Maria Crawford

From a house overlooking the beach at Cala Deià to a Mallorca finca with 1,000 olive trees and extensive equestrian facilities

Where On the south coast of Mykonos, part of the Cyclades group of the Aegean Islands. Mykonos town is about 5km or a 15-minute drive from the property, and the island’s international airport is just over 20 minutes away. What A 750 sq m villa built in 2010. There are seven bedrooms, all en suite, a kidney-shaped outdoor infinity pool, Jacuzzi and terraces well suited to entertaining. Why The villa overlooks Kalo Livadi, one of the longest sandy beaches on Mykonos, which has a beach club, bar/…

From lakeside charmers to comfortable retreats in the mountains

From a contemporary house with uninterrupted views across Lake Annecy to an 18th-century farmhouse with an apple orchard

From a house inspired by a wave with panoramic ocean views to a Spanish-style home with a guitar design pool

Mothersong by Amy Acre (Bloomsbury) This debut collection from the London-born poet is confident, witty and a little addictive. As the title suggests, these poems explore motherhood and mother loss, in verse that manages to be both playfully frenzied and movingly intimate. Taking Liberties by Leontia Flynn (Jonathan Cape) Flynn captures the tension between poetry as a personal impulse for freedom, and the human tethering to world events (one of her three epigraphs is a quote from Vladimir Put…

Where On the Sandy Lane estate in St James, on the west coast of the island. Grantley Adams international airport is about half an hour away by car. What A villa with more than 1,300 sq m of living space including seven bedrooms, two of which are in separate apartments and most of which have walk-in closets. There are also eight bathrooms, a children’s playroom, a gym and home cinema. Why The property is on more than an acre of landscaped grounds, with a circular driveway on one side of the ho…

From a modern villa perfect for golf aficionados to an expansive property set in a pine forest

The Belgian capital is a hotbed of Art Nouveau mansions, while modern chic can be found in its environs

Maria Crawford selects her must-read titles