Lucy Foley: “Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging treated teenage girls with respect.”

My earliest reading memory
I vividly remember sitting by the bookshelves in our first house and suddenly realizing I could read the words in many of the books. It felt like discovering magic—pulling out one book after another and losing myself in different worlds. Recently, I ran into a childhood friend who told me she remembers being annoyed when I’d come over to play because the first thing I wanted to do was check if she had any books I hadn’t read.

My favorite book growing up
As a child, I adored Jill Barklem’s Brambly Hedge series. The intricate illustrations and the enchanting hidden world they depicted captivated me. Now, I’m enjoying rediscovering them with my four-year-old. The High Hills even has a wonderful, Tolkien-esque quest woven into it.

The book that changed me as a teenager
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison. I devoured this and the rest of the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series—they were hilarious, addictive, and so true to the lives of teenage girls. The books understood our friendships, humor, and struggles without ever talking down to us.

The writer who changed my mind
Patricia Highsmith. Before reading The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Two Faces of January, I thought I had to like a character to root for them. But Highsmith masterfully pulls us into the mind of a sociopath, making us uncomfortably invested in someone we know we should despise.

The book that made me want to be a writer
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It’s a book about writing itself—the protagonist’s father is a struggling writer, and the narrator constantly reminds us we’re being told a story. I loved its intimacy and the rich portrayal of family and growing up.

The book I reread
Almost any Agatha Christie. I first read them too young, drawn to the puzzles. Returning as an adult, I realized how dark some are—Endless Night, And Then There Were None, Crooked House, and The Pale Horse. Now I revisit them as a writer, trying to unravel her craft.

The book I discovered later in life
Edith Wharton’s Glimpses of the Moon. I’d read The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence years ago but hadn’t encountered this one. Reading it recently reminded me how much I adore her writing.

The book I’m currently reading
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy. It follows five Black women and their friendship over two decades, navigating careers, marriages, and motherhood against the backdrop of modern America’s social and political changes. The characters and their bond are so vividly drawn—it’s completely engrossing.

Lucy Foley’s The Midnight Feast is now available in paperback from HarperCollins. To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.