The List of Suspicious Things is a story about growing up in the 1970s. With Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister it is a difficult time for this working-class community in The North. A first novel by Jennie Godfrey, it is set in Yorkshire and is about two young girls reaching their teens at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper murders. Miv and Sharon are best friends but have very different lives. Miv’s home life is dominated by the absence of her mother, who is actually at home but has completely withdrawn into her room and into silence. Miv’s aunt runs the house while Miv’s father is at work or out for his pint in the evening, but Miv is pretty much left to her own devices. Sharon’s home life is very different with an attentive and welcoming mother.
Miv reads the daily newspapers and knows all about the murders, although her understanding of the details is of course limited. Her father is talking about moving away from Yorkshire (to go Down South) and Miv is sure it’s because of the murders. She can’t think about leaving her best friend so Miv and Sharon think that if they can recognise the murderer – by identifying suspicious behaviour – the family will be able to stay. The list of suspicious things, and people, is started in Miv’s notebook.
As their list grows and includes strangers – and friends – from their community, the girls’ investigations lead to some funny and some tragic consequences. It is gripping, emotional and shocking and I laughed and cried my way through it.
[We have a copy of The List of Suspicious Things in the library.]
