The books we cherish the most are often the unexpected ones, foisted upon us by fervid friends and colleagues.

There’s something uniquely appetising about discovering a novel that garners its hype from grass root recommendations, as opposed to the bells and whistles that accompany hotly-anticipated hits.

So, we were delighted to see word-of-mouth fiction pave the way at the British Book Awards this week (as reported via the Guardian).

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry nabbed top honours at the ceremony, as it was crowned fiction book of the year.

This beguiling gothic novel is set in 1893 and tells the story of amateur palaeontologist Cora Seabourne, who, liberated by her husband’s death, is free to investigate rumours that the mythical Essex Serpent has returned to the parish of Aldwinter.

Two brilliant word-of-mouth books to pop on your summer reading list