Released: February 2024
Genre: Society, Mystery, Drama
The List of Suspicious Things is the debut novel of Jennie Godfrey, who turns the clock back to 1970s England for a tale of societal tensions, superstitions and the coming of age.
The small scale Yorkshire community is blighted by the hideous crimes of Peter Sutcliffe and the plot is split into several perspectives with the young Miv being the guiding force. At twelve years old, she keeps her eyes and ears open to the world around her and soon decides to investigate the Yorkshire Ripper, noting down possible leads in the titular list. She is joined by her friend Sharon and from there, things unfold as you might expect. These two schoolgirls, who still have much to learn, stumble into more adult oriented subject matter. This includes violence, discrimination, infidelity, moving away and even romance as the narrative goes on. Other perspectives are left to adults including a mother named Helen, the strict teacher Mr Ware and the local shop owner Omar. By peeking inside their minds, we take in a strong contrast from Miv while also learning more about the Yorkshire community.
The backdrop of the Yorkshire Ripper and his victims is one of many components that ground the book’s setting. We also witness an undercurrent of racism, personified by the abuse directed towards Omar Bashir and his son Ishtiak which puts a massive strain on the community. As the characters, especially Miv, Sharon and others at their school, grow closer to each other, the book’s real focus comes into view. The List of Suspicious Things show how focusing on out-of-place individuals and gossip can make you lose sight of what really matters. Miv learns a lot about herself and her neighbourhood and by the end, Godfrey lays on many heartfelt moments that bring out the connections between the characters.
Recommended?
YES: The List of Suspicious Things starts out with a naive young girl trying to solve a series of brutal crimes, but it turns into a poignant coming of age tale. There are some plot threads like a hidden affair discovered in the final act that are resolved quickly without the right build-up or dramatic tension, but otherwise the book and its multiple perspectives will keep you engaged.