Richard & Judy Book Club features Jewell, Slaughter and French

Novels by Lisa Jewell, Karin Slaughter and Tana French are among the six-strong line-up for the Richard & Judy Book Club this winter, with all the choices written by women.

Jewell kicks off the list with her latest novel The Night She Disappeared (Cornerstone). It is her fourth to appear in the Richard & Judy Book Club, and is described as a "gripping psychological thriller exploring the disappearance of a young mother who leaves her beloved baby one night and never returns". The couple said it was “a rich, Gothic murder mystery, full of suspense and startlingly dark twists. A triumph."

Next up is Slaughter's False Witness (HarperCollins), which follows protagonist Leigh, who doesn’t talk about her sister or the fateful night that drove them apart—but someone else is about to. Finnigan described the novel as a tale of retribution and redemption which stems from “a night of searing violence that scars the sisters forever”.

Returning author French has been chosen for The Searcher (Viking), praised by Finnigan for its "lyrical" descriptions of rural Ireland. The story follows Cal Hooper, a retired US city cop seeking peace and tranquillity in the green hills of remote rural Ireland. Instead, he finds himself inexorably sucked into a missing person mystery. Wanting nothing to do with the investigation, he somehow finds he can’t walk away. 

Marianne Cronin's The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot (Doubleday) is described by Madeley as "a story of memories, those of Lenni, who at 17 years old is living through her final days on a hospital terminal ward and, in the ward next door, Margot, whose memories stretch back more than 80 years”. When Lenni and Margot meet, they realise that together they have lived an astonishing 100 years, and when they decide to celebrate their century by painting their life stories, their extraordinary friendship deepens. 

Also on the list is The Paris Library (Two Roads) by author Janet Skeslien Charles. It tells the story of Odile Souchet, who lands her dream job at the American Library in Paris, just as war breaks out in 1939. With the Nazis waging war not just on France but also the library, Odile and her fellow librarians go undercover and join the French Resistance with their chief weapons: books. It is based on a true Second World War story. Madeley said: “If you think librarians are, by nature, dusty, fusty, gently pottering souls, be prepared for a very big shock.”

The final title joining this season’s book club is Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me (Viper). Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his new wife, Hannah, asking one thing: for her to protect his daughter, Bailey. As her desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, Hannah realises that her new husband isn't who he said he was, but Bailey may hold the key to discovering Owen's true identity, and why he disappeared. “This is more than just a fast-moving thriller. It’s also a heart-wrenching love story,” Madeley said, adding the story is “pacy, full of suspense and emotionally gripping”.

The winter Richard & Judy Book Club launches with another series of podcasts on 9th December. W H Smith customers can purchase exclusive special editions of the book club titles with bonus content.