Trespass Rose Tremain (Vintage, £7.99) Atmospheric story set in the heat of the Cevennes, which may dispel the winter gloom. As elsewhere in France, thoughtless newcomers have invaded an area once inhabited by peasants with centuries-old links to the landscape. One newcomer is Anthony Verey, whose London antiques shop is failing as he comes to terms with old age. He has decided to stay with his sister, much to the annoyance of her partner, while he searches for a French property to retire to. His search brings him to the family home of Aramon Lunel, who has cheated his sister Audrun of her inheritance. Salutory reading for anyone who dreams of buying a house in France, and a great choice for Richard and Judy’s spring book club.

Tiger Hills Sarita Mandanna (Phoenix, £7.99) This is also a book club choice, this time the Channel 4 series, and set in the lush hills of Coorg in southern India. It is the epic story of childhood sweethearts Devi and Devanna, moving from 1878 to 1930. As children growing up in a remote coffee-growing area, Devi falls in love with Machu, an intrepid tiger killer and a hunter, sowing the seed of a love triangle that will have consequences for generations to come. Mandanna fuses history and romance to tell a vivid story, painting pictures that reverberate in the mind.