Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking. Jennie really can write characters and there are so many great ones in this book. From the main character Miv to Omar at the local shop to Yorkshire itself it was a pleasure to spend time with them all. The List of Suspicious Things is a brilliant read and a beautifully written, stellar debut from Jennie Godfrey.

I grew up in a small town and there were so many of the ‘personalities’ I could identify with. Miv really stands out and is a character that will stay with me. Jennie perfectly captures the uncertainty and awkwardness of adolescence when you start to discover that adults are less than perfect and begin to understand a bit more about the world while still trying to figure out who you are and how to be. Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South. There is a strong sense of place and time in the book and although I grew up a few years later than the setting, much of it was nostalgic - the games of Bulldog, the excitement of a new lip gloss and the anti Thatcher sentiment definitely very familiar. Also a time of innocence when children played freely in the streets but also an era where adults didn’t quite want to grasp just how dangerous characters like ‘Uncle’ Derek were. The period in which it was set. I made so many connections here because of the many references throughout the book. Definitely my era!What on earth are you on about?' she said. 'How are we going to catch the Yorkshire Ripper, when the police haven't even managed to?' A heartwarming, and moving experience, and I loved it. I shall be very surprised if this debut novel isn’t a runaway success, and one that the author justly deserves.

This was because, on first reading the publisher’s blurb, I thought “But I’ve read this before, this must be a reprint”, so I nearly didn’t request it, as I was so sure I had read something very similar, some years ago, which was also a lauded first novel, and I’d read it prepublication as an ARC. I adored this book. Miv was such a relatable pre-teen character, and her perspective throughout the novel grew as she became wiser – realising more and more things about the people she came across, and their hidden, secret lives. A definite coming-of-age tale, Miv goes from someone sheltered and unaware, to someone who encounters real-world adult issues like domestic abuse, adultery, racism, sexism, and sexual harassment/abuse and pedophilia.I have no doubt that this will be a much talked about book in 2024 and will feature in many ‘books of the year’ lists - quite rightly so. She decides she has to catch the Yorkshire Ripper, and stop the killings. So begins her ‘list of suspicious things’, which she keeps in her notebook, jotting down facts about suspicious people and places in the town. You know when you just know a book is going to be huge, that a talented new author has burst on the scene?? Well, here we have it. First of all, the characterisation is exemplary. I love Miv and she’s an unforgettable character and yes, you could say she’s obsessive but she’s only looking for distraction from difficulties at home. Miv has good instincts even if she doesn’t entirely understand what she sees which is certainly true at the start when her naivety is clear to see but not at the end. Her friendships are a thing of beauty especially with the lovely Sharon, the “Terrible Twosome” and their friendship is wonderful. It isn’t all plain sailing by any stretch as they witness some cruelty and meanness that beggars belief but sadly is all too believable. All the characters spring to life, even the ones you’d rather didn’t. The hunt for the evil Yorkshire Ripper inevitably means there are some dark themes and the storyline also includes racism, bullying and some domestic violence too. It captures West Yorkshire to perfection especially in the context of the late 70’s and early ‘80’s with its derelict satanic mills of Blake’s poem, with its ghosts of the past, the attitudes and gossip of a small town with firmly entrenched views. You definitely feel the tension and fear of the hunt for Peter Sutcliffe, I was in Yorkshire at the time though not the West, but we all felt the fear. Yet, despite all the obvious darkness, there’s Miv, wonderful Miv. You watch her grow up and you just know she’s going to be a fine young woman and one you’d most certainly want to know. Gosh this is a fantastic coming of age story, and a debut novel to boot (hard to believe). Having grown up in Yorkshire I recognise and felt connected to many of the characters, this may be a small community but there is much going on and plenty of women who can’t wait to spread the gossip, but they make for amusing characters (mostly!) I also remember the level of fear that the murders generated and the impact it had on local communities. Peter Sutcliffe (The Yorkshire Ripper) didn’t just rob women of their lives, he also robbed thousands of women of their right to feel safe going about their daily lives in the 1970’s.

The List of Suspicious seems to be getting 5 stars from one and all but I'm an outlier on this one. This is a superb coming of age story cleverly entwined with the mystery of the identity of a serial killer, it’s a story of unbreakable friendships, a life that is better just for knowing that person and the strength we derive from them. It’s beautifully written and I will not deny I have tears rolling down my face at times, this book is truly an experience and one to savour. It isn’t hard to imagine this will be one of the smash hits of 2024. Highly recommended, obviously!! The List of Suspicious Things had some good things going for it but ultimately seemed suspiciously like a list of melodramatic YA events, which felt uncomfortable alongside the very serious subject matter.Miv's family life is troubled, her mum has had a nervous breakdown and hasn't spoken for sometime. Her aunt has moved in to help take care of them, but with the ripper still out there, Yorkshire isn't what it used to be and there is talk of moving away. This is devastating to Miv, who would then lose her best friend, Sharon, the one stable thing in her life. Her solution is to catch the ripper, so she starts the list of suspicious things and sets out with Sharon to investigate. Along the way, the pair meet a strong cast of characters and form a pretty tight group of friends. But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families - and between each other - than they ever thought possible. A book so full of heart that your own will explode with the sheer joy of the goodness of humans, even when faced with pure evil in its many guises. And on top of all that, it carries a message to women that we should remember every day. This is a beautifully written novel and the author brings the 1970s and the characters to life. Miv is a wonderful character and all the supporting characters are so well drawn. It covers topics such as mental health and racism with sensitivity and from the point of a view of a 12 year old in the 1970s. I was about the same age as Miv in the 1970s and even though I lived in the South West of the UK I can remember the sense of fear felt amongst myself and my friends when we heard the news coverage of the Yorkshire Ripper.