Hello everyone,
Regardless of the genre and ageing populations across the world, books that contain a main character/narrator or protagonist aged over 50 are in the relative minority. There are reasons for this which are easy to guess, and as someone in my twenties I myself am less likely to come across one of these books.
But as a reader of many genres, I have picked up some titles with elderly or middle-aged main characters over the last few years, and some of them really stand out. These characters also offer some very unique voices.
Let us get on to the list!
The Accident by C.L. Taylor
This book follows the mother of a young woman who commits suicide and is forced to confront her daughter’s struggles and that takes her into some dark and uncomfortable territory. She is an unreliable narrator, something that C.L. Taylor is very good at, and a very compelling one too.
Windmill Hill by Lucy Atkins
This a relatively recent read, and a very quaint one. It is about a former actress and her companion who live together at an old windmill. When she learns that her former flame and fellow actor is about to publish an autobiography with information about how their relationship ended, she goes on a crazy journey to Scotland in order to track him down.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
This, and its three sequels to date, have become rather well known and extremely popular for featuring a wonderfully endearing group of elderly protagonists who live in a retirement village. Lead by former spy Elizabeth, they prove extremely adept at solving real-life murders, often by very crafty means. I love the characters here so much.
Don’t Turn Around by Amanda Brooke
This is rather like The Accident, only better. Similarly, it is told from the perspective of a mother who has lost her daughter to suicide, but this time she is not an unreliable narrator and is instead trying to honour her daughter’s memory by helping other young women struggling with mental health or suffering from domestic abuse. It is an impactful and also thrilling read.
Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins
Another Lucy Atkins book, the narrator here is a governess who is hired to care for the troubled daughter of an Oxford University dean. Dee is a very strong personality who does not hold back in her opinions, but also highly empathetic of the girl she looks after. Even more intriguingly, the story switches back and forth between that time and the present day, when Dee is being interviewed by the police.
The One Hundred Years Of Lenni And Margot by Marianne Cronin
This was a book that I totally loved, and Margot at 83 years old is one half of the two protagonists, befriending terminally ill teenager Lenni in hospital. We get to learn all about Margot’s life as she recounts it to Lenni, and it is powerful to say the least.
The September House by Carissa Orlando
This book is very clever in the way that it not only examines psychology in great detail but also takes on some of the stereotypes about older people. Margaret lives in a house haunted by ghosts that only she and her missing husband can see, which leads to her daughter and the investigating police officer to believe she is completely crazy. Her perspective is unique and interesting.
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell
Esme Lennox is an elderly woman who has spent most of her life in a secure hospital, and throughout this book she is quite an intangible character yet endlessly fascinating. It is told from the voice of her much younger carer, but the author gives us some beguiling insights into the person who has been locked away for so long.
The Woman In The Photograph by Stephanie Butland
This one tells the story of a groundbreaking photographer who is preparing her final ever exhibition. Veronica is still haunted by the end of a friendship and so the chapters alternate between the past and present in what is a clever, meaningful concept.
Let’s Chat
Have you read any of those books? Do you have a standout read that includes elderly or middle-aged main characters? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading 🙂
