Enlightenment by Sarah Perry

The plot for this combines astronomy and a 19th-century mystery to propel a deeply thoughtful plot forward. Thomas Hart, a 50-year-old columnist for the Essex Chronicle in the small English town of Aldleigh and a dedicated star gazer, makes furtive trips to London for secret trists, even though he belongs to a Strict and Particular Baptist sect that basically forbids it. He might well have left his small town behind years ago except for his devotion to Grace Macaulay. Much like him, 17-year-old Grace also finds herself torn between her religion and her desires when she falls in love with Nathan, a local boy not a member of her church. Meanwhile, Thomas becomes intrigued by some letters found during the renovation of decrepit Lowlands House—and by James Bower, the handsome museum employee who calls them to his attention. The letters were written by Maria Văduva, who lived at Lowlands but vanished mysteriously sometime around 1887. An assignment to write about the Hale-Bopp comet passing overhead leads Thomas to figure out that Maria was an astronomer who may have made an important discovery, and Grace’s chance encounter with an enigmatic homeless man supplies an important missing piece of Maria’s puzzle. As they pursue a series of expertly dropped clues about Maria’s intent and ultimate fate, things go a bit asunder for the two, and while we have a pretty good idea about Maria, it is less clear where things will land between the two of them. This was longlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize and as is true of many in that category, it is thoughtful, sensitive, and beautifully written.