I barely know where to start, what an incredible book. The emotional attachments you form to the characters really sneaks up on you and by the time you realize, it's already too late and you have all the feelings.

I had no idea what to expect from The List Of Suspicious Things. How do you write a book that has such terrible crimes as a backdrop without it becoming ghoulish or lost in the horror of it all? Well Jennie has managed it spectacularly well, a sensitive and realistic look at a community under a shadow of such violence and uncertainty.

Miv in particular is such a relatable character, as they all are really. It's almost like being in a time machine and being transported back to late 70's Yorkshire and leaves me feeling semi-nostalgic for a time I wasn't even in.

I had forgotten the awkwardness of what it's like to be that age, with newfound freedom but still confined by the short reins of childhood. Does make me think about the freedom I had as a kid, my parents were protective but I was lucky to have a lot of independence (when I wanted it) from an early age.

I loved this! Sweet and gently written, from the viewpoint of a young girl, it leads us carefully through a time of great fear in the communities of Yorkshire. With reflections on racism, sexism, and mental health, not to mention the serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe, it runs the full gamut of very confusing, 'adult', topics children were (and still are, more or less) faced with today, and does it beautifully.

The List of Suspicious Things
Jenny Godfrey

I really enjoyed this and can tell it’s going to be one of the books of 2024. Set in 70s Yorkshire during the time that the Ripper was at large, there’s obviously an atmosphere of darkness and terror running through this novel but there’s also love, friendship, families, and a strong sense of what it means to be part of a community. There is a lot going on and in another book this might have made me roll my eyes a little but the heavy themes are dealt with in such a lovely light & compassionate way that I was totally engaged all the way through. And Miv is an absolute sweetheart! I may have shed a tear or two as well.

Thanks as always to NetGalley & the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this title. I will also post my review on instagram
(@lovesbooksandruns)

3.75-4⭐️

It’s the heartwarming and moving retro coming of age story set in Yorkshire at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper. Miv 11, innocent and naive, a child of the times lives with her mom dad and Aunty Jean.

Miv teams up with her best friend Sharon to try and find the Yorkshire Ripper as the police have failed.
As much as it seems they are naive, children and old people slip under peoples suspicion radar when musing around.

There are various POV, as we also hear from those who make it on to the girls watch list.
There are issues covered that include isolation, bullying, homophobia and racism both within the school environment and the wider world.

It has a bit of a famous five vibe, only in this case the famous two.
It’s a slow rambling story, a pleasant excursion, it’s very long!

I enjoyed reading about the lives of the main characters, all of them experiencing problems of various kinds. It’s a heartwarming story of friendship and triumph over adversity. Most of the characters were very likeable and helpful, thoughtful and caring, but there were a minority who made life very difficult for others with their behaviour.

It’s an enjoyable story, I was engaged and it kept my attention, however it saunters along and I would have preferred it more condensed.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I was immediately drawn into the story from the first few pages. It reminded me of my childhood in so many ways. Going to the local shop for a 10p mix, everyone knew each other and we had an auntie on every street! Although the story centres around the Yorkshire ripper story it also focuses heavily on family, friendships and a huge sense of community. I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend. 5 stars from me.

Such a fabulous book, it hooked me in from the first chapter and didn't let me go until the last.
Full disclosure, I am from the area where the story is set and it really resonated with me and the atmosphere at the time.

A great read.

Highly recommend

It's the era of Maggie Thatcher's prime ministership, drainpipe jeans are the fashion trend, and Miv is convinced her dad wants to uproot their family and move Down South. The catalyst? The unsettling murders happening around them.

However, leaving Yorkshire and her closest friend Sharon behind is a non-negotiable for Miv, despite the dangers lurking and the peculiarities at home that began when her mum ceased speaking. Determined to defy the possibility of relocation, Miv wonders if unravelling the mystery of the vanishing women could be the key to securing their stay.

In a bid to crack the case, Miv and Sharon create a list—a catalogue of all the dubious individuals and occurrences in their neighbourhood, ranging from familiar faces to strangers. Yet, as they delve into their investigation, the search for truth unravels more than just the mysteries around them; it exposes hidden secrets within their community, within their families, and even between Miv and Sharon.

Amidst the shadows of the outside mysteries, a revelation begins to dawn on Miv: perhaps the true enigma she needs to unravel lies much closer to home than she ever realised.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Everyone else has given the review I would give for this superb debut novel. The wonderful characters drawn so beautifully enveloped me and I can see them in my mind. Poignant, sad, joyful, this book gives all the emotions. I cried a lot. Chapter 49 made me gasp.

Being a teenager is tough ( and I was one in the 70s and acutely remember the Yorkshire Ripper murders and investigations) and Godfrey reminds us of this. Messy adult relationships are also shown and in a realistic way.

I loved it. Can't wait for the next

Oh this is good, this is really good. The precise nature of the characterisation, the almost chaotic claustrophobic nature of childhood, the swirl of macro and micro events. Highly recommended.

I was 9 when we moved to Bradford in 1978 so this book could not hold more memories of my childhood if it tried
Wonderfully written and a book that will stay with me and any reader for a long time
Just superb

Growing up in West Yorkshire, I remember the fear of the Yorkshire Ripper and the unsolved murders. I really enjoyed reading about Miv and Sharon’s attempts to try to find the murderer, by noting down anything suspicious about the people around them. An excellent book about growing up without fear, and a desire to solve the problems around you.
Excellent characters and a great story.

What if making a list would be all that it took to capture a killer? Miv is young enough to believe she can work out who the Yorkshire Ripper is, and if she does, her family will not have to move. But her naivety means the results she wants, are not the ones she gets. And the ones she could not have imagined, happen. A sorrowful read, and a book I can recommend.

It's 1979. Margaret Thatcher has just become the Prime Minister, there's a serial killer on the loose, Miv's mum isn't talking and now her father and auntie Jean are talking about moving away. Fortunately, Miv has a plan: she will make a list, like her auntie Jean does, and with her best friend Sharon she will catch the Yorkshire Ripper.

This was such an evocative read. I was born in a different country almost ten years after the book was set, but you can feel the anaglypta wallpaper as you read. The book has a fantastic band of characters, lead by the wonderful Miv, who is one of the best characters I've read about in a while.

I won't spoil anything further as you should probably go read for yourself - I could not put this down and kept thinking about it, and now I've got a book hangover.

Miv is a young teenager - growing up in a Yorkshire village, in the early eighties, that is dominated by the Yorkshire Ripper murders. She loves her village and her best friend, Sharon, so, when her father threatens to move the whole family south to get away from the murders, she feels she has only one choice – to solve the Ripper murders herself.

This is a wonderfully evocative and poignant novel about a young woman on the edge of growing up, who nonetheless does not yet really comprehend the adult world. It depicts the atmosphere of the time brilliantly – the paranoia and confusion surrounding the Ripper, the in-baked and often violent racism that abounded, and the uncertainty about the future.
It is also a gorgeous depiction of the awkwardness of growing up, of wanting to understand the adult world but not being ready to depart childhood. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.

The hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper was a challenge to everyone involved but especially Miv as she is still in secondary school and all the locals seem to have a secret to hide!

So begins Miv’s list of suspicious things, with her best friend at her side and new friends made along the way is she running towards trouble or away from a troubling life?

From racism, to grooming, mental health and domestic abuse some serious topics are covered but through the lens of a teenager trying to make sense of the world. Such a deft touch of writing to unveil the stark realities of the world without needing to become overly explicit.

I so enjoyed this, although I wasn’t prepared for that ending and had to just take a minute to reflect on what had gone before and what might be yet to come. A joyful mix of suspicious things and people that aren’t quite as mysterious once you ask the right questions.

This book sucked me into Yorkshire even though I've never been there! The book was written so well, you could literally see everything painted out in front of you. I liked that you got the perspective of this young girl and how much sympathy I felt for her. Overall great book on friendship as well!

The List of Suspicious Things is an incredibly special story that will stay with me for a long time. It has received a lot of hype already prior to its release but don’t let that put you off - it more than lives up to it. Twelve year old Miv becomes obsessed with tracking down the Yorkshire Ripper through her list of suspicious things with the help of her best friend Sharon. Miv is innocent and naive and struggling to make sense of a world where her mum doesn’t speak anymore, casual racism is the norm and men she is supposed to be able to trust are not safe to be around. Despite this, the story is told lightly and is full of heart and friendship. I have a lump in my throat just thinking about it. 5🌟

As someone you lives in Yorkshire, the shadow of the Yorkshire Ripper is something I'm aware and this book gave an insight into how people lived with it and how it was perceived by adults and children alike.

Following the journey Miv took in trying to make things right and solve the crime and studying all around her while living with a mother who had withdrawn from life is both funny and sad at the same time.

It was a great book and will enjoy reading more from this author.

An impressive coming of age story of a 12 year old girl, based around the time of the hunt for the Yorkshire ripper. Compelling characters and a well thought out, immersive storyline that touches on love, mental health, grief, immigration and the National Front. Kept me engaged throughout. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

An absolutely brilliant written book! The characters felt like my friends. And despite that I have never been to Yorkshire, the book was so well written that it felt like home. This book will stay with me a long time!