This year’s four shortlisted Summer Reads were all high-calibre page turners, with an enthralling mix of literary thrillers, mysteries and political intrigues. After an intense discussion on each of them, “My Father’s House” was voted Best Summer Read by a majority of readers.

“My Father’s House” by Joseph O’Connor (Ireland) was chosen as Best Summer Read 2023. Set in Rome in the 1940s, it is based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and his role in helping POWs escape Nazi persecution in Vatican City. Readers enjoyed this story, which had them hooked from the opening scene. They loved the descriptions of place and the depth of the characters. They warmed to the protagonist and his motely group of helpers, who they found awe-inspiring. Readers liked the structure of the book, which gave them different perspectives and deftly succeeded in building up tension. They liked the cat-and-mouse relationship between O’Flaherty and SS officer Hauptmann, and felt that the ending succeeded in leaving them with a pleasant aftertaste to a historically challenging time.

“Trust” by Hernan Diaz (Argentina/US) is set in 1920s New York and gives four different versions of a Wall Street tycoon and his wife’s life leading up to the Great Depression. Most readers were confused by the different parts, which they felt challenging. As a result, they enjoyed it less than the other books. However, one reader loved it, finding it very clever and appreciating the change of tone and style between the four parts.

“Birnam Wood” by Eleanor Catton (New Zealand), is set in the South Island of New Zealand in 2017 and charters the collision course of an environmental collective with an elusive American drone-manufacturing billionaire. Readers were gripped by this story, enjoying its fast pace and build up in tension. Although they found the style of writing dense, they were kept hooked by the clever plot twists. However, most readers felt that the ending was over the top. One reader described it as the most up-to-date book she’s ever read.

“A Spell of Good Things” by Ayobami Adebayo (Nigeria) was chosen as the Summer Reading Group’s Coup de Cœur Summer 2023. Set in Osun state in the early 2000s, it recounts the lives of two diametrically opposed characters dealing with both domestic and political violence. Readers described this book as insightful, engaging and beautifully written. They warmed to the two protagonists and were deeply touched by their stories. They liked the way their two lives become intertwined and they felt invested in them. Most readers were left with a feeling of sadness by its shocking denouement.