Long Bright River by Liz Moore. Has been on all the “most awaited books of 2020 lists” and was well worth the wait. Set in a suburb of Philadelphia which has been overrun with the opioid crisis and concerns two sisters, who lost both their parents to the drugs. One of the sisters Mickey. Is a cop on the beat and every time she’s called to an incident or comes upon a victim she’s terrified it will be her sister Kasey who has succumbed to the addiction. A number of these girls on the streets are being done in and as Mickey tried to find out what’s going on she has an increasing suspicion that corrupt cops might be involved. Really really well written.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. A novel about a 12 year old boy, Edward, and his family who board a flight in Newark for a new life in California and the plane goes down over Colorado. Edward is the only survivor, and although that could sound maudlin it’s actually a story of communities and hope. You get the background of a lot of the other passengers, many of whom have surviving relatives who write letters to Edward as he was the last person to see their loves one alive, and Edward becomes a national celebrity while his uncle and aunt are trying to shield him from it all and help build a new life. It’s really well crafted, very moving and despite the subject – or perhaps because of it -  is well worth the read.