1. The Carhullan Army - Sarah Hall
This futuristic novel shows Britain in tatters, ruled over by an authoritarian regime. The story is told by Sister, who dares to dream of a different life. A Handmaid's Tale for the noughties.
£14.99 (hardback), Faber and Faber
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2. The Matchmaker of Périgord - Julia Stuart
The Independent’s Julia Stuart gives readers a whimsical look at life in a French village. A barber, despairing of his balding clientele, sets himself up as a matchmaker.
£12.99 (hardback), Doubleday
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3. Life Class - Pat Barker
Barker returns to the First World War, a decade after the completion of her Regeneration trilogy. She follows a class of art students, musing on art, war and how one affects the other.
£16.99 (hardback), Hamish Hamilton
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4. The Perfect Summer - Juliet Nicolson
The hot summer of 1911 is the focus of this book, its story told by a cast of arresting individuals, including a curmudgeonly butler. A fascinating look at the end of the Edwardian era.
£8.99, John Murray
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5. South of the River - Blake Morrison
Covering the interwoven lives of disparate south Londoners through the prism of the Blair years, this meaty yet soapy read is a great book to get your teeth into.
£17.99 (hardback), Chatto and Windus
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6. The Apple - Michel Faber
Faber’s novel The Crimson Petal and the Whitewas a huge hit, and this book of short stories is his follow-up. Sugar, the heroine of The Crimson Petal, makes an appearance.
£6.99, Canongate Books
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7. The Naming of the Dead - Ian Rankin
Hard-living copper Rebus is warned off looking into the apparent suicide of an MP. Since when did that ever stop him? Rankin’s latest novel combines intrigue, politics and murder.
£6.99, Orion
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8. Fair Play - Tove Jansson
Jansson’s The Summer Book is a classic beach read but Fair Play is also a winner. Elegant and touching, it tells the story of two women as they work, travel and spend summers together.
£6.99, Sort of Books
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9. The Sea Lady - Margaret Drabble
There’s a sea theme here – the heroine enters wearing a mermaid-like dress; her ex-lover is a marine biologist. Years after their break-up, they meet again and examine their lives.
£7.99, Penguin Books Ltd
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10. Michael Tolliver Lives - Armistead Maupin
Fans of Maupin’s Tales of the City books can now find out what’s happened to Tolliver and the gang over the last 20 years. Newcomers should check out the original books first.
£17.99 (hardback), Doubleday
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8 August 2007, Chosen by: Katy Guest
