Secret Book Swap | No. 15 - Currie May 2026
Books We Swapped:
Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy
On a remote island near Antarctica, a grieving family living among the last seed vaults on Earth rescue a mysterious woman washed ashore during a storm. Atmospheric and emotionally charged, this novel blends climate fiction, survival and human connection against a stark and beautiful wilderness.Atonement – Ian McEwan
A single false accusation changes the course of several lives forever in this elegant and devastating novel spanning decades and war. McEwan explores guilt, memory and the stories people tell themselves in a beautifully crafted meditation on love and regret.Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow – Gabrielle Zevin
Two childhood friends reunite to create groundbreaking video games together, building a partnership shaped by creativity, ambition and complicated love. Inventive and emotionally rich, this novel explores friendship, art and the ways we try to connect through stories.Joanne Harris – The Moonlit Market
Set in a magical hidden market filled with secrets and strange bargains, this enchanting fantasy follows characters drawn into a world where desires come at a cost. Atmospheric and whimsical, it blends folklore, mystery and quiet danger.Her Majesty’s Royal Coven – Juno Dawson
A secret society of witches tasked with protecting Britain faces growing divisions when a powerful prophecy threatens their world. Funny, furious and full of magic, this modern fantasy explores friendship, identity and power through a sharply contemporary lens.Raising Hare – Chloe Dalton
After unexpectedly rescuing a newborn hare, Chloe Dalton forms an extraordinary bond with the wild animal while reflecting on solitude and the natural world. Gentle and beautifully observed, this memoir explores care, trust and the quiet transformations of companionship.One Moment, One Morning – Sarah Rayner
Three women’s lives become unexpectedly intertwined after a sudden death on a commuter train. Compassionate and quietly moving, this novel explores grief, connection and the small moments that can alter lives forever.We Were Never Here – Andrea Bartz
What begins as a girls’ trip spirals into paranoia and suspicion when Emily starts to question the truth about her closest friend. Fast-paced and unsettling, this psychological thriller explores toxic friendship, manipulation and the danger of ignoring your instincts.The Travelling Cat Chronicles – Hiro Arikawa (translated by Philip Gabriel)
As Nana the cat travels across Japan with his beloved owner Satoru, a series of visits slowly reveals the quiet heartbreak behind their journey. Tender, funny and deeply moving, this novel explores friendship, love and the life-changing bonds between humans and animals.Convenience Store Woman – Sayaka Murata
Keiko has worked happily in the same convenience store for years, perfectly suited to its routines and rules despite society’s expectations. Deadpan and brilliantly strange, this novel explores conformity, identity and the pressure to appear “normal.”Ella Ademonde has built a glamorous life as a true-crime podcaster — until threatening messages from an unknown stalker begin appearing with chilling familiarity. Told through dual perspectives, this slow-burn psychological thriller explores obsession, performance and the dangerous lies people tell to protect the lives they’ve created.
Maid in Mon Rose – Zena May
Set behind the closed doors of a suburban brothel, this gritty novel follows the women whose lives intersect there through secrecy, survival and difficult choices. Compassionate and unflinching, it explores vulnerability, resilience and the hidden realities beneath ordinary streets.In Her Shadow – Emma Christie
Bus driver Dave Kellock has spent years burying the truth about his past — until a missing girl investigation and a haunting encounter threaten to expose everything. Dark, tense and fast-paced, this psychological thriller explores guilt, revenge and the terror of realising someone is always watching.
Our Guest , Allison Meldrum
Allison Meldrum has been writing since a very special English teacher with a pocket watch and three-piece suit told her that she might be quite good at it.
Previously a newspaper and magazine journalist, Allison’s debut novel ‘The Life I Owe Her’ examined two themes very close to her heart: Parenthood and Friendship.
Keep Me Safe
When investigative journalist Maggie Shields investigates the disappearance of a high-profile figure in Kirkcaldy, she uncovers corruption, murder and betrayal linked to an unsolved killing she witnessed as a teenager.
As Maggie connects the cases, she exposes corporate cover-ups, a fatal data breach and a deadly conspiracy. Turning to an AI therapist for support, she soon questions whether it is helping her or sabotaging the investigation. Battling paranoia and fractured trust, Maggie must uncover the truth before it’s too late.
Banned Book Reading
In May, our banned books discussion turned to a much more modern form of censorship looking at the recent British Book Awards and Careless People by former Facebook employee Sarah Wynn-Williams.
Over the past few months we’ve discussed schools removing books from shelves, libraries facing pressure over what they stock, and governments banning titles outright. But this story felt different.
At this year’s British Book Awards, the cover of Careless People had to be blurred on the giant screen behind the stage because of legal restrictions linked to Meta following publication of the book. What made the moment particularly surreal was that the book was there to receive the British Book Award for Freedom to Publish 2026.
Nobody was stopping the book from existing it can still be bought and read and yet legal pressure surrounding its promotion was enough that even an awards ceremony felt the need to obscure the cover on screen and Sarah Wynn-Williams was restricted in what she could say in her acceptance speech.
We also shared Marina Hyde’s observation in a Guardian article about the book: “Of all the books in all the world Mr Free Speech Zuckerberg wants to ban, it’s the one about him.”
As always, we found ourselves returning to familiar questions of who gets to decide what books are available but we added in a new questions too: at what point does pressure become a form of censorship, even if a book is never officially banned?
For our reading, we chose an excerpt from Careless People itself.
Join us at future secret book swaps: