OUR BOOKSELLERS

Meet our Matilda booksellers - what they’ve liked lately and some of their all-time favourite books and authors.

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

MOLLY

Learn more

The Life of M by Rachek Cusk

Continuing Cusk's reinvention of the novel initiated in her Outline trilogy, the narrator of this book is presented with barely a trace of subjectivity, thus remaining elusive to the reader. And yet, the narrator unravels a memoir-of-sorts of her friend and the famous actress, M. Vivid passages about fame and its flipside, isolation, as well as extended contemplations on midlife, marriage, aesthetics and facades make this an exhilarating and strange read. MOLLY

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

JO

Learn more

Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson

Harry Flynn, ex war correspondent, along with a fabulous cast of characters, is working to produce the Festival of Britain - a post war celebration of Britains creativity ,grit and ingenuity. He finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery and ends up living with a 13 year old girl called Veronica and a dog called Mrs Betty. Kate Atkinson has brilliantly managed to capture the mood of the times in this clever, witty and thoroughly enjoyable novel. JO

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

GAVIN

Learn more

Dodge City by Patrick deWitt

I devoured every page of this wild ride of a book. Kicked out of college and subsequently drafted to the Vietnam War, Lee Clarke is on the run to Canada in a fancy car, armed with nothing but a big bag of amphetamines and a sudden desire to see his far-flung and complicated family before his exile. What follows is an eminently readable and humane novel, shot through with deWitt’s mordantly witty sensibility. The dialogue is deliciously arch, but, for once, deWitt allows his inner-romantic to shine through. GAVIN

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

ROSE

Learn more

I Love the Whole World! by Victoria Hannan

The hardest question a bookseller is ever asked is, “Can you recommend a happy book?” Victoria Hannan has just provided the answer in one fell swoop, with her newly-divorced character Leslie McDonald, who wins a trip to Vegas and embarks on a funny and heartwarming journey to reclaim her identity. At every stage the novel subverts expectations, however, as Hannan avoids predictable tropes and plots. You will come away with a new respect for your own sense of wonder. ROSE

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

NADIA

Learn more

Repetition by Vigdis Hjorth

‘There is a grief, an experience of pain which is also shameful, they chased me away and then blamed me for leaving.’

A writer recalls a moment from her childhood, one that caused her family to fracture; she is blamed for her transgression, but maybe it never actually started with her. This brilliantly crafted novella demonstrates how the act of repetition can churn up hidden wounds. NADIA

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

HEATHER

Learn more

Etna by Paul Yoon

As a card-carrying cat lady, I have no business raving about a novel narrated by a dog. And yet here we are. Etna goes far beyond its premise of an ex-military dog trying to find his way home. Through deceptively simple observations, Yoon creates a masterful portrait of a country emerging from a long and devastating war. Spare, deeply moving and remarkably unsentimental, this completely won me over. I’ll be gifting it a lot this holiday season. HEATHER

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

KRISTY

Learn more

The Strangers by Naomi Alderman

Alderman blends memoir and fiction in The Strangers, as she dissects her grief after her mother's death in a world where a new intelligent animal has emerged. This is a deeply felt, deeply human read, with the speculative world mirroring grief, the loss of control, the up and down of everyday, the unexplained moments and unanswered questions. An off kilter yet surprisingly moving read. KRISTY

MEET THE BOOKSELLER

EMILIE

Learn more

All Her Beautiful Deaths by A. Rushby

Sometimes I just crave something juicy to read! Lush language and a propulsive plot, full of scandal. It is hard to find a book featuring these elements that is also beautifully written, but All Her Beautiful Deaths satisfies both needs for this reader.

Flitting between two differently atmospheric timelines, we slowly unravel a pair of mysteries. There are secrets hiding behind an album of uncannily staged Victorian Death Portraits left to a grieving large scale installation artist. In the past we follow a young maid in the service of a very eccentric household. Art thievery, erotic obsession and betrayal. Absolutely delicious! EMILIE

ASK OUR BOOKSELLERS

Do you need a hand choosing your next book?

Our Matilda booksellers are now offering a book recommendation service. If you’d like to fill out the form here, our widely-read staff will be in touch soon with their personal selections.