I love setting myself a small, intense reading mission: seven days, one region, a handful of midlist British novels that never quite hit the mass-market headlines but glow when you sit with them. Over the years I’ve built weeklong discovery routes that feel part literary pilgrimage, part curiosity-driven holiday. They’re ideal if you want to learn how a place breathes through its fiction, or simply to spend a week in good company with writers who reward patience.

What I mean by "regional British midlist novels"

When I say midlist, I’m talking about books that critics noticed but that didn’t explode into bestseller-dom—titles that often sit on the shelves of independent bookshops, in university reading lists, or in the arms of devoted but small-scale readers. They’re frequently regional in setting: stories anchored in a particular British town, coast or industrial hinterland, where the local detail shapes the narrative. These novels tend to have a strong sense of place, complex characters and a patience for rhythms of everyday life.

Why choose a weeklong route?

A week is long enough to build momentum and notice patterns—recurrent themes, images, social histories—without becoming an academic project. It’s short enough to keep attention focused, to swap books if one isn’t working, and to pair reading with a few walks, cafés and record-store stops. For me, the pleasure is in the accumulation: three books by different voices can show you more about a place than a single panoramic novel.

How I plan a route (step-by-step)

  • Pick a region and a loose lens. I choose something specific but flexible—Cornwall’s post-fishing communities, former mill towns in Lancashire, coastal east Anglia, or a city borough like Southwark. The lens might be historical (post-war reconstruction), thematic (migration, loss), or aesthetic (lyrical realism).
  • Assemble a shortlist of 6–9 titles. For a weeklong route I aim for 5–7 novels/novella-length works and 1–2 shorter nonfiction or short-story collections. I look for a mix: one older title that gives context, one contemporary voice, a novel in translation by an author now resident in the region, and a slightly experimental book to shake expectations.
  • Plan pacing. I allocate lighter, shorter books to midweek or evenings and reserve a denser, longer work for a day when I have more time. A typical day might be one 2–3 hour reading session plus a 30–45 minute walk with an audiobook or a poem read aloud.
  • Layer in place-based extras. I choose a playlist, a recipe, an archival article or a local radio episode that complements each book. These extras are small keys to the social life of a place—cakes at a café, a local brass band recording, a BBC regional documentary.
  • Give myself permission to swap. Midlist books can be quietly polarising. If a choice isn’t working after two chapters, I replace it rather than soldier on. The aim is discovery, not duty.

    • Sample seven-day route (North-East England focus)

    Below is a template I often adapt. You can swap titles for any region you prefer.

    Day Book Complement
    Day 1 Short novel: a post-industrial family drama (200–250 pages) Map walk—trace the former colliery line; playlist of local folk songs
    Day 2 Contemporary novel by a local author Interview or podcast episode with the author; tea at a community café
    Day 3 Collection of short stories set across the region Read aloud one story; visit a secondhand bookshop
    Day 4 Historical novel (an older midlist title) Archive article or local history blog post
    Day 5 Experimental/lyrical work Evening with a poetry reading or ambient music
    Day 6 Novella or long essay Cook a regional recipe mentioned in the book
    Day 7 Free day—choose a favourite from the week to re-read or revisit Write short notes or share picks on social media; visit a local library

    How I choose titles

    I use a few dependable strategies:

  • Scavenge independent bookshop shelves and staff picks—these stores know local reads intimately. I often email shop owners in advance and ask for three obscure recommendations.
  • Search library catalogues and local university reading lists—older midlist titles sometimes persist in course syllabuses or local history sections.
  • Follow translators, small presses and regional imprints on Twitter/Instagram—they’re great for newly reissued gems.
  • Check references within books—authors often namecheck other local writers and that’s how I find delightful chain-recommendations.

    • Practical tips for getting the most from the week

  • Keep a small reading journal. I write down a phrase or image that stayed with me after each session; this builds a quick map of motifs.
  • Use pocket editions and ebooks for portability—but don’t skip a physical copy if you can find one. The smell of an old regional paperback can be part of the pleasure.
  • Time your walks to the book’s rhythms. If a book is about fishing communities, go for an early morning harbour walk; if it’s about industrial work, seek out converted mills or docklands.
  • Share the route. I sometimes run these weeklong routes as a small online group—readers swap observations and local finds (photos of shopfronts, short clips of dialect). It deepens the experience.

    • Resources I use

  • British Library online collections and regional archives for background context.
  • Local radio archives (BBC regional shows) for oral histories and atmosphere.
  • Goodreads lists—search for "regional novels UK" and then filter out the obvious bestsellers.
  • Independent presses: Faber, Carcanet, And Other Stories, and several local university presses often revive or champion midlist voices.

    • If you’d like, I can put together a bespoke weeklong route around a specific British region—complete with a shortlist of titles, a pacing plan, and suggested local extras. I enjoy building these routes because they’re small acts of listening to place: the books become a map, and the map leads you to surprises you didn’t know you were looking for.