Category: Emma’s Anticipated Treasures

I’m a bit late with sharing this month’s list of anticipated books, but it’s a fantastic month of new releases with some of my most anticipated books of the year being released.

Here are the ones I’m most anticipating:

Edith Holler by Edward Carey

Published October 3rd by Gallic Books
Historical Fiction, Gothic Ficiton, Fairy Tale, Coming-of-Age Story

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘An extraordinary achievement’ A. L. Kennedy

Edward Carey’s witty and entrancing story of a young woman trapped in a ramshackle English playhouse – and the mysterious figure who threatens its very survival.

Norwich, 1901. Edith Holler spends her days among the eccentric denizens of the Holler Theatre, warned by her domineering father that the playhouse will literally tumble down if she should ever leave.

Fascinated by tales of the city she knows only from afar, young Edith decides to write a play of her own about Mawther Meg, a monstrous figure said to have used the blood of countless children to make the local delicacy, Beetle Spread. But when her father suddenly announces his engagement to a peculiar woman named Margaret Unthank, Edith scrambles to protect her father, the theatre, and her play – the one thing that’s truly hers – from the newcomer’s sinister designs. 

Teeming with unforgettable characters and illuminated by Carey’s trademark illustrations, Edith Holler is a surprisingly modern fable of one young woman’s struggle to escape her family’s control and craft her own creative destiny.

Pre-order here*

A Pirate’s Life For Tea (Tomes & Tea 2) by Rebecca Thorne

Published October 3rd by Tor
Fantasy Fiction, Romance Novel, Romantic Fantasy, Lesbian Literature, Gay Ficiton, Fantasy Series

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The heart-warming sequel to Rebecca Thorne’s instant Sunday Times bestseller, Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea. For fans of Bookshops & Bonedust and Our Flag Means Death.

Queer pirates will discover if enemies actually can become lovers . . .

Kianthe and Reyna are hunting for dragon eggs to save their hometown. To secure their prize, they must strike a deal with the local lord – who in turn wants Serina, notorious river pirate, and scourge of his supply chains. Surely, they can handle one small abduction in the name of justice?

Begrudgingly, the couple join forces with Bobbie, one of the lord’s constables. Bobbie is determined to capture Serina, but lawmaker and lawbreaker have a complicated history – and it might jeopardize everything. As Bobbie and Serina become reacquainted, Kianthe and Reyna watch this relationship-wreck from afar. Luckily, matchmaking is Reyna’s favourite pastime. The dragon eggs may just have to wait.

Take a break with this gloriously cosy sapphic fantasy rife with mischief and steeped in fun.

Pre-order here*

Marigold Mind Laundry by Jungeun Yun

Published October 3rd by Doubleday
Magical Realism, Urban Fiction, Literary Fiction, Translated Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The sensational Korean bestseller
For fans of WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIBRARY and THE ALCHEMIST
_______________________-

Welcome to the Marigold Mind Laundry where we wash away the stains from your heart.

After young Jieun accidentally misuses her powers, causing her beloved family to vanish, she lives a million restless lives in search of them.

Overnight, in the village of Marigold on top of a hill, she conjures up her Mind Laundry, where she cleanses painful experiences from the heart, transferring them into stains on a T-shirt and turning them into dazzling red petals.

We meet five wounded souls: a frustrated young filmmaker; a tortured social-media influencer; a distraught mother who has discovered her husband’s other family; a young woman two-timed by her lover, and Yeonghui, a victim of bullying, who works as a delivery man to escape his pain in routine.

After washing the pain and ironing their creases, Jieun discovers an astonishing revelation that will change her life.

As we laugh, wonder and grow, MARIGOLD MIND LAUNDRY shows how we too can tap into the positivity and magic that lies in us all.

Which bad memories would you like to wash away?

Pre-order here*

Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi

Published October 3rd by Del Rey
Romance Novel, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Cozy Fantasy, New Adult Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A cosy and spicy spellbinding fantasy romance, about a kitchen witch cursed to hurt anyone who falls for her. Perfect for fans of Talia Hibbert and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Dina Whitlock knows her way around a pastry recipe. As a skilled kitchen witch, she runs her very own London café, serving magic-infused pastries to her loyal customers. But only a select few friends know about her magical abilities or the hex that has plagued her love life. It’s hard to fall in love when your partner is guaranteed to have a string of bad luck.

Scott Mason is back from traveling the world and is excited to begin his new job as a curator at the British Museum. After leaving London to heal from a brutal breakup two years ago, Scott only now realizes how much he missed out on. Now that his best friend’s wedding is right around the corner, Scott is determined to be the most amazing best man ever, but he doesn’t expect to be bewitched by the maid of honour, who also happens to be the owner of his new favourite café and, perhaps more surprisingly, a witch.

After a weekend in the countryside full of peculiar hedge mazes, palm readings by candlelight, and a midnight Halloween ritual, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. But there’s just one problem: The hex still holds, and Dina knows that Scott is in danger.

Can Dina break the spell before it breaks both their hearts?

Pre-order here*

The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibera

Published October 3rd by Oneworld
Historical Fiction, Magical Realism

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A searingly original novel about sisterhood, art, and a community of women who refuse to be silenced.

‘A gripping and spellbinding novel about a sisterhood ripped apart by violence, narrated by a ghostly chorus. An unforgettable debut.’ Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half

Nine-year-old Graciela is raised in the shadow of El Salvador’s Izalco volcano, until the day she is taken to the capital city by the country’s fearsome – and fearsomely superstitious – dictator, who believes her to be a muse capable of foreseeing the future. 

There, Graciela meets Consuelo, the sister she never knew existed. Consuelo is everything she is not – volatile, dreamy and teenaged – yet despite their differences, the sisters form an unlikely bond. When the dictator’s brutality is finally unleashed, El Salvador is forever changed. Graciela and Consuelo survive the massacre, but most of their community are not so lucky.

From San Salvador to Los Angeles, Paris to San Francisco, the sisters create a new future for themselves. But the story of those they left behind is not yet over. Their voices, once just a whimper, now shout louder than ever. Listen. 

Pre-order here*

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes (The Kamogawa Food Detectives 2) by Hishashi Kashiwai

Published October 3rd by Mantle
Literary Fiction, Psychological Thrillers, Women Sleuths, Translated Ficiton

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the second book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives.

Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner. Running this unique establishment are a father-daughter duo who serve more than just mouth-watering feasts.

The pair have reinvented themselves as ‘food detectives’, offering a service that goes beyond traditional dining. Through their culinary sleuthing, they reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a connection to cherished moments from the past.

Among those who seek an appointment is a one-hit wonder pop star, finally ready to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career. She wants to try the tempura that she once ate to celebrate her only successful record. Another diner is a budding Olympic swimmer, who desires the bento lunch box that his estranged father used to make him.

The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve meals – it revives lost recipes and rekindles forgotten memories. It’s a doorway to the past through the miracle of delicious food.

Pre-order here*

The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place by Kate Summerscale

Published October 3rd by Bloomsbury
True Crime, Murder Biographies, Serial Killers

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Once more, Kate Summerscale shatters our preconceptions of a classic crime’ Val McDermid

‘A gripping account of murder, misogyny and spectatorship’ Sarah Waters, author of Fingersmith

From Britain’s top-selling true crime writer and author of Sunday Times #1 bestseller THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER…

London, 1953. Police discover the bodies of three young women hidden in a wall at 10 Rillington Place, a dingy terrace house in Notting Hill. On searching the building, they find another body beneath the floorboards, then an array of human bones in the garden. But they have already investigated a double murder at 10 Rillington Place, three years ago, and the killer was hanged. Did they get the wrong man?

A nationwide manhunt is launched for the tenant of the ground-floor flat, a softly spoken former policeman named Reg Christie. Star reporter Harry Procter chases after the scoop. Celebrated crime writer Fryn Tennyson Jesse begs to be assigned to the case. The story becomes an instant sensation, and with the relentless rise of the tabloid press the public watches on like never before. Who is Christie? Why did he choose to kill women, and to keep their bodies near him? As Harry and Fryn start to learn the full horror of what went on at Rillington Place, they realise that Christie might also have engineered a terrible miscarriage of justice in plain sight.

In this riveting true story, Kate Summerscale mines the archives to uncover the lives of Christie’s victims, the tabloid frenzy that their deaths inspired, and the truth about what happened inside the house.

‘A forensic reappraisal of a grimy episode in postwar British history … Shocking, impeccably researched, lucidly written and always utterly compelling’ Graeme Macrae Burnet, author of His Bloody Project

‘A masterclass in true crime storytelling … As relevant now as it was in the 1950s’ Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

Pre-order here*

Identity Unkown (Kay Scarpetta Book 28) by Patricia Cornwell

Published October 8th by Sphere
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Medical Thriller, Crime Series

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Summoned to an unnerving, abandoned theme park to retrieve a body, Dr Kay Scarpetta is devastated to learn that the victim is a man she once loved. While teaching in Rome during the early days of her career, Scarpetta had a love affair with acclaimed astrophysicist Sal Giordano that led to a lifelong friendship.

The murder scene is bizarre, with a crop circle of petals around the body, and Giordano’s skin is strangely red. Scarpetta’s niece Lucy believes he was dropped from an unidentified flying craft. Scarpetta knows an autopsy can reveal the dead’s secrets, but she is shocked to find her friend seems to have deliberately left her a clue.

As the investigators are torn between suspicions of otherworldly forces, and of Giordano himself, Scarpetta detects an explanation closer to home that, in her mind, is far more evil . . .

Pre-order here*

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Published October 10th by Michael Joseph
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The #1 New York Times Bestseller

‘Stunning. So interesting, clever, educational and moving. One of the best books I’ve read in recent times’ GILLIAN McALLISTER

‘A timeless classic from one of our great storytellers’ CHRIS WHITAKER

‘Had me absolutely captivated . . . I loved all the questions this novel raised about who gets to tell which stories and how complex that can become. Jodi Picoult is a genius’ JENNIFER SAINT

‘You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Picoult brings vividly to life. Book clubs will embrace this rich, inspiring story’ KRISTIN HANNAH

‘A blend of historical fiction and modern-day settings, the novel gives us timelines that intertwine and surprise. Picoult has done her research’ HARPER’S BAZAAR

—-

What if the greatest writer of all time isn’t who we think he is?
What if he isn’t even a he?
Step back four hundred years and discover the female author who hid behind the mask of the man we know as William Shakespeare . . .

In Elizabethan London, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her education has endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but still she is allowed no voice of her own.

Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees the theatre, Emilia discovers the power of stories to beguile audiences. Secretly, she forms a plan to bring a play of her own to the stage – by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.

In modern-day Manhattan, playwright Melina Green finds a woman’s voice is still worth less than a man’s. But, inspired by the life of her ancestor Emilia Bassano, Melina takes a lesson from history and submits a play under a male pseudonym . . .

Moving between Elizabethan England and modern day Manhattan, By Any Other Name is a beautifully written, compelling novel that explores the theme of identity and the ways in which two women, centuries apart―one of whom might just be the real author of Shakespeare’s plays―are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.

Pre-order here*

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

Published October 10th by Doubleday UK
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Discover the new gripping and atmospheric thriller from the global No.1 bestselling author of The Girl on the Train and A Slow Fire Burning.

‘A masterpiece! Gorgeous and chilling, and I couldn’t put it down.’ SHARI LAPENA
‘The best Paula Hawkins yet, by a tense and haunting mile.’ LEE CHILD
‘An atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller’ – LIZ MOORE

*************

She no longer sleeps when the tide is out, she only rests when the sea separates her from the land. When she knows no one can sneak up on her.

Eris, an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out.

Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once home to Vanessa. A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace. A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge . . .

Pre-order here*

Into the Storm by Cecelia Ahern

Published October 10th by Harper Collins UK
Thriller, Literary Fiction, Psychological Thriller

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A storm lies ahead of her. Freedom lies beyond it …

‘A terrific story! It had me completely gripped from the very first page’ KARIN SLAUGHTER

‘An emotional rollercoaster of a book … will grab you by the heart and not let you go until the very last gripping word’ SAM BLAKE

ONE NIGHT

It is a wild night in the middle of December, and GP Enya is crouched over a teenage boy, performing CPR in the rain.

ONE MOMENT

The boy survives, but Enya’s life splinters in two. Trapped in a loveless marriage, the storm propels her to break free.

ONE CHANCE TO BE FREE

But even in the remote country town that becomes her sanctuary, Enya is haunted by the night in the rain.

Beneath the boughs of an ancient tree that tells a thousand stories, can she find the courage to face her own?

Pre-order here*

The Book of Witching by C. J. Cooke

Published October 10th by Harper Collins UK
Thriller, Suspense, Gothic Fiction, Horror Fiction, Supernatural Ficiton

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Chilling and beautifully written … C.J. Cooke’s finest novel yet’ Emilia Hart, bestselling author of Weyward

Four hundred years separate them.

One book binds them.

Glasgow 2024: Clem waits by her daughter’s hospital bed. Erin was found on an idyllic beach in Fynhallow Bay, Orkney with catastrophic burns and only one memory: her name is Nyx.

But how did she get these burns? And how did her boyfriend end up burned alive?

Orkney 1594: accused of witchcraft, Alison Balfour awaits trial. The punishment? To be burned alive.

Separated by four hundred years but bound by the Book of Witching, two women stand imperilled. Can they unlock a centuries-old mystery? And will Fynhallow Bay give up its secrets before someone else dies?

Pre-order here *

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

Published October 10th by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Six friends. One remote hotel. A long-overdue reunion. Welcome to The Hitchcock Hotel…

‘Fans of Knives Out, Agatha Christie, and (of course) Alfred Hitchcock, rejoice! The Hitchcock Hotel is cool, classy – but such fun; reverent – yet so original.’ A.J. FINN

‘As twisty as a Hitchcock film’ ALEX MICHAELIDES

‘A scream from start to finish’ JANICE HALLETT

—

Alfred Smettle adores Hitchcock.

And who better to become founder, owner and manager of The Hitchcock Hotel, a remote, sprawling Victorian house sitting atop a hill in the beautiful White Mountains, New England. There, guests can find movie props and memorabilia in every room, round-the-clock film screenings, and an aviary with fifty crows.

For the hotel’s first anniversary, Alfred invites the five college friends he studied film with. He hasn’t spoken to any of them in sixteen years. Not after what happened. But who better to appreciate Alfred’s creation?

His guests arrive, and everything seems to go according to plan. Until one glimpses someone standing outside her shower curtain.

Another is violently ill every time she eats the hotel food. Then their mobile phones go missing.

You should always make the audience suffer as much as possible, right?

The guests are stuck in the middle of nowhere, and things are about to get even worse. After all, no Hitchcock set is complete without a dead body.

Pre-order here*

Dark As Night (An Arora Investigation, 4) by Lilja Siguardardottir

Published October 10th by Orenda Books
Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Crime Series, Suspense, Noir Ficiotn, Icelandic Noir. Romance Novel

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘A terrific tale with twist after twist … Lilja Sigurdardottir is fast becoming my favourite Icelandic crime writer’ The Times Book of the Month

When Áróra receives a call telling her that a child she’s never met is claiming to be her missing sister reincarnated, she is devastated … as ridiculous as the allegations might seem. For three years she has been searching for her sister without finding a single clue, and now this strange child seems to have new information.

On the same day, Icelandic detective Daníel returns home to find a note from his tenant, drag queen Lady Gúgúlú, giving notice on her flat and explaining that she has to leave the country. Daníel is immediately suspicious, and when three threatening men appear, looking for Lady, it’s clear to him that something is very wrong…

And as Iceland’s long dark nights continue into springtime, that is just the very beginning…

Twisty, intricately plotted and atmospheric, Dark as Night is the highly anticipated fourth book in the addictive An Áróra Investigation series, as Áróra and her friends face unimaginable danger and extraordinary experiences that may change everything, forever…

Pre-order here

The Mistletoe Mystery (Molly the Maid Book 3) by Nita Prose

Published October 10th by Harper Collins UK
Thriller, Cosy Mystery, Holiday Fiction, Short Stories

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
There’s a 5* Christmas mystery unfolding at The Regency Grand Hotel…

*Enter the world of Molly the Maid in this delightfully festive novella*

____

It’s the Christmas countdown at the Regency Grand, and Molly the maid is polishing up her holiday list.

• Deck halls
• Dust off decorations
• Buy Secret Santa gift
• Solve mystery?

A festive plot throws Molly off-kilter. Why does her beau, Juan Manuel, keep disappearing? And why are the hotel corridors filled with whispers?

Someone is keeping a secret. And, as Molly discovers, the answers to the mystery lie in a most unexpected gift…

Full of charm and feel-good festive cheer, The Mistletoe Mystery is the perfect stocking-filler this Christmas!

Pre-order here*

The Twelve by Liz Hyder

Published October 10th by Pushkin
Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Young Adult Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
FROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF BEARMOUTH, COMES THIS HAUNTINGLY MAGICAL NEW NOVEL, HAILED BY READERS AS A MODERN CLASSIC______

‘Hauntingly beautiful’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear

‘The Twelve reads like a modern classic, with echoes of Alan Garner, Marcus Sedgwick, and C.S. Lewis.’ Essie Fox

‘Dark, dreamy, surreal and beautiful.’ Katya Balen, author of October, October______

It’s supposed to be a treat for Kit, a winter holiday by the coast with her sister Libby and their mum. But when Libby vanishes into thin air, and no one else remembers her, Kit is faced with a new reality – one in which her sister never existed.

Then she meets Story, a local boy who remembers Libby perfectly. Together they embark on a journey beyond their wildest imagination into a world steeped in ancient folklore. Can Kit and Story uncover the secret of the Twelve and rescue Libby before Time runs out?

Pre-order here*

The Bone Diver by Angie Spoto

Published October 10th by Black & White Publishing
Fairy Tale, Gothic Ficiton, Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fantasy

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Kier Sealgair is the only daughter of a family of seal hunters. But as catches decline and the seals are dying the seal hunters and fishermen of the small town are struggling. Kier cannot kill and in hard times she is a burden to her family, especially now that her father is ailing. Her only friend is Fie, son of the town’s tailor, living with the knowledge that his father hoped for a daughter.

Near the town, high on the cliffs, is Erskine Manor. Servants come from the manor to the town to buy supplies but the family is never seen and rumours abound about them. Did the Lord kill the Lady? Are the five towers of the manor for the five daughters? Are the children of the manor even human, or are they taloned and spine-toothed monsters set to roam the overgrown walled grounds?

And then one day a woman arrives in Fie’s shop wanting an impossibly expensive dress for one of her daughters. She can only be Lady Erskine. And later, on the rocky shore Kier meets the same woman who offers her a bargain, one that could save Kier’s father.

Pre-order here*

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw

Published October 10th by HQ
Famtasy Fiction, Magical Realism, Contemporary Fantasy, Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
There is an old tale that weaves through the mountain town of Woodsmoke.

It whispers of a stranger who appears as the snow falls, only to disappear in spring.

Leaving behind a broken heart…

Carrie Morgan expects trouble when she returns to Woodsmoke after ten years.

What she does not predict is the beautiful stranger who walks into her life with the first frost and with whom Carrie begins to fall in love.

Bound to her family’s book of spells and a deep magic that flows from the mountains, Carrie’s family warn that her new love is a curse who will disappear when the frost thaws.

If Carrie is to embrace the power a Morgan woman carries, she must trade something in return.

But is lifting a curse worth any price?

Pre-order here*

What Does it Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella

Published October 10th by Bantam
Literary Fiction, Medical Fiction, Biographical Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘I laughed. And I cried. And then I thought about the meaning of life. A jewel of a book.’ JOJO MOYES

‘The bravest book you’ll read all year.’ JODI PICOULT

From Number One bestselling author Sophie Kinsella, an unforgettable story – by turns heartbreaking and life-affirming – of a renowned novelist facing a devastating diagnosis and learning to live and love anew.

‘What Does It Feel Like? is fiction, but it is my most autobiographical work to date. Eve’s story is my story.’ ― Sophie Kinsella

Eve is a successful novelist who wakes up one day in a hospital bed with no memory of how she got there. Her husband, never far from her side, explains that she has had an operation to remove the large, malignant tumour growing in her brain.

As Eve learns to walk, talk, and write again ― and as she wrestles with her diagnosis, and how and when to explain it to her beloved children ― she begins to recall what’s most important to her: long walks with her husband’s hand clasped firmly around her own, family game nights and always buying that dress when she sees it.

Recounted in brief anecdotes, each one is an attempt to answer the type of impossible questions recognizable to anyone navigating the labyrinth of grief. This extraordinary novella is a celebration of life, shot through with warmth and humour – it will both break your heart and put it back together again.

‘Why did I write such a personal book? I have always processed my life through writing. Hiding behind my fictional characters, I have always turned my own life into a narrative. It is my version of therapy, maybe. Writing is my happy place, and writing this book, although tough going at times, was immensely satisfying and therapeutic for me.’ – Sophie Kinsella

Pre-order here*

Home For Christmas by Heidi Swainn

Published October 10th by Simon & Schuster
Romance Novel, Romantic Comedy, Comedy Drama, Holiday Novel

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Bella is living her best life in Wynbridge, with her beloved Spaniel, Tink. She’s found a way to keep the house she inherited from her grandparents while expanding her dream business – Away With the Fairies – and she’s ecstatic that Christmas is on the horizon!
 
In fact, everything is perfect until family friend, Catherine Connelly asks Bella if she’d be willing to rent part of the house to freelance author, Jude who is researching the history of the Connelly Clan and Wynthorpe Hall ahead of turning his findings into a book. The plan had been for Jude to stay at the hall, but he can’t cope with the chaos and Bella reluctantly agrees to open her door to him.
 
Initially, the pair clash but then friendlier feelings begin to grow and Bella finds herself wondering if Jude could become more than just another guest before it’s time for him to leave. That is, until he announces he has no time for Christmas!
 
With her favourite time of the year suddenly in jeopardy, will Bella ever feel like she’s home for Christmas?

Pre-order here*

Curdle Creek by Yvonne Battle-Felton

Published October 10th by Dialogue Books
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Welcome to Curdle Creek. We’re dying to make you feel at home.

Osira, a forty-five-year-old widow, is an obedient follower of the strict conventions of Curdle Creek, an all-Black town in rural America governed by a tradition of ominous rituals designed to keep the residents safe.

Curdle Creek has one particularly strict policy: one in, one out.

And one day, it is Osira’s turn.

Forced into the great unknown. The sinister reality of her birthplace unravels around her. As she comes face-to-face with those she believed were lost, Osira must reckon with all she has ever been told and confront the insidious cruelties of inheritance.

Pre-order here*

Hear Him Calling by Carly Reagon

Published October 17th by Sphere
Gothic Ficiton, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Powerful, haunting and truly terrifying’ CHRIS WHITAKER, author of We Begin at the End

‘Beautifully written and epically scary’ ROSIE ANDREWS, author of The Leviathan

‘Carly Reagon is one to watch’ C. J. COOKE, author of A Haunting in the Arctic

DISCOVER THE GHOST STORY THAT WON’T LET YOU GO . . .

Kyle can barely remember his grandfather. So when they inherit his old house – a damp, secluded tower on the edge of a Welsh mountain village – Kyle and his wife, Lydia, feel they are moving into the home of a stranger.

From the start, Lydia hates the house: the disturbing paintings in the attic, the hostility of the locals, the peculiar light that pours through the kitchen window. Kyle thinks Lydia needs a break from London, from the nightmares and the panic attacks. But over the coming weeks, Lydia’s sense of dread only becomes more insistent, whilst Kyle is drawn to the house in ways he cannot explain.

Yet as winter approaches, cutting them off, the house must become their refuge. For outside, on the mountain, something is calling to them.

Something that has waited decades, and wants to be let in.

Pre-order here*

The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong

Published October 17th by Doubleday UK
Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Literary Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
**Soon to be a major Netflix TV series, starring Gong Yu and Seo Hyun-jin**

Read the gripping international feminist satire for fans of KIM JIYOUNG BORN 1982, CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN and YELLOWFACE.

‘So this is the world we live in, where even spouses can be rented’

Meet Noh Inji: thirty years old, five wedding rings so far, and she’s never once been in love.

When Inji takes a job at Wedding & Life, the popular matchmaking service, she never imagines her role will be with NM, their secretive marriage division that rents out ‘field spouses’ for a fixed period to their elite clientele. Just like a real marriage, Inji’s assignments involve a wedding, some sex and a spot of housework. It’s all tailored exactly to the client’s desires – no legal battles, no fights, no emotional baggage.

In no way is Inji interested in finding real love, because accidents happen when you mistakenly assume that you are somehow special.

When one of Inji’s old husbands, a mysterious high-profile music producer, requests her back for another year of marriage, Inji’s own dark past will begin to unravel – as well as the sinister underbelly of the NM management, who will stop at nothing to preserve their reputation – and that of their wealthiest clients …

Pre-order here*

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris

Published October 17th by Hodderscape
Fantasy Fiction, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Romantic Fantasy

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘An absolute joy to read’ TJ Klune
‘A whip-smart, lusciously atmospheric adventure’ Frances White
‘Fantastic and fresh’ Wesley Chu

In Belle Epoque Paris, a monster is murdering powerful men. Stopping it may be a woman’s job.

When the Gendarmes ask the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena for help, they don’t expect them to send Samantha Harker.

She’s a researcher, more used to papercuts than knife fights. Sam is also the daughter of Dracula’s killer and can see into the minds of monsters. It’s a perilous power, one that could help her crack this case ─ or have her thrown into an asylum.

Dr Helena Moriarty is Sam’s reluctant partner, the Society’s finest agent who has forged a formidable path in her notorious father’s shadow. Professor Moriarty is in hiding, but he still makes his presence known: Hel’s partners have a way of dying in mysterious circumstances.

From Paris’ glittering opera house to its darkest catacombs, the investigation pits Sam and Hel against magic, monsters, and men. And beneath their tenuous partnership, something else is growing . . .

But is trusting Hel the key to solving the murders? Or is Sam just another pawn in a Moriarty game?

With characters drawn from the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes, Strange Beasts is a twisty puzzle box of a historical fantasy ─ perfect for fans of Freya Marske, Theodora Goss, and Gail Carriger.

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Januaries by Olivie Blake

Published October 17th by Tor
Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tale, Romantic Fantasy, Poetry, Short Stories

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Dazzling stories of love, magic and betrayal . . .

A sensational collection from internationally bestselling author Olivie Blake.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, the spirit tethered to a magical bridge rapidly approaches burnout – and craves her freedom. Elsewhere, Congress enacts a complex auditing system designed to un-waste your youth. We also follow a banished fairy, as she answers a Craigslist ad. And we meet a Victorian orphan, who gains literacy for her occult situationship. In another time and place, a multiverse assassin contemplates the one who got away.

Escape the slow trudge of mortality with these magical ruminations on life, death and the love (or revenge) that outlasts both. This collection also features modified fairy tales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry and at least one set of actual wedding vows.

Januaries is collection of new and existing short stories from the internationally bestselling author Olivie Blake.

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Death Comes at Christmas by Various

Published October 22nd by Titan
Mystery, Historical Mystery, Festive Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
18 festive stories of murder and mystery in the grand tradition of Christmas crime fiction, from the masters of the genre.

Including the New York Times bestselling JT Ellison, USA Today bestseller Sam Carrington, Sunday Times bestseller C.L. Taylor, and many more…

The award-winning Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane invite you to a festive gathering of bestselling, critically acclaimed and award-winning writers in tribute to classic crime stories.

From locked room mysteries on Christmas Eve to devilish whodunits and tales of simmering rivalries unfolding at the dinner table, these eighteen seasonal tales will delight and shock at every twist and turn.

So, unwrap the presents, pour a mug of mulled wine and follow the bloodstained footprints through the freshly fallen snow as winter descends and darkness lurks in the shadows.

Featuring stories by:

Fiona Cummins
Angela Clarke
A. K. Benedict
Susi Holliday
J. T. Ellison
David Bell
Sarah Hilary
Claire McGowan
Tina Baker
Sam Carrington
Liz Mistry
C. L. Taylor
Helen Fields
Russ Thomas
Tom Mead
Vaseem Khan
Samantha Hayes
Belinda Bauer

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Spectacular (Caraval, 4) by Stephanie Garber

Published October 22nd by Hodderscape
Fantasy Ficiton, Fairy Tale, Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy Series, Coming-of-Age Story

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The #1 Sunday Times bestseller is back with a festive winter treat, set in the world of the bestselling Caraval series! With gorgeous interior illustrations by Rosie Fowinkle.Snowflakes are falling.Invitations are arriving.And holiday magic is swirling in the Capital City of the Meridian Empire.It’s Great Holiday Eve Eve. Scarlett Dragna is planning a spectacular Holiday celebration for the city.Donatella is searching for the perfect gift. Julian is looking ridiculously handsome in green.And Legend . . .Well, sadly Legend is not a fan of the Great Holiday. Tella is hoping her perfect gift will change his mind. Unfortunately, she hasn’t found this perfect gift just yet. But it is Great Holiday Eve Eve . . . surely there’s some holiday magic swirling around.Welcome, welcome back to the world of Caraval, where even holidays are not as they seem.Set after Stephanie Garber’s #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series, this delightful novella will take readers on the ultimate holiday adventure, full of clockwork boys, poisoned candy, impish snow globes, merriment, and-if Tella gets her way-love.Complete with gorgeous illustrations, this is the perfect edition for collectors, readers, dreamers, and lovers of holiday magic.

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Framed by John Grisham and Jim Mccloskey

Published October 22nd by Hodder & Stoughton
True Crime, Biography

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Ten wrongful conviction cases.
Twenty-one innocent people.
Framed tells ten stories with a truth more shocking than fiction.

John Grisham, the master of the legal thriller, teams up with Jim McCloskey, who has dedicated his life to exonerating innocent people, to uncover stories that shine an astonishing light on miscarriages of justice. All the cases in this book are simply extraordinary. And all are true.

Joe Bryan suffered the unbearable tragedy of his wife’s murder, only to be tried and found guilty of the crime himself – despite being 120 miles away at the time it was committed.

Clarence Brandley spent nine years on Death Row, coming to within six days of execution, before new evidence cleared him of all charges.

And in the case of the Norfolk Four, police and prosecutors continued to arrest innocent people until not one but four men were behind bars.

Impeccably researched and told with page-turning conviction, in Framed, these cases are finally laid bare.
Most importantly, they show how truth can prevail and how freedom can be won when all seems lost.

‘Each of these stories is told with astonishing power. They are packed with human drama, with acts of shocking villainy and breathtaking courage. But these are more than just gripping true stories – they are a clarion call for reforming the tragic flaws in our criminal justice system’ David Grann, New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon

Pre-order here*

The Bad Seeds (Sweetpea Book 5) by C. J. Skuse

Published October 24th by HQ
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Crime Series

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Sweetpea TV series starring Ella Purnell coming out on Sky Atlantic in October!

Readers LOVE C J Skuse

‘Perfect for fans of a snarky narrative’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I absolutely loved it’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sweetpea is coming home at last…

Newly married, with a loving family surrounding her, everything’s coming up roses for ex-serial killer Rhiannon Lewis, right?

Wrong.

Her husband has just been shot, and the daughter she left behind in the UK is desperately ill. She’s got no choice but to flee the States and return home, back to her roots, where she’s in danger of being recognised and arrested at any moment.

Only nothing is quite as it seems…

With a series of bad choices in front of her, and the authorities right behind, Rhiannon’s in a hell of a hole and she needs to dig herself out of it pronto. But help can come from the most unlikely places. And even more unlikely people…

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Eat Slay Love by Julie Mae Cohen

Published October 24th by Zaffre
Mystery, Satire, Dark Comedy, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Marina is a divorced mother of three preschoolers.
Lilah is a shy and lonely librarian.
Opal is a broke post-menopausal fitness guru.

These three strangers have nothing in common-except for the man who’s been lying to all of them. And who they are now holding hostage in a basement.

EAT, SLAY, LOVE is a book about making friends, finding joy, and discovering the woman you really are . . . though sometimes, becoming your best self involves committing abduction and murder.

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The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen

Published October 24th by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Noir Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A top saleswoman at a Finnish sauna company must outwit the police and a murderer when her boss is found dead … in a sauna. A darkly funny, tense new thriller from ‘The funniest writer in Europe’ (The Times)
 
‘The best comic crime novel you’ll read this year’ Abir Mukherjee
 
‘Showcases Antti’s trademark deadpan humour and crime plots focused on intriguingly quirky individuals. An utter delight’ Vaseem Khan
 
‘Just what you want from Antti Tuomainen, the brilliant moulding of apparent mundanity into a which-way-now thrill ride, with humour drier than a desert snake’s belly’ Ian Moore 
 
______ 


Saunas, love and a ladleful of murder…
 
A cold-blooded killer strikes at the hottest moment: the new head of a sauna-stove company is murdered … in the sauna. Who has turned up the temperature and burned him to death?
 
The evidence points in the direction of Anni Korpinen – top salesperson and the victim’s successor at Steam Devil.
 
And as if hitting middle-age, being in a marriage that has lost its purpose, and struggling with work weren’t enough, Anni realizes that she must be quicker than both the police and the murderer to uncover who is behind it all – before it’s too late…
 
From the international bestselling author of The Man Who Died and The Rabbit Factor, comes a darkly funny, delightfully tense new thriller that showcases humanity at its most bare – in middle age, suspected of murder and, of course, in a sauna…

Pre-order here
 

Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani

Published October 24th by Zaffre
Mystery, Cozy Mystery

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The brand new Christmas murder mystery from the author of The Twelve Days of Murder. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Alexandra Benedict and Janice Hallett’s The Christmas Appeal.

Christmas shopping can be murder.

It’s Christmas Eve at the Emporium, a bespoke gift shop hidden in the depths of London’s winding streets, where a select few shoppers are browsing its handcrafted delights.

But when they go to leave, they find the doors are locked and it isn’t long before they realise this is no innocent mix-up. The shoppers have been trapped here by someone who knows their darkest secrets, who will stop at nothing until they have all been unwrapped – and there is a gruesome gift waiting in Santa’s grotto . . .

For those that survive the night, it will be a Christmas to remember.

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Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson

Published October 24th by Michael Joseph
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Holiday Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Fun and diverting, with a plethora of red herrings’ New York Times

My name is Ernest Cunningham.

I’m not a detective. I just happen to have a knack for what makes mysteries – and murderers – tick. I’d hoped, this Christmas, that any killers out there might be willing to take a break for the holidays.

I was wrong.

So here I am, backstage at the Christmas show of world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just been murdered. From the magician’s assistant to the hypnotist, my suspects are all professional tricksters. Masters in the art of misdirection.

My clues are even more of a mystery:

A suspect covered in blood, with no memory of how it got there.
A murder committed without setting foot inside the room where it happens.
And an advent calendar. Because, you know. It’s Christmas.

Solving the murder is the only gift I want this year. But can I catch a killer, and make it home for Christmas alive?

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Till Death Do Us Part by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Published October 24th by HQ
Thriller, Suspense, Domestic Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A sumptuous, shocking, steamy thriller set in the vineyards of California’s Napa Valley. What happens when the husband you thought died years ago shows up alive?

🍇🍇🍇

Ten years ago, June’s beloved husband drowned on their honeymoon. Josh’s body was never found. Now, a decade later, June is finally ready to move on. She owns a natural wine bar in Brooklyn and is engaged to a patient, supportive man named Kyle. She’s excited to begin a new chapter in her life, enjoy a picture-perfect wedding, and start a family.

But out of the blue, she sees…him. Josh, her first husband. Is this just a hallucination from the guilt June carries about finally moving on, or is it possible that her husband never died in the first place?

June tries to forget about this vision, chalking it up to grief and nerves, but soon enough, she stumbles across a website for a winery in Napa, and the owner in the photo is identical to her dead husband. With her upcoming wedding looming and a fiancé who’s already worried she hasn’t left her past behind, June flies to Napa for answers. But she’s not prepared for all the secrets she’s about to unlock, because everything she thought she knew about her first love is a lie.

Till Death Do Us Part is a simmering, page-turning thriller brimming with revelations, betrayals, and shocking twists.

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An Academy For Liars by Alexis Henderson

Published October 24th by Bantam
Fantasy Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Ghost Story, Paranormal Fantasy

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Saturated with violence, desire, and power. It’s a book with blood on its lips, and I loved it completely.’ ALIX E. HARROW

‘Alexis Henderson is one of the best Gothic writers out there.‘ HANNAH WHITTEN

‘Dark academia stunner infused with Henderson’s signature style – it’s lush, atmospheric, imaginative and impossible to put down.’ RACHEL HARRISON

‘A modern-day Anne Rice, Henderson has a gift for creating a world engorged with desire and death.’ THE NEW YORK TIMES

Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.

Until she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to sit the entrance exam for somewhere very few have heard of – Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah.

Lennon has been chosen because – like everyone else at the school – she is special. She possesses the innate gift of persuasion: the ability to wield her will like a weapon and to use it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.
After passing the gruelling exam, Lennon must now learn how to master this devastating power.
While persuasion takes a heavy toll on her body and her mind, she is captivated by all that surrounds her – her studies, Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, her brilliant classmates and, most of all, by Dante, the charismatic adviser who both intimidates and enamours her.

But as Lennon becomes more adept at wielding her uncanny abilities, she uncovers more about the unsettling history of Drayton and Dante’s tragic and violent past, and is increasingly disturbed by what she finds.

For it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption and darkness . . . and it’s a test she’s terrified she is going to fail.

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We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado

Published October 24th by William Morrow
Horror Fiction, Thriller, Lesbian Literature

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The Other Black Girl meets Midsommar in this spine-chilling, propulsive psychological adult debut from highly acclaimed author Vincent Tirado, in which a married couple moves into a gated “community” that slowly creeps into a pervasive dread akin to the social horror of Jordan Peele and Lovecraft County—We Came to Welcome You cleverly uses the uncanny to illuminate the cultish, shocking nature of systemic racism.

Where beauty lies, secrets are held…ugly ones.

Sol Reyes has had a rough year. After a series of workplace incidents at her university lab culminates in a plagiarism accusation, Sol is put on probation. Dutiful visits to her homophobic father aren’t helping her mental health, and she finds her nightly glass of wine becoming more of an all-day—and all-bottle—event. Her wife, Alice Song, is far more optimistic. After all, the two finally managed to buy a house in the beautiful, gated community of Maneless Grove.

However, the neighbors are a little too friendly in Sol’s opinion. She has no interest in the pushy Homeowners Association, their bizarrely detailed contract, or their never-ending microaggressions. But Alice simply attributes their pursuit to the community motto: “Invest in a neighborly spirit”…which only serves to irritate Sol more.  

Suddenly, a number of strange occurrences—doors and stairs disappearing, roots growing inside the house—cause Sol to wonder if her social paranoia isn’t built on something more sinister. Yet Sol’s fears are dismissed as Alice embraces their new home and becomes increasingly worried instead about Sol’s drinking and manic behavior. When Sol finds a journal in the property from a resident that went missing a few years ago, she realizes why they were able to buy the house so easily…

Through Sol’s razor-sharp tongue and macabre sense of humor, Tirado explores the very real pressures to assimilate with one’s surroundings to “survive,” while also asking the question: Is it survival when you’re no longer your true self? Because in Maneless Grove, either you become a good neighbor—or you die.

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The Many Ghosts of Donahue Byrnes by Laura McLoughlin

Published October 24th by Black & White Publishing
Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Not all guests know when to check out . . .

A young waitress at a country hotel finds herself with a decades’ old mystery to solve – one she hopes will help rid the hotel of its most troublesome guests.
Its ghosts.

***

When Ballinadrum Hotel’s elderly owner Donahue Byrnes dies, twenty-two-year-old Mia Anne Moran discovers the spectral rumours that have long plagued the place are all too true. Meanwhile, Donahue’s son, Cormac, wants to sell up as soon as possible but finds his plans thwarted by the ghostly goings on.

Propelled by the belief that Donahue Byrnes intended to entrust her with the task, Mia strikes a deal with Cormac. She will act as concierge to the dead – keeping the hotel’s ghosts in line, as Donahue did previously – and in return, Cormac will sell the business in its entirety, ensuring the future of both the building and its employees.

But what drew Mia’s errant charges to Ballinadrum Hotel in the first place? If she can work out that, she might be able to send them on their way at last. Life is rarely straightforward though – especially when it involves the dead – and as Mia tries to solve the hotel’s ghostly conundrum, she begins to find hers changed in ways she couldn’t have anticipated . . .

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Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd

Published October 24th by HQ
Mystery, Crime Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Humorous Fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
It takes an organised mind to solve a well-planned crime …

❄️❄️❄️

Alice Beeton never meant to wind up single and childless on the wrong side of fifty. Like her distant relative Mrs Beeton – yes, that Mrs Beeton – she had hoped to have her own spic-and-span household by now. In reality, she lives in an immaculate but dingy basement flat in a rather shabby block in Kensington with Agatha, her fiercely intelligent, if rather over-territorial, corgi-Jack Russell cross.

Now Alice runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing discreet domestic staff to extravagant townhouses and sprawling country piles. So when Camille Messent calls in urgent need of a new housekeeper, Miss Beeton sends out new hire Enya. She’s rather forward but she does come with impeccable references and is fluent en français.

But in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Alice is rudely awakened with the news that Enya has been found dead. As the intriguing, if somewhat scruffy, Detective Rigby struggles to drum up an adequate investigation and the wealthy family and their party guests close rank, Miss Beeton takes it upon herself to solve the crime…

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The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke

Published October 24th by Bloomsbury
Fantasy Ficiton, Historical Fantasy

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
From the internationally bestselling and prize-winning author of Piranesi and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, an enchanting and haunting Christmas short story

**Named a book to look out for in 2024 by the Sunday Times, Guardian and BBC**

**A small hardback edition featuring an afterword by the author**

‘A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They’re the same thing really.’

Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees – and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.

One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst – and the path of her life is changed forever.

‘Like Hilary Mantel, Clarke has made the very notion of genre seem quaint’ Guardian
‘A miraculous and luminous feat of storytelling’ Madeline Miller

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Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz

Published October 29th by Sphere
Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Serial Killers

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
We assume we can spot a psychopath from across the room…

Nineteen years ago, Ruth-Anne Baker’s childhood friend was murdered by convicted killer, Ethan Oswald. With Oswald dead and the case closed, everybody tells Ruth it’s time to move on – but she believes there is more to the story.

And only the wilfully ignorant or easily duped would fall for their charms.

When another young girl goes missing from their small town, Ruth becomes convinced that Oswald had an accomplice, someone the police overlooked.

If no one has told you this yet – it’s not quite that simple.

So begins a journey that will draw Ruth across continents and perilously close to three women, each connected to Oswald in a different way. The deeper she delves, the more she suspects one of them knows the truth. About her childhood friend. About the missing girl. And, perhaps most dangerously of all, about Ruth herself…

Blending blisteringly taut suspense with a moving exploration of the ways in which violent crime ricochets through the lives of those left behind, Leave the Girls Behind is a darkly beautiful read that will linger long after you’ve turned the final page, for fans of Bright Young Women and Notes on an Execution.

Pre-order here*

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Are any of these on your wishlist? Let me know in the comments.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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