Holiday reading

Steve Tilley recently blogged his holiday reading. He gets through a lot of books. I am currently looking for suggestions for holiday reading (please leave inspired ideas in the comments) but thought I would post a few titles I have enjoyed myself recently. Steve rates his, I wouldn't know how to start!

1. A Case of Exploding Mangoes: Mohammad Hanif

On 17th August, 1988, a Hercules C130 carrying Pakistan’s military dictator General Zia ul Haq crashed. The real cause of the accident was never discovered, but this novel based on the incident works through several twisted and intertwined plots including a blind woman's curse, mechanical failure, generals unhappy with their leader and it being the mango season. All plausible enough and with some dark humour an enjoyable read.

2. People of the Book: Geraldine Brooks

This was a book club title, and to be honest, I thought I was going to hate it; I thought it would be dry and boring and intellectual, but in fact I really loved this book, the story and the way in which it is written. Another novel inspired by a true story in which a rare book expert is given the task of conserving the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war. Gradually you are taken back through the life and story of this holy manuscript until you eventually find out how and why it came to being.

3. Judge and Jury: James Patterson

This is a thriller about the capture and trial of a mafia boss. The struggle is between the boss' desire to remain free and the agent's desire to see him punished and needless to say, things do not go smoothly. Pretty action packed, sometimes gory, fast moving and an entertaining, fast and easy read.

4. Watchers: Dean Koontz

A top-secret government laboratory creates two genetically altered life forms. One is a dog of astonishing intelligence. The other, a monster of a brutally violent nature. And both are on the loose. The dog finds a home with a single man who finds him as he goes into the woods to commit suicide. The monster follows them everywhere they go because he wants to kill the dog. A thrilling and intruiging read if you like this kind of thing; probably the best book I have read this year so far.

Enough for now, suggestions below please!