Hello everyone,
Welcome to another post looking back at the miscellany of the books I read in my first five years of blogging. I am officially halfway through the alphabet, so join me in celebrating this milestone ;)
I am in the midst of a very busy part of the alphabet. My ‘L’ post was long, and this one for ‘M’ is no different. So I think it is best to get straight on with it!
Mabel
The co-owner of a convenience store alongside her husband Jumpin’ in Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. She is a very kindly, maternal character who always looks out for the protagonist, Kya Clark – known as the Marsh Girl.
Mad Hatter
The organiser of a famous tea party that Alice stumbles on in Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.
Madeline Miller
The author of two gorgeous, trailblazing Greek mythology retellings, The Song Of Achilles and Women’s Prize for Fiction winner Circe. Her writing is at times mesmerising, and there is an argument to say that she is partly the inspiration for there being so many similar retellings in the literary landscape over recent years.
The Madness
A name for the infectious insect-borne disease that sweeps across Shanghai in These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, which causes sufferers to tear out their own throats.
Mae
The main character in See How They Lie by Sue Wallman. She grows up in her father’s wellness retreat where all initially seems perfect, but the reality is very sinister.
Maeve Rojas
Bronwyn Rojas’ younger sister in One Of Us Is Lying, Maeve is a cancer survivor and very tech savvy. She is one of the main characters in the sequel, One Of Us Is Next.
Maggie O’Farrell
The author of Hamnet, a Women’s Prize for Fiction winner. That one is on my TBR, but I have read her other book The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox, which was full of unique storytelling.
Maggie St. James
An author who goes missing in a rural community in A History Of Wild Places by Simone St. James. Psychic detective Travis Wren investigates her disappearance, but he ends up getting lost too.
Magister Ludi
The title given to the principal of Montverre, a scholarly institution in The Betrayals by Bridget Collins. Just like the rest of the book, a lot of mystique is given to this title.
Magpie Lane
A gripping mystery novel by Lucy Atkins which I read in late summer 2022. The only part I was disappointed by was the ending, which felt too obvious, but otherwise it was great. The book is named after a narrow street in Oxford’s university campus, which I have walked along on several occasions.
Malachi
A boy who Emoni meets and develops feelings for during a culinary course in Spain, during the wonderful young adult book With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo.
Malyen Oretsev
A tracker in the Ravkan army and one of the main characters in the Shadow And Bone trilogy. An orphan, he grew up with Alina Starkov in Karemzin and they have always loved each other. Mal is not the most popular character in the trilogy, although he is rather more likeable in the television adaptation.
Manderley
The stately home of Maxim De Winter, where his first wife Rebecca’s shadow looms large over everything, intimidating the narrator of the story. It is one of the most famous houses in all of literature, and forms part of an equally famous opening line.
Marco Alisdair
The chosen name of one of the main male protagonists in The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, who is selected by the man in the grey suit to be his pupil. Very charming and capable of producing complex magic, he falls in love with his unknown opponent Celia Bowen.
Margaret
The best friend of main character Odile in The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. A co-worker at the American Library in Paris, they share everything with each other and it is quite a heartfelt friendship, although later they do have a difference of views which draws them slightly apart.
Margarita Luti
A woman loved by the Renaissance artist Raphael and used as a muse for a number of his paintings. She is the title character of The Woman In The Painting by Kerry Postle, where Raphael’s apprentice Pietro tries to get between their blooming relationship.
Margot
One of the two main characters in The One Hundred Years Of Lennie And Margot by Marianne Cronin. The 83-year-old Margot is an inpatient at a Glasgow hospital with an unspecified illness, meets terminally ill teenager Lennie and together they make an artwork of their combined 100 years of life experiences. The story is interspersed with many of these stories of Margot, and they are very poignant indeed.
Marguerite Benham
The mistress who Frannie Langton falls in love with in The Confessions Of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins. She becomes steadily addicted the laudanum but Frannie’s devotion to her is unending, until one morning she is found murdered in her bed. Frannie is the prime suspect.
Maria In The Moon
A powerful book by Louise Beech that I read in summer 2021. There are no characters in book called Maria; instead the title is just a figure of speech – giving a whimsical sound to what is quite a hard-hitting story.
Maria Weston
A teenage girl who died many years ago when Louise Williams was in school. She still feels guilt at her death, and becomes very fearful when someone purporting to be Maria sends her a friend request on Facebook. This is in Friend Request by Laura Marshall.
Marin Brandt
When Petronella comes to live in Amsterdam after marrying merchant Johannes Brandt in The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, she soon meets his sister Marin. Outwardly formal and belligerent, Marin is in fact a highly complex character who is hiding herself from the rest of the household. I can honestly say that she is one of the most compelling characters I have ever read.
Marjorie Quick
The curator of an art gallery in The Muse by Jessie Burton. In this wonderful novel, she employs narrator Odile Bastian before it turns out she is suffering from cancer. However, that is not her biggest revelation after we learn about her past.
Mark Hess
A detective who gets transferred from Europol to the major crime department in Copenhagen, in The Chestnut Man by Soren Svelstrup. A tireless, complex individual, he forms an uneasy partnership with his colleague Thulin to track down a sadistic serial killer.
Marshall
One of two siblings who live in the house inhabited by the mysterious Elise, in Girl In The Walls by A.J. Gnuse.
Marshall Seo
A member of the White Flowers in These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. Light-hearted on the outside but living in the shadow of his influential father, he and Benedikt Montagov have obvious feelings for each other, but neither realise it until it is too late…
Marsyas
The island setting for The House In The Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune.
Matt Wesolowski
The author of the fantastic Six Stories series of crime thrillers. Set in the style of a true crime podcast, Wesolowski astounds with his realistic portrayals, exploration of social issues, and breathtaking atmospheric writing.
Matthias Helvar
One of the protagonists in the Six Of Crows duology, Matthias is a former druskelle from the kingdom of Fjerda, imprisoned in Hellgate until rescued by Kaz Brekker and his group of associates. His love affair with Nina Zenik is one of the staples of the duology.
Maureen Johnson
The author of many young adult mystery books, especially the Truly Devious series of which I have read the first three. They are mostly delightful to read, embracing the thrill of a murder mystery head on and acting as a bit of an ode to Agatha Christie.
Maverick Carter
Starr Carter’s streetwise father in The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. He is given his own story in the spin-off Concrete Rose, where we follow him as a slightly wayward teenager trying to find the right path in his life.
Max
There are two characters I have read called Max who stand out. One is the father of a terminally ill boy in After The End by Clare Mackintosh who wants his son to be given life-extending treatment. The other is an arrogant sexual predator in the A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder series.
Mexican Gothic
A popular horror novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia that I read in 2021. It had all the creepy vibes and actually contains some extremely eerie elements. For the most part I enjoyed it, but the ending was far too rushed and characters were left underdeveloped.
Michael J. Malone
The author of two books that I have read which have both dealt impactfully with the topic of sexual abuse. In particular, A Song Of Isolation had a profound effect on me and I really could not put it down.
Micheal
A changeling boy in The Good People by Hannah Kent, seen as unnatural by many in their rural Irish community where folklore and herbal remedies are commonplace.
Michelle Obama
The former US First Lady, whose autobiography was one of the first audiobooks I ever listened to back in the summer of 2021. She narrated it herself, and told of her very interesting life including her years living in the White House.
Midnight
An evocative land that Vasya enters in The Winter Of The Witch by Katherine Arden. Full of fantasy vibes, it is symbolic of a universe that contains two opposing spirits – the Winter Demon Morozko and his evil brother Medved, both of whom Vasya has multi-layered relationships with.
Miller Roe
A journalist who helps Libby uncover the history of the expensive London house she inherits in The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. The two end up in a romantic relationship.
Milly Story
One of the three titular relatives in The Cousins by Karen M. McManus. They arrive on Gull Cove Island to see their rich grandmother Mildred Story, but all is not as it seems. Milly is the more free-spirited of the trio.
Mina
The main character in Hostage by Clare Mackintosh, who works as an air stewardess but has always wanted to be a pilot. She works on the first non-stop flight from the UK to Australia, which is threatened by climate extremists.
(The) Miniaturist
The debut novel by Jessie Burton. I read it in late 2018 and it made me fall completely in love with historical fiction. The character of the miniaturist herself is an elusive young woman who sends gifts to Nella which are extremely perceptive.
Minos
The king of Crete in Greek mythology. He keeps a minotaur in a labyrinth beneath his citadel, which is defeated by Theseus – who then elopes with his daughter Ariadne.
Miranda
A character in Threadneedle by Cari Thomas. She is a well behaved girl who has a magical background and joins a ‘coven’ of witches along with fellow students Effy, Anna, and Rowan.
Mister Jitters
A mysterious and spooky entity that haunts the town of Harrow Lake in the book of the same name by Kat Ellis. He gives the whole town an eerie vibe and frightens the main character, Lola.
Mock Turtle
Another character who Alice comes across after falling down the rabbit hole. The Mock Turtle is a wry storyteller, and I will never forget the line ‘We called him tortoise because he taught us!’.
Monique Grant
A columnist for Vivant magazine who is given the exclusive opportunity to write the life story of famous actress Evelyn Hugo, in the words of the star herself. Of course, this is featured in The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Moreau
The villain in Amari And The Night Brothers by B.B. Alston, who creates devastation in the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs.
Morvoren House
The setting of Bone China by Laura Purcell. An old house owned by a traumatised, almost mute Louise Pinecroft, it is haunted by evil spirits and is the site for the curious deaths of many people in a tragic event years earlier, including her father.
Morwenna
The narrator of The House At The Edge Of The World by Julia Rochester. Along with her brother Corwin, she tries to track down their absent father.
Mount Olympus
The place where all the Greek gods reside, as depicted in numerous retellings.
Mrs England
A book by Stacey Halls which I read in 2021. It was a glorious read and in my opinion her best one to date – I loved just about every word of it!
Mrs Metyard
A woman who employs young Ruth in The Corset by Laura Purcell. She is rather deranged and mistreats her workers, with tragic consequences.
Mudlarking
An activity where people look for long lost artefacts on the banks of rivers or on beaches. This is shown in The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, where the main character Caroline finds an old vial beside the River Thames and decides to investigate its origins.
The Murmur Of Bees
A bewitching story by Sofia Segovia, a translated version of which I read in 2020. It is one of the most beautiful examples of storytelling I have ever come across, and the ultimate summer read. My review of the book is one of my most viewed blog posts ever.
Murray
A retired police officer in Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh, who assists the police as a civilian. He ends up helping to solve the mystery at hand.
My Mother’s Secret
A thrilling book by Sanjida Kay, full of twists. It is about a woman who goes into witness protection after giving evidence for a crime, but she realises that her new life is being dictated by somebody else without her knowing. I read this in 2018.
My Sister, The Serial Killer
A book that splits opinion, but I ended up really enjoying it! A very quick read with some dark humour, it is about a nurse whose sister has killed several of her boyfriends – showing no real remorse about it either.
The Mystery Of Black Hollow Lane
The first in a series of middle grade mysteries by Julia Nobel which bear some passing similarities to Harry Potter. It is about a girl who enrols at a boarding school whose father was a member of a secret society, and remains elusive to this day.
Let’s Chat
Have you come across any of these books, settings, authors, or characters? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading 🙂
Stephen Reads Books 