August is chock full of exciting books that I’m looking forward to. There’s new releases from Elodie Harper, Samantha Downing, Helen Fields, Cecelia Ahern and Julie Cohen. There is also new books in series’ from Doug Johnson, Tom Mead, Jennifer Delaney and Karen Rose. And I’m very excited for the debuts from Ova Ceren and Hazell Ward.
So, here’s all the books I’m most anticipating this month:
A Theory in Dreaming by Ava Reid
Published August 5th by Del Rey
Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tale, Historical Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
As the aftermath of their first discovery pulls Effy and Preston on a final adventure and brings their haunting love story to its end in this stunning sequel and final book in the duology.
RETURN TO THE DREAMLIKE WORLD OF THE INSTANTLY BESTSELLING DARK ACADEMIA FANTASY A STUDY IN DROWNING
_________
All stories come to an end.
Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairytale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.
But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university – and soon the entire nation – is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?
With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king – visions that start to follow him even in waking.
As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.
Are dreams ever truly just dreams?
Pre-order here*
L.A. Women by Ella Berman
Published August 5th by Aria
Historical Ficiton, Suspense, Psychological Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
An electrifying novel about the complicated friendship between two ambitious writers and the ultimate artistic betrayal: one writes a book based upon the other’s life, revealing everything.from the author of Reese’s Book Club Pick Before We Were Innocent.
After a steady descent from literary stardom, Lane Warren is back. She’s secured a new book deal based off the life of her sometime friend and, more often, rival Gala Margolis. Lane’s only problem is that notorious free spirit Gala has been missing for months.
Ten years earlier, Gala was a charming socialite and Lane was a Hollywood outsider amidst the glittering 1960s L.A. party scene. Though they were never best friends, Lane found Gala sharp and compelling. Gala liked that Lane took her seriously. They were both writers. They were drawn to each other.
That was until Gala’s star began to rise, and Lane grew envious. Then Lane did something that she wouldn’t ever be able to take back.changing the trajectories of both their lives.
Bold, dazzling, and crackling with tension, L.A. Women plunges readers into the legendary parties and unparalleled creativity of iconic Laurel Canyon, while exploring the impossible choices women face when ambition collides with intimacy. At what cost does great art emerge? And who pays the price?
Pre-order here*
The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine
Published August 7th by Viper
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Ghost Story, Horror
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
She has the recipe for the perfect murder…
Maria Capello is a celebrity chef like no other. A household name with dozens of cookbooks and a weekly television show, not to mention her line of bestselling supermarket sauces. Once just the timid wife of famous chef Damien Capello, she stepped into the spotlight after his mysterious disappearance, an event she’s never spoken about publicly… until now.
Why is Maria willing to break her silence? When editor Thea Woods is invited to Maria’s remote farmhouse to work on the manuscript of her tell-all memoir, Thea spots an opportunity. She could be the one to finally learn whether the rumours are true. Did Maria kill Damien for his recipes and the legendary ‘secret ingredient’? Or is the truth even darker?
A deliciously rich thriller, perfect for readers of Bella Mackie’s How To Kill Your Family and Alexia Casale’s The Best Way to Bury Your Husband.
Pre-order here*
Etiquette For Lovers and Killers by Anna Fitzgerald Healy
Published August 7th by Fleet
Mystery, Crime Fiction, Cozy Mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Set in 1960s Maine, a witty, twisty murder mystery following a young woman who just wishes something interesting would happen for once . . . who stumbles across a crime of passion.
“What are the chances of receiving a love letter, engagement ring, and phone call for a stranger, only to see her murdered the next day?”
It’s 1964 in the tiny town of Eastport, Maine, and Billie McCadie is bored to death. She’s surrounded by dull people with more manners than sense, and no sign of the intrigue or romance that fills her beloved novels. That is, until an engagement ring and cryptic love letter turn up, addressed to ‘Gertrude’. Until she meets yacht-club handsome Avery Webster. Until the unsettling phone calls and visits from a man in a fedora begin. Until she’s one of the last people to see Gertrude alive . . . and the first to see her dead.
What follows is an intoxicating cocktail of stalking, blackmail, Jell-O salads, and champagne secrets, all served along the rocky Maine coastline. Everyone is a suspect. Everyone has a secret. And (strangely) everyone has a boat. But who is willing to kiss and tell? As the body count rises and the danger nears, why does Billie feel like she’s more than just a side character? And after yearning to be in the action for so long, would it be terribly unladylike to have some fun of her own?
A love letter to uncivilized behavior, Etiquette for Lovers and Killers blends mystery and romance into a witty, twisty, murderous delight that aches for better manners.
Pre-order here*
What We Left Unsaid by Winnie M. Li
Published August 7th by Orion
Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Thirty years ago, Alex, Bonnie and Kevin went on a road trip to the Grand Canyon with their parents. But something happened on that trip that cut it short. They never made it there. And their mother was never the same again.
Now, Alex, Bonnie and Kevin might be siblings, but they’ve grown apart, each holding heavy secrets close to their chests. When their mother takes a turn for the worse, asking them to relive that old road trip to see her, they’re forced into close quarters once more.
As the siblings begin the drive, old memories and new secrets stir, tensions hitched as they find themselves driving through small towns where the locals aren’t used to people who look like them.
What really happened to their mother on that road trip all those years ago? And what are the new truths each sibling is afraid to say? As they retrace old steps on a sweeping journey, the siblings are forced to finally learn the truth about each other, and the truth of what happened to their mother.
With “powerful and beautiful writing” (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Winnie M Li weaves an emotive and eye-opening exploration of family, race, growing up, and what it means to be American.
Pre-order here*
A Beautiful Evil by Bea Fitzgerald
Published August 7th by Penguin UK
Greek Mythology, Romantasy, Fantasy Fiction, YA Novel
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The eagerly anticipated new YA Greek myth re-imagining from Bea Fitzgerald, TikTok superstar and Sunday Times bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen.
Pandora is the first human woman – made by the gods on Olympus for one simple purpose: to love and be loved by her new husband, the titan Epimatheos.
The only problem? He wants nothing to do with her.
Hurt and confused, Pandora struggles to find meaning in her new life. What’s the point of being given all these gifts by the gods, if she can’t get this infuriating, awful, frankly very rude man (with an admittedly quite nice face) to love her? Maybe she’s failing at her life’s purpose. Or maybe she’s destined for an entirely different one . . . ?
As Pandora and Matheos work to uncover why she was created, that fated connection between them feels increasingly difficult to ignore. And with that comes terrible risk. Because Matheos’s traitorous brother, Prometheus, is a seer – and before the gods captured him he issued a final warning: that Pandora and Matheos’s love will be humanity’s doom.
So . . . what do you do when faced with an all-powerful love . . . that just happens to threaten the end of the world?
Pandora’s about to find out.
A glorious sunshine/grumpy romantic re-imagining of the Pandora myth, from the bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen and The End Crowns All
Pre-order here*
The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown
Published August 7th by Bantam
Contemporary Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Romance Novel, Urban Fantasy, Time Travel Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The world of unknowable objects – magical items that most people have no idea possess powers – has been quiet for decades . . .
But three current members of a secret society have remained watchful, meeting every six months in the basement of a bookshop in London. They are pledged to protect their archive of magical items hidden away, safe from the outside world – and keep the world safe from them. But when Frank Simpson, the longest-standing member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, hears of a new artefact coming to light in Hong Kong, he sends the Society’s newest member, author Magda Sparks, to investigate.
Within hours of arriving in Hong Kong, Magda is facing death and danger, confronted by a professional killer who seems to know all about unknowable objects, specifically one that was stolen from him a decade before. Magda is forced to flee, using an artefact that not even the rest of the Society knows about.
Returning to London, Magda learns hers is not the only secret being kept from the other two members. And that the most pernicious secret is about the nature of the Society’s mission. Her discoveries will lead her on a perilous journey, across the Atlantic to the deep south of the United States – not in pursuit of an unknowable object, but an unknowable person: the killer she first faced in Hong Kong. In doing so, Magda begins to understand that there are even more in the world who are chasing these magical items, and that her own family’s legacy is tied up in keeping all these secrets under wraps.
Magic has always been too powerful to reveal to the world. But Magda will learn there might be something even more powerful: the truth.
Pre-order here*
The Library of Second Chances by Molly Reid
Published August 12th by Wildfire
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
How does a girl with her head permanently stuck in a book look beyond stories and start over? If only it were that simple . . .
Chloe’s life feels like a book with a missing chapter. Stuck in a rut and back in her quiet hometown of Wellbridge, Chloe finds that she has traded big-city dreams for her childhood bedroom, working at the local library and hiding behind the pages of her favourite books. But one stormy night when she seeks refuge in the library after a disastrous date, everything changes.
Under the watchful eye of Mrs. Cook, the warm-hearted head librarian who seems to know more than she lets on, and Clementine, the library’s whisker-twitching cat, Chloe discovers that the library seems to hold more than stories. Here, books glow with secrets, characters leap from pages, and the shelves hum with enchantment. More importantly, it has an ability to nudge people toward what they need most – whether it’s healing, hope or a second chance. But is there more to the library’s magic?
Chloe must accept that she needs to face her past and learn that sometimes, the right book – or the right person – can rewrite your entire story.
Pre-order here*
Aphrodite by Pheonica Rogerson
Published August 14th by HQ
Greek Mythology, Fairy Tale, Humorous Fiction, Adventure Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
From the author of Herc, Winner of the Somerset Maugham Award 2024 and Waterstones Best book of the Year 2023
‘I’m a liar, to begin with.’
I wasn’t always a goddess, you see. My only real power was my beauty – you’ll have heard. It’s legendary. But that was never going to be enough for me.
It took a web of lies to convince the gods of Olympus I was one of them. But I did. I was that good. Zeus gave me a title and riches and loved me. And all he wanted in return was for me to love him back.
But of course, Zeus was a tyrant. (Not entirely surprising when you’re ninety per cent insecurities and ten per cent raw power.) I couldn’t live at someone’s mercy. Really, I had no choice. I had to take on the mightiest Olympian of all. And this bit’s not a lie… I intended to win.
Pre-order here*
Body Count by Julie Mae Cohen
Published August 14th by Zaffre
Dark Comedy, Psychological Thriller, Humorous Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Serial killer Saffy Huntley-Oliver’s life is going great.
She’s got a fabulous new boyfriend, Jonathan. She has literally got away with murder. And now that she’s no longer single, she can get back to her favourite hobby: killing bad men.
Particularly Sir Thomas West, a children’s TV star who truly deserves to die.
But there are a few little snags. For one, her beloved sister Susie is still dating that insufferable Finlay. For another, Sir Thomas has a very large bodyguard. And Jonathan himself has given up his job investigating true crime, despite all the tempting corpses that Saffy keeps putting in his way.
All of this would be easy to ignore in the flush of new love. Except Saffy’s never been in love before, and it’s weird. She’s having difficulty separating romance from homicide. Especially when someone discovers Saffy’s secret hobby and starts sending Jonathan coded messages about her crimes.
Is someone trying to break them up? Or trying to hunt her down?
Pre-order here*
High Season by Katie Bishop
Published August 14th by Bantam
Thriller, Holiday Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
In the heat of summer, the past can become hazy. . .
For twenty years, Nina Drayton has told herself that she must have seen her sister, Tamara, being murdered by the family babysitter – Josie Jackson. That she doesn’t remember it because she was five, and amnesia is a normal trauma response.
But now, with the anniversary of Tamara’s death approaching and true crime investigators revisiting the case, Nina finds it harder to suppress her doubts. Returning to her family’s sparkling villa on the Cote d’Azur for the first time since the murder, she wants to uncover more about the summer that changed so many lives. Because if she was wrong, then she sent an innocent woman to jail – and the real killer is still walking free.
Lyrical, suspenseful and sultry, this dark examination of the fragile nature of memory is vivid and thought provoking, with all the tension and heat of a moody summer evening.
Pre-order here*
The Transcendent Tide (The Enceladons Trilogy, Volume 3) by Doug Johnstone
Published August 14th by Orenda Books
Science Fiction, Metaphysical Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Lennox, Vonnie and Ava head to Greenland to meet up with Heather, Sandy and the Enceladons, commencing an epic showdown that will change everything … The emotive, devastating yet ultimately life-affirming conclusion to the bestselling Enceladons Trilogy, as seen on BBC2’s Between the Covers…
______
It’s been eighteen months since the traumatic events of The Collapsing Wave, where the Enceladons escaped the clutches of the American military intent on exterminating the peaceful alien creatures.
Lennox and Vonnie have been lying low in the Scottish Highlands, Ava has been caring for her young daughter Chloe, and Heather is adjusting to her new life with Sandy and the other Enceladons in the Arctic Ocean, off the coast of Greenland. But fate is about to bring them together again for one last battle.
When Lennox and Vonnie are visited by Karl Jensen, a Norwegian billionaire intent on making contact with the Enceladons again, they are wary of subjecting the aliens to further dangers. But when word arrives that Ava’s daughter has suffered an attack and might die without urgent help, they reluctantly make the trip to Greenland, where they enlist the vital help of local woman Niviaq.
It’s not long before they’re drawn into a complex web of lies, deceit and death. What is Karl’s company really up to? Why are sea creatures attacking boats? Why is Sandy acting so strangely, and why are polar bears getting involved?
Profound, ambitious and immensely moving, The Transcendent Tide is the epic conclusion to the Enceladons Trilogy – a final showdown between the best and worst of humanity, the animal kingdom and the Enceladons. The future of life on earth will be changed forever, but not everyone will survive to see it…
Pre-order here
False Idols by Karla Marie Sweet
Published August 14th by Mountain Leopard Press
Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Fiction
BOOKD DESCRIPTION:
ANYTHING CAN BE DANGEROUS IN THE WRONG HANDS.
Sadie’s been adrift, looking for an escape from her new house and old memories, when a chance encounter leads her to one of the most exclusive wellness classes in LA.
At first she’s sceptical, but the classes – and the attention of its magnetic leader, Lilith – are transformative, other-worldly, completely addictive.
No one in Sadie’s life understands that Deep Flow isn’t a cult, but a community. One that offers the chance to feel powerful in her own body again, maybe even a way to finally let go of her past.
But when the sisterhood, and Sadie’s place within it, comes under threat, the hidden cost of being part of Lilith’s inner circle becomes clear.
What would Sadie risk to prove her loyalty?
A searing look at power and exploitation in the wellness industry, False Idols is an unflinching, compulsive thriller by a captivating new voice in fiction – perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Emma Cline.
Pre-order here*
No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe
Published August 14th by Dead Ink
Thriller, Suspense, Romance Novel, Romantic Suspense, Lesbian Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
From the bestselling author Tess Sharpe comes a new action packed, love-soaked thriller about two women whose lives—and hearts—are destined for each other.
Murder either bonds you or breaks you. Rural PI Mel Tillman knows this well. She’s seen her fair share of bloody cases and botched cover-ups. But killing with someone? That is a different kind of mess all together, and Mel’s got real experience with it.
No one’s heard from Toby Dunne since Chloe Harper’s sweet sixteen party—because the birthday girl and sixteen-year-old Mel buried him so deep in the backwoods, no one’s ever finding him. Mel loses little sleep over it—Toby had been terrorizing them. What she does lose sleep over is Chloe, the girl with whom she survived that horrible night in the woods. Chloe, the girl she fell in love with. Chloe, the girl who disappeared and hasn’t been seen in more than six years.
Tasked with locating Chloe by her family, Mel can’t resist the call of a good chase, or finding the one who got away with her heart (and with murder). When Mel finds an armed and vigilant Chloe living off-grid in a highly booby-trapped patch of Canadian wilderness, she realizes that Chloe had been expecting someone other than her ex to come looking for her. The thing that’s kept Chloe going for years is that she’s kept Mel safe by running. Now, the truth must come out as they run for their lives once again.
Because when they buried Toby Dunne in the backwoods, they buried something else, too. Something Toby took. And the powerful family he stole it from? They’ll do anything to get it back.
Twisty and razor-sharp, Tess Sharpe’s No Body No Crime is a heart-pounding thriller teeming with secrets, betrayals, and a star-crossed romance for the ages.
Pre-order here*
The House at Devil’s Neck (Joseph Spector, Book 4) by Tom Mead
Published August 14th by Head of Zeus
Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Horror Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
LIKE LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES? YOU’LL LOVE TOM MEAD’S JOSEPH SPECTOR SERIES!
This gripping locked-room mystery sees Joseph Spector investigate his most sinister case yet: murderous machinations at a haunted manor house.
A former First World War field hospital, the spooky old mansion at Devil’s Neck attracts spirit-seekers from far and wide.
Illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector knows the house of old. With stories spreading of a phantom soldier making mischief, he joins a party of visitors in search of the truth.
But the house, located on a lonely causeway, is quickly cut off by floods. The stranded visitors are soon being killed off one by one.
With old ally Inspector Flint working on a complex case that has links to Spector’s investigation, the two men must connect the dots before Devil’s Neck claims Spector himself as its next victim.
Pre-order here*
Knife in the Back (New Orleans, 4) by Karen Rose
Published August 14th by Headline
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Romance Novel
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Naomi Cranston’s five years in jail for something she didn’t do were the worst of her life. Now the former NOPD cop is being targeted again by the people who framed her for stealing evidence. If she doesn’t comply with their demands to deliver drugs, they’ll hurt her teenage son, Everett.
When she arrives at the Burke Broussard Investigation Agency asking for help, Burke is reluctant to assist a convicted cop. But her story and her courage in standing up to the criminals touch him to the core. Even if taking on the case puts him and the rest of his team in grave danger.
As they try to work out who is responsible for framing Naomi, they must do all they can to keep their families safe. There might be something far more sinister at play than a drugs enterprise – and someone would do anything to stop Burke and the team finding out what. And there’s one question they all need to grapple with: why was Naomi targeted in the first place?
Pre-order here*
I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale
Published August 14th by Century
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance, Domestic Ficiton, Metaphysical Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
If you could see your future, how would you live now?
Margot Wayward is in manically gleeful self-destruct mode. Following the implosion of a ten-year relationship, she’s wilfully derailing her successful career, joyfully taking down men on dating apps, and living in total chaos.
Until one day, when Margot has a vision of herself with a man she’s never met before. She doesn’t believe in fate. But when Margot meets single-dad Henry, the vision comes true: exactly as she’d foreseen it.
As her future continues to reveal itself, a glimpse at a time, Margot realises she knows exactly what’s going to happen, and when. And there’s nothing she can do to change any of it.
So Margot has to decide how to live, how to love again, and how to be herself… Because if you can’t change your destiny, how on earth do you live your present?
Pre-order here*
House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama
Published August 14th by Bantam
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Thriller, Ghost Story, Horror Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A young woman is drawn into a dangerous game after being invited to the mazelike home of her childhood friend, a rumoured witch, in this gothic horror set in 1986 Philippines.
Carigara, 1986. Josephine del Rosario is the town pariah, left destitute after her parents were assassinated, and destined to marry a man twice her age.
So when Hiraya Ranoco, an old friend, offers Josephine an escape, she can’t say no. All she needs to do is spend one night in the Ranoco’s home and play a children’s game of hide and seek. If she wins, she can have anything she wants. Even, perhaps, Hiraya’s heart.
But the manor is sprawling and nightmarish, crawling with insects and rotting from the inside out. The servants stand silently in corners and won’t meet her eye. Worst of all, the house itself seems to want to trap Josephine. She must stay hidden until morning, but can she make it through the night?
Pre-order here*
The Game Is Murder by Hazell Ward
Published August 21st by Michael Joseph
Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Historical Mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
THIRTEEN GUESTS. THIRTEEN SUSPECTS. AN IMPOSSIBLE MURDER.
A MYSTERY YOU MUST SOLVE – OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES…
What if a Great Detective reinvestigated the most famous unsolved murder case of the century?
What if that Great Detective was you?
You have been invited to a very special murder mystery party.
Thirteen guests have been gathered – rather, thirteen suspects.
But only one of them is a murderer. And only you can find them.
Your task is simple. Listen to the witnesses, examine the evidence, and solve the case.
Be careful. Trust no one. In this story, all may not be as it seems.
The ultimate murder mystery is yours to solve.
A word of warning, though – catch the killer, or face the consequences…
But Maurits isn’t who he seems to be, and his secrets, once hidden beneath the waves, threaten to rise up and drown them both. And when an ancient bargain, forged in blood between the mythical people of the sea and the rulers of the land, begins to unravel, Clara finds herself at the heart of a deadly struggle for power.
Pre-order here*
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jonasson
Published August 21st by Michael Joseph
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
One winter evening bestselling crime author, ElÃn S. Jónsdóttir goes missing.
There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective, Helgi, to crack the case before it’s leaked to the press.
As he interviews the people closest to her – a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge – he realises that ElÃn’s life wasn’t what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than her stories.
As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of a very unexpected life . . .
Pre-order here*
Rooms For Vanishing by Stuart Nadler
Published August 21st by Picador
Historical Fiction, Family Saga, Romance, Religious Romance, Jewish Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
For fans of Life After Life by Kate Atkinson and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Rooms for Vanishing is an epic novel of grief and hope and one family blown apart – across the globe, across time, across parallel possibilities – by war.
For the Alterman family, Fania and Arnold, and their children Sonja and Moses, the universe has been fractured.
In 1938 Sonja is lifted onto a Kindertransport train that will take her from Nazi-occupied Austria to London. She is the only member of her family to survive.
In 1966 Fania works as a massage therapist in Montreal, a place that has provided her safe haven after she lost her entire family in the war.
In 2016 Arnold lives out the last of his days and the last memories he has of his family in the city he has always called home.
And in 2000, Moses awaits the birth of his grandson, unaware that the strings that tie him to his past are being drawn tighter and tighter.
Surely none of these realities co-exist, and yet they seem to be drawing closer . . .
Pre-order here*
This Vicious Hunger by Francesca May
Published August 26th by Orbit
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Ficiton, Dark Fantasy, Supernatural Fiction, LGBTQ Literature, Paranormal Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
From the Sunday Times bestselling author ofWild and Wicked Things comes a dark gothic fantasy about intoxication, obsession and a desperate hunger for knowledge, whatever the cost.
Thora Grieve finds herself destitute and an outcast after the sudden death of her husband, but a glimmer of hope arrives when a family friend offers her the chance to study botany under a famed professor. Once at the university, Thora becomes entranced by a mysterious young woman, Olea, who emerges each night to tend to the plants in the private garden below her window.
Hungry for connection, Thora befriends Olea through the garden gate and their relationship quickly and intensely blossoms. Intoxicated, Thora throws herself into finding a cure for Olea’s ailment and sinks deeper into a world of beauty, poison and obsession. She’s finally found the freedom to pursue her darkest desires, but will it be worth the price?
Pre-order here*
Katabasis by R. F. Kuang
Published August 26th by HarperVoyager
Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Gothic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek. The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld.
Grad student Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become the brightest mind in the field of analytic magick.
But the only person who can make her dream come true is dead and – inconveniently – in Hell. And Alice, along with her biggest rival Peter Murdoch, is going after him.
But Hell is not as the philosophers claim, its rules are upside-down, and if she’s going to get out of there alive, she and Peter will have to work together.
That’s if they can agree on anything.
Will they triumph, or kill each other trying?
2025’s most unexpected love story is going to be hell in the new novel by Sunday Times Number One Bestseller R.F. Kuang. Coming August 2025.
Pre-order here*
The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren
Published August 26th by Hot Key Books
Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tale, Romantic Fantasy, Magical Realism, Mythology
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A gorgeous romantasy of angels and curses, which will break your heart and mend it again. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Stephanie Garber.
Heartbreak is always devastating, but for Sare it’s life-threatening.
Sare Silverbirch has already had her heart broken four times, and a fifth heartbreak will stop her heart forever. Such is the nature of the curse she was born under, which forces her to live a life without letting anyone get too close.
Then her mother dies unexpectedly,and Sare begins to question the curse. Where did it come from? Why her? And rather than accept it, could there be a way to break it?
Her questions lead her to Istanbul where she meets Leon, a seer who helps her track down the mysteries of her mother’s past. But Sare’s heart is a fragile thing and their blossoming relationship poses a great risk to her survival. Especially when she discovers that her fate is in the hands of celestials beyond this earthly realm. And now the heavens are stirring, for they have a stake in Sare’s destiny and they don’t like their plans being overturned.
Will Sare unravel the secrets of the past before the curse claims her forever?
Pre-order here*
Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper
Published August 28th by Head of Zeus
Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Ancient History
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Boudicca. Infamous warrior, queen of the British Iceni tribe and mastermind of one of history’s greatest revolts. Her defeat spelled ruin for her people, yet still her name is enough to strike fear into Roman hearts.
But what of the woman who grew up in her shadow?
The woman who has her mother’s looks and cunning but a spirit all of her own?
The woman whose desperate bid for survival will take her from Britain’s sacred marshlands to the glittering façades of Nero’s Roman Empire.
Born to a legend. Forced to fight. Determined to succeed.
Meet Solina.
Boudicca’s Daughter.
Pre-order here*
Watching You by Helen Fields
Published August 28th by Avon Books
Thriller, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A face in the crowd. A killer in the shadows…
________
On the dark streets of Edinburgh, a killer is waiting.
When a body is found, it is only the beginning. Soon there will be seven more.
In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving.
Her beloved only daughter fell prey to a vicious stalker a year previously – and now he’s coming for her too.
Edinburgh’s police are desperate.
After one body comes another, and then another. The brutal deaths are all seemingly unconnected, yet DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are dealing with a serial killer – they just need to prove it.
But time is running out, and Beth Waterfall already looks set to be the next victim…
The million-copy international bestseller returns with a gripping serial killer thriller that will have you hooked from the first page to the very last.
Pre-order here*
Too Old For This by Samantha Downing
Published August 28th by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
It’s never too late to teach an old woman new murders…a razor-sharp, edge-of-your-seat new thriller from Sunday Times bestseller Samantha Downing, available to pre-order now!
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You’d never guess Lottie Jones had skeletons in her closet.
She’s lived in town for decades now. She’s getting older. She lives for the simple pleasures of weekly bingo games at church, and gossiping with her friends about their children’s love lives.
But when investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past, and specifically about her connection to numerous unsolved murders, well, Lottie just can’t have that.
But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realises this crime might just be the death of her…
Pre-order here*
Paper Heart by Cecelia Ahern
Published August 28th by Harper Fiction
Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Pip’s world is small. But it’s about to become a whole lot bigger.
For years she’s tucked away her dreams, shrinking herself into the space left behind – like the delicate origami she creates alone in her room.
Then hope comes from an unlikely place: an astronomer from the local observatory. He teaches her to look up at the stars, and to see a world far bigger and more beautiful than she ever imagined.
And perhaps in that big, beautiful universe there’s someone waiting for her. If she can find the courage to open her heart.
Pip never stopped dreaming, but now it’s time for her to live – and maybe even to fall in love.
Pre-order here*
Tales of a Deadly Devotion by Jennifer Delaney
Published August 28th by Gollancz
Gothic Ficiton, Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Ficiton, Dark Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
DARKNESS ALWAYS FINDS ITS WAY BACK.
As Fey wage hopeless war against the oncoming storm of mortal conquest, Fairfax Manor lies in ruins. The first witches of Blackthorn forged the ancient fortress from their very souls to keep those of their bloodline safe. No one is safe now.
Katherine Woodrow might have survived persecution at the Institute of Magic and journeyed across the divided lands of Elysior to study magic with the legendary Lord Emrys Blackthorn himself, but losing her heart and almost her life wasn’t on the curriculum.
All magic has a price – a price Alma would rather have died than see Kat pay. But the dark isn’t finished with Kat yet. And Alma will stop at nothing to save her, drawing on the power of the beasts that simmer beneath her skin and even facing the secrets of her own past to help her friend.
And there’s no time to lose. Because more demons are escaping from the cursed texts the mortals failed to guard. The world is slipping back into darkness. And something is returning…
A tale of deadly devotion.
From the author of instant Sunday Times bestseller Tales of a Monstrous Heart, comes a spellbinding new gothic fantasy filled with slow-burn romance and forbidden magic – perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Rachel Gillig.
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The Cut by Richard Armitage
Published August 28th by Faber & Faber
Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Horror Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A TRAGIC ACCIDENT OR A GRUESOME MURDER?
WHICH STORY WILL MAKE THE CUT?
You saw her die
Thirty years ago, one of Ben Knott’s schoolfriends was murdered. Another went to prison. The story ended. The village of Barton Mallett tried to move on.
Now her killer is back
As the murderer’s sentence ends, the village is chosen as the unlikely location for a feature film by a Hollywood producer, with Ben’s son Nathan cast in the leading role.
Can you keep hiding the truth?
As the film takes shape, Ben begins to recognise the storyline – from his own past. As his son becomes immersed in a tale of bullying and retribution, things turn dangerous, and an uncomfortable truth begins to emerge. Ben must choose between the safety of his children and reopening the wounds of the past. How much is he willing to risk to protect his family – and himself?
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A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay
Published August 28th by Orion
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Medical Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When a toxic hospital consultant dies of a heart attack, fellow doctor Eitan Rose smells foul play. Nobody else does though, including some quite crucial players like the police and the coroner.
But Eitan just won’t let it drop, and his friends and colleagues become increasingly concerned about his mental health as his chaotic investigation and equally chaotic life spiral out of control. Is he making a career-ending mistake, or could there genuinely be a killer stalking the wards?
A deathly funny mix of mystery, murder and medicine, A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE is the brilliantly original debut novel from Adam Kay, BAFTA-winning author of multi-million global bestseller THIS IS GOING TO HURT.
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Our Beautiful Mess by Adele Parks
Published August 28th by HQ
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Connie can’t wait to have all her daughters back home for the holidays. It’s not just the excitement of the girls being together under one roof; uni student Fran is bringing a new boyfriend to stay. The empty nest will once again be full of friends, family and young love.
Yet from the moment she sees Zac, Connie feels a deep unease. Zac reminds her of the worst mistake she has ever made: a man whose charm and good looks nearly destroyed her marriage. Then, Fran announces she’s pregnant.
Reeling from Fran’s news and terrified that her past might threaten her family’s future, Connie desperately tries to navigate a path forward. But there’s a much greater menace looming, because she’s not the only one who has something to hide. Someone in the house has another devastating secret. A deception which will put everyone Connie loves in shocking danger, and one of them will pay the ultimate price.
Number One bestseller Adele Parks returns with an explosive and deeply emotional family drama which explores the lengths a parent will go to protect a child; for there’s nothing stronger than a woman whose family is under threat.
Pre-order here*
The Cut Throat Trial by S. J. Fleet and The Secret Barrister
Published August 28th by Picador
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
THE FIRST LEGAL THRILLER FROM THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING SECRET BARRISTER WRITING AS S. J. FLEET
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It is one of the biggest trials of the year. Three seventeen-year-old boys are accused of the brutal murder of an elderly teacher on New Year’s Eve.
Each boy denies it.
Each points the finger at the other two.
But they can’t all be innocent.
The three defence barristers have only one job: to persuade the jury that their client is not guilty. But they’re up against a prosecutor who needs to win the case, no matter the cost.
Because when the game is murder, the competition is deadly.
Launching a brilliant new voice in crime fiction, a criminal barrister with an incomparable insider’s knowledge, The Cut Throat Trial is the most gripping thriller of the year.
Pre-order here*
Break Room by Miye Lee
Published August 28th by Wildfire
Psychological Drama, Humorous Fiction, Satire
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
WHO IS THE BIGGEST VILLAIN IN YOUR OFFICE?
A gripping and incisive psychological drama from the internationally bestselling author of DallerGut Dream Department Store.
Eight unsuspecting people receive an invitation to participate in a mysterious new reality show called Break Room. But what starts as an opportunity to find fame is quickly revealed to be something far more unsettling when they learn how they were chosen – they were voted in by their own co-workers as the people they’d least like to share a break room with.
But there’s another twist. Among them is an imposter – a mole planted by the show’s producers and the only way to win the prize money is to uncover the saboteur before time runs out.
Labelled as ‘villains’, the participants are left to grapple with the incredibly alarming realisation that their actions might be perceived differently by others and one moment of kindness might see them branded as the office creep. As alliances shift and paranoia festers, each contestant comes to realise surviving the show isn’t the greatest challenge . . . it’s facing up to who they are.
Welcome . . . Step into the world of the reality show, Break Room, where every smile hides suspicion, and every word could be a clue.
Pre-order here*
Emma's Biblio Treasures 