10 Book Club-worthy reads to enjoy this year
Book club-worthy reads: At a glance
- Churchill Living retirement communities encourage social connection through growing book clubs across locations, with the option for residents to start their own groups.
- The 10 featured reads span historical fiction, crime, memoir, travel and romance, offering something to spark discussion for every kind of reader.
- From gothic mysteries and political classics to personal memoirs and heart-warming fiction, each book brings a unique perspective and strong conversation potential.
- Retirement living at Churchill Living supports an active, social lifestyle with shared activities such as walking groups, line dancing and book clubs. Find out what events and activities are happening near you.
Reading whisks you around the world. It transports you to a different time, place and perspective. One second, you’re sleuthing for clues. The next, travelling with war veterans over tumultuous battlefields or being swept up in a slow-burning romance.
Aside from the adventures they bring, books also offer an authentic way to connect with others. Maybe you prefer to chat about your latest page-turner with friends over coffee or attend a formal book club where you can debate the twists and turns of your favourite tales. Whatever you enjoy, these ten book club-worthy reads are sure to get the conversation flowing.
Churchill Living retirement community book clubs
If you close the covers and find yourself full of thoughts itching to be shared, check with your lodge manager and find out if there’s a reading group you can get involved in. Book clubs are popping up across our Churchill Living retirement communities, from Tregolls Lodge in Cornwall to Peel Lodge in Marlow. If there isn’t one in your community already, why not start one?
10 riveting reads for your retirement book club
Historic fiction
A Slow and Secret Poison by Carmella Lowkis
Published in 2026
The Gothic genre has gifted us some brilliant tales, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. A Slow and Secret Poison gives us a new, long-overdue gothic tale that takes you back to the 1900s. When Vee Morgan accepts a position at the crumbling Harfold Manor as a gardener, it isn’t long before tending garden weeds makes way for unravelling the mysteries of this haunted estate and the elusive lady of the house, Arabella Lacey.
In Diamond Square by Merce Rodereda & Peter Bush
Published in1962
This Spanish classic was translated into over 28 languages for good reason. Beautifully immersive, In Diamond Square transports you to Barcelona in the 1930s, and follows the life of working-class shop girl Natalia, as her womanhood unfolds in the rising shadow of the Spanish Civil War. Sure to bring tears, smiles and sighs in equal measure, this moving novel has a timelessness that makes it a must-read for any book club.
Murder mystery and crime fiction
The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
Published in 2026
An arresting locked room mystery, The Storm begins in St Medard’s Bay, Alabama, a town tormented by hurricanes and a local murder that shook the community, committed by the most unlikely perpetrators… or so it seems.
A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz
Published in 2026
A Deadly Episode is the sixth book in Horowitz’s meta-mystery Hawthorne & Horowitz series, but it’s a self-contained murder mystery that you can read as a standalone. Coined by The Sunday Times as the ‘Master of Mystery’, if you’ve yet to dabble in Horowitz’s craftmanship, there’s no time like the present.
Memoir and Autobiographical
Fly, Wild Swans by Jung Chang
Published 2025
Fly Wild Swans was an instant Sunday Times best-seller. This deeply moving memoir documents the intergenerational tale of ‘three daughters of China’ – Jung, her mother and her grandmother after they moved to the UK in 1978 amid a cultural revolution. The story splices together moments from her life in the West and her upbringing in communist China, offering a kaleidoscopic view of two contrasting worlds.
Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood
Published in 2025
Atwood has authored over 50 books so far and shows no sign of putting away her pen. Her imagination and craftmanship have produced prize-winning stories from The Handmaid’s Tale to The Testaments and Alias Grace. Now, for the first time, we get to read her story. Book of Lives playfully explores Atwood’s journey, from her unconventional childhood to her first encounters with the books that shaped her into the writer she is today.
Travel non-fiction
Underland by Robert Macfarlane
Published in 2019
The world beneath our feet holds the secrets of history untold, cultures lost to time and a secret organic universe of mycelium, bugs and bacteria. Underland invites you into that world to explore our relationship with the earth and its hidden treasures.
Skating to Antarctica by Jenny Diski
Published in 1997
Mysteries of past and present mingle in Diski’s Skating to Antarctica. The tale weaves her physical journey to Antarctica on a Russian cruise with witty reflections on her chaotic childhood. Her search for a place where she might find peace takes her all the way to the icy shelves of the South Pole, one of the harshest environments on the planet.
Romance and comedy
Way Back by Sara Cox
Told with warm humour and charming wit, Way Back is a tender story about Josie, a mother and wife living the life she always dreamed of as a child. Yet, when her daughter leaves the nest, Josie faces the feeling that she lost a part of herself somewhere along the way. This relatable gem explores self-discovery and finding a way forward through life’s changes. It's a tender family drama that will have you smiling to yourself through every chapter.
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennet
Published in 2021
Through the gates of Buckingham Palace, a literary reawakening begins. The Uncommon Reader chronicles Queen Elizabeth’s fictional exploration of classical literature, philosophy, politics and more, alongside reflections on her own life. A tribute to the joy of reading and the new worldviews it opens up, this feel-good read is a witty heart-warmer everyone will enjoy.
FAQs about entertainment and activities with Churchill Living
Are there communal facilities in Churchill Living retirement communities?
Yes, from beautifully landscaped communal gardens to the exclusive Owners’ Lounge for residents and Wellbeing Suites in select locations, you’ll always have somewhere to get together with friends and family.
What activities are held in the Owners’ Lounge for residents?
Our Owners’ Lounges are the beating heart of each Churchill Living retirement community, and you’ll find activities in the calendar, from prosecco and nibbles to coffee and pastry meet-ups. Find out what’s on in your lodge with your lodge manager.
Can I set up an activity group in my Churchill Living Retirement community?
We’re always looking to grow the activities and entertainment on offer, so if there’s something you’d like to suggest, reach out to your lodge manager. Residents have set up successful book clubs, gardening groups and more.
Connect with your community through Churchill Living
Churchill Living retirement homes offer a variety of authentic opportunities to connect and make new friendships, including local walking groups, line dancing classes and more. Explore retirement living in our available retirement properties across the UK.
