The LC Summer Book Club by Luxury Coastal

Treat yourself to some time with a great book this summer

If your idea of luxury is finding time to lose yourself in a book, holidays are often the perfect setting. With fabulous spots to curl up with your favourite fiction these properties are even more of a treat if the book you’re reading has a connection with the local setting, its culture or history. It’s the small things that create the memories, so we’ve teamed up with BookBubbles, to bring you our top reads which are all set in Cornwall, Devon or Somerset.

Reads based in Cornwall

The White Hare

By Jane Johnson

Historical fiction woven through with Cornish legend and folklore

Set in 1954, and a mother and daughter leave London for a long-neglected and isolated house in a Cornish valley looking for a fresh start. It appears though, that the house has had an eventful history and not all of the local community are happy to welcome the newcomers. Rumours of a white hare seen running through the woods reveal local superstitions and mistrust – for some it is a bad omen, for others a blessing. That new start might prove to be more difficult than they thought.

The Visitors

By Caroline Scott

Historical fiction

It’s 1923. A young widow travels from Yorkshire to her husband’s childhood home in Cornwall, to try and learn more about the man she loved but had so little time to get to know. There she stays with her employer’s brother, and some of the men who fought with him, catching glimpses of what they endured, how it changed them forever and how little by little they learn how to move forwards. A poignant book about grief and loss, friendship and the impact of war on those left behind and those who returned.

Reads based in Devon

The Retreat

By Sarah Pearse

Thriller

They couldn’t wait to get here. Now they can’t wait to leave. An island off the coast of Devon has reinvented itself as a luxury spa and wellness retreat. Known locally as Reaper’s Rock, it has a dark history as the scene of a series of murders. Now, as a group of friends comes back together for an idyllic break, local rumours of the island being cursed are surfacing. When a woman is found dead beneath the yoga pavilion, apparently the victim of an accidental fall, DI Elin Warner discovers that the woman in question wasn’t even meant to be on the island. And the longer she is on the island, the more secrets she uncovers. When someone else dies in a diving incident it seems that the local rumours of a curse may be true. Is history repeating itself?

And Then There Were None

By Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction

A classic whodunnit from the grande dame of crime fiction. Ten strangers are invited to a remote island off the Devon coast by generous, but mysterious, hosts. As they start to wonder who exactly their hosts are, and the real reason behind their invitations, each is accused of a terrible crime. Hanging in each room is a macabre nursery rhyme that carries an omen for all of them. And then one of them dies and they start to wonder whether one among them is a murderer. Stranded on the island, who can they trust? Will you work out whodunnit before they do?

Reads based in Somerset

The River Home

By Hannah Richell

Contemporary Fiction

Eight years ago, the youngest of three sisters, Margot, left under a cloud, hoping never to have to return, and refusing to talk to her sisters about why she left. And until she does, they won’t forgive her. Now one of her sisters is getting married and she appeals to her to return to the now crumbling, and yet still seemingly idyllic, mansion where they grew up. An emotional family story, full of complicated relationships, and unexpected, difficult and heart-breaking secrets.

The South West Coast Path

The Salt Path

By Raynor Winn

Travel Biography

Just a few days after Raynor Winn received the devastating news that her husband of over 30 years, Moth, was terminally ill, they lost their home and their livelihood. With few options, nothing left and little time, they took an impulsive decision to walk the 630 mile South West Coast Path. A route that took them from Somerset, through Devon and Cornell to Dorset. Part travelogue, part memoir, this is their account of a strangely liberating decision, living a freer, wilder existence, at the mercy of the elements and often the kindness of strangers, but with no certainty of how long their journey will be and what lies in wait for them at the end. It’s a moving and thought-provoking read.

About BookBubbles

BookBubbles offers curated collections of books by destination – books with a strong sense of place or heritage. Great gifts for folk about to visit a destination or for your own holiday reading for that matter. Or perhaps a more personal gift because they already have a connection with that place – maybe they grew up there or plan to travel there? Books delivered with bookmarks and in a navy cotton bag, ready for packing or gifting. So whether you are staycationing or travelling further afield, gifting or treating yourself, have a browse of their bookcases here: www.bookbubbles.co.uk, and keep up to date with the latest here: @bookbubblesbookshelf

The LC Summer Book Club