My top 10 books by Nilesha Chauvet

NILESHA CHAUVET made her mark in 2024 with her deliciously dark debut crime novel Her Two Lives. 

The psychological suspense thriller revolves around a woman who cares for the elderly by day and becomes a vigilante by night. The acclaimed book grew from her love for literature.

 Eastern Eye asked the British writer to select 10 books she loves, ahead of her novel’s paperback release on Friday (28).

 Notes On An Execution by Danya Kukafka: A gripping, atmospheric novel of literary suspense that deconstructs the story of a serial killer on death row, told through the eyes of the women in his life. Breath-taking and empathetic, Kukafka paints a chilling portrait of womanhood while simultaneously unraveling the story of the killer. A remarkable novel for its ability to convey the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, while vividly depicting the lives of the women affected by him.

The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith: One of the greatest crime novels of the 20th century. Tom Ripley is a man desperate for validation, wanting money, success, and a good life. So desperate, in fact, that he’s willing to kill for it. His nihilistic tendencies and manipulative self-preservation lead him on a deadly journey across Europe, all while evading the law. This gripping chase shows Highsmith at her peak, delving deep into the mind of a sociopath and offering us a disturbing view of the world through amoral eyes.

Engleby by Sebastian Faulks: A cult classic and exemplar of the campus novel, Engleby is a beguiling portrait of an outsider who observes everything. Faulks uses an unforgettable voice in Mike, a working-class boy, loner, and misfit, attending an esteemed English university populated by privileged students. Struggling to fit in, Mike’s observations tip into an unhealthy fixation with fellow student Jennifer. But when Jennifer goes missing, can we trust Mike and his version of events? A novel of tremendous power and mystery.

Girl A by Abigail Dean: A literary thriller that deservedly took the book world by storm. Girl A is less about the horrors Lex Gracie and her siblings endured at the hands of their depraved and depressed father, and more about the trauma that haunts them into adulthood. Lex, who narrates, is a successful lawyer trying to turn the ‘house of horrors’ experience into something positive. Though Dean drew inspiration from true crime, she never exploits it. An astonishing novel of horror, redemption, and hope.

 Notes On A Scandal by Zoe Heller: This darkly compelling, Booker-shortlisted novel tells the story of Barbara Covett, who becomes infatuated with St George’s new history teacher, Sheba Hart. When Sheba is discovered having an affair with an underage student, Barbara becomes increasingly unhinged. A disturbing and moving portrayal of the effects of loneliness, this story is both delicious and nasty. Simply superb.

The Collector by John Fowles: My favourite thriller of all time, with every sentence as masterful as it is compelling. Alienated, uneducated, and unloved, Frederick Clegg is a young collector of butterflies who sets his sights on the most beautiful creature of all, vibrant art student Miranda Grey, whom he must have. Taut and utterly compelling, The Collector is a brilliant portrait of a disturbed obsessive with too much time and money on his hands. The power dynamics between captor and captive are brilliantly drawn, skilfully highlighting the inequalities between the privileged and the working classes.

 The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A Singer: This brilliant book provides a deep exploration of consciousness, meditation, and mindfulness. Singer blends eastern and western traditions to offer an enlightened bridge over the troubled waters of our lives, using lucid, unadorned prose that carries tremendous weight and substance. The book is an invitation to explore the self from different perspectives, stirring the soul before finally settling it. It has a rare and remarkable power to move hearts and open minds.

Code Dependent: Living In the Shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia: A Vatican priest. A single mother in Amsterdam. A doctor in rural India. They may appear to have nothing in common, but they’re all bound by their collective experience of artificial intelligence. This critically acclaimed chronicle of how AI is rapidly changing individual and collective agency spans six countries. It tells the stories of real people, many living on the margins of society, and explores their reactions, responses, and resistance to technology, shedding light on what it means to be human in a world rapidly transforming with AI.

Her Two Lives by Nilesha Chauvet: She’ll get them in the end. She always does. Rita Marsh has two lives. By day she cares for the elderly. By night she’s a vigilante, preying on predators online. She honey-traps them into an organised sting before handing them over to the police. But when a secret involving a former teacher emerges, Rita falls deeper into darkness, forcing her two worlds to collide. How far will she go for justice? How much further for revenge? Blurred moral lines and the darkest of thrillers. Her Two Lives is out now .

Death, An Inside Story: A Book for All Those Who Shall Die by Sadhguru: Ruminations on the great shadow of life we rarely speak about, this book attempts to demystify one of the greatest mysteries of all. Its intention is to help us lead more fulfilling lives. Deep and immersive, it requires space and reflection. The book has the healing power to comfort those about to confront their own death, or that of a loved one. Both a practical manual and a treatise, firmly rooted in Hindu tradition, it invites a reappraisal of the possibilities for transcendence.