The Best Fiction Books
Last updated: June 29, 2025
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1
Brandy Sour
by Constantia Soteriou & Lina Protopapa (translator) -
2
Far
by Rosa Ribas & Charlotte Coombe (translator) -
3
The Palace on the Higher Hill
by Karim Kattan & Jeffrey Zuckerman (translator) -
4
Spanish Beauty
Esther García Llovet and Richard Village (translator) -
5
The Little I Knew
by Chiara Valerio & Ailsa Wood (translator)
The Best Mediterranean Novels, published by Foundry Editions
The Best Mediterranean Novels, published by Foundry Editions
Publisher Foundry Editions was set up in 2023 to showcase beautiful writing, unusual storytelling, unforgettable characters and intelligent entertainment from across the Mediterranean region. Here are five of their most recent books, now available in English for the first time, from Spanish noir to historical fiction from Cyprus, an Italian bestseller and a family saga and gothic ghost story set in Palestine.
The Best Road Trip Novels, recommended by Benjamin Markovits
Why do so many people fantasise about getting in their cars and driving away from everything they know? The novelist Ben Markovits reflects on the near-universal urge to get out on the open road, as he recommends five of the best road trip novels—from Jack Kerouac to Anne Tyler.
Short Classic Books
Classic books have stood the test of time and continue to appeal to new readers, but they can feel intimidating. Whether you want to ease your way into classic literature by starting with shorter books, don’t have much time to read, or simply admire writers who are able to say more with less, below is a list of short classic books recommended by experts on Five Books over the years.
The Best Beach Read Books of 2025
Looking for the perfect books to escape with whilst you’re on holiday? From thrillers to romances and fantasy to cottage core, these are our top page-turners.
Long Novels
Shorter is better is the mantra of the digital age, but for some of us, there is no greater pleasure than reading a really long novel. Here we’ve listed some of the novels recommended on Five Books that are 400,000 words or more long, from literary classics to potboilers.
Psychological Thrillers with a Twist, recommended by Hannah Beckerman
It’s tempting to think that good psychological thrillers are all about plot twists, but in reality it’s the characters that make some books truly memorable. Novelist and literary critic Hannah Beckerman recommends five of her favourites, from Agatha Christie to Alex Michaelides.
The Best Feel Good Books, recommended by Mike Gayle
Sometimes we all need the novelistic equivalent of a hot cup of cocoa and a warm blanket. We asked the novelist Mike Gayle, who appears at the Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words this week, to recommend us five heartwarming feel good books that leave their reader comforted and entertained.
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1
In Search of Lost Time, Vol. I: Swann's Way
by Marcel Proust -
2
In Search of Lost Time, Vol. II: In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower
by Marcel Proust -
3
In Search of Lost Time, Vol. V: The Prisoner
by Marcel Proust -
4
In Search of Lost Time, Vol. VI: The Fugitive
by Marcel Proust -
5
In Search of Lost Time, Vol. VII: Finding Time Again
by Marcel Proust
The Best Marcel Proust Books, recommended by Joshua Landy
The Best Marcel Proust Books, recommended by Joshua Landy
Marcel Proust’s 3000-page masterpiece In Search of Lost Time might intimidate, but it also enthrals, argues Joshua Landy, Professor of French and Comparative Literature at Stanford University. We asked him to introduce us to the most rewarding of the seven volumes that make up this classic novel, as a helpful guide for the general reader.
Short Novels
A short novel can be the perfect way to occupy the mind during an empty evening or a long journey. One can also appreciate a well-written book’s true complexity when it can be read and digested in a single, immersive sitting. Here, we’ve pulled together a list of short literary novels—most of them fewer than 200 pages in length—that have been recommended on Five Books over the years.
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1
Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes -
2
Berta Isla
by Javier Marías & Margaret Jull Costa (translator) -
3
Homeland (Patria)
by Fernando Aramburu and Alfred MacAdam (translator) -
4
The Frozen Heart (El corazón helado)
by Almudena Grandes -
5
An Olympic Death (Sabotaje olímpico)
by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán and Ed Emery (translator)
The Best Novels by Spanish Authors, recommended by Richard Village
The Best Novels by Spanish Authors, recommended by Richard Village
If you like your novels long, Spanish literature has some gems to lose yourself in. Richard Village, translator and publisher of Spanish Beauty, recommends five of his favourites, from the chaos of 17th-century Spain to the traumas of the 20th century, and also including a classic detective novel.