It’s no secret that the Service95 Book Club is always on the hunt for the next great read – and 2024 has been an incredible year of releases, by debut authors and forever favourites alike. Choosing just 5 favourites has been no easy task – but these are the books that have captured our attention, entertained our evenings, accompanied us on holiday and earned a permanent spot on our shelves this year...
No Place To Bury The Dead by Karina Sainz Borgo (translated by Elizabeth Bryer)
“In the wake of a devastating plague that erases the memories of its victims, a woman flees with her family from a Latin American country, only to endure the tragic loss of her two children. Grief-stricken, she enters Mezquite — a surreal, dreamlike town caught between magic and chaos. Here, the lines between reality and illusion blur, as the town’s inhabitants, refugees, and dangerous gangs weave stories to survive in a place consumed by corruption and greed. Angustias is a tale where the haunting beauty of magical realism collides with the raw truths of political fiction, offering a poignant and often overlooked glimpse into the personal struggles at the heart of the migrant crisis.”
Recommended by Maria Padget, Book Club Director
Evenings & Weekends by Oisín McKenna
“Set over the course of a weekend in heatwave-drenched London, Evenings & Weekends follows an interlinked cast of friends in their early thirties as they navigate relationships, sexuality and the dawning realisation that adulthood will take their lives in very different directions. McKenna is a spoken word artist whose evocative prose draws you into the minds of the protagonists and paints a love letter to London in all its grimy glory.”
Recommended by Katie Teehan, Editorial Director
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
“Like the other books in the author’s Amgash series, Tell Me Everything can be read and enjoyed without having read any of the others. But if you are an Elizabeth Strout fan like me, this book is like all your literary Christmases at once – where the worlds of Olive Kitteridge, Lucy Barton and Bob Burgess all come together in Crosby, Maine (where we left Lucy Barton at the end of Lucy By The Sea). While the story loosely follows a crime that takes place in the town, its beauty is the way in which seemingly ordinary people become extraordinary with the attention that is paid to them. The entire book can be summarised in one line from midway through:‘I don’t know what the point is to this story!’ ‘People,’ Lucy said quietly, leaning back. ‘People and the lives they lead. That’s the point.’”
Recommended by Stella Fabinyi, Managing Director
Last Acts by Alexander Sammartino
“Everything is going wrong for David Rizzo. His firearm store is going under and he is drowning in debt – but, after a drug overdose, his son Rick has returned. Follow the pair as they attempt to dodge bankruptcy and reconcile their fractured relationship in this shattering portrayal of contemporary life. 2024 has been an excellent year for books and there are few I have enjoyed as much as this from debut author Alexander Sammartino. An author to watch.”
Recommended by Maria Padget, Book Club Director
The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story by Olga Tokarcuk
“As soon as I heard the title of this book I was intrigued – and it did not disappoint. It’s 1913, and young Mieczysław Wojnicz is sent to a gentleman’s health resort in the mountains to receive treatment for his respiratory issues among guests whose main topic of conversation is the inferiority of women. When he finds the body of a woman who he assumed was a household servant lying on the dining table, things prove not to be what they first appeared. Refreshingly light-hearted, it tells a folk horror story you won’t forget. If you’re not a fan of horror, don’t be put off. This book will make you feel uneasy, but the intrigue is too good to miss.”
Recommended by Samantha de Haas, Creative Production Manager
