Miranda July to David Nicholls: 12 of the best recent beach reads

(Credit: Penguin Random House)

(BBC) From the follow-up to Colm Tóibín’s beloved Brooklyn and Miranda July’s “mid-life coming-of-age tale” to a “quirky time-travel romance”, here are our picks for the recently published books you should pack in your late-summer getaway bag.
For many of us, summer brings with it the promise of that most valuable commodity – time to lose ourselves in a great book. Whether it’s on the sun lounger, a long flight or just a snatched hour in the park, it’s a chance to make a dent in that TBR pile, and catch up with some of the best new novels published this year.
A great beach read doesn’t have to involve a sun-kissed setting – though that can be a bonus – and it certainly doesn’t need to be frivolous. But it should be compelling enough to transport you somewhere else for a few hours. From buzzy debuts and long anticipated sequels to word-of-mouth hits and potential future prize winners, these 12 titles all fit the bill.