10 Best Family Sagas

Immerse yourself in the lives of others with our pick of the best family saga novels

Having lived a full and varied life, Penelope Keeling is not happy to settle into life as a pensioner. On discovering her father's painting is worth a small fortune, Penelope is torn between a decision that has the power to either divide or unite her family.

Buy The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

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The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, £1.99

Best know for the popular TV series of the same name, The Forsyte Saga tells the story of the break down of a marriage, a forbidden love and painful family secrets. Unputdownable. Buy The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy Find more book reviews

Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews, £4.89

The story of the disintegration of a once loving family into a cruel, abusive household. This is the book that launched Virginia Andrews' career. Buy Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews Find more book reviews

Dangerous Lady by Martina Cole, £4.31

It is a mistake to underestimate Maura Ryan. Tough enough to take on the streets of London, but beautiful enough to deceive the street gangs, Maura is determined nothing will stand in her way when her luck runs out. Buy Dangerous Lady by Martina Cole Find more book reviews

Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate, £5 Atkinson.59

Ruby Lennox delves into the past to tell the story of her life, starting inside her mother's womb. Fast-paced and moving, this clever novel flits between tragedy and comedy. Buy Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson Find more book reviews

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, £6.29

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, £5.59

Dr Henry David gives away his daughter on the night she is born when he discovers that she has Downs Syndrome. Steadily, his life begins to unravel as the lies surrounding that fateful night eat away at his marriage. Buy The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards Find more book reviews

Marley and Me by John Grogan, £5.27

A heart-warming story about family and life, Jenny and John Grogan have just embarked on married life together when they decide to adopt a golden labrador puppy named Marley. Little do they know how this boisterous pooch will turn their world upside down. Buy Marley and Me by John Grogan Find more book reviews

Atonement by Ian McEwan, £5.94

Atonement follows the life of Bryony Tallis as she learns to understand and live with the consequences of her wrongful accusation against family friend, Robbie Turner. Set during the Second World War, Bryony turns to her writing as a way of finding atonement for her mistakes. Buy Atonement by Ian McEwan Find more book reviews

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, £5.59

A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of Miriam and Laila, two Afghan women whose lives become irrevocably intertwined by the war in their native country. Buy A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini Find more book reviews