From Shakespeare to Jane Austen to J.K. Rowling, the UK has had no shortage of talented wordsmiths in its long history of literary greatness.
Whether you’re a fan of the British style or simply enjoy stories that take are set in British society, contemporary British novels offer a diverse, thought-provoking selection fit for any Anglophile’s library.
12 Must-Read Contemporary British Novels
Here are 12 must-read contemporary novels by British authors, most of which take place in England.
1. I Let You Fall by Sara Downing
After a terrible head injury leaves her in a coma, Eve Chapman finds herself trapped, unable to make her family and friends see or hear her, even though her soul is free to roam the hospital halls.
But then Eve meets Luca Diaz, a handsome lawyer who’s also comatose, and who actually can see her. He takes Eve under his wing and teaches her how to use her new abilities to help the living.
Weeks pass and Eve fights to get back to her body and the man she loves. But the more time she spends with Luca, the more she questions whether her old life is worth returning to at all.
2. Doctor Glass by Louise Worthington
Clinical psychologist Emma-Jane Glass is dedicated to her job and her patients. But when she publishes an insensitive article in defense of mothers who commit filicide, she begins to receive threatening letters.
Doctor Glass soon finds herself at the mercy of a sociopath. Yet, as a doctor of the mind, she feels an urge to help, even if it shatters her sanity—and possibly her life.
3. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an ordinary life, with a steady boyfriend and a tight-knit family, rarely venturing beyond her small village.
Then she takes a much needed job caring for the wealthy Will Traynor, who is now wheelchair bound.
Depressed by his condition, Will is moody and bossy, but Lou is soon determined to make his happiness her priority. When she discovers Will’s shocking plans, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.
4. Ordinary People by Diana Evans
This New Yorker Best Book of the Year follows the struggles of two Black couples living in London in 2008.
First there are Melissa and Michael, who live in a crooked house in South London. Melissa feels that she’s now only defined by motherhood, while Michael mourns the passionate spark of their early relationship.
Meanwhile, in the suburbs, Stephanie’s aspirations for happiness compound Damian’s itch for a bigger life, which is catalyzed by the death of his activist father.
The four have been friends since a time when passion seemed permanent, but as bonds fray, the lines that were once so clear no longer seem so neatly defined.
5. The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
In 1988, on a small street in a run-down suburb, a brightly lit music shop attracts the lonely, sleepless, and adrift. The shop’s owner, Frank, has a way of matching his customers with just the piece of music they need.
When a beautiful young woman named Ilse Brauchmann enter the shop and asks Frank to teach her about music, Frank, who is terrified by real closeness, feels compelled to run.
Yet, he is drawn to this mysterious woman. As Frank’s old wounds threaten to reopen, will he be able to connect with the one person who might be able to save him?
6. Slade House by David Mitchell
Just down the road from a working-class pub is the entrance to Slade House. Every nine years, the house’s residents—a peculiar brother and sister—extend a unique invitation to someone who’s different or lonely. They might be a precocious teen, a recently divorced police officer, or perhaps a loner college student
Those who enter don’t want to leave—until they discover they can’t. But what really happens inside Slade House? If you discover the answer, it’s probably too late.
7. Mrs England by Stacey Halls
In 1904 West Yorkshire, newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a job caring for the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners.
Ruby hopes this job will be the fresh start she needs, but as she adjusts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, she quickly realizes that there’s something off about the beautiful and mysterious Mrs England.
8. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Travel writer Lo Blacklock seems to have landed the assignment of a lifetime: a week on aboard an exclusive luxury cruise with just a handful of cabins.
As the Aurora begins her voyage in the calm waters of the North Sea, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant—from her plush cabin to the sparkling dinner parties and elegant guests.
But as the tranquil waters give way to frigid winds and dark skies, Lo witnesses something terrifying: a woman being thrown overboard. Yet all passengers are accounted for, and the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate insistence that something is terribly wrong.
9. Blue Ticket by Sophie Mackintosh
In this dystopian novel, girls are given one of two tickets on the first day of their first period to determine what kind of woman they’ll be.
A blue ticket means you’ll get married and have children; a white ticket means you’ll get freedom and a career, relieving girls of the burden of choice.
Calla is given a blue ticket. Later, pregnant and desperate, she begins to question her fate and goes on the run. Can she trust the lottery to know her better than she knows herself, and what does the answer mean for her child?
10. The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
In 1922 London, an impoverished widow and her spinster daughter are obliged to take in lodgers.
With the arrival of a modern young couple, Lilian and Leonard Barber, the routines of Mrs Wray and Frances’ home will be turned upside down.
As passions mount and frustrations gather, the Wrays have no idea how far-reaching the changes that come with their new tenants will be.
11. The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher
Lara’s life in Brighton appears—she has a gorgeous, doting husband named Massimo, and a beautiful son, Sandro, in the perfect home.
But Lara knows something about Massimo—something about his first wife that could destroy everything he’s worked so hard for. The secret keeps Lara a prisoner in her marriage.
Meanwhile, Maggie is married to Massimo’s brother, Nico, and lives with him and his troubled daughter. Maggie thinks she knows all of Nico’s darkest secrets, until one day she discovers a letter in the attic, which reveals a shocking secret about Nico’s first wife.
Will these two women the records straight, or stay silent to protect the men they love?
12. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
On a snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born to an English banker and his wife—but dies before she can take her first breath.
On that same snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a cry, and thus commences a life that will be—unusual.
As Ursula grows, she also dies, repeatedly and in a variety of ways. Meanwhile, the world marches on toward its second cataclysmic war. Can Ursula’s apparently infinite number of lives help her save the world from its inevitable destiny?
Modern British Fiction
British literature has a centuries-long tradition of producing classic and top-quality fiction, but its modern works are just as praiseworthy.
If you’re a writer and think you’ve got the next hit in Brit lit, be sure to check out our list of UK literary agents currently accepting submissions.
Do you have a favorite novel by a British author? Tell us about it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
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- 25 UK Literary Agents Currently Accepting Submissions
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
