Plenty of great books which have gripped readers have been set in or based on Birmingham
Many people will be challenging themselves to read more books in 2024 with there being no shortage of great novels set in or based on Birmingham to choose from.
Just reading one more book than last year will achieve your goal and might even motivate you to pick up more books depending on how much you enjoy what you have read.
We've put together a list of great novels which reflect the city that every Brummie should have read at some point.
Here's our pick of nine of the best for you to enjoy this year.
We've put together a list of great novels which reflect the city that every Brummie should have read at some point.
5. Lord of the Rings
Ok, so the iconic fantasy novels aren't exactly based in Birmingham, but they were inspired by the city. Author JRR Tolkien is the creator of the Hobbit and Lord of Rings. He grew up in Birmingham. During 1895 to 1911, Tolkien lived in nine homes in the south of the city, including King’s Heath. He also spent a lot of time in Hall Green, where Moseley Bog and Sarehole Mill would go on to provide the inspiration for the iconic series.
6. The Trick to Time
The Trick to Time is a love story from the internationally bestselling author of My Name Is Leon Kit de Waal . The novel is about Mona, a young Irish girl in the big city, with the thrill of a new job and a room of her own in a busy boarding house. On her first night out in 1970s Birmingham, she meets William, a charming Irish boy and a love story ensues
7. My Name is Leon
Kit de Waal's novel My Name is Leon was turned into a BBC drama last year. The story follows Leon after his mother suffers a mental breakdown. Leon and his baby brother, Jake, are sent into foster care. Jake—who is white—is soon adopted, and Leon is left wondering why his home life has fallen apart.
8. Needless Alley
Local writer Natalie Barlow, from Nuneaton, released her critically acclaimed Needless Alley earlier this year. The book follows private detective William Garret in 1930s Birmingham, and his office is located on the alley. The PI makes a living catching out the unfaithful wives of wealthy men. He's then hired by a fascist politician to investigate his wife's alleged affair which leads him down a murky path.
The novel earned rave reviews upon its release. The Financial Times said: "Marlow's very engaging protagonist may herald the birth of a new genre: Midlands Noir."
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