Best Reads of 2011

Here's my Top Seven:
1. Andrew Taylor The Anatomy of Clouds  [Penguin, 2011]
2. Maxine Linnell Closer [Five Leaves 2011]
3. Nadine Gordimer, The Pickup. [Bloomsbury,2002]
4. John Grisham, Theodore Boone [Hodder, 2011]
5. Emma Henderson, Grace Williams Says it Loud. [Sceptre, 2010]
6. Margaret Attwood, The Edible Woman [Virago, 1980]
7. Judith Allnatt The Poet's Wife [Black Swan, 2011]

Andrew Taylor's historical crime novel is cleverly positioned in time and place, a totally absorbing read.
Maxine Linnell's tale follows Mel into the deeper secrets of family life.
Nadine Gordimer made me cry.  I'd been put off by her tangential style using abstract nouns but her characterisation is so precise she achieves both surprise and truth.
John Grisham is a good YA yarn with an annoying but engaging main character.
Emma Henderson bravely follows a mute character through the paternalistic 50's and 60's towards the present day.
Margaret Attwood made me laugh.  I had no idea her writing was so amusing until I listened to this audio book.
Judith Allnatt's tale of John Clare's wife is a great yarn in a credible setting.