I bet a few of you have a scratchy cough or a sore throat at the moment. Let’s hope it doesn’t get worse. We suggest reading something cheerful while you are recuperating… like novels about plagues.

Epidemics have fascinated authors for centuries. There’s nothing like a dose of the bubonic plague or a cholera outbreak to add urgency to your plot. Our selection of plague literature covers science fiction, historical fiction, alternative histories, existentialism and even romance.

Check out our infectious recommendations.