The five best book club reads, according to Joanna Cannon

The best book club novels are the ones that raise thoughtful questions, spark debate, have flawed, memorable characters, and make readers see things differently. Joanna Cannon – bestselling author of novels including The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, Three Things About Elsie, and her latest, An Unlikely Visitor – is one of those writers who does just that. But what are the reads she would take to a book club herself? Here, she shares her five favourites.

Love Lane by Patrick Gale

“I’m sure many book clubs will have already discussed Patrick Gale’s wonderful A Place Called Winter. Love Lane is a continuation of that story, as we join Canadian wheat farmer Harry Cane on his return to England, to be reunited with the family he abandoned many decades earlier. I think Patrick Gale is one of the greatest writers we have in the UK and his books always live on my Favourites Shelf.

“Here, he writes beautifully about post-war Britain, and the many challenges – and prejudices – faced by a population still coming to terms with its losses. Belonging, identity and what home really means are rich themes in this story, and as always, Gale writes with humour, poignancy and incredible insight.”

Tinder Press, £20

One of Us by Elizabeth Day

“Well-known for the How To Fail podcast and her bestselling non-fiction, Elizabeth Day is also an exceptional storyteller. One of Us is a tale of power, politics and privilege in the British establishment, and begins with the rekindling of an old friendship between Ben Fitzmaurice, touted as the next prime minister, and Martin Gilmour, who has always craved acceptance from the glittering Fitzmaurice family.

“It also explores how, even in the tightest of circles, buried secrets have a habit of rising to the surface. There are some killer one-liners in this book, as well as some hilarious cultural references. However, it has a much darker centre, because beneath the humour, One of Us is a story of class and betrayal. This is a follow-up to Elizabeth’s 2017 novel The Party, which you do not need to have read, but I recommend that you do. It’s equally as brilliant.”

Fourth Estate, £9.99

The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji

“Longlisted for The Women’s Prize for Fiction last year, The Persians is a multigenerational novel spanning 80 years, and told through the eyes of five Iranian women. We learn how it feels to leave your country of birth, separated by political and personal revolutions, and how it feels to stay, as each narrator struggles with the path not taken.

“There are some weighty subjects within the pages of this book – politics, asylum, class and prejudice – and Mahloudji writes about each one with grace and wisdom. She also manages to bring much humour into the story, which is a credit to her skill as a novelist, and this beautifully balances out the novel’s darker themes. The Persians is not only a tale of Middle East meets West, it’s an exploration of acceptance and family, and it could not be a more timely read.”

Fourth Estate, £9.99

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

“Rachel Joyce’s brilliant novels are always a favourite with book clubs, and her latest, The Homemade God, is also a wonderful choice. This story centres around the Kemp family and Vic – a world famous artist – and his four grown-up children, who have experienced an unorthodox upbringing, following the death of their mother.

“Now in his seventies, Vic has become increasingly reliant upon his children, until one day he summons them to a family meal to announce his imminent engagement to Bella-Mae, aged 27 and an influencer. The siblings are in shock, but before they can formulate a plan, Vic and Bella-Mae elope to Vic’s holiday home in Italy. Six weeks later, Vic is dead, with no will and no promised final painting. A wonderful exploration of family dynamics and how we perceive those around us, it also includes Joyce’s trademark warmth and humour.”

Penguin, £9.99

A Far-flung Life by ML Stedman

“A follow-up to ML Stedman’s incredible The Light Between Oceans, A Far-Flung Life is set on a remote sheep station in Western Australia. It’s centred around the MacBride family, and begins in 1958 with a shocking incident that changes their lives for ever. As the decades pass, we learn how a moment’s misjudgement leaves you with a burden you’ll carry for ever; how, in the middle of a million acres, you can still feel like a prisoner, and how, like the miners who eventually descend on the MacBrides’ land, you need to decide what should rise to the surface, and what is best left beneath.

“ML Stedman’s writing is exquisite and her ability to describe a landscape is second to none. This stunning story will break your heart, but it also provides an opportunity to reflect on our own vulnerabilities and the consequences of the choices we might make.”

Doubleday, £20

‘An Unlikely Visitor’ by Joanna Cannon is out now (Borough Press, £18.99)