Oranges and lemons, Say the bells of St. Clement’s…
16 August 2016 
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is:
Top Ten Books With ‘X’ Setting
My choice is ‘books set in London’ and they are as follows:
- The Harry Potter series! This being my Harry Potter month I felt compelled to get this one into the mix.
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman – I love this story and the underground stations that dwell below are just brilliant!
- Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. I’ve read lots of the Sherlock Holmes stories so won’t particularly recommend any one. They’re all great – although perhaps I could nudge you gently towards Hound of the Baskervilles.
- Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye – I can’t recommend this book enough! It was just fantastic and I loved it.
- Fated, an Alex Verus novel by Benedict Jacka – I’m not fully uptodate with this series but I will eventually catch up!
- The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger (Soulless, etc). Highly entertaining steam punk and tea time shenanigans.
- Mayhem and Murder by by Sarah Pinborough – gothic horror on the streets of London – what’s not to love!
- A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan – a little bit of a cheat this one in more ways than one. Lady Trent originates from a place that is like an alternate London and – to be honest the majority of the stories are based elsewhere. But I do love this series so thought it was worth mentioning.
- Vampire Empire by Clay and Susan Griffith – not set purely in London but a good deal of the action takes place there – a world overrun with vampires!
- Delia’s Shadow by Jamie Lee Moyer
Books and travelling with Lynn 
What a lovely choice of books – and as I’ve recently published some of my own book choices set in London, I was particularly interested in your selection. I’m impressed that there is only one overlap! I also mentioned the Alex Verus series, but other than that, your offerings are all new to me – I love the look of Jane Steele:)). Thank you for sharing.
Jane Steele was just brilliant. I loved it. I hope you find time and opportunity to pick up a copy. The Verus books I need to catch up on – I know I read the first two but not sure if I continued after that.
Lynn 😀
So many lovely choices! I also love England as a setting (how have I not read Mayhem yet? It totally looks like a me kind of book), especially Victorian England, although any time frame or any reality suits- Neverwhere is a prime example. 🙂
Mayhem and Murder are excellent gothic Victorian stories – I love Pinborough anyway as she’s just so versatile but if you like gothic horror then this is definitely for you. I would say although they’re both good the second in series is absolutely the best without doubt!
Lynn 😀
I really want to read Jane Steele! It has been sitting on my shelf since April…. Need more hours in the day!
That is exactly my problem – too many books, too little time – still I don’t suppose we’d want it the other way around – at least this way we have plenty of choice! Definitely, I hope you find time for the Steele book – I adored it.
Lynn 😀
Obviously love the Harry Potter books! I’ve never read any of the original Sherlock Holmes books, I should really do that!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/16/top-ten-tuesday-70/
The beauty of the Holmes books is that you can read one of the shorter stories and see if you like it or not.
Lynn 😀
I may just try that! Thanks for the tip 🙂
No worries. Hope you enjoy if you pick it up.
Lynn 😀
I would really like to read Neverwhere. For some strange reason I haven’t got to it yet… Harry Potter — thumbs up! I find Sherlock Holmes isn’t my cup of tea…:-/
Totally understand about Holmes – not for everyone. I like the quirky sort of humour.
I love Potter and I think you would love Neverwhere – it’s just, well, firstly it’s Gaiman and secondly I love the play on names for all his alternative London places. Plus Neverwhere has some great characters – not least the Marquis – but I won’t elaborate and spoil it for you.
Lynn 😀
I really liked Gaiman’s Stardust. It was so light and whimsical. Neverwhere sounds like it might be the same…am I right? It’s definitely on my to-read radar!
Stardust is great. Neverwhere is also excellent – if you liked Stardust you’ll live Neverwhere (imho). Also The Graveyard Book – which is more a children’s book but I just loved it. Risa, let me know if you do pick one of them up – I would love to know what you make of them.
Lynn 😀
Sure! Will do so.:D
Cheers 😀
Great list and I love how you got Harry Potter in – I also got it on to my TTT list today too 😀 I really enjoyed the first book in The Parasol Protectorate series but never got round to the other books; I would like to get back to this series one day.
In fairness I think the first book by Carriger is the best one. I enjoyed the next two (I think I’ve read four out of five) but then started to tail off a little.
Lynn:D
That makes me feel slightly better 🙂
i love books set in England! My TTT
There are some good one for sure. Lynn 😀
Great picks! I’m bound and determined to like at least one Neil Gaiman book. Neverwhere is on my list to try out.
Neverwhere is great and Stardust but I love The Graveyard Book.
Lynn 😀
I didn’t realize Vampire Empire was set in London! (Guess the reason it surprises me is I am pretty sure the authors are somewhat “local” for me in NC. Or at least one of them is from here. I think.). Anyway, certainly doesn’t mean they can’t set a book in London.
A Little bit of a cheat that one – basically vampires have taken over certain part of the world – London being a cooler climate is one of their strongholds. The action also covers Scotland and France – the colder parts and then moves to Equatoria – which combines the warmer climates. So fairly mixed but definitely including London.
Lynn 😀
London! ❤ I love this city, and luckily there is a lot of books set there so I can often travel there by reading books.
It’s a great way to travel – you can even visit Middle Earth and outer space by reading!
Lynn 😀
I thought about Harry Potter and Jane Steele, but decided that maybe I’d talked about them enough and should give some other books a spot. 🙂
Good plan – although at the moment I find myself wanting to talk about both of those books quite often!
Lynn 😀
Awesome list, Lynn! But but but, I’m crying because Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant series isn’t on here! I’ll just assume you haven’t read it (yet? :D) The whole series is like a love letter to the city, it’s awesome! I think you’d like it 😀
I know – I can’t believe myself really – I have read the 1st and I’ve had the 2nd waiting forever – i’ve even been to see the author and he’s so nice. I will definitely continue with the series although part of me is held back by thinking the maybe I need to reread the first!
Lynn D:
I’m such a sucker for books set in the city I live, and Neverwhere is definitely part of the mythology of the city ❤
Ahh, I didn’t realise you were in the City – nice. Neverwhere is so excellent! I do love Gaiman.
Lynn 😀
Brilliant list. 🙂 I love reading London based books!
Yeah, me too. Lynn 😀
Wonderful list! I love Neverwhere for the puns on the Underground stops although it does make by laugh while riding the tube sometimes. Jane Steele and A Natural History of Dragons are both on my TBR list.
Well, Jane Steele and the Natural History of Dragons are brilliant – totally different of course, JS is all gothic darkness and a twist (not a retelling) on the Jane Eyre story. A NHoD is great and I love the series but it’s not like full of dragons – it’s more like a study of dragons.
I hope you get time to read them both though and let me know what you think please.
Lynn 😀
I love both of those books – I really hope you get a chance to read them.
Lynn 😀