10 of the best summer reads

Pack a romance, thriller or family saga to escape the crowds

- 

YOU may have packed the suntan lotion, bikini and hat for your summer break - but don't forget a good read as well.

Whether you're heading to an idyllic beach, a fascinating city or just enjoying a staycation at home, there are plenty of novels to help you escape.

Here are 11 to consider:

1. The Woman In Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (Simon & Schuster, £16.99)

A decade on, this gripping followup to the New York Times bestselling author's The Woman In Cabin 10 - adapted for a Netflix series starring Keira Knightley - is set on the beautiful shores of Lake Geneva where a terrified woman is held in a suite belonging to the hotel's billionaire owner. It sees the return of journalist Lo Blacklock, now married with children, who is invited to the grand opening of the exclusive Swiss hotel, only to find herself being asked for help by the wife of the billionaire, who claims she is being held prisoner in her marriage.

2. Somewhere Only We Know by Cathy Bramley (Orion, July 31, £16.99)

The bestselling author of The Lemon Tree Cafe sees a woman grieving over the loss of her daughter, but when she finds her late child's travel journal, she sets out on the gap year trip the 23-year-old had dreamed of taking. Memories of a romantic summer in Bali soon come flooding back, along with an old flame.

3. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Viking, £20)

The Tik Tok sensation and bestselling romantic novelist whose books have sold over 10.5 million copies worldwide brings readers this terrific beach read about a journalist, Alice Scott, who tracks down former heiress and party girl Margaret Ives on a remote US island, keen to pen the reclusive star's memoir. But when a rival journalist turns up, things get heated, professionally and personally.

4. A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay (Orion, August 28, £20)