (something I can relate to!), Olive is difficult, demanding, and often outrageous.

Yet her quirky charm has caused millions of readers—including me—to fall under her spell. I followed Olive’s journey with interest, hoping she’d find peace if not happiness.

The highly original, unconventional structure of this book has also made it one of my favorites. I love how Strout weaves Olive in and out of the action in this novel of connected stories, sometimes as a minor character and sometimes as the star.

I flit between literary fiction and crime fiction. I like my highbrow, all second-hand Penguin Modern Classics, and my lowbrow, all-half-inch-thick, pocket-sized books with photos of weapons on the front. But Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is that rare beast of a bona fide literary writer doing a proper genre piece.

Janina Duszejko is an elderly, retired academic living alone in the middle of the wintery, Polish countryside. Alone but not lonely, surrounded by nature, astrology, and William Blake’s words, the book captures that beautiful, haunting quality of solitude and the compromises it brings. It also captures that slow, burning anger of someone who has long ago stopped caring what anyone else thinks.

Sure, there’s a murder plodding along in the background, but I was almost disappointed when it was solved because it meant leaving Janina and her Polish wilderness.

I really don't know how Catriona Ward manages to balance the languid sadness and unrelenting tension so well.

Ward's profound empathy for every single character, no matter how flawed, is what twists your heart. At the same time, you feel as though you're on a roller coaster barreling at breakneck speed through pitch-black tunnels.

I wasn't always sure I understood what was going on from moment to moment, and that seems very much by design because, wow, what a twist! And the deeply felt depiction of the characters never made me feel like I was truly lost. I will indulge a great deal of mystery as long as it is presented by such a steady and skillful hand.

Don’t mess with mamas and their babies. I loved how this group of women were flawed, petty, and mean but protective over their children and even each other.

It’s set amid beauty and wealth, but the baseness of human nature still manages to tarnish what is otherwise a picturesque life. I am a fan of that juxtaposition, lest we covet and pine for those same trappings, only to realize we all fall short of the glory.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, and err… made me forget to go to sleep. This book to me is the epitome of books that make you go wait, what??

I want to highlight the menacing ambiance and constant edge in the tone of the story by giving the character such vulnerability that made me squirm. I loved the pacing of this story as the main character is hurled from the one bad situation into another.

Yet again, this book taught me to re-think assumptions, because it proved all of them wrong. I love the uniqueness of this trope especially when it first came out but the originality of it captivated me entirely.

This stunning book puts me in the head of a young boy with a neurodivergent way of seeing the world. I picked up this book before a cross-country flight and couldn’t stand that we landed, and I would have to stop reading for the drive home.

It immersed me in Christopher’s dilemma of trying to make sense of people. The most trivial things become massive. I was hurtled along with him for a harrowing, incredible journey. Profoundly moving!

Receiving a dementia diagnosis at just 58 years old can be paralysing, but Wendy Mitchell chose a different path. Instead of preparing for the end, she embraced life with newfound determination.

Wendy became a passionate advocate and speaker for dementia awareness. Her remarkable journey includes earning two honorary doctorates and achieving many of her life's dreams, including becoming a published author to share her deeply personal story.

With engaging wit and unwavering courage, Wendy candidly narrates her daily battle with the illness. Her story is both heartwarming and inspirational, as she shows us that despite the challenges, dementia can also bring unexpected gifts alongside sorrow.

Wendy's character is endearing, and her resilience shines through, leaving readers with a profound sense of hope and a deeper understanding of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Still Alice is an unforgettable emotional journey that defies stereotypes and touches the hearts of all. Alice, a vibrant fifty-year-old lecturer at the height of her career, challenges the frumpy old lady image associated with dementia.

The compelling first-person narration in Still Alice immerses readers in her emotional odyssey, allowing them to share her confusion and the poignant loss of memories. With sensitivity and accuracy, the narrative mirrors Alice's cognitive decline, tracing her transition from a sharp Psychology Professor to a fading mind.

The movie adaptation of Still Alice holds a special place in my heart. Taking my mother, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and had begun to show signs of decline two years prior, created a profoundly touching and memorable experience. The film resonated with our emotions and experiences, making it a truly heartfelt watch.

As a latecomer to long-distance hiking, this book is now one of my all-time favourites. It explores regrets and life's lessons, going beyond Alzheimer's.

One morning, Harold receives a letter from a long-lost woman, informing him of her impending death and wanting to bid farewell. Believing that walking the entire 600-mile journey and answering her in person could save her life, he embarks on this quest wearing only the clothes on his back.

With each step, Harold's past is peeled back, revealing deep wounds and losses that shaped his life and bringing him closer to healing. Along the way, he opens himself to the world, embracing not only others' vulnerabilities but also coming to terms with his own.

Driven by regret and the search for redemption, Harold's journey, both physically and emotionally, turns out to be a heartening one, narrated with a perfect blend of humour and pathos.

As a confirmed Anglophile, I became aware of Richard Osman’s wit and unique humor from watching British game shows where he appears as either a panelist or presenter. When I learned he had authored a book, I couldn’t wait to read it and had high expectations. The Thursday Murder Club did not disappoint.

The eclectic group of characters, from the Old Age Pensioners of the retirement village to the detectives they encounter (and frustrate), are engaging and richly developed. Even the evil-doers are written with more than the usual depth.

The plot is rich, with unexpected twists. I love a good, clean mystery that respects both the characters and the readers. Richard Osman has created a delightful series. I can’t wait for his next installment.