Fans pick 100 books like The Sea

By John Banville,

Here are 100 books that The Sea fans have personally recommended if you like The Sea. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

The Remains of the Day

By Kazuo Ishiguro,

Book cover of The Remains of the Day

Hue-Tam Ho Tai Author Of Radicalism and the Origins of the Vietnamese Revolution

From my list on books for someone who grew up in wartime Vietnam in a family of anti-colonial activists.

By Hue-Tam Ho Tai Author

Why am I passionate about this?

My interests lie in the personal experiences of war and revolution and their aftermaths. Radicalism and the Origins of the Vietnamese Revolution is a tribute to my parents' generation of young Vietnamese who sought to combine their attempts to free themselves of the shackles of oppressive tradition with the struggle to win independence from French colonial rule before the introduction of competing ideologies.

Hue-Tam's book list on books for someone who grew up in wartime Vietnam in a family of anti-colonial activists

Book cover of The Sympathizer Book cover of The Remains of the Day Book cover of The General Retires and Other Stories Book cover of The Sorrow of War: A Novel of North Vietnam Book cover of Regeneration

Hue-Tam Ho Tai Why did Hue-Tam love this book?

The butler in this novel represents a social order that is past and virtues that are obsolete. Ishiguro manages to use the butler's voice to hint at the wrongness of the decisions he made in the name of dedication to his position, like a soldier fighting the wrong war.

The Remains of the Day

By Kazuo Ishiguro,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked The Remains of the Day as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel Klara and the Sun is now available to preorder*

The Remains of the Day won the 1989 Booker Prize and cemented Kazuo Ishiguro's place as one of the world's greatest writers. David Lodge, chairman of the judges in 1989, said, it's "a cunningly structured and beautifully paced performance". This is a haunting evocation of lost causes and lost love, and an elegy for England at a time of acute change. Ishiguro's work has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold millions of copies worldwide.

Stevens, the long-serving butler of Darlington Hall, embarks on…

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The English Patient

By Michael Ondaatje,

Book cover of The English Patient

John Marincola Author Of The Histories

From my list on for appreciating Herodotus.

By John Marincola Author

Why am I passionate about this?

For as long as I can remember, I have been deeply interested in how people understand and use the past. Whether it is a patient reciting a personal account of his or her past to a therapist or a scholar writing a history in many volumes, I find that I am consistently fascinated by the importance and different meanings we assign to what has gone before us. What I love about Herodotus is that he reveals something new in each reading. He has a profound humanity that he brings to the genre that he pretty much invented. And to top it all off, he is a great storyteller! 

John's book list on for appreciating Herodotus

Book cover of The English Patient Book cover of Writing Ancient History: An Introduction to Classical Historiography Book cover of The Greeks: A Portrait of Self and Others Book cover of Herodotus Book cover of The Odyssey of Homer

John Marincola Why did John love this book?

Michael Ondaatje’s novel is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It is not a study or analysis of Herodotus’ history, and yet Herodotus’ spirit infuses virtually every page. Taking place during World War II, it explores the intertwined lives of four characters, including the unnamed English patient, who has survived the shooting-down of his plane, although he is severely burned.

He has nothing with him but his annotated copy of Herodotus’ Histories. I loved Anthony Minghella’s 1996 film adaptation of the novel, and it is no criticism of the film to say that it treats only one of the many strands one finds in the book. Meditating on space, time, identity, and truth, The English Patient is a book that I think Herodotus would have loved.

The English Patient

By Michael Ondaatje,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked The English Patient as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hana, a Canadian nurse, exhausted by death, and grieving for her own dead father; the maimed thief-turned-Allied-agent, Caravaggio; Kip, the emotionally detached Indian sapper - each is haunted in different ways by the man they know only as the English patient, a nameless burn victim who lies in an upstairs room. His extraordinary knowledge and morphine-induced memories - of the North African desert, of explorers and tribes, of history and cartography; and also of forbidden love, suffering and betrayal - illuminate the story, and leave all the characters for ever changed.

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Last Orders

By Graham Swift,

Book cover of Last Orders

David Clensy Author Of Prayer in Time of War

From my list on memories and poignant reflections on the passing of time.

By David Clensy Author

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Wiltshire-based writer with a passion for historical and literary fiction and a fascination for the role of “memory” in the autumn of our lives. My own novel was inspired by conversations with my late grandfather in his final years. But as a journalist for more than 20 years, I had many rich opportunities to talk to the elderly members of our communities–most memorably, taking a pair of D-Day veterans back to the beaches of Normandy. In many ways, memories are the only things we can take with us throughout our lives, carrying both the burden of regrets and the consolation of those we have loved.

David's book list on memories and poignant reflections on the passing of time

Book cover of The Remains of the Day Book cover of Last Orders Book cover of The English Patient Book cover of The Sea Book cover of The Sense of an Ending

David Clensy Why did David love this book?

The novel tells the story of a group of friends who have taken it upon themselves to carry out the “last orders” of their drinking partner, Jack Dodds, to deliver his ashes to the grey seas of Margate. As they drive to the coast, their errand becomes a poignant journey into their collective pasts.

Swift described it as an homage to William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, and it follows a similar narrative structure, with chapters titled with the names of the seven key characters, with a shifting narrative perspective to follow the story from each of their eyes.

As a reader, you naturally find your favourite narrative viewpoint. For me, it was Ray, “Lucky Ray,” the obsessive gambler, which for me was the real centre of the novel.

Last Orders

By Graham Swift,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Last Orders as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 1996

The classic edition of one of the 20th Century's finest novels

Four men once close to Jack Dodds, a London butcher, meet to carry out his peculiar last wish: to have his ashes scattered into the sea at Margate. For reasons best known to herself, Jack's widow, Amy, declines to join them . . . On the surface a simple tale of an increasingly bizarre day's outing, this Booker-prize winning, internationally acclaimed novel is a resonant and classic exploration of the complexity and courage of ordinary lives. Intensely local but overwhelmingly universal, faithful to…

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The Sense of an Ending

By Julian Barnes,

Book cover of The Sense of an Ending

David Clensy Author Of Prayer in Time of War

From my list on memories and poignant reflections on the passing of time.

By David Clensy Author

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Wiltshire-based writer with a passion for historical and literary fiction and a fascination for the role of “memory” in the autumn of our lives. My own novel was inspired by conversations with my late grandfather in his final years. But as a journalist for more than 20 years, I had many rich opportunities to talk to the elderly members of our communities–most memorably, taking a pair of D-Day veterans back to the beaches of Normandy. In many ways, memories are the only things we can take with us throughout our lives, carrying both the burden of regrets and the consolation of those we have loved.

David's book list on memories and poignant reflections on the passing of time

Book cover of The Remains of the Day Book cover of Last Orders Book cover of The English Patient Book cover of The Sea Book cover of The Sense of an Ending

David Clensy Why did David love this book?

I was captivated by Julian Barnes’ treatment of memory and time in this novel, which tells the story of Tony Webster and his group of school friends, whose relationships fracture and strain as life and death leave their marks on their lives. In his retirement, Webster's own memories of his youth prove unreliable.

I felt it was a well-paced and exquisitely written short novel, which makes impressive use of subtle imagery (the sight of the Severn bore is a good example–a nod to how the world can sometimes surprise us). He uses these subtly constructed visual reference points to illustrate this greater message on the relationship between time and memory.

As a piece of writing, I found it quite simply extraordinary.

The Sense of an Ending

By Julian Barnes,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Sense of an Ending as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 2011

Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life.

Now Tony is in middle age. He's had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is…

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The Stupidest Angel

By Christopher Moore,

Book cover of The Stupidest Angel

Sean Schubert Author Of Infection: Alaskan Undead Apocalypse

From my list on to prove the apocalypse can still be fun.

By Sean Schubert Author

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a passion for the written word and the art of storytelling. Though I’m not a fatalist, I’ve had a lifelong interest in stories and films about cataclysm and apocalyptic tales, regardless of scale. Films like Poseidon’s Adventure, The Towering Inferno, and all of the both good and bad zombie movies the years have produced were mainstays in my childhood. Seeing how ordinary people responded to extraordinary circumstances to overcome and sometimes succumb to their frailties have been driving influences for me. I try to reflect that point of view through the characters in my novels. I think those moments have a way of defining our own humanity.

Sean's book list on to prove the apocalypse can still be fun

Book cover of The Raven's Gift Book cover of Zeus is Undead Book cover of The Plague Book cover of Cat's Cradle Book cover of The Stupidest Angel

Sean Schubert Why did Sean love this book?

The Stupidest Angel is a fun Christmas romp complete with zombies, murder, and mayhem. The best part about this book is that Moore revisits one of the craziest places ever imagined: Pine Cove, CA. A little Night of the Living Dead with a little Our Town, and every B-movie with a hot babe wielding a sword, Moore twisted several elements into a crazed train wreck that starts at a sprint and never lets up. I enjoy how he entwines characters and plotlines of Pine Cove with those from his other novels, creating a universe in which all of his gems coexist and interact regardless of their themes or even their time in history. Looking for a Christmas story that won’t be like any other you’ve read; The Stupidest Angel won’t disappoint.

The Stupidest Angel

By Christopher Moore,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Stupidest Angel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Twas the night (okay, more like the week) before Christmas and little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a Christmas miracle. Josh is sure he saw Santa take a shovel to the head and now the seven-year-old has only one prayer: Please Santa, come back from the dead! But coming to Earth, seeking a small child whose wish needs granting, is none other than Archangel Raziel. Unfortunately, he's not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch and before you can say 'Kris Kringle,' he's botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos,…

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Closely Harbored Secrets

By Bree Baker,

Book cover of Closely Harbored Secrets

Sherry Lynn Author Of Digging Up Daisy

From my list on beachfront cozy mysteries.

By Sherry Lynn Author

Why am I passionate about this?

The sound of waves rolling to shore. The scent of beach roses and salty air, mixed with suntan lotion. Breezy summer days with no agenda. This is the promised escape when I discover a cozy mystery with a waterfront cover. I’m immediately transported to a journey of respite with a sprinkle of intrigue tucked deep within the pages. The waterfront setting is one that I desire in both to read and to write, and I know I’m not alone. I’ve compiled a list of favorites for you when choosing a book that revolves around seaworthy things. 

Sherry's book list on beachfront cozy mysteries

Book cover of Three Shots to the Wind Book cover of Reading Up A Storm Book cover of Murder on the Rocks: A Gray Whale Inn Mystery Book cover of Musseled Out Book cover of Closely Harbored Secrets

Sherry Lynn Why did Sherry love this book?

This book is a fun addition to the Seaside Cafe Mystery series, set in Charm on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The island has a rich history of pirates, treasures, ghosts, and more. Oh, and a mystery to solve! Each of the characters is fun and endearing. The plot is a well-paced whodunit full of amateur sleuthing, red herrings, community, scrumptious treats, and small-town coastal living. Adding up to perfection for cozy mystery lovers.

Closely Harbored Secrets

By Bree Baker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Closely Harbored Secrets as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the fifth book of the popular Seaside Cafe Mysteries, Closely Harbored Secrets, Everly Swan just wants to make Halloween-themed treats and specialty teas for her customers. But when it seems that she's being haunted by the phantom of a sailor straight out of a ghost story, her plans are capsized. Could this be the bitter end for Everly?
Hitting all the sweet-tea spots, this series is:A delightful Tea Shop and Cafe Culinary MysteryThe ideal cozy beach readPerfect for fans of Laura Childs and Kate CarlisleIt's almost Halloween, and the small island of Charm, North Carolina is decked out for…

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Sapphire Storm

By Christopher Rice, C Travis Rice,

Book cover of Sapphire Storm

KC Carmichael Author Of Boystown Heartbreakers

From my list on lighthearted gay romance books about men in their thirties.

By KC Carmichael Author

Why am I passionate about this?

On paper, it would be easy to think I’m the wrong person to recommend these books and write my own, which would fit easily onto this list. But as a lover of love and someone who has always enjoyed the company of men, particularly gay men, this is an area I have passion for - seeing hopeful and authentic love stories written for the masses. 

KC's book list on lighthearted gay romance books about men in their thirties

Book cover of Sapphire Storm Book cover of Boyfriend Material Book cover of I'm Your Guy Book cover of The Gay Best Friend Book cover of Best Men

KC Carmichael Why did KC love this book?

I’m cheating with this book. One main character, Ethan, is in his forties, and the other, Roman, is in his twenties. So I’m splitting the difference and saying they’re in their thirties. It’s worth it so that I can squeeze this book onto this list.

I enjoyed it so much that I read it twice in a row. As soon as I finished it, I needed to go back to the beginning and start again. The dynamic of these two characters and the way their love story played out were enjoyable from start to finish, and I will absolutely be reading this one again and again when the mood strikes. 

Sapphire Storm

By Christopher Rice, C Travis Rice,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sapphire Storm as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Under his new pen name, C. Travis Rice, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice offers tales of passion, intrigue, and steamy romance between men. The third novel, SAPPHIRE STORM, once again transports you to a beautiful luxury resort on the sparkling Southern California coast where strong-willed heroes release the shame that blocks their hearts’ desires.

Ethan Blake has dedicated his life to satisfying other people’s appetites. At forty-three, he’s finally landed his dream job—head pastry chef at an exclusive resort. Now he’s got a jet-setting career that’s taken him to romantic locations all over the world. But years before,…

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The Lighthouse

By P. D. James,

Book cover of The Lighthouse

Alice Castle Author Of The Invitation

From my list on thrillers set on an island.

By Alice Castle Author

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by the sea. I grew up near the gentle waters of England’s Kent coast, then went to St Andrews University, surrounded by the treacherous North Sea. Finally, I discovered the Devon shores, which inspired Agatha Christie. In island thrillers like hers, the power of the sea becomes overwhelming. It holds suspects at bay, becomes a murder weapon, and constrains both innocent and guilty until justice is done. For me, this is the ‘locked room’ mystery in its purest form: an isolated location and a limited number of suspects–causing unlimited amounts of tension. I hope you love these stories as much as I do.

Alice's book list on thrillers set on an island

Book cover of Evil Under the Sun Book cover of Shutter Island Book cover of Lord of the Flies Book cover of The Lighthouse Book cover of And Then There Were None

Alice Castle Why did Alice love this book?

I have always been a huge fan of PD James’s writing style, and I had the pleasure of meeting her many years ago. She told me one of her earliest memories was hearing the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty at the age of three and immediately wondering, ‘Was he pushed?’

This book was her second-to-last whodunit and is a gripping reworking of the ‘murder on an island’ theme. Her detective, Adam Dalgleish, strives to solve the mystery and unravel his own complex feelings towards his life on the mainland. As always with one of her books, I felt in safe hands with a master storyteller who was never afraid to ask difficult questions. 

The Lighthouse

By P. D. James,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Lighthouse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Now a major Channel 5 series

'The Queen of Crime.' New York Times

Combe Island off the Cornish coast is a restful retreat for the rich and the powerful. But the peace of the island is violated when one of its distinguished visitors is murdered.

Adam Dalgliesh is called in to solve the mystery quickly and discreetly, but at a difficult time for him and his depleted team. Hardly have the team begun to unravel the complicated motives of the suspects that there is a second brutal killing and the whole investigation is jeopardised when Dalgliesh is faced with a…

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Death Beside the Seaside

By T E Kinsey,

Book cover of Death Beside the Seaside

Lynn Ferguson Author Of Notes From The Valley

From my list on cozy mystery audiobooks with serial killers.

By Lynn Ferguson Author

Why am I passionate about this?

The greatest mystery I face in life is, how is it that when I've just packed the dishwasher, I have to pack it yet again? But I love stories. There’s nothing more healing than a well-told story with characters and jokes and twists and turns. Each of these books contains some form of fictionalized domestic world where murders happen, but marriages and babies and falling in love do, too. We live in a time when the world is hard to navigate. All of these writers bring a mystery, the best of company, and the idea that even in the darkest of times, everything can turn out quite spiffingly.

Lynn's book list on cozy mystery audiobooks with serial killers

Book cover of Murder on the Night Train to Paris Book cover of A Case of Duplicity in Dorset Book cover of Death Beside the Seaside Book cover of Closed Casket: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery Book cover of Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders

Lynn Ferguson Why did Lynn love this book?

As anyone who has ever grown up in Glasgow will tell you, don't mess with short people. A short, angry Scottish woman can have your proverbial eye out when riled. Especially if they’re meant to be enjoying themselves at the seaside. And that's exactly the case with Lady Hardcastle’s loyal sidekick, Flo. Granted, Flo is Welsh, and the duo lives in Edwardian England rather than 20th-century Scotland, but this pair can sort matters out faster than my mother and her wee pal, Margaret. 

Elizabeth Knowelden brilliantly reads this rollicking romp about disappearances, espionage, ice cream, and donkey rides. I like any story with a fearsome female sidekick. Fearsome sidekicks have for too long been dominated by scary blokes with muscles.

Death Beside the Seaside

By T E Kinsey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Death Beside the Seaside as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

July 1910. Lady Hardcastle and her tireless sidekick Flo have finally embarked on a long-overdue seaside break. But just as they're wavering between ice creams and donkey rides, their fellow guests start to go missing-and the duo find themselves with a hysterical hotel manager and a case to solve.

The first to disappear is Dr Goddard, a scientist doing something terribly top-secret for the government. Gone too are his strongbox and its mysterious contents. By the time Lady Hardcastle has questioned the horde of international guests, her number-one suspect has been dispatched in grisly circumstances-and then the others start vanishing…

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The Last Diving Horse in America

By Cynthia A. Branigan,

Book cover of The Last Diving Horse in America: Rescuing Gamal and Other Animals--Lessons in Living and Loving

M.J. Evans Author Of The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy

From my list on horses that teens will love.

By M.J. Evans Author

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a life-long equestrian. I believe I was born with manure in my blood! I have always loved horses. I bought my own horse with my own money when I was thirteen and had to work to support him myself. I continue to own and ride horses more than fifty years later! I love competing in Dressage and riding the trails in the beautiful Colorado mountains. My interest in researching and writing historical horse stories grew out of my love of both horses and history.

M.J.'s book list on horses that teens will love

Book cover of King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian Book cover of And Miles to Go: The Biography of a Great Arabian Horse, Witez II Book cover of The Last Diving Horse in America: Rescuing Gamal and Other Animals--Lessons in Living and Loving Book cover of Horse Gone Silent Book cover of Black Beauty

M.J. Evans Why did M.J. love this book?

To stick with my love of historical novels, this book is about rescuing Gamal, the last diving horse in the U.S.

In the early 1900s horses were used in a carnival stunt in which the horse with a rider on board would dive off a platform several stories high and plunge into a tiny pool of water. This is the non-fiction story of the last known diving horse. 

If you are like me, you love a good horse story. Combine that with history and this non-fiction story of the last diving horse was a perfect fit for me. As a lifelong horse lover and owner, I can't imagine asking my horses to jump off a high dive into a tiny pool. And I can't imagine being the rider that goes down with him!

The Last Diving Horse in America

By Cynthia A. Branigan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Last Diving Horse in America as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Named Best Equine Non-Fiction Book at the 2022 Equus Film & Arts Fest

The rescue of the last diving horse in America and the inspiring story of how horse and animal rescuer were each profoundly transformed by the other—from the award-winning animal rescuer of retired racing greyhounds and author of the best-selling Adopting the Racing Greyhound

It was the signature of Atlantic City’s Steel Pier in the golden age of “America’s Favorite Playground”: Doc Carver’s High Diving Horses. Beginning in 1929, four times a day, seven days a week, a trained horse wearing only a harness ran up a ramp,…

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Book cover of The Remains of the Day
Book cover of The English Patient
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