Miv and Sharon are best friends. Sharon is everything that Miv aspires to be; pretty, popular, confident and outgoing but she has chosen Miv as her best friend and closest confident.
This is the time of the Yorkshire Ripper. When women were terrified of going out at night and dark haired men were looked at suspiciously.
Miv decides that she and Sharon should try to catch the Ripper and so they begin a list of suspicious things. Men with dark hair and a moustache. Men who don't behave quite as 'normal".
But there are other had things happening in their town, as in the rest of the country. Racism is rife and When Sharon befriends and eventually falls for Ishtiaq she opens herself to comments from many in her community.
The story is about so many issues and has a bitter sweet ending which would be spoilt by saying too much.
It is enough to say that the girls do not catch the Ripper.

An unlikely coming of age story set against the background of the Yorkshire Ripper, but it really works. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

This book is written in a very simplistic manner, more in the style of YA. It is the story of Miv and her pal Sharon, who at the age of twelve, decide to enliven their lives with their dysfunctional families by trying to catch the Yorkshire Ripper. Set in the 1960/70s it is in many ways, true to its time.
However, it’s a dark subject to be making light of in my opinion, and I just did not enjoy it.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book?

A tender coming of age story set in a Yorkshire town living under the very real threat of the Yorkshire Ripper. The book is about friendship, first love, family and, of course, suspicious things. Some very gritty themes are dealt with as the story progresses, but every one is dealt with sensitivly but without skirting over the issue. Bad things happen to good people & life isn't a fairy tale, but family, friendship, community & the kindness of strangers shine through in this book.

My first 5 star read for a very long time. I enjoyed every minute of being immersed in this brilliantly evocative story, woven through the background of the real-life murders of thirteen women by the notorious Yorkshire Ripper. I am so often frustrated by clumsy use of varying points of view but Jennie Godfrey deftly weaves the narrative from different viewpoints, sometimes from unexpected narrators. I loved Miv, clever and endearing, with so much to learn about the world. And the 1970’s was so brilliantly evoked, often by an appropriately placed song lyric. A remarkable debut and I am so looking forward to reading more from this author.

I absolutely loved this book and I'm still thinking of it. This is a story of two best friends who set out to find a murderer through their own investigations and the trial and tribulations of teenage friendships. Jennie Godfrey writes teenage experience so well and the story itself is a real page turner. This book has heart and I would recommend this absolute page turner to anyone.

Is this really a debut novel? Excellent read, I remember the era well with the strikes hardships etc. that the 70's bought to everyday people.

This novel is one that really plucks the heartstrings, childhood friendships, and the growing, developing age of the characters involved. Riveting read. A few times the tissues had to come out.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this excellent novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this delightful debut novel. This coming of age story is set in Yorkshire in 1979 just as Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female British Prime Minister and The Ripper continues to make headline news striking terror into local communities. It is the story of a young girl growing up, of friendship, love and so much more. Told mainly from 12 year old Miv's point of view it is littered with references to the music, politics and cultural awakenings of the 70 and 80's. As the police are struggling to stop the 'Yorkshire Ripper' Miv and her best friend Sharon decide to find him. Throughout the story the author has captured the innocence of a pre internet and mobile phone age, one where news was gleaned from newspapers and gossips in close communities where everyone knew everyone. Jennie Godfrey has taken the issues of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, mental health and racism and sensitively woven them into an excellent book that I am happy to recommend. Look forward to more from this author.

It’s 1979, Thatcher has just been elected and the Yorkshire Ripper is casting a shadow and putting everyone in Yorkshire on edge. Including 12 year old Miv, whose dad is threatening to move away from Yorkshire. The police are getting nowhere with the case so she convinces her best friend Sharon that they should investigate. They buy a notebook and start their list of suspicious things.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this debut novel. As a Yorkshire lass I was drawn to it because of the Yorkshire setting, but I’m so glad I read it. It is a coming of age tale told by Miv. There are some pretty heavy themes in it, suicide, grief, SA, CSA, bullying, racial tensions, DV and it is at times quite bleak. But Miv is a compelling narrator, with her immaturity and naivety. Miv isn’t the only narrator, with some chapters being told by other characters . I was in tears by the end, it’s a story that will stay with me. I thoroughly recommend it and look forward to more from Jennie Godfrey.

I'm afraid it's one of those awkward times when you review a book everyone loves...and you don't.

The List of Suspicious seems to be getting 5 stars from one and all but I'm an outlier on this one.

It's a coming-of-age story set in Yorkshire around the time of the Ripper murders. A young girl called Miv decides to try to solve the mystery of the murderer.

A nice set-up, but the execution left me feeling like a dispassionate observer of the story, rather than reeling me in. Miv is a good central character but some of the other characters were thin, to the point I often forgot who was who.

I think my main two issues with the book were the pacing and the unremitting bleakness.

In terms of pacing, i almost DNF'd the book around a third of the way through because it was dull. Then in the last 20% of the book suddenly no end of crazy shit starts happening. Perhaps if some of these events had happened earlier it would have got me invested. It would also have prevented the climax of the book feeling somewhat unrealistic, with a huge amount of stuff suddenly happening concurrently. It was exciting, but also felt a bit silly.

In terms of bleakness, if this is Yorkshire life, I'd recommend Miv, and everyone else, moves to another area. Life can throw challenges at us from time to time but Miv appears to be fucking jinxed! Over the course of the few months the book covers she encounters severe mental illness, adultery, racism, arson, manslaughter, paedophilia (which felt bizarrely levered in as a sub-plot near the end), deviant vicars, domestic abuse, suicide and tragic death.

It wouldn't have been surprised to find out the postman was a Nazi war criminal in hiding. I certainly hope Miv's following few months were a little more chilled.

The List of Suspicious Things had some good things going for it but ultimately seemed suspiciously like a list of melodramatic YA events, which felt uncomfortable alongside the very serious subject matter.

Huge thanks to the publisher and the author for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review. This was such an incredible read, it’s thoughtful, engaging, emotional and I really felt moved reading it. It must have been such a precarious time.

This is a hugely accomplished debut. Full of atmosphere for its era, intrigue, and characters that hook you in.

A lot of research was obviously conducted for this, and it shows. I lived through these years and I felt I was transported back in time. Over and above its specific setting, this is a great investigation into the kinds of issues faced in childhood, particularly here sexism and racism.

Sounds serious? Well, yes it is; but the author’s skill and the use of younger POV lets this soar with a lightness too.

Highly recommended.

I absolutely loved this.

It’s such a sweet but desperately sad story, and wonderfully written. Jennie Godfrey creates a brilliant cast of characters and explores their interconnecting lives.

It’s so well written, and allows the reader to perfectly imagine a small Yorkshire town in the 80’s. She captures the racial tension, the economic struggles, and the fear people felt due to the Yorkshire ripper.

It’s heartbreaking in parts, and heartwarming in others, and it’s just an excellent book!

Fabulous book. A touching tale, primarily about friendship; this is beautifully written. Covering a dark time in criminal history, many of us will remember the fears around at this time. It is all handled very well.
A book I will keep remembering, and one that I have already recommended to lots of others.

Wow, this was such an incredible debut. I was initially attracted the the premise of the 70’s era, and Yorkshire location of Bradford/leeds where I too grew up at the time of ‘The Ripper’. So many familiar, nostalgic feelings were drawn out whilst reading, but it’s such a good book that it’s far from the main reason for its success.

The story is narrated from several characters point of view, but primarily from 12 year old Miv’s viewpoint, but this isn’t a teen novel; it deals with some incredibly grizzly topics - domestic abuse, racism, the rise of the National Front, paedophilia, suicide, prostitution, alcoholism and last but far from least, the horrifically violent murders of ‘The Ripper’. Jennie Godfrey cleverly switches between each character to give us insight into their secret lives, and as a reader we feel we are shown the secrets and lies of these characters and crucially, what goes on behind closed doors.

The pre-teens Miv and Sharon totally steal your heart. They both play ‘detectives’, making lists of suspicious things about people who are in their lives, comically determined to personally identify and catch the ‘Ripper’ whom the police had warned would be hiding in plain sight. There is a childish innocence in their suspicions and their fears, which reads a little like an Enid Blyton mystery story at times, but this childish register only adds to the readers’ sense of irony. We can foresee the dangers they present for themselves, but their immaturity actually protects them from the full fear... until it doesn’t.

I laughed, cried (sobbed in fact!) and smiled wryly at this beautiful, touching book. Highly recommended as an absorbing and quite beautiful read.

Thank you to Net Galley and to Jennie Godfrey for an advance reader’s copy.

Absolutely loved this book.

Set in 1970s Yorkshire during the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, Miv starts her List of Suspicious Things and ropes her friend Sharon into investigating with her.

The book touches on murder, suicide, spousal abuse, alcohol abuse, xenophonbia and paedophilia but in spite of these heavy topics, it is a hopeful story.

I would not hesitate to recommend this book and would like to thank Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review. And my honest review is read this book you won't regret it

‘Yorkshire, 1979. Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.

Because of the murders.

Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking. Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?’

The List of Suspicious Things was an absolutely delightful read. Having grown up a few years into the 80s and a few miles from Dewsbury, it felt incredibly evocative of that period.

The only weakness for me (if I can call it that: it’s more that I thought the book would have been stronger for focusing only on Miv’s perspective) we’re the pov chapters from the adult characters. These tended too much towards telling, not showing, when I’d have preferred to work out the threads of their stories through Miv’s eyes. But this is a minor complaint and I would still highly recommend the book.

Wow
I was born in West Yorkshire in 1975 and although I don’t obviously remember the Yorkshire Ripper at the time, I did grow up knowing his name. I might be a few years younger than Miv but I felt like Miv could have been me. The characters are super genuine, I feel I met them all in my childhood. It took me straight back to growing up in a small mining town in Yorkshire. The dialogue of Aunty Jean could have come straight out of my mum's mouth. I found myself smiling while reading the Yorkshire language, its spot on. "By heck", it's so believable that many times I asked myself "is this memoir or literally fiction?" I found it hard to see where the author had used her artistic abilities and what she had plucked straight from memory.
Aside from the wonderfully nostalgic dialogue, the book does tackle some dark themes like domestic violence, racism, suicide and mental health, but overall the book is about healing, growing and coming of age. It's about relationships and bringing folks together. I love a book about characters and where the setting becomes a character in itself and for me this had wonderful, marvellous characters in spades. If you are born and bred Yorkshire, "thy'll love it". If you love a characters you can fall for, this is "rate up ya ally"
Thank you to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Miv lives in Yorkshire where the Yorkshire Ripper is what everyone is discussing. The story is set in the 70s when the newspapers were full of articles about the Yorkshire Ripper and his victims. Miv lives at home with her father, her aunt and her mother. Her aunt lives with the family because her mother has become so withdrawn, she is unable to look after Miv so Aunt Joan has stepped in to help. The atmosphere at home is quite cold most of the time, probably because of the way the mother has become and the secrets that are being kept. Miv has a best friend, Sharon and Miv adores her. Stella is pretty and vivacious and Miv, who is shy and slightly withdrawn tries to model herself on her. Miv, with Sharon’s help decides they are going to discover who the Yorkshire Ripper is and this becomes the focus for both of them, but particularly for Miv. In a notebook she notes down any man she thinks is a bit suspicious, hence the book title. The consequences of their search lead to tragedy and have far reaching effects on many families in their community. This is an excellent story full of real people, some good and some bad but all believable characters. There are many strands running through the book including racial tension, domestic violence and of course the impact something like the threat of someone killing women can have on an area. The book is very well written and the pace is good but easy to follow. For a debut novel this is superb. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me and ARC of this book.

I loved this book; it is an outstanding debut. A simple title but a complex story on so many fronts. Set in Yorkshire at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper, the 70’s are brought alive, together with the Ripper still at large as the police fail to capture him and the fear this brings.
Set along side is Miv’s story. Due to suggestions that they might move South which would mean leaving her best friend behind, she decides to help identify the Ripper by making lists. The small community is brought to life in a not always comfortable way. There is racism, domestic violence but also friendship and warmth and the story of adolescence. It’s an emotional read and one that will stay with me. Highly recommended.