Twelve books for the first cold week

Every October there is one week when the whole town decides, at once, that it is winter. The heating clanks on, the café sells twice as much soup, and people come in asking for “something to disappear into”.

Here is what we hand them. Long novels with weather in them, short books you can finish in a bath, and one cookbook for the soup.

Start with The Salt Orchard if you want to cry, Nine Bridges North if you want to stay up late, and Winter Kitchen if you want to eat well while you do both.