I love it when a book surprises me and turns out to be something completely different from what I was expecting, and this was one of those books. The blurb was enough to draw me in, along with the fact that I’d seen the cover a lot and the title had intrigued me.

The book is really a coming of age, a young girl making the transition from childhood to adult hood, with all the familiar struggles and challenges that time of life entails. Friendship, romance, family relationships and conflicts are all explored and tackled. Where this book differs is that it is set during the late 70’s and early 80’s in Yorkshire against the backdrop of killings of the infamous Yorkshire Ripper. Two young girls decide that they want to uncover the Rippers identity and start collating their list of suspicious things based on the lives and events in their small town.

I really loved how the stories of the people on the list people become entwined and interwoven with the fabric of a community that is both in fear and determined to live their lives at the same time. The perspective is mostly from the point of view of the main protagonist, Miv, but occasionally we get a glimpse of what Miv doesn’t see from the perspective of other characters.

Really enjoyed and very happy to recommend!

The List of Suspicious Things