What are you reading now?

‘I’m reading Crooked House by Lissa Evans. It’s not a long book, but I’m taking my time with it because it’s such a joy to read. A beautifully observed odd-couple tale set during the Second World War, it centers on the relationship between a 10-year-old boy, orphaned evacuee Noel, and a middle-aged single mother called Vera who’s struggling to cope with her debts. It’s very funny, and Evans’ use of language is wonderful: one character has ‘eyes that were the yellowish grey of bottled whelks.’ Glorious.”

Paula Hawkins, author of

The Girl on the Train

This story was originally published January 11, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "What are you reading now?."