Philippa's Best Books of 2026 So Far — 12 Picks & an Honourable Mention

No author interview, no book reviews — just Philippa's most personal episode of the year: her best reads of the first six months of 2026. Twelve books, one honourable mention, and the admission that it was genuinely hard to narrow it down.

These are books Philippa read between January and June — not necessarily published this year — in alphabetical order by author surname, because she doesn't want to rank them.

🎖️ Honourable Mention

The Wedding Suit – Rachel Joyce (BBC Radio Drama)

A five-part radio serial about an eccentric elderly couple whose isolated lives are transformed by the unexpected arrival of a child. Written by Rachel Joyce, narrated by her husband Paul Venables (Yakob in The Archers). Still available on BBC Sounds — Philippa considers it essential listening.

📚 The Top 12

YesterYear – Caro Claire Burke

The trad wife book everyone's been talking about — and rightly so. A brilliant concept, word-of-mouth sensation, and genuinely hard to put down.

Body of Lies – Jo Callaghan

The fourth and final Kat and Lock book. An AI detective, a murdered MP, a cyberattack, and a taunting binary code message. Plus: Philippa gets a mention in the acknowledgements. Chef's kiss.

Solitary Agents – David Goodman

The second Jamie Tulloch spy novel. Clever concept, brilliant writing, and completely readable without the first book.