January’s a great time for resolutions, cutting out the booze and looking after your health after the last few weeks of gluttony. But it’s not just your physical health you need to take care of. Research has shown that reading as little as six minutes a day can reduce stress levels by 60%. So, get warm and comfy and curl up with one of these books. Why these? Because Saffron Walden’s Hart’s Books says so (and they really do know their stuff).

Murder at Maybridge Castle
(Ada Moncrieff, £8.99)

Murder at Maybridge Castle top books to read

First on Hart’s Books’ top books to read is this murder mystery. It’s Christmas 1936 and a list of guests and staff have gathered for the reopening of Maybridge Castle, a renovated yet still crumbling Cumbrian hotel. Amongst them are a doctor and his new wife, tarot readers, a journalist, amateur sleuth and her cat. By the time the first sherries have been drunk a person will be dead. An innocent game turns into a real game of life and death. Someone has changed the rules – but who?

Pocket Coco Chanel Wisdom
(Hardie Grant Books, £10)

Pocket Coco Chanel Wisdom top books to read

Another top books to read? This one! Coco Chanel was one of the most renowned designers of her time, creating timeless pieces such as the little black dress, chic quilted handbags and, of course, Chanel No.5. Known for her strong beliefs and fearless attitude, this revised edition of Pocket Coco Chanel showcases some of the icon’s best quotes.

So Late in the Day
(Claire Keegan, £8.99)

After an uneventful Friday at the Dublin office, Cathal takes the bus home. There, his mind agitates over a woman named Sabine with whom he could have spent his life, had he acted differently. All evening, with only the television and a bottle of Champagne for company, thoughts of this woman and others intrude – and the true significance of this particular date is revealed.

The Gardener’s Almanac 2024
(Greg Loades, £9.99)

Information, inspiration, tips and trivia from The National Trust help you make the most of your gardening year. This guide to how to look after and enjoy your garden month by month is the ideal thoughtful gift for any gardener. It’s packed with inspiring writing and National Trust know-how that will help beginners and old hands alike.

The Goodbye Cat
(Hiro Arikawa, £10.99)

Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners’ lives. A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby. A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature’s way. There’s even an elderly cat, Kota, hatching a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner are together forever.

WIN!

Hart’s Books are giving away all of these books to one lucky winner! Head to our Instagram page now to be in with the chance of nabbing them all.

Murder at Maybridge Castle(Ada Moncrieff, £8.99)

Pocket Coco Chanel Wisdom(Hardie Grant Books, £10)

So Late in the Day(Claire Keegan, £8.99)

Eyes down! Saffron Walden’s Hart’s Books’ 2024 top books to read

You may also like