I enjoyed this book to a degree, but did find it very slow to progress..I thought the writing and plot development of the last third of the book was brilliant.

What a totally wonderfully brilliant book. I loved it from start to finish and was drawn in to the story and the lives of the characters straight away. Beautifully written with wit and humour and greatly observed characters. Totally recommend.

This was a page-turning read! As an adult that grew up in the period that it is set I could totally imagine the world that Miv and Sharon grew up in. Luckily, I was further south, so the Yorkshire Ripper fever of this book was more removed for me - it was just a newspaper story; however, I loved how Godfrey uses it as a device to explore secrets, dangers and relationships of those growing up.

The relationships between the characters and their development are compelling to follow. I admired the innocence and naivety traced in these stories which leaves the girls in several difficult and vulnerable situations. Miv’s own family are struggling with personal relationship difficulties and it is clear that her dad does not know whether to shield his daughter from the truth or share some unpleasant secrets with her.

Miv thinks she is worldly and can solve a terrible crime more efficiently that the police - but actually this is more of a metaphor for growing up into adulthood.

This is a thought provoking read, which I enjoyed.

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey immediately captivated me. Miv, a pre-teen navigating a difficult family life in 1979 Yorkshire, is an endearing character whose determination to catch the Yorkshire Ripper captivated me. What unfolds is a poignant coming-of-age story, exploring the power of friendship and community amidst the backdrop of fear and uncertainty.
Godfrey masterfully portrays a community grappling with social issues like domestic abuse, racism, and mental health, weaving a story that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I found myself drawn to the diverse cast of characters, each with their own compelling story. Miv's investigation, while central to the plot, takes a backseat to the exploration of these characters and their struggles.
The approach of giving multiple points of view can be a challenge for the reader, however I appreciated the insights they offered into the lives of the townspeople. This is a moving and evocative novel that will stay with me long after I finished the last page. I highly recommend it.

The List of Suspicious Things was not at all what I expected and I was utterly hooked and emotional reading it. It is hard to believe it is a debut novel. The theme of friendship was really well done and I really cared about the characters. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read what Jennie writes next. Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Miv was a heart-warming narrator of a story that was both dark and heart-breaking, and yet warm and fuzzy at the same time. Miv and Sharon's innocent attempts to hunt down the Yorkshire Ripper is used to explore a community that is fractured, but through the cracks come streams of love and light as the community comes together to support each other. The realist portrayal of family and a community wrapped in a pseudo-mystery was a refreshing read. What genre to put it in apart from fiction is a little complicated, as it acts as both a tale of a community and a crime, but also of one girl's journey to understanding the world around her.

This was a compelling but unsettling coming of age novel which celebrates Yorkshire, friendship and the love of families, in all their messy forms. Miv is a pre-teen girl with a sad and fractured home life, just one friend and an obsession with finding the Yorkshire Ripper. His spectre looms over every part of the novel, but other plot events cover less sensational but equally disturbing situations: domestic and sexual abuse, suicide, racial prejudice, infidelity, alcoholism. All this creates a realistic but somewhat horrifying portrayal of childhood in the early 1980s, yet there's also a fond nostalgia and I loved the references to Hollie Hobbie and sticky sweet lip glosses, among others!

I do recommend this novel, but though nothing is explicit it is certainly unsettling.

Such a lovely book about friendship and relationships , intriguing and thrilling too.
I absolutely loved this book and have give. It to many friends as a gift.

I loved this book. Such relatable characters, I was completely absorbed with Miv and her world. Beautifully written, I loved how the various characters stories overlapped and weaved together. Some difficult themes very sensitively handled. A wonderful debut, certainly an author to look out for. Highly recommend.

This is such a beautiful and moving novel following a girl on the cusp of becoming a teenager against the backdrop of living in Yorkshire in 1979, with the looming terror of the Yorkshire Ripper. Miv is a great character, she's so kind and caring but being that she is young she doesn't always understand exactly what is going on, and the adults in her life keep things from her. Her mum is unwell but it's not made clear to Miv until later in the novel what is wrong with her and why her aunt is staying with them. Miv decides she, along with the help of her best friend, to try and figure out who the Ripper is. They find out lots of things along the way, and also have to deal with heartbreaks of their own. It feels like Miv is desperately trying to have control over something in her life whilst doing something good at the same time. I loved reading her story, she is a character that felt so real to me and she's one who will stay with me for a very long time to come. This is one of my favourite books of the year and I'll be recommending it to everyone!

I was lucky enough to meet the author when she visited the shop I was working in one day. We had a great chat especially about the Margaret Thatcher rhyme. I am slightly younger than the protagonist so wasn't really so aware of the Yorkshire ripper. I loved the layout of the story, the characters and the ending. Written in a very natural way I found it a gripping read.

A surprisingly heartfelt coming of age story set amongst the darker times of the killing spree of the Yorkshire Ripper.

At it's core The List of Suspicious Things is a story about an young girl navigating hard life changes (with her family, friends and community at large). Godfrey has created such a wonderfully endearing character in Miv, who's plucky attitude carries the main plot. As well as a diverse array of side characters. Each of which could have their own spin-off novel as well.

An impressive debut!

I absolutely loved The List of Suspicious Things! What a heartwarming and moving tale from start to finish. The characters were brilliantly drawn, the setting and time period was rich and well-wrought, and the story was intriguing. I'll definitely recommend this

I am stunned this is Jennie Godfrey's debut novel. 'The List of Suspicious Things' was my book club's book for May and universally loved by all members of the club as well as sparking some very interesting debates. Miv is our primary protagonist, a child growing up in the 80s in Yorkshire, a small community plagued by racial and class divides whilst being terrorised by the threat of the Yorkshire Ripper. She, along with her best friend Sharon, decide to investigate the ripper, noting suspicious things that they see around their town. As we progress through the story, we learn much about the lives of the townspeople behind closed doors, as well as having some chapters from their perspectives.

This is an incredible coming of age story. We get to explore the trials and tribulations of growing up in a household where Miv never seems to really be noticed and her mum is constantly withdrawn and in bed. All residents of this small town have their issues but the plot is incredibly moving as they overcome any sense of social divide to become a true community. Omar and Ishtiaq are personal favourites although many of the characters warmed my heart!

At the end of it all, the ripper fades into the background as a spectre, the true story being the intersections between the characters. It really is fantastic and it would be hard to say anything else without spoiling key plot points. Easily 5 stars! Bring on Godfrey's sophomore outing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant book! The nostalgia made me smile as I also grew up in the 80s, and I related to so many cultural references. Roll on lipgloss, chip shop scraps being two that made me smile.

The story is set in 1980s Yorkshire as Margaret Thatcher becomes PM and the community is increasingly terrified by the murder of women at the hands of the Yorkshire Ripper.

Miv lives with her Mum, Dad and Aunty Jean. But her Mum is a ghost of her former self and Miv doesn't know why. Only that she misses her. When her Dad mentions moving, she's so anxious at the thought of leaving her best friend Sharon, that she makes a plan. If she can solve the mystery of the Yorkshire Ripper, then maybe they won't have to move.

And so begins the list of suspicious things. Sharon and Miv start investigating people and places in their community, but they discover that almost everyone is hiding a dark secret. And as events take a terrible turn, the community will need to pull together more than ever.

A coming of age novel with a difference, this was so beautifully written, so evocative and engaging. A five star read for me.

"The List of Suspicious Things" by J. Godfrey is a captivating novel set in 1979 Yorkshire during the terror of the Yorkshire Ripper. The story follows young Miv and her friend Sharon as they attempt to identify the Ripper using lists, inspired by Miv's aunt's organizational habits.

Godfrey's debut has strong character development woven with portrayal of serious social issues such as domestic abuse, racism, and mental health within the narrative. There is a clever balance between the innocence of childhood and the realities of the time, making it both poignantly emotional and engaging. Godfrey has an ability to create realistic and relatable characters, making it a compelling, if difficult, read that leaves a lasting impact.

A gripping coming-of-age novel centred around 2 pre-teen girls who decide to undertake an investigation to identify the Yorkshire Ripper. What follows is a series of unintended consequences that results in dramatic and life-altering events involving everyone around them. I picked this book up because of the interesting title, and I was quickly drawn into the story and the mind of Miv as she struggles to find her place in a scary world.

An enjoyable read. Vivid and convincing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Set in Yorkshire during the years of the ripper this book is fascinating. It gives a real insight into the fear and anger of the community.

Beautifully told from a child's point of view it is not as graphic as most ripper novels.

I loved the characters and got really invested in them. You will laugh out loud and cry, sometimes both at the same time!

This was a real page turner that hooked me straight away.
This book is full of tension and twists but it's also about the beauty of friendship.

A wonderful read.