Published June 20th, 2024 by Sphere Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural
Today I’m finally sharing my review for the bat-shit crazy and totally brilliant, The Wrong Hands, which was one of the SquadPod Featured Books in July. Thank you to Sphere for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
‘Had me laughing out loud one minute and emotional the next. I’m excited to have found a new favourite detective’ — CLAIRE DOUGLAS
This is one case Miller won’t want to open . . .
Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Still desperate to solve the murder of his wife, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands.
Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne’er do well Wayne Cutler – a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife’s death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of.
Chuck in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.
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MY REVIEW:
The Wrong Hands was one of our SquadPod featured books in July and I’m finally getting around to sharing my review. I dived straight into this one after book one as I was so hooked that I couldn’t wait to read more.
Detective Declan Miller is shocked when a young man turns up on his doorstep with a briefcase containing a pair of severed hands. Miller immediately recognises the case as proof of a contract killing commissioned by local gangster Wayne Cutler – the man he suspects could also be responsible for his wife’s death. The case gives Miller leverage. But unfortunately Culter isn’t the only one who wants to get hold of this case…
I’m starting to realise that Mark Billingham writes books that are bat-shit crazy but totally brilliant. This time there are gangsters, a murderer obsessed with Midsomer Murders, a psychotic welder, a woman who is driven over the edge by a wayward Creme Egg, and Miller is still trying to identify his wife’s killer. But it totally works.. The writing is fantastic with Billingham seamlessly merging very British humour with heartstopping tension while also exploring topics such as grief, loss and morality, bringing them all together to create a captivating thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.
My love for Detective Miller has only been cemented with this book. He is just as unfiltered, sarcastic, cynical and dismissive of authority as he was before and still converses with his deceased wife, Alex, as a way to try and cope with his grief. It is through Miller that many of the difficult topics are explored, particularly grief, loss and acceptance. One particularly heartrending moment was Miller’s imagined goodbye to Alex, where Bingham explores the pain of the things we never got to say and how hard it can be to let those we love go. In terms of the other characters, I enjoyed how well Miller and his partner, Sara Xiu, worked together in this book. I also really enjoyed the greater insight into the criminal underworld this time around. We spend more time with the bad guys, getting a glimpse inside their minds, learning their motivations for a life of crime and how they rationalise their wrongdoings. We also saw the shades of grey that exist in all of us and how morality isn’t always a simple, black and white issue.
Tense, twisty and addictive, devoured this one quickly. Now I have to impatiently wait for book three. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001.
Sleepyhead was an instant bestseller in the UK. It has been sold widely throughout the world and was published in the USA in the summer of 2002.
A new series featuring DS Declan Miller began in 2023 with The Last Dance. The second in the series – The Wrong Hands – will be published in 2024.
Mark is also a regular contributor to radio and TV and is a member of the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a combo of bestselling crime and thriller writers who performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2019.
An acclaimed television series based on the Thorne novels was screened on Sky One in Autumn 2010, starring David Morrissey as Tom Thorne. A series based on the novels In The Dark and Time Of Death was screened on BBC1 in 2017.
Mark lives in London with his wife and two children. He is currently writing his next novel.
Published May 25th, 2023 by Sphere Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural
Welcome to my review for this gritty, original and addictive thriller. Thank you to Sphere for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
THE FIRST NEW SERIES FROM #1 BESTSELLER MARK BILLINGHAM IN 20 YEARS.
‘Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business’ — RICHARD OSMAN
Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated…
He’s a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority - and he’s the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller.
A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out?
Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle?
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MY REVIEW:
Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated…
Funny, warm, gritty and original, The Last Dance is a captivating start to what I am sure will become a must-read series. This is Mark Billingham’s first new series in twenty years, and while I hadn’t read any of his books, I had heard great things about them. So this new series seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally acquaint myself with this bestselling author.
Set in Blackpool, The Last Dance introduces us to Detective Declan Miller, a down-to-earth northerner who is unapologetically himself and has no respect for authority.He was happily married to Alex before her tragic murder six weeks ago and the book opens with his first day back at work. Everyone is concerned it’s too soon, but Miller insists he is going crazy at home and needs to work. He is assigned a new partner, DS Sara Xiu, and it isn’t long before a call comes in about a double murder in a hotel and the pair begin their first investigation. The two victims appear to be completely unrelated. So why were they both killed in the same hotel at the same time? Miller and Xiu attempt to solve the puzzle, leading them to a tangledweb of secrets that they must unravel. Running parallel to this is the investigation into Alex’s murder, which Miller is infuriated to not be a part of. He inevitably goes rogue, leading reprimands from his superiors. But could Miller’s unorthodox methods lead to clues that others have missed and finally get the answers he’s been waiting for.
Why did I wait so long to read this author? I was hooked from the start and I now understand why his books come so highly recommended. Billingham’s writing is simple but full of suspense, emotion and humour, his storylines are deceptively complex, and his characters are richly drawn and real. I listened to this on audiobook and was immediately pulled into the story, the brilliant narration merging with the other elements to create an unputdownable thriller that I devoured in under 24 hours.
But the star of this book is undoubtedly its endearing and likeable protagonist, Detective Declan Miller. Plain-speaking, deadpan, sarcastic and outgoing, he is a stereotypical northerner, which I loved as a northern girl myself. But there is more to him than his dry wit, no-nonsense attitude and disregard of authority; he is also a keen ballroom dancer and has two beloved pet rats named Fred and Ginger. Miller’s love for his late wife is evident on every page and it is obvious that they shared the kind of real love we all want to find. My heart broke for him losing her too soon and his raw grief was palpable, causing his loose grip on reality even as he used humour as a way to try to deflect and cope with the pain. I liked that the author created such a three-dimensional character, giving Miller a vulnerability and heart underneath the brusque northernness and avoided making him into a caricature. DS Sara Xiu – his new work partner – is Miller’s total opposite, but the pair soon learn how to work together. I loved their banter and how she would give Miller as good as she gets. They were a great pairing and I can’t wait to watch them investigate more cases.
Tightly plotted, tense and twisting, this is a strong start to a new series. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening free with my affiliate link*
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001.
Sleepyhead was an instant bestseller in the UK. It has been sold widely throughout the world and was published in the USA in the summer of 2002.
A new series featuring DS Declan Miller began in 2023 with The Last Dance. The second in the series – The Wrong Hands – will be published in 2024.
Mark is also a regular contributor to radio and TV and is a member of the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a combo of bestselling crime and thriller writers who performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2019.
An acclaimed television series based on the Thorne novels was screened on Sky One in Autumn 2010, starring David Morrissey as Tom Thorne. A series based on the novels In The Dark and Time Of Death was screened on BBC1 in 2017.
Mark lives in London with his wife and two children. He is currently writing his next novel.
It’s hard to believe, but we’re halfway through the year already. And the first month of the second half of 2024 is an incredible month for new releases. There are 50 books on this list and it was honestly difficult to get it down to that many.
So, here’s the books out in July that I’m most anticipating:
The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris
Published July 2nd by Gollancz Fairy Tale, Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel, Contemporary Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A sparkling modern fairytale… like reading champagne’ NATASHA PULLEY
The wait is over… Million-copy bestseller Joanne Harris is back with her first fantasy novel in 6 years – and this time it’s a love story.
Orphaned, lonely, and lost in his photography work, Tom has no intention of falling in love. And yet, love finds him in the shape of beautiful Vanessa, who lives a dangerous double life in the heart of London’s King’s Cross.
Tom’s pursuit of Vanessa leads him to discover an alternate world, hidden amongst the streets and rooftops of London – and inhabited by strange and colourful beings. In this mysterious realm, two ancient factions – one of night, one of day – have waged war for centuries over a forbidden love and a long-lost prince of sun and starlight.
But when Tom finds a secret market that appears only in moonlight, where charms and spells are bought with memories, he starts to wonder whether he’s been here before…
Romeo and Juliet meets Neil Gaiman in this spellbinding modern fairytale of fae courts, forbidden love, magical wars, lost princes, and secret worlds hidden just out of sight in the cavernous shadows of contemporary London – perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Samantha Shannon.
Published July 2nd by Scribner Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the author of the Read with Jenna Bonus Pick A Little Hope, an uplifting and emotionally resonant novel set in a Delaware beach town about a local restaurant owner at a turning point.
Three generations of Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant and Jack has been at the helm since the death of his father. Jack puts the demands of the restaurant above all else, with a string of failed relationships, no hobbies, and no days off as proof of his commitment to the place. He can’t remember the last time he sat on the beach, or even enjoyed a moment to himself.
Meanwhile, the DelDine group has been gradually snapping up beloved eateries along this stretch of coast and are pursuing Jack with a very generous offer to take Schmidt’s off his hands.
Jack craves companionship and maybe even a family. He wonders if closing the door on the restaurant might open a new window for him. But who would he be without Schmidt’s, and can he trust DelDine’s claims that they will continue to employ his staff and honor his family’s legacy?
When he receives startling news from the past, Jack begins to reshape his life and forge unexpected new friendships. But will he really let go of the very things that have defined him?
Published July 2nd by Hodder & Stoughton Suspense, Horror Fiction, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The worst thing ever to happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard.
On 15 July 1994, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend Billy fell asleep in a tent on a manicured lawn in a quiet New Jersey cul-de-sac. But in the morning, Ethan woke up alone – the tent had been sliced open with a knife, and Billy was gone. Never to be seen again.
Thirty years later, Ethan has returned to his childhood home, still desperate for answers. Who took Billy?
Every night, he’s kept awake by strange disturbances on the street, happening under the cover of darkness. Are they still out there?
This isn’t a bad neighbourhood. These aren’t bad people. Are they?
Published July 4th by Michael Joseph Fairy Tale, Historical Fiction, High Fantasy, Mythology, Adventure Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati’s Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction’ BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN
‘An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read. . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel, in the passions and power struggles of its fascinating protagonists, all of whom completely captured my heart‘ ELODIE HARPER, author of The Wolf Den _____
There are whispers of her fame, in the land long since turned to dust. The Queen who rose from nothing – and changed everything . . .
Ancient Assyria, 9th century BC.
An orphan is raised on the outskirts of a brutal empire. Heir to a tragic prophecy, Semiramis dreams of wielding power and escaping her destiny.
Far away, a reluctant prince walks the corridors of his gilded palace in a city built by the gods. Ninus would rather spend his days in books and poetry than conquering the world of men. But when he meets Onnes, a broken, beautiful warrior, something awakens in them both. And as they grow into young men, their friendship deepens into something fiercer still.
That is until Semiramis arrives.
A savage love soon erupts between them all, even as a dark threat to the kingdom mounts. And before long, all three will be forced to learn the lesson of the gods – in Babylonia, you must bend the world to your will.
Published July 4th by Orenda Books Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Adventure Fiction, Gay Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Set in the buried streets of Georgian London and the outrageous underworld of the molly houses, a carpenter hiding a double life searches for a traitor who is betraying the secrets of the mollies. The visceral, raucous, tender and enchanting historical thriller by the award-winning author of The Spirit Engineer.
‘A rare gem of a novel. Gloriously gritty … a darkly thrilling romp in 18th century London that simmers with sinister menace and illicit temptation’ Susan Stokes-Chapman
‘Really very, very good’ Stephen Fry
***WINNER OF THE HWA DEBUT CROWN*** _________________
The only sin is betrayal…
It is the year 1715, and Thomas True has arrived on old London Bridge with a dangerous secret. One night, lost amongst the squalor of London’s hidden back streets, he finds himself drawn into the outrageous underworld of the molly houses.
Meanwhile, carpenter Gabriel Griffin struggles to hide his double life as Lotty, the molly’s stoic guard. When a young man is found murdered, he realises there is a rat amongst them, betraying their secrets to a pair of murderous Justices.
Can Gabriel unmask the traitor before they hang? Can he save hapless Thomas from peril, and their own forbidden love?
Set amidst the buried streets of Georgian London, The Betrayal of Thomas True is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true sin is betrayal…
Published July 4th by Orion Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Psychlogical Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Crime Series
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A city on the brink. A mother on the edge. A nightmare that only DI Helen Grace can end. Sometimes, the darkest secrets hide in plain sight…
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
A gang war grips the city, and the police force is under fire from all sides. But Detective Inspector Helen Grace defies direct orders as she becomes drawn to the case of a missing teenager.
LOST BUT NOT ALONE
Naomi’s mother is desperate for help – and Helen is her only hope. Keeping the investigation secret, she finds a disturbing trail of questions – and more who have vanished off the streets…
WILL THEY FIND HER IN TIME?
Sometimes, the truth hides in plain sight. But proving it is another matter entirely. The clock is ticking – and the only person looking for Naomi is about to meet her match.
Published July 4th by Quercus Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fition
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Author of the Costa-prizewinning, world-wide bestseller The Tenderness of Wolves, Stef Penney, returns to her snow-covered heartland in this tense mystery set in a small Scandinavian town.
Nordland. A region in the Norwegian Arctic; a remote valley that stretches from the sea up to the mountains and glaciers.
It is May in what was once a prosperous mining community. The snows are nearly gone and it’s a time of spring and school-leavers’ celebrations – until Daniel, a popular teenage boy, goes missing. Conflicting stories circulate among his friends, of parties and wild behaviour.
As the search for Daniel widens, the police open a disused mine in the mountains. They find human remains, but this body has been there for decades, its identity a mystery.
Everyone in this tight knit, isolated community is touched by these events: misanthropic Svea, whose long life in the area stretches back to the heyday of the mines, and beyond. She has cut all ties with her family, except for her granddaughter, Elin, an outsider like her grandmother. Elin and her friend Benny, both impacted by Daniel while he was alive, become entangled in the hunt for answers, while Svea has deep, dark secrets of her own.
Published July 4th by Century Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Superhero Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Breaking the Dark, the first book in the brand-new Marvel Crime series, introduces fans to a grittier, street-level side of the Marvel Universe, and will continue with original novels featuring fan-favorite characters like Luke Cage, written by S.A. Cosby, and Daredevil, written by Alex Segura. _____________
‘Absolutely perfect’ Booklist ‘The pace doesn’t let up, the characters never once slip. Tricksy, endlessly interesting and pure entertainment, don’t miss this one.’ Gillian McAllister ‘The perfect blend of psychological thriller and supernatural chiller. Lisa’s huge army of fans will love it.’ Mark Edwards _____________
Meet Jessica Jones: a private investigator and retired super hero based out of Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, who goes from job to job as a hard living, rough talking, loner.
And then a wealthy Upper East Side woman pays her a visit. Amber Randall is concerned about her twin sixteen-year-olds, Lark and Fox, who have acted and looked very different since they returned from spending the summer with their British father in the UK. She tells Jessica that her children have unnaturally perfect skin for teenagers and have lost all the tics and habits that made them who they were. They are not Lark and Fox, she tells Jessica. Something has happened to them.
To find out more, Jessica travels to Essex to talk to their father and once there meets Belle who is living a curiously isolated existence in a run-down farmhouse with her guardian Debra. Jessica knows that Lark and Fox had spent the summer with Belle―but can this unworldly teenager really be responsible for Lark and Fox’s new personas?
Jessica soon discovers that, behind Belle and Debra, evil geniuses are playing a dangerous game with technology in order to make the world a “better place”, not caring who gets hurt, maimed or even killed in the process. Can Jessica stop them from wreaking destruction on a whole generation of young people?
Nothing is certain in Lisa Jewell’s gripping and most imaginative novel yet.
Published July 4th by Orion Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Humorous Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Hannah’s love life? Dying. Career? Dead. New pen pal? Deadly.
Hannah Wilson can’t text her ex again – it’s too sad. She can’t snap back at the new boss who took her promotion either – she’ll be fired. But what she can do is write a series of furious letters to William Thompson, arrested for the murders of multiple women he got close to.
You’re a monster, I hope you know that.
I want you to listen when I tell you that I’ll never be able to go on a date again without thinking of you. Every moment I will wonder whether he wants to love me or murder me.
Hannah’s shocked when William writes back, each response more surprising than the last. And as communication tips from curiosity to obsession, Hannah has to wonder if William might be innocent, and whether she even wants him to be…
Published July 4th by Hodder & Stoughton Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Dark Humour
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Can you come round?’ Dad says tremulously. ‘Of course. Are you OK? Is it Mum?’ ‘No!’ He almost shouts it. ‘Just come quickly. The garden…the…body… we need you, Penny.’ For women of Penny’s generation, being on hand for elderly parents is just part of life. But for Penny, things have become a little more serious…
When she receives a frantic phone call from her parents one night, with express instructions NOT to call the police, Penny rushes over at once. But they haven’t had a fall. They haven’t forgotten their computer passwords. They’ve killed someone. And his body is lying in the garden, right next to the rose bushes. Everyone is capable of murder. They just need to meet the right person.
Published July 4th by Bantam Thriller, Suspense, Psychlogical Thriller, Crime Ficiton, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ⭐ The White Lotus meets Lucy Foley’s The Guest List in this chilling, sun-soaked thriller about three vengeful women, a beautiful island resort, and the darkest of secrets. ⭐
‘A sublime thriller, an absolute scorcher. I loved it!‘ – ANDREA MARA, No. 1 bestselling author of No One Saw a Thing
‘A whip-smart, fun, and stylish novel – I raced through it.‘ GILLIAN McALLISTER, No.1 bestselling author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Best friends Darcy, Camilla and Kate have just landed in to the Maldives for a luxury holiday at the exclusive Sapphire Island Resort.
They can’t wait for ten days of scorching sun, crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches – and the chance to put a traumatic shared past behind them.
But what awaits them is a murderous revenge plot that none of them saw coming.
Published July 4th by Bloomsbury Publishing Historical Romance, Biographical Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Living with him was like living at the centre of the universe. It was electrifying and humbling, blissful and destructive, all at the same time.’
Paris, 1936. When Dora Maar, a talented French photographer, painter and poet, is introduced to Pablo Picasso, she is mesmerized by his dark and intense stare. Drawn to his volcanic creativity, it isn’t long before she embarks on a passionate relationship with the Spanish artist that sometimes includes sadism and masochism, and ultimately pushes her to the edge.
The Paris Muse is the fictionalized retelling of this disturbing love story, as we follow Dora on her journey of self-discovery and expression. Set in Paris and the French Riviera, where Dora and Pablo spent their holidays with their glamorous artist friends, it provides a fascinating insight into how Picasso was a genius who side-stepped the rules in his human relationships as he did in his art. Much to Dora’s torment, he refused to divorce his wife and conducted affairs with Dora’s friends. The Spanish Civil War made him depressed and violent, an angst that culminated in his acclaimed painting ‘Guernica’, which Dora documented as he painted.
As the encroaching darkness suffocates their relationship – a darkness that escalates once the Second World War begins and the Nazis invade the country – Dora has a nervous breakdown and is hospitalized.
Atmospheric, intense and moving, The Paris Muse is an astonishing read that ensures that this talented, often overlooked woman who gave her life to Picasso is no longer a footnote.
Published July 4th by Dialogue Books Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: What if the price of moving forward is losing the only family you’ve ever known?
Summer, 1987. On the sweltering streets of the dying New England mill town of Swift River, sixteen-year-old Diamond Newbury is desperately lonely. It’s been seven years since her father disappeared, and while her mother is determined to move on, Diamond can’t distance herself from his memory. When Diamond receives a letter from a relative she has never met, she unearths long-buried secrets of her family’s past and discovers a legacy she never knew she was missing. The more she learns, however, the harder it becomes to reconcile her old life with the one she wants to lead.
So begins an epic story spanning the twentieth century that reveals a much larger picture of prejudice and love, of devotion and abandonment – and will change Diamond’s life forever.
Published July 4th by Manilla Press Suspense, Thriller, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A brilliant, cinematic and gripping family drama sure to cause a stir in the book clubs and living rooms everywhere, THE DIVORCE explores the unravelling of a marriage from first the wife, then the husband’s point of view, as the picture becomes more nuanced and long-held secrets are unearthed . . .
There are two sides to every story . . .
Together for more than thirty years, Bea and Niklas live a comfortable life in Stockholm. But one evening, following a trivial argument, Niklas disappears. Weeks pass before it emerges that he has met someone else. To Bea’s horror, he insists they must divorce.
But is this divorce really coming out of the blue? Is the person who does the leaving always the one at fault? What emerges once you begin scratching the surface?
Published July 4th by Tor Romantic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Romance Novel, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Thriller, Supernatural Ficiton, Dystopian Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Set in an alternate day New York filled with monsters, The Wren in the Holly Library is a dark, spicy romantasy loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast – perfectfor fans of V.E. Schwab and Leigh Bardugo.
She stole from a monster . . . now she must pay the price
Street thief Kierse should have known something wasn’t right. Now she’s trapped in a library ― with a monster. She can’t run. She can’t hide. And this man – this being, filled with terrible power and darkness ― is well within his rights to kill her.
By trespassing, Kierse has broken the fragile peace treaty between monsters and humans. But instead of killing her, Graves does the unexpected: he offers her a job. A chance to find out who she really is.
Kierse has always known she’s different. That she can do things a little better, a little faster. And there’s that sense she has when danger is only a breath away. But if the old tales are true, there are worse things in the world than monsters.
Like a threat more ancient than legend. Like Graves. Or like Kierse herself . . .
From bestselling author K. A. Linde comes the start of an addictive dark romantasy series where monsters live among humandkind, and ancient secrets threaten to destroy everything . . .
Pre-order here*
Cursed Under London by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch
Published July 4th by Farrago Romantasy, Historical Fantasy, Supernatural Fiction, Magical Realism
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The hilarious first novel in a cosy and inclusive historical romantasy series by the writer of Horrible Histories
Two strangers.
Two Londons.
Two hearts that won’t stop beating…
In an alternative Elizabethan London, Fang awakes from his death to discover he is not quite human anymore. In fact, despite having somehow acquired the power of immortality, he’s also not quite vampire, zombie, werewolf or any of the other supernatural beings who roam the twin cities of Upper London and its underground counterpart, Deep London.
A jaded traveller from the Ming Empire, Fang is desperate to find a way to reverse the spell and get on with being dead when he stumbles upon Lazare de Quitte-Beuf, a theatrical Frenchman who is afflicted with the same mysterious condition. Thrown together by the curse they share, the two men set out to undo the strange magic that binds them. As they are drawn further into the shadowy world of Deep London, they unearth a dangerous plot which they appear to be right in the middle of…
And, surely, when in grave danger, the worst thing they could do would be to fall in love, wouldn’t it?
Published July 4th by Simon & Schuster UK Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Bryony doesn’t actually mind being single. So she doesn’t understand why she keeps seeing (ok, sleeping with) Ed, who is perfectly fine, but also only okay. After developing the ick on their fifth date, she resolves to end things – only to receive a call the next day telling her Ed has died.
Worse yet, he seems to have represented her to his family and friends as his great love. Obviously, it would be cruel to correct them. Then she’s invited to the funeral. It would be equally rude to refuse… right?
Before she knows it, Bryony has been drawn in by the charisma and chaos of Ed’s eccentric family and tangled in a web of her own lies. She’s been guilted into signing up to his sister’s pyramid scheme, she’s in far too deep with several of his nearest and dearest – and to make matters worse she’s experiencing a lot of physical symptoms that are becoming harder and harder to ignore…
Probably Nothing is the answer to just how far sheer awkwardness can take someone. Peppered with Lauren Bravo’s irresistible wit, it explores the relatable modern cults of wellness and people-pleasing, and digs into the eternal dilemma: life is short – so should you settle for perfectly fine?
Published July 4th by Harper Collins UK Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Super sweet, seriously spicy, laugh out loud funny – and if you’re obsessed with BookTok you will feel completely seen and heard. Lindsey Kelk is the Taylor Swift of romance writing – she makes me PROUD to be a romance reader!’ DAISY BUCHANAN
‘I really loved it … What’s great about Lindsey’s main characters is you stick to them like glue from the very first page, you feel you know them, you root for them from the off’ JUSTIN MYERS, THE GUYLINER
She’s a small-town schoolteacher, he’s a hotshot creative director. Together, it’s hate at first sight.
Sophie Taylor has a secret and Joe Walsh is the last person she’d tell. He’s devilishly handsome, incredibly hot – and far too sure of himself.
But Sophie desperately needs his help.
Because she’s not just hiding something small. She is Este Cox, the mysterious romance author the entire world is desperate to unmask.
When a trip to the countryside means sharing a cottage with only one bed, it’s a short step to sharing a whole lot more besides… Can Sophie trust Joe with the truth – and be herself?
A once-in-a-generation story. A novel you’ll never forget.
From the New York Times bestselling author ________________________
Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars.
Some said the Van Laars deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son.
Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy.
Now, fifteen years later, the daughter the family had in their grief has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren’t connected.
Published July 4th by Zaffre Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Police Procedural
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Perfect for fans of Belinda Bauer and Ruth Ware, DEAD MILE is the most relatable locked-room mystery you’ll ever read, set on a gridlocked motorway during rush hour
Friday afternoon, and the traffic is bloody murder.
Sergeant Belinda ‘Billy’ Kidd is driving home from the airport, jet-lagged and ready to resign from a career that has left her traumatised. Menopause has robbed her confidence too – now she’s a traffic cop who’s afraid to drive. When brake lights haemorrhage up the motorway, the cars grind to a halt. Moments later she finds a dead driver in a black sedan.
He has a metal skewer in his neck. But how? The killer can’t have left the scene without being spotted by the dozens of witnesses – so he must still be there, among them. If the traffic jam stays put, they’re all in danger; if the traffic clears, she’ll lose her suspect. The clock is ticking, but she doesn’t know how fast.
Published July 4th by Fourth Estate Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story, Political Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: It is the summer of 1969 and Rome is awash with glamour and intrigue. Teddy Huntley Carlyle is fresh off a plane from Texas with a new husband in tow and a new life on the horizon. After some wayward years of bad men and bad decisions, she’s promised herself a fresh start. In Rome, Teddy will be good. She will wear the right clothes and the perfect lipstick and she will charm her husband’s colleagues at the Embassy.
And Teddy is good, until the Fourth of July, when her new life explodes with the fireworks above her head. She is caught on camera in the arms of the American ambassador just moments after spotting a man from the darkest corner of her past across the room. There it is: the evidence of her depravity on film. Trying to recover the photographs and keep her reputation intact, Teddy descends into the dark underbelly of the city… but is she in over her head?
Published July 4th by Bloomsbury Publishing Historical Ficiton, Romance Novel, Humorous Fiction, Historical Romance, War Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: London, 1944. The air raid sirens are blaring, the bombers are hovering. England has been at war with Germany for four years, and there’s no sign of peace coming. Dot Gallagher, newly arrived from Liverpool to offer her services as a nurse, hurries from her Red Cross hostel to the tube station to join the crowds of people taking shelter. A group of GIs have started dancing around a wind-up gramophone, and it doesn’t take long for Dot to join them. As she jives along with one of the American soldiers, he tells her about Rainbow Corner, a social club in Piccadilly for US troops. There is always a demand for dance hostesses there, women who know how to jitterbug and rock’n’roll, to dance with the soldiers. Would Dot like to apply?
As Dot discovers, Rainbow Corner is like no other place, an oasis in London where, once inside, the constraints of wartime Britain disappear. There is no rationing, all luxuries are available, including a constant stream of donuts, chewing gum and cola. There are restaurants and cafes, boxing matches and movies, and, much to Dot’s delight, a huge dance hall. Rather like an Embassy, Rainbow Corner is essentially a plot of America in central London.
It is there that Dot becomes firm friends with many of the other hostesses, and in particular with Lilly, who works for the Colonel.
Meet Me at Rainbow Corner follows the lives of Dot, Lilly and their friends, as they dance the nights away, fall in and out of love, and navigate the horrors of war. Lilly goes on a secret mission with her Colonel to France, and Dot becomes pregnant and returns to Liverpool. When the war is over, they are re-united, having travelled by boat to the US with countless other war brides to meet their repatriated fiancés again. Along the way, they uncover a case of inside espionage and learn the true meaning of love.
More Days at the Morisaki Bookshopby Satoshi Yagisawa
Published July 4th by Manilla Press Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: THE EMOTIONAL AND LIFE-AFFIRMING NEW NOVEL FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF DAYS AT THE MORISAKI BOOKSHOP TRANSLATED FROM JAPANESE BY ERIC OZAWA
In Tokyo, there is a neighbourhood with the highest number of bookstores in the world. It is called Jimbocho where book lovers can browse to their heart’s delight and where hunters of first editions or autographed copies prowl the bookcases.
The Morisaki bookshop, a small family-run shop, is so packed with books that barely five people can fit inside. Books crowd the shelves and invade every corner of the floor; when a customer arrives, the owner, Satoru, immediately pops out from behind the counter. Recently, his wife Momoko has joined him, and often, in her free time after work, their niece Takako also helps out.
For the first time, the girl does not feel lonely; she has new friends and new rituals to keep her company: the annual Jimbocho festival, the café around the corner, or an unexpected visitor. Because, as she has discovered, a bookstore is populated not by the characters contained in the books, but also by those who frequent it. And those stories create bonds.
As a sign of gratitude, Takako gives her aunt and uncle a trip, promising to look after the shop while they are away. Everything seems to be going swimmingly, but then why is Satoru behaving so strangely? And what does that woman with the red umbrella want who has appeared at the end of the street? How many other stories, emotions, and treasures does the Morisaki bookshop hold? Loved by thousands of readers worldwide, More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a story of hope, friendship and the healing power of books. Will we see you in the bookshop this summer?
Published July 11th by Bantam Historical Ficiton, Fairy Tale, Myths, Supernatural Fiction, Adventure Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A gorgeous historical novel about the legend of female poisoner Giulia Tofana, brimming with rich detail and intrigue.’ C. J. COOKE, author of The Lighthouse Witches
Rome, 1656
In the shadowy backstreets of the Eternal City lies an apothecary – a place for women to take their heartbreaks and troubles. Herbs for childbirth. Tarot readings to tell their fortunes. An undetectable poison that can kill in four drops.
Alongside her circle of female poisoners, Giulia Tofana dispenses her deadly potion to free the downtrodden women of the city from their abusive husbands.
But even in a time of plague, it does not go unnoticed when the men of Rome begin to fall like flies.
With a newly elected Pope hell-bent on ridding the city of heretics and witches, and the Holy Office of the Inquisition on her tail, Giulia is in more danger than ever. . .
How far will she go for the women who need her help?
Published July 11th by Viking Historical Ficiton, Biographical Ficiton, Political Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: FROM THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF CECILY
‘Elegant and propulsive . . . I had to fight myself to put it down’ A.K. Blakemore ‘History at its most powerful: intimate and personal, visceral and devastating’ Jennifer Saint ‘Family dynamics at their most fierce – timeless and brilliant!’ Kate Sawyer
——
1461. Through blood and battle Edward has gained England’s throne – king by right and conquest – eighteen years old and unstoppable. Cecily has piloted his rise to power and stands at his shoulder now, first to claim the title King’s Mother.
But to win a throne is not to keep it and war is come again. As brother betrays brother, and trusted cousins turn treacherous, other mothers rise up to fight for other sons. Cecily must focus her will to defeat every challenge. Wherever they come from. Whatever the cost.
For there can be only one King, and only one King’s Mother.
From the Wars of the Roses to the dawn of the Tudor age, this is a story of mothers and sons; of maternal ferocity and female ambition – of all they can build and all they can destroy.
Published July 11th by Viper Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Women Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A fresh new voice in crime fiction’ – JANICE HALLETT ‘Funny, sad, witty and very engaging’ – EMMA CURTIS ‘Darkly funny and deftly plotted’ – ALICE CLARK-PLATTS
Everyone needs a hobby…
Things haven’t been going well for Beth. Her husband has left her for one of her friends. Her fellow school mums judge her for swearing too much and not shifting the baby weight. And now she’s stuck in A&E after her son fell off the climbing wall on the first day of school.
In fact, things haven’t been going well for Beth since Charlotte died – her best friend, a favourite at the school pick-ups and the only person to ever run an interesting PTA meeting. But after being hit by a car while on an ill-timed evening jog, Charlotte is no longer there to help Beth pick up the pieces of her increasingly difficult life.
That is, until Beth discovers that Charlotte left her toddler alone in the house during that fatal run. The Charlotte she knew would never do something so irresponsible, and suddenly Beth is questioning whether Charlotte’s death was really an accident. With a newfound purpose and a glass of wine in hand, it’s time for Beth to uncover what really happened to her best friend. And what better place to start than the circle of chatty school mums, who can’t be as perfect as they pretend. But which of them is hiding something? Beth’s determined to find out. Once she’s put the kids to bed, of course…
Published July 11th by Picador Coming-of-Age Story, LGBT Literature, Gay Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘You know those books that you take with you everywhere? That you won’t stop talking about to your friends? That bring it all back? That change you? Anyone’s Ghost is that book’ – Junot Diaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
IT TOOK THREE CAR CRASHES TO KILL JAKE
The lonely life of fifteen-year-old Theron David Alden is transformed when he meets Jake. Older, cooler, more confident and startlingly beautiful, Jake likes the same bands, the same drugs, and has the same drive to oblivion.
Over the course of two decades, Theron and Jake get high, drift apart, and are brought hurtling back together, until a final collision tears them apart forever.
Theron wants Jake, and he wants to be Jake. But is Jake brave enough to want him back?
A gorgeous modern love story about the lives that change us, and the loves that haunt us, Anyone’s Ghost will break your heart.
Hell’s Bells (Professor Eustace Rose Mystery 2) by Jill Johnson
Published July 11th by Black & White Publishing Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Women Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: After a nerve-racking investigation, Professor Eustacia Rose’s life is returning to normal. She is finally back teaching at UCL and her relationship with Matilde is blossoming. But when a man is found dead with a needle in his neck, and a disturbing painting of Eustacia links her and the body, her fragile peace suddenly begins to crumble.
At work, there’s another threat for Eustacia to deal with. A PhD student is desperate to get access to her poisonous plant collection and begins to stalk her. When she refuses to help him, he starts buying illegal synthetic plant toxins from an unknown source then turns up dead. Once again, Eustacia is the link.
With no leads and the body count rising, Eustacia, now firmly in the frame, is left with no choice but to investigate the deaths in earnest herself, however dangerous it may become.
Published July 11th by Tor Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Perfect for fans of Travis Baldree and TJ Klune, The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is a cosy fantasy tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams and even sweeter romance.
‘Reading this book was like sitting in the sun . . . a warm, peaceful delight of a novel’ – Katherine Arden, author of The Bear and the Nightingale
Every home needs a little magic . . .
Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.
She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, Kiela and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. But to her dismay, in addition to a nosy – and very handsome – neighbour, she finds the town in disarray.
The empire has slowly been draining power from the island, and now Kiela is determined to make things right. But opening up her own spellshop comes with its own risks – the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela starts to make a place for herself among the townspeople, she realizes she must break down the walls she has kept so high . . .
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, The Spellshop is a cottagecore cosy fantasy following a woman’s unexpected journey through the low-stakes market of illegal spell-selling and the high-risk business of starting over.
Published July 16th by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: “I love, love, love Lizzy Dent.”–Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Olive Stone is about to spend four weeks in Italy with the most beautiful man she’s ever hated.
When Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci slipped right in as his surrogate son and sous-chef. No one is more surprised than Olive when her father wills her his beloved (and now failing) restaurant. Or that his dying wish was for Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook…together.
She’s determined to sell the restaurant. Leo is determined to convince her not to. As they embark on four weeks in Italy, traveling from Sicily to Tuscany to Liguria, they’ll test each other as often as they test recipes. But the more time Olive and Leo spend together, the more undeniable their attraction grows. Olive finds herself wondering whether selling the restaurant might be running away, and what it might be like to try Just One Taste of Leo Ricci. Because he isn’t who she expected, and this trip might reveal more about who Olive is than she’s ready for.
Published July 16th by Orion Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A missing persons mystery, a serial killer thriller, and an epic love story – with a unique twist on each…
* * * * *
Late one summer, the town of Monta Clare is shattered by the abduction of local teenager Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley. Nobody more so than Saint Brown, who is broken by her best friend’s disappearance. Soon, she will eat, sleep, breathe, only to find him.
But when she does: it will break her heart.
Patch lies in a pitch-black room – all alone – for days or maybe weeks. Until he feels a hand in his. Her name is Grace and, though they cannot see each other, she takes him from the darkness and paints their world with her words. In this hopeless place, they fall in love.
But when he escapes: there is no sign she ever even existed.
To find her again, Patch charts an epic search across the country. And, to set him free, Saint will shadow his journey: on a darker path to hunt down the man who took them.
Even if finding the truth means losing each other forever…
The Black Bird Oracle (All Souls Book 5) by Deborah Harkness
Published July 16th by Headline Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Thriller, Supernatural Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Fantasy Series
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Diana Bishop journeys to the darkest places within herself – and her family history – in the highly anticipated fifth novel of the beloved Number One Sunday Times bestselling All Souls series.
The first shadows fall on a Friday afternoon when a single, dying raven lands on the pavement in front of Diana Bishop, harbinger of an invitation that reads, ‘It’s time you came home, Diana’.
Diana is a witch and scholar; her husband Matthew Clairmont, a vampire. Their intense love for one another awoke the dark powers within her and dissolved the Covenant between the three species – Witch, Daemon and Vampire – that live alongside humans. Now, the governing Congregation has decided it must test the magical powers of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Becca. Concerned with their safety, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family’s future and travels to Ravenswood, the Proctor family home.
There, Diana begins a new era, becoming her great aunt Gwyneth’s pupil in higher magic. It’s time to confront her family’s past – and her own, inescapable desire for greater power.
Number One bestselling author Deborah Harkness returns to her beloved All Souls world with a triumphant novel that sweeps back to the Salem Panic and illuminates Diana’s family history in new and thrilling ways.
The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst by Katie Lumsden
Published July 18th by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife… But why would he choose her?
Summer 1841. It is marriage season in the county of Wickenshire, and Miss Amelia Ashpoint isn’t sure she can face yet another ball. But now that she has reached the grand age of three-and-twenty, time is (apparently) running out. Her father is anxious to secure her a husband and has set his sights on Mr Montgomery Hurst of Radcliffe Park.
Only, Mr Hurst has just announced his engagement to somebody else.
To the great consternation of Wickenshire, a community that thrives on gossip, the county’s most eligible bachelor is about to marry not only an unknown stranger – but a widow with three children, odd manners and no ancestry to speak of. Society is appalled and intrigued.
Meanwhile, Amelia Ashpoint has no interest in marriage at all. But in this town, it is clear that nobody’s business is their own. And while society has high expectations for Amelia, her heart is drawing her in a very different direction . . .
A love letter to Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is a witty novel of manners and gossip, class and family, scandal and romance.
Le Fay (The Morgan Le Fay Book 2) by Sophie Keetch
Published July 18th by Magpie Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tales
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The second instalment in the feminist retelling of the story of the formidable and misunderstood villainess Morgan le Fay, nemesis of the sorcerer Merlin
‘Keetch is a masterful storyteller who strikes the perfect balance between the intimate and the epic. Le Fay is truly a story to savour.’ Rosie Talbot, author of Sixteen Souls
‘They should fear me, the power I possessed, and the bright, ravenous rage that now fuelled my every breath… Even I did not know what I was capable of.’
Lady Morgan surveys her life at Camelot: she is safe, valued for her intelligence, and has the love and respect of her brother King Arthur, despite a growing conflict with Queen Guinevere.
It’s not enough. For, between the strict rules of court, a vengeful husband determined to snatch their son away, and a jealous rival in sorcerer Merlin, Morgan desires freedom. And when a face from her past arrives, igniting old memories and new desires, the future she is planning becomes fraught with danger.
Morgan must break the shackles of expectation to seek true happiness. In doing so, she discovers dark new powers that promise control of her life is within reach. But it’s at the risk of destroying everything…
‘A richly imagined tale of feminine power and defiance, of righteous rage and revenge, of love won and lost.’ Nikki Marmery, author of Lilith
Published July 18th byPenguin UK Fantasy, Mythology, Romantic Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Coming-of-Age Story, Religious Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The second fierce, fresh and gloriously romantic YA Greek myth re-imagining, from Bea Fitzgerald, growing TikTok superstar and Sunday Times bestselling author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN.
Love caused this war. At least, that’s what the stories will say.
When Cassandra’s patron god, Apollo, offers her the gift of prophecy – and all the power that comes with it – she seizes the opportunity. But when she fails to uphold her end of the agreement, she discovers just how very far she has to fall. No one believes her visions. Which all seem to be of one girl – and she’s going to start a war. Helen fled Sparta in pursuit of love – though that’s proving more elusive than she’d hoped. Far from home, Helen’s navigating all the politics and backstabbing of the Trojan court.
And one princess seems particularly intent on driving her from the city. . .
But when war finally strikes, it’s more than the army at their walls they must contend with. Cassandra and Helen might hold the key to reweaving fate itself – especially with the prophetic strands drawing them ever closer together.
But how do you change your future when the gods themselves are dictating your demise?
Published July 18th by Doubleday UK Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the prize-winning author of WAHALA, a powerful de-colonial retelling of MANSFIELD PARK, exploring identity, culture, race and love ____________ When Funke’s mother dies in an accident in Lagos, she’s sent to live with her maternal family in England. Against a backdrop of condescension and mild neglect, sensible Funke strives to fit in, determined to become one of them.
Free-spirited Liv has always wanted to break free of her joyless family, to be nothing like them. Fiercely protective of Funke, she at last has an ally. The two cousins give each other what they need most: love.
But the past casts long shadows and the choices made by their mothers haunt them, shaping the trajectory of their adult lives. Can they escape their legacy?
Witty, warm, hugely entertaining, ThisMotherlessLand bridges three decades and two continents, delving into the thorny territories of race and culture and belonging. At its heart is a story about love and how it can make the difference between surviving and thriving.
Published July 18th by Simon & Schuster UK Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime, Mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION: AND THEN THERE WERE NONE meets THE TRAITORS
Five beautiful couples. One deadly game. Who will escape alive?
Lyla Santiago has spent months working on a research project that could be the key to getting a permanent job in her field. So, she can’t really drop everything to go to a desert island with her actor boyfriend Nico to film One Perfect Couple, a new reality TV show that Nico is sure will lead to his big break – can she?
Two weeks later, Lyla finds herself boarding a boat to an isolated luxury resort in the Indian Ocean.
The rules of the game are simple. Ten strangers have to survive together on the island – and the last couple standing scoops the prize. There will be sun, sea, laughs and plenty of flirting. What could possibly go wrong?
But when a huge tropical storm cuts them off from everything, the group must band together. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla realises that someone is playing this game for real – and they’ll stop at nothing to win.
Ten might have arrived, but who will survive to the end?
Published July 18th by Abacus Crime Fiction, Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: FORGET WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT THAT CRIME NOVEL
You know Penny Coyne. The little old lady who has solved multiple murders in her otherwise sleepy village, despite bumbling local police. A razor-sharp mind in a twinset and tweed.
You know Johnny Hawke. Hard-bitten LAPD homicide detective. Always in trouble with his captain, always losing partners, but always battling for the truth, whatever it takes.
Against all the odds, against the usual story, their worlds are about to collide. It starts with a dead writer and a mysterious wedding invitation. It will end with a rabbit hole that goes so deep, Johnny and Penny might come to question not just whodunnit, but whether they want to know the answer.
A cross-genre hybrid of Agatha Christie and Michael Connelly, The Cracked Mirror is the most imaginative and entertaining crime novel of the year, a genre-splicing rollercoaster with a poignantly emotional heart.
Published July 18th by HQ Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: If Maggie is living her best life, why doesn’t it feel like she’s in the right place?
From the outside, Maggie Lemon has a perfect life. But she and her husband have been trying for a baby for five years and she’s exhausted. She’s seen countless fertility experts and followed dozens of diets and homeopathic recommendations, and even gave up her dream restaurant in London when doctors suggested the stress might be too much. And now her estranged aunt has died, leaving her hotel in Provence to Maggie.
It’s been years since Maggie visited Le Figuier. There’s a lot of work to be done and she knows she should sell it. But when a disgraced Hollywood actor hiding out at the hotel lends a hand, the load feels a lot lighter. Is it just the chemistry with this handsome stranger, or is it starting to feel like Maggie might finally be in the right place?
‘I’m a huge fan of all of Sophia’s books but this is my new favourite…it helped me remember that the sun will come again. Summer holiday read simply doesn’t do it justice!’ Cleo Watson, author of Whips
Published July 18th by HQ Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Medical Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A razor-sharp, bleakly funny exploration of mental health crises, the societal pressures on young women, and toxic sexual and romantic relationships from one of the most exciting new literary voices. Perfect for fans of Sorrow and Bliss or Cleopatra and Frankenstein.
‘Sharp and uncompromising… Everyone I Know is Dying is a book that demands to be read’ Joe Gibson, author of Seventeen
‘I read every page obsessively… sharp and witty and so delicately crafted’ Elvin Mensah, author of Small Joys
When she’s having sex with her boss, Iris likes to have the lights on so he can see how much younger she is than his wife. She likes watching her colleagues eat unhealthy lunches at their desk while her stomach aches with emptiness. She likes coasting at work knowing she’s going to land a big promotion anyway.
So why when it arrives does she find herself sprawled on her hallway floor, crying uncontrollably? Why, instead of a sense of triumph, does a crippling depression threaten to overwhelm her? Why does the support and stability of her family and friends feel so suffocating? And why, torn between her flatmate George – good, kind, reliable George – and cold, indifferent Patrick, does she only seem capable of making choices that cause her pain?
Published July 18th by Serpent’s Tail Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A gem of a book about mothers and daughters, about being Black and working class in today’s London. Beautiful writing, taut with emotion, poetry and insight’ Priscilla Morris, Women’s Prize shortlisted author of Black Butterflies
For a year, the three of them live in the flat below Earl’s on the Blossom View Estate.
Livia, who has been running for long enough to think her past might never catch up with her. But now she’s been forced to catch her breath and face the daughter she left behind.
Mickey, who is angry: about having a mother who left, a father who died, about the mess she’s made of her life. And with no other place to go, she’s forced to need the very person who abandoned her.
And Summer, whose new grandmother is weird, and whose mum is always sad or out looking for men to distract her. Left to roam, she seeks refuge with new friends, ones who are willing to give her the attention that Mickey won’t. But who are these kind strangers, and will they keep her safe?
When the year ends, the family of three becomes two. Burning with hope and desire, this is a debut novel about motherhood, class and race, which sings a soulful song about the damage we do to the people we love most.
Published July 18th by Headline Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction,LGBTQ Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘I haven’t been this swept away by a piece of historical fiction since Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet’ Jess Walter, bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins
Paris, 1720. The Hospice of La Salpêtrière is overrun with ‘difficult’ women.
Halfway around the world, on the American frontier, French settlers are in want of wives. At the asylum, a list is drawn up: eighty-eight women of childbearing age to be shipped to New Orleans. Among them are Charlotte, Geneviève and Pétronille – a sharp-tongued orphan, an accused abortionist and a rumoured madwoman.
They make the voyage over the ocean, knowing nothing of the harsh and extraordinary lives that await them, or how they will come to love and betray each other time and again in this wild and beautiful land.
Bold, thrilling and startling intimate, PELICAN GIRLS is a powerful vision of female friendship, identity and desire, and the choices women make in their unshakeable will to survive. For readers of Barbara Kingsolver, Lauren Groff and The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li.
‘A tale of female friendship unlike any I’ve come across before, Julia Malye’s inspired-by-a-true-story Pelican Girls is as incredible a feat of research as it is a daring work of fiction’ Elle’s Best (and Most Anticipated) Fiction Books of 2024
Published July 18th by Orenda Crime Fiction, Literary Fiction, New Adult Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story, Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Sixteen-year-old Frieder’s plans for the summer are shattered when he fails two subjects. To be able to move up to the next year in the Autumn, he needs to resit his exams. So instead of going on holiday with his family, he now faces the daunting and boring prospect of staying at his grandparents’ house, studying with his strict and formal step-grandfather.
On the bright side, he’ll spend time with his grandmother Nana, his sister Alma and his best friend Johann. And he meets Beate, the girl in the beautiful green swimsuit…
The next few weeks will bring friendship, fear and first love – one grand summer that will change and shape his entire life.
A number-one bestseller in Germany and winner of the German Booksellers Prize, One Grand Summer is a moving, beautiful and profound novel about relationships and respect that captures those exquisite and painful moments that make us who we are…
WINNER of the German Booksellers Prize and over two years on the German bestseller list.
Published July 18th by Penguin UK Crime, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘The perfect holiday read’ KIA ABDULLAH ‘A great read’ CATHERINE COOPER ‘Kept me up late into the early hours’ ALI LOWE ‘A wonderful twisty read’ AVA GLASS ___________________________________
Three years ago, bride-to-be Aoife died at her own hen party.
Now the hens have returned to the villa where that terrible weekend unfolded.
They long for closure. But the moment they step back inside, old wounds open and tensions begin to rise.
Everyone has a different version of what happened that night.
Published July 18th by Bantam Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Women Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The unputdownable new thriller from the ‘queen of the one-sit read’ and No.1 bestselling author of Everyone Here is Lying
Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill, Vermont.
The teenagers get their kicks telling ghost stories in the old graveyard. The parents trust their kids will arrive home safe from school. Everyone knows everyone. Curtains rarely twitch. Front doors are left unlocked.
But this morning all of that will change.
Because Diana Brewer isn’t lying safely in her bed where she belongs. Instead she lies in a hayfield, circled by vultures, discovered by a local farmer.
How quickly a girl becomes a ghost. How quickly a town of friendly, familiar faces becomes a town of suspects, a place of fear and paranoia.
Someone in Fairhill did this. Everyone wants answers.
Published July 18th by Faber & Faber Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘This book was brilliant! . . . Rita is so complex and intriguing. I binged it!’ 5* reader review ‘Powerful . . . a first class thriller.’ 5* reader review ‘I could not put this down.’ 5* reader review
Rita Marsh is a good person.
By day, she runs a care home, looking after the elderly and infirm.
By night, she’s a vigilante, posing online as young girls and snaring the men who prey on them, exposing them for what they are.
Rita has successfully kept her two lives separate for years. But when an old classmate returns from her past, her two worlds start to collide. With both of her selves unravelling, Rita will have to choose between justice and revenge.
Is she a force for good – or will she become someone to fear?
A Case of Mice and Murder (The Trials of Gabriel Ward Book 1) by Sally Smith
Published July 18th by Raven Books Mystery, Suspense, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘I loved it! … A whiff of Shardlake and a pinch of Rumpole. The plotting is brilliant and it’s a joy for any lover of literature . or justice’ S.J. BENNETT, author of THE WINDSOR KNOT
When barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case – the disputed authorship of bestselling children’s book Millie the Temple Church Mouse – that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep.
But even he cannot fail to notice the judge’s dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London’s legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now.
The police can enter the Temple only by consent, so who better to investigate this tragic breach of law and order than a man who prizes both above all things? But murder doesn’t answer to logic or reasoned argument, and Gabriel soon discovers that the Temple’s heavy oak doors are hiding more surprising secrets than he’d ever imagined…
The first in a brand-new series introducing a wonderfully eccentric sleuth, perfect for fans of T.E. Kinsey, S.J. Bennett and Richard Coles. Gabriel Ward will return in 2025..
Published July 18th by Orion Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Short Stories
BOOK DESCRIPTION: For one weekend every July, thousands of readers descend on the historic English town of Harrogate, Yorkshire in pursuit of mysteries, mischief and murder. In Murder in Harrogate, ten of the world’s best known crime and thriller writers come together in honour of the world’s largest festival of crime writing, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
From a missing person case inspired by Agatha Christie’s infamous disappearance at the Old Swan Hotel to a murdered Macbeth to a vicious parkrun assault, these razor sharp stories are a testament to the festival’s rich history, stretching over two decades.
Curated and edited by former festival chair and award-winning author Vaseem Khan, contributors include Ann Cleeves, Mark Billingham, M.W. Craven, Elly Griffiths, Abir Mukherjee, Clare Mackintosh, Steve Cavanagh, Janice Hallett, Vaseem Khan, and Ruth Ware.
Published July 25th by Headline Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A heart-warming tale about resilience, friendships and family, and the inestimable power of the written word’ RUTH HOGAN
‘A heart-warming depiction of strong female friendships tested by suffering – Annie Lyons really is the queen of the wartime saga’ CLARE CHAMBERS ________
Can two young women and one book change the course of war…?
1940. Whip-smart librarian Peggy Sparks is determined to make sure that her brother Joe returns from the frontline to their London home, which they share with their beloved mother and grandmother. So when she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job at the heart of the war effort, Peggy jumps at the prospect of making a real contribution to her country.
But when she finds herself working under the fanciful socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy discovers that those around her are more keen on dancing at the Café de Paris than on ending the war. Writing accounts of her daily life is the only thing keeping Peggy’s hopes alive. But when she finds her inner-most thoughts accidentally published by the Ministry of Information, Peggy realises she needs Marigold’s help to save her job, and to bring her brother home . . .
From the author of The Air Raid Book Club comes a powerful tale of unexpected friendship, community and two remarkable women who change the course of the war. Full of heart, emotion and drama, it is the perfect uplifting story for fans of Kate Thompson and Natasha Lester.
Published July 30th by Bloomsbury Publishing Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Every great love story deserves a great ending. ‘I’ve never read a story quite like this deeply moving, complex novel’ Jodi Picoult, the global bestseller
‘An epic love story and a sweeping family saga, The Days I Loved You Most is beautifully constructed and so poignant. Perfect for lovers of Anne Tyler, Claire Lombardo and Emma Straub. The New England setting stole my heart’ Georgina Moore, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Garnett Girls
Joseph and Evelyn’s New England beach homes have been side by side for generations. And in the summer of 1941, on the shores where they were raised, these two childhood friends fell in love.
Now, more than sixty years later, Joseph and Evelyn gather their three grown children to share the staggering news: in one year’s time, they will end their lives on their own terms. She has received a diagnosis and he cannot – will not – live without her.
As the couple comes to grips with their fate, they reckon with the joys and regrets, the laughter and the sorrow that brought them to this moment. And they create new memories to cherish with each of their children before they’re gone.
But as their final days draw closer, they must confront the stark reality of everything they have put in motion. Will they – can they – go through with their plan?
This unforgettable debut is a joyful celebration of life and a deeply romantic love story. The Days I Loved You Most is a moving tribute to the enduring power of love in all its guises.
June is almost upon us and it’s another month jam-packed full of exciting new releases from some of my favourite authors and debuts I can’t wait to read.
Here are the 50 books I’m most anticipating:
The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal
Published June 6th by Picador Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From Elizabeth Macneal, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory, The Burial Plot is a spellbinding Gothic thriller about murder and manipulation.
London, 1839. With the cemeteries full and money to be made in death, tricksters Crawford and Bonnie survive on wicked schemes and ill-gotten coin. But one blistering evening, their fortunes flip. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.
Crawford secures her a position as lady’s maid in a grand house on the Thames. As Bonnie comes to understand the family – the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself – she begins to question what secrets are lying behind the house’s paper-thin walls and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning.
Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . .
Published June 6th by Tinder Press Literary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: An Observer top ten best new novelist for 2024
‘A simmering debut, heady with the possibilities of language and the righteousness of female rage’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies ‘A modern-day Dionysian cult of women in the woods – haunting and exhilarating’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne ______
They thought they knew everything about us. The kind of women we were.
It was a place for women. A remote farm tucked away in the Kent Downs. A safe space.
When Iris – newly single and living at home with her mother – meets the mysterious and beguiling Hazel, who lives in a women’s commune, she finds herself drawn into the possibility of a new start away from the world of men who have only let her down. Here, at Breach House, the women can be loud and dirty, live and eat abundantly, all while under the leadership of their gargantuan matriarch, Blythe.
But even among the women, there are power struggles, cruelty and transgressions that threaten their precarious way of life. When a group of men arrives on the farm, the commune’s existence is thrown into question, hurtling Iris and the other women towards an act of devastating violence.
Fierce and unapologetic, Spoilt Creatures is an intoxicating debut about transgression, sisterhood and the seductive nature of obsession. It pulls back the skin of patriarchal violence and examines the female rage that lurks beneath.
Published June 6th by Mantle Historical Fiction, Religious Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The King’s Witches by Kate Foster is a compelling and beautiful historical novel that gives voices to the women at the heart of the real-life witch trials in sixteenth-century Scotland.
Women whisper secrets to each other; it is how we survive.
1589. Princess Anna of Denmark is betrothed to King James VI of Scotland. Before they can wed, Anna must pass the trial period: one year of marriage to prove herself worthy of being Scotland’s new Queen. Determined to fulfil her duties to King and country, Anna resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry . . .
By her side is Kirsten Sorenson, her loyal and pious lady-in-waiting. But, whilst tending to Anna’s every need, Kirsten has her own secret motives for the royal marriage to succeed . . .
Meanwhile, in North Berwick, young housemaid Jura practises the healing charms taught to her by her mother. When she realizes she is no longer safe, she escapes to Edinburgh, only to find herself caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped not just the capital, but the new queen …
Will Anna, Kirsten and Jura be able to save each other and, in doing so, save themselves?
Published June 6th by Harper Voyager Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Horror Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Anna survived the attempt to bind her magic, but Anna and her coven aren’t free from danger yet.
Haunted by her aunt’s death, living in fear of her curse, and fated to love the one man she can never have, the last thing Anna needs is a witch hunt. Now she must conceal her magic once more or risk losing everything.
But when deadly hysteria strikes across the capital, and in her own school, the coven are left dangerously exposed. Delving deeper into the magical underworld of London, Anna and her twin sister Effie must find a way to work together to protect the coven.
But as the witch hunt intensifies and the hysteria spirals out of control, can Effie and Anna truly trust each other?
Published June 6th by Canongate Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: In thirteenth-century Ireland, a woman with power is a woman to be feared.
When a young Alice Kyteler sees her mother wither under the constraints of family responsibilities, she vows that she won’t suffer the same fate. Soon Alice discovers she has a flair for making money, and builds a flourishing business. But as her wealth and stature grow, so too do the rumours about her private life. By the time she has moved on to her fourth husband, a blaze of local gossip and resentment culminates in an accusation that could prove fatal.
Inspired by the first recorded person in Ireland to have been condemned as a witch, Bright I Burn gives voice to a woman lost to history, who dared to carve her own space in a man’s world.
Published June 6th by HarperCollins UK Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Fairy Tale, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: WELCOME TO THE MANOR
THE PARTY’S ON FIRE
_______________________
**Book your place at the table … The brand new murder mystery thriller from the No.1 bestseller**
Midsummer, the Dorset coast
In the shadows of an ancient wood, guests gather for the opening weekend of The Manor: a beautiful new countryside retreat.
But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. And the candles have barely been lit for a solstice supper when the body is found.
It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at…
Published June 6th by Hodder & Stoughton Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The master of intense suspense, Will Dean, is back! THE CHAMBER follows the success of Richard & Judy Book Club pick THE LAST PASSENGER.
HIGH PRESSURE OUTSIDE On a boat heading out into the North Sea, Ellen Brooke steels herself to spend almost a month locked inside a hyperbaric chamber with five other divers. They are all being paid handsomely for this work – to be lowered each day inside a diving bell to the sea bed, taking it in turns to dive down and repair oil pipes that lie in the dark waters. It is a close knit team and it has to be: any error or loss of trust could be catastrophic.
EXTREME PRESSURE INSIDE All is going to plan until one of the divers is found unresponsive in his bunk. He hadn’t left the chamber. It will take four more days of decompression, locked away together, before the hatch can be opened. Four more days of bare steel, intrusive thoughts, and the constant struggle not to give way to panic. Mind games, exhaustion, suspicion, and, most of all, pressure. And if someone does unlock the door, everyone dies…
And Then There Were None meets The Last Breath in this tense and suspenseful locked-room thriller from the author of the “astonishing” (Ian Rankin) The Last Passenger.
How To Solve Your Own Murder (Violet Hamilton Book 2) by Hannah Dolby
Published June 6th by Aria Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Woemen Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Violet Hamilton is no ordinary lady.
She is a Lady Detective, who spends her time solving mysteries and unveiling scandals in the bustling seaside town of Hastings and St Leonards, a popular spot for the Victorian middle classes.
But when the body of a local woman is found on the beach, Violet’s efforts to investigate are blocked at every turn.
Is that because, as a woman, she can’t possibly be allowed to think or act for herself? Or is it because someone sinister has Violet in their sights?
Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this delightful mystery of manners that will steal your heart, and transport you to a world of seaside scandal and moonlit balls; dubious doctors and duplicitous crooked lords; adventurous escapades and stolen kisses.
Published June 6th by Aria Literary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Bestselling Irish writer, Faith Hogan, has created another gripping saga of friendship, betrayal and secrets in this story of a widow in search of answers to a shocking confession by her dying husband.
Joy Blackwood has no idea why her French art dealer husband has left a valuable painting to a woman called Robyn Tessier in Ballycove, a small town on the west coast of Ireland, but she is determined to find out.
She arrives in Ballycove to find that Robyn runs a rather chaotic and unprofitable bookshop. She is shy, suffering from unrequited love for dashing Kian, and badly in need of advice on how to make the bookshop successful.
As Joy becomes entangled in the daily dramas of Ballycove, uncovering the secrets behind her husband’s painting grows increasingly challenging. When she finally musters the courage to confront the truth, her revelation sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community she’s grown to love.
Published June 6th by Michael Joseph Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Jade Shaw has lost control of her life.
Pushed around by her warring family, and taken for granted by a boyfriend who’s more interested in his “brand” than their relationship, she knows that somewhere along the path to being an adult she’s lost her way.
The last place she expects to find answers is on the floor outside her flat. But there it is: a script. Containing her name, and her boyfriend’s, and showing yet another excruciating argument in which he calls all the shots. The weird thing is: this argument hasn’t happened yet.
The row becomes reality. Jade feels more frustrated than ever. Then more scripts appear; infuriating scenes in which Jade’s boss, mum, and bridezilla sister walk all over her.
The future is painfully familiar. But it’s not a future Jade likes.
Published June 6th by Chatto & Windus Romance Novel, Medical Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Humorous Fiction,
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A magical novel, so uplifting, heartwarming, funny … Feels as if it was written specifically to give comfort’ MARIAN KEYES
Sail to the tropical paradise where secrets don’t stay hidden for long …
Zoologist Charlotte Walker has taken up a fellowship on the tiny, remote island of Tuga de Oro to study the endangered gold coin tortoises in the jungle interior. She can claim the best of reasons for this year in paradise – what better motivation than to save a species? – but the reality is more complex. For Charlotte has a secret that connects her to the island and has finally determined to solve the mystery …
A complete and vivid world to escape to, Welcome to Glorious Tuga celebrates a fictional island, and the warm-hearted families who live there. Enchanting, uplifting and very funny, this is a captivating novel about love, belonging, and what it really means to come home.
Published June 6th by Doubleday Literary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Discover the joyful summer read from the bestselling author of WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS, perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Nora Ephron
____________
One week in Cape Cod. The perfect family holiday. What could possibly go wrong…?
For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their rustic beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, its quirky furniture and mismatched pots and pans greeted like old friends.
Now, sandwiched between her children who are adult enough to be fun but still young enough to need her, and her parents who are alive and healthy, Rocky wants to preserve this golden moment forever. This one precious week when everything is in balance; everything is in flux.
But every family has its secrets and hers is no exception.
With her body in open revolt and surprises invading her peaceful haven, the perfectly balanced seesaw of Rocky’s life is tipping towards change…
Published June 6th by Fourth Estate Contemporary Romance, Romance Novel, Humorous Fiction, Lesbian Literature, Erotic Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Clever, sexy and joyful. I loved it’ BETH O’LEARY, AUTHOR OF THE FLATSHARE
‘A fizzing roller-coaster of a rom-com. The sexiest book you’ll read all year and the most heartening’ CAROLINE O’DONOGHUE, AUTHOR OF THE RACHEL INCIDENT
Bette loves Mei, but Bette and Mei are on a break, so Bette can catch-up on the decade of dating experiences she missed before she came out.
So Bette is (reluctantly) on a dating odyssey: a quest to have lots of casual sex with lots of hot women and come back to Mei more experienced and more certain about what she wants. And now she has new friend Ruth as her dating guide, she can’t possibly fail. It’s just three months, then she’ll be back with Mei.
Published June 6th by Sceptre Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Meltingly warm’ OBSERVER, 10 BEST NEW NOVELISTS FOR 2024
Local boy Téo Erskine is back in the north London suburb of his youth, visiting his father – stubborn, selfish, complicated Vic. Things have changed for Téo: he’s got a steady job, a brand-new car and a London flat all concrete and glass, with a sliver of a river view.
Except, underneath the surface, not much has changed at all. He’s still the boy seeking his father’s approval; the young man playing late-night poker with his best friend, unreliable, infuriating Ben Mossam; the one still desperately in love with the enigmatic Lia Woods.
Lia’s life, on the other hand, has been transformed: now a single mum to two-year-old Joel, she doesn’t have time for anyone – not even herself.
When the unthinkable happens, Joel finds himself at the centre of an odd constellation of men – Téo, Vic, Ben – none of whom is fully equipped to look after him, but whose strange, tentative attempts at love might just be enough to offer him a new place to call home.
Published June 6th by Hodder & Stoughton Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Meet Dora Wildwood: runaway bride, book lover, and aspiring detective. Likes: solving crimes, peppermint creams, trousers and her own independence. Dislikes: cracked book spines, tyrannical behaviour, beetroot.
1935. Dora’son the first train to London, having smuggled herself out of the house in the middle of the night to escape her impending marriage. But unluckily for her, Dora’s fiance is more persistent than most and follows.
As Dora alights at Paddington station, she is immediately forced to run from the loathsome Charles Silk-Butters. She ducks into the London Library to hide and it is there, surrounded by books, where she should feel most safe, that Dora Wildwood stumbles across her first dead body.
Having been thrown into the middle of a murder scene, it’s now impossible to walk away. Indeed, Dora’s certain she will prove an invaluable help to the gruff Detective Inspector Fox who swiftly arrives on the scene. For as everyone knows, it’s the woman in the room who always sees more than anyone else: and no one more so than Dora herself…
D is for Death heralds the launch of a brilliant historical crime series that marries the quality of Dorothy L. Sayers with the ingenuity of Janice Hallett – and in Dora Wildwood introduces a character with the spark and gusto of Enola Holmes and the detective skill of Miss Marple. It is the debut crime novel from bestselling author Harriet Evans, writing as Harriet F. Townson.
Published June 6th by Manilla Press Suspense, Thriller, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Beautifully written and soaked with atmosphere, KNIFE RIVER is the debut novel of an exciting new voice in literary crime.
First, there were my mother’s bones . . .
A young woman returns home to the small, claustrophobic town of Knife River. When Jess was thirteen, her mother went for a walk and did not return – now, fifteen years later, bones have been discovered in the woods nearby.
Jess’s sister has remained in their childhood home – her life, their home and the town itself seemingly frozen in time. As days turn into weeks, Jess’s understanding of the past, her sister, and herself becomes more and more complicated – and the list of suspects responsible for her mother’s terrible fate more and more ominous . . .
‘A twisting, engrossing and beautiful mystery. Thrilling, yet also deeply moving, layered and powerful’ CHRIS WHITAKER
‘A delicious smoke curl of a novel: atmospheric, sharp, and skilled at twisting the reader’s guesses in unimaginable ways’ JODI PICOULT
Published June 6th by Viper Books Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: It’s always the husband… Isn’t it?
Astrid Webb is missing. The police have found her car crashed near the woods, the driver’s door open, the seat spotted with blood. But there’s no sign of Astrid herself, a sick woman who rarely left her house, who surely couldn’t have left the scene of the accident without help.
Her husband Bryan is sure that she’s alive – after all, this isn’t the first time she’s vanished, only to reappear without explanation. But as the days pass, Bryan starts to look like a suspect in his wife’s disappearance, perhaps in her murder. Because Bryan isn’t telling the police the whole truth. Not about Astrid’s stalker, their broken-in back door, or the threatening messages she received. And it seems as if both Astrid and Bryan have something to hide.
Then a woman’s body is found in the woods, her face terribly disfigured. By staying silent, is Bryan protecting Astrid, or protecting himself?
From the bestselling author of The Regret and The Box, this heart-pounding thriller is perfect for readers of Harlan Coben, Mark Billingham and Alex North.
Published June 6th by The Borough Press Suspense, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A razor-sharp novel that skewers the life of the uber-rich in the vein of The White Lotus, with shades of The Talented Mr Ripley and The Graduate
Conor is a recent graduate from a law school no one has heard of. Without any job prospects and needing to support his chronically ill mother, he takes a summer job teaching tennis at the affluent gated community of Cutters Neck, Massachusetts. One of his first students is Catherine, a magnetic divorcée keen to hire him for more than advice on her serve. What begins as a transactional arrangement soon develops into an intoxicating sexual relationship.
Things become even more complicated when Conor encounters Emily, with whom he has his first taste of real intimacy. Against his better judgment, he soon finds himself living a double life that inevitably leads to disaster.
Conor knows how hard it is to win against those with money and power. In his fight for survival, he has to put emotion aside and play with only his wits – after all, in tennis, love means nothing.
I Want To Die But I Still Want To Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee
Published June 6th by Bloomsbury Publishing Self-Help Book, Mental Health Biographies
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The sequel to the SundayTimes and international-bestselling South Korean therapy memoir, translated by International Booker Prize-shortlisted Anton Hur
When Baek Sehee started recording her sessions with her psychiatrist, her hope was to create a reference for herself. She never imagined she would reach so many people, especially young people, with her reflections. I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki became a runaway bestseller in South Korea, Indonesia, and the U.S., and reached a community of readers who appreciated depression and anxiety being discussed with such intimacy.
Baek’s struggle with dysthymia continues in I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki. And healing is a difficult process; the inner conflict she experiences in treatment becomes more complex, more challenging. With this second book, Baek Sehee reaches out to hold the hands of all those for whom grappling with everyday despair is part of a lifelong project, part of the journey.
Published June 11th by Fourth Estate Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Lesbian Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the bestselling author of Our Wives Under the Sea, a haunting novel of three sisters navigating queer love and faith at the end of the world.
There’s no way to bury a body in earth which is flooded
It is a fact consigned to history along with almost everything else
It’s been raining for a long time now, for so long that the lands have reshaped themselves. Old places have been lost. Arcane rituals and religions have crept back into practice.
Sisters Isla, Irene and Agnes have not spoken in some time when their estranged father dies. A famous architect revered for making the new world navigable, he had long cut himself off from public life. They find themselves uncertain of how to grieve his passing when everything around them seems to be ending anyway.
As the sisters come together to clear the grand glass house that is the pinnacle of his legacy, they begin to sense that the magnetic influence of their father lives on through it. Something sinister seems to be unfolding, something related to their mother’s long-ago disappearance and the strangers who have always been unusually interested in their lives. Soon, it becomes clear that the sisters have been chosen for a very particular purpose, one with shattering implications for their family and their imperilled world.
Published June 11th by Sphere Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Humorous Fiction, Urban Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTIONS: A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science – from Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on; the financial stability she yearned for as a kid; and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.
Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through – and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.
Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business – one that plays for keeps.
Published June 13th by Hera Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Lesbian Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTIONS: It seems too good to be true…
When struggling writer Sebastian finds a room to let in a palatial Hampstead residence he cannot believe his luck. The rent is ridiculously cheap and he immediately feels a connection with his beautiful widowed landlady, Adriana.
It is.
Things take a dark turn when he finds out what happened to the last lodger. Could this be why the house is a fortress of security, and why Adriana seems so fragile? Adriana doesn’t want to talk about the death and sadness that seem to follow her wherever she goes and Sebastian has secrets of his own.
Now someone is watching their every move and there is nowhere to hide.
This house of light becomes a dark nightmare as the threat ramps up – what does the watcher want? And how far will they go to get it?
A gripping, twisty thriller perfect for fans of B.A. Paris, Shari Lapena and Lucy Foley. If you were hooked by Netflix series You or The Watcher then you will love this.
Published June 13th by Fig Tree Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales, Mythology
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Elegant and decadent, vulgar and clever, enchanting and dark. The love child of Angela Carter and Anaïs Nin – the book I really really needed’ SARAH PERRY, author of The Essex Serpent
Why don’t they tell you it is the beautiful princess who becomes the evil queen; that they are just the same person at different points in their story?
Versailles, 1682: a city of the rich, a living fairy-tale, Louis XIV’s fever dream. It’s a place of opulence, beauty, and power. But strip back the lavish exterior of polite society, and you’ll find a dark undercurrent of sexual intrigue and vicious gossip. Nobody is safe here – no matter how highly born they are.
No one knows this better than Madame Marie d’Aulnoy. Each week, a rogue group of intellectuals gather at her Parisian home to debate, flirt and perform Contes de Fées – fairy tales – that challenge the status quo, at a salon that will change the course of literature forever. But while they weave tales of glass slippers, enchanted beasts and long-haired princesses, a wolf is lurking, who threatens to destroy the members of the salon one by one.
Brilliant and bawdy, romantic and provocative, The Modern Fairies is a dazzling novel inspired by real events, about the delights and dangers of storytelling in dark times.
Published June 13th by HarperVoyager Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Fairy Tale, High Fantasy, Romance Novel, Paranormal Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ☽ MAGIC. DRAGONS. ROMANCE. THE FANTASY PHENOMENON OF THE YEAR ☽
’An absolutely stunning fantasy world’ Raven Kennedy, author of international bestseller, The Plated Prisoner Series
‘A wild ride that thrills as much as it enchants … An instant classic’ Thea Guanzon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars ___________
He’s fire and brimstone. I’m shattered ice … I’ll gladly burn beneath him until the world comes crumbling down.
As an assassin for the rebellion, Raeve’s job is to complete orders and never get caught. When a rival bounty hunter shatters her world, Raeve finds herself captured by the Guild of Nobles – a group of powerful fae.
Crushed by the loss of his great love, dragon rider Kaan Vaegor took the head of a king and donned his melted crown. Now on a tireless quest to quell the never-ebbing ache in his chest, a clue lures him into the capital’s high-security prison where he stumbles upon the imprisoned Raeve …
Together, they seek truths that threaten tounravel everything they knew about their world – and each other.
Bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched will transport you into a world filled with magic, dragons and a love that blazes through the ages…
Published June 18th by Tor Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tale, Dark Fantasy, Thriller, Urban Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: An irresistibly dark, atmospheric reimagining of 1930s Shanghai filled with glamour, gods and gangsters. From Rosalie M. Lin, perfect for fans of S. A. Chakraborty and Fonda Lee.
‘I was utterly swept up . . . seductive, sprawling, full of malice’ – Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns
In Shanghai, danger wears many faces . . .
1932, Shanghai. By day, Jingwen delivers bones for her grandmother, the exclusive surgeon to the most formidable gang in the city. By night, she dances at the Paramount, a lavish cabaret club, competing ruthlessly to charm the wealthy patrons.
Then mysterious attackers start to target the club, stealing the faces of their victims – and selling them onto the powerful elite. Jingwen fears she could be next. To protect herself and her fellow performers, she has no choice but to delve deeper into the city’s glittering underworld.
In this treacherous realm of cut-throat businessmen, silver-limbed gangsters and vengeful gods, Jingwen soon learns that she must become something far stranger and more dangerous than she ever imagined, if she hopes to survive . . .
Published June 20th by Simon & Schuster UK Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Gay Fiction, Adventure Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: THE LATEST PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER FROM THE MASTER OF THE MORAL DILEMMA AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, JACK JORDAN.
Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him. But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come. But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself. Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.
Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.
This Is Why We Lied (Will Trent Book 12) by Karin Slaughter
Published June 20th by Harper Collins UK Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Psychological Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The incredible new thriller featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author!
One toxic family. Eight suspicious guests. Everyone is guilty. But who is a killer?
Welcome to the McAlpine Lodge: a secluded mountain getaway, it’s the height of escapist luxury living.
Except that everyone here is lying. Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.
Then one night, Mercy McAlpine – until now the good daughter – threatens to expose everybody’s secrets. Just hours later, Mercy is dead.
In an area this remote, it’s easy to get away with murder. But Will Trent and Sara Linton – investigator and medical examiner for the GBI – are here on their honeymoon.
And now, with the killer poised to strike again, the holiday of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…
Published June 20th by Sphere Suspense, Psychololgical Thriller, Legal Thriller, Political Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The remarkable debut novel by prominent young mixed-race barrister Alexandra Wilson is a moving, twisty legal thriller for the 21st century.
SHE SAW IT ALL BUT SHE CAN NEVER TELL
A young black man is arrested for murder. The case against him is strong – a mum and a teacher saw him standing over a body in a park, a knife still in hand.
But his up-and-coming barrister Rosa knows how people prejudge, but most of all, she suspects something is amiss. This boy comes from her neighbourhood. From a good family. So she begins to dig…
As Rosa discovers secret upon terrible secret, she moves closer to finding a testimony that could win the case – or bring the whole establishment down on her.
The Witness is a frightening thriller about how we judge guilt, about the strength of a young woman, and is the start of a groundbreaking new series.
Published June 20th by Harper Collins UK Humorous Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the Sunday Times bestselling author of SAVING MISSY, comes a fierce, joyful and uplifting novel about putting life on pause, pleasing yourself, and getting your own back. Whatever it takes.
CAN SHE SAY F*CK IT, JUST FOR ONE DAY?
After a morning that starts with a terrible migraine, an accidentally strong concoction of painkillers, and a bump on the head, Clover Hendry is not quite herself.
And as she walks out of work at 9.47am, for once Clover isn’t worrying about anything. She is taking some much-deserved me-time, and everyone else had better get out of her way.
As she crashes from once incident (a deliciously illicit swim) to the next (art theft), Clover is on a one-woman mission to do exactly as she pleases – consequences are for tomorrow!
It’s a day of joyful recklessness, but behind the chaos, a plan is afoot. Will her new-found freedom uncover long-buried secrets?
A euphoric, raging, galvanizing story about putting life on pause, pleasing yourself, and getting your own back – whatever it takes.
Published June 20th by Bantam Press Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Uplifting, heartwarming and joyful. Restored my faith in humankind‘ – Ruth Jones
When age makes you invisible, secrets are easier to hide
Daphne knows that age is just a number. She also knows that society no longer pays her any attention – something she’s happy to exploit to help her hide a somewhat chequered past.
But finding herself alone on her 70th birthday, with only her plants to talk to and neighbours to stalk online, she decides she needs some friends. Joining a Senior Citizen’s Social Club she’s horrified at the expectation she’ll spend her time enduring gentle crafting activities. Thankfully, the other members – including a failed actor addicted to shoplifting and a prolific yarn-bomber – agree.
After a tragic accident, the local council threaten to close the club – but they have underestimated the wrong group of pensioners…and with the help of a teenage dad and a geriatric, orphaned dog, the incongruous gang set out to prove it.
As long as their pasts don’t catch up with them first…
I Love You, I Love You, I Love You by Laura Dockrill
Published June 20th by HQ Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: An epic story of love, loss and pining for fans of One Day.
It’s the year 2000. I’m fourteen. I’m trying really hard to be a grunger right now in a Foo Fighters t-shirt and a spiked choker. There were rumours that the world was going to end. It hadn’t as of yet but I still had reasons to believe that was true.
❤ ❤ ❤
Ella and Lowe are teenagers when they first meet in summer 2000. For her, it’s love at first sight. But it’s safest to love from afar, where the friendship zone is her safety net and she can’t get hurt.
Certain that the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen couldn’t possibly feel the same, Ella counts herself lucky to have him as her best friend. Over the next fifteen years they share everything: bottles of cider and cigarettes in the rain, gossip and laughter, grief and fear.
But every time Lowe kisses another girl, Ella feels her heart break just that little bit more. She’ll have to choose whether it’s enough to be just friends with the love of her life, or if she’s prepared to let the terrifying, beautiful, all-consuming truth come to light.
From a unique new voice in adult fiction, I Love You, I Love You, I Love You is a glorious nostalgia trip for anyone who has ever known the exquisite pain and pleasure of first love.
Published June 20th by The Borough Press Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the Costa-shortlisted author of THE OTHER HALF OF AUGUSTA HOPE and ALL MY MOTHERS
The story of two people who have no idea how to fall in love…
On the tiny island of Rokesby, Addie helps her mother run a women’s retreat. Dreaming daily of escape, she consoles herself by swimming in the ocean that surrounds them.
On the neighbouring island, joined to Rokesby by a bridge at low tide, Sol has sought refuge at a wind-swept prayer house, grieving both his mother’s death and his father’s devastating betrayal. Alone and anxious, he takes comfort in birdwatching, books and the sounds of the sea.
Introverts with turbulent pasts and wary hearts, Sol and Addie are both drawn to nature far more than to people – until they catch sight of one another in the wild. Can they break free from past lessons in love to risk a better future together?
From the Costa-shortlisted author of THE OTHER HALF OF AUGUSTA HOPE and ALL MY MOTHERS, this is a beautifully observed and life-affirming novel about finding yourself, and then allowing someone else to find you.
The Final Act of Juliette Willoughbyby Ellery Lloyd
Published June 20th by Pan Macmillan Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Some women can’t be erased from history . . .
A story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge.
Paris, 1938: Runaway heiress Juliette Willoughby perishes, with her married lover, in an accidental studio fire alongside her Surrealist masterpiece, Self-Portrait as Sphinx.
Cambridge, 1991: Two art history students stumble across proof something sinister was at play in Juliette’s death, threatening to expose the long-buried secrets of the artist’s aristocratic family.
Dubai, now: An art dealer is accused of the brutal murder of his oldest friend – the last surviving member of the Willoughby dynasty.
Three suspicious deaths over the course of a century.
Is the key to unlocking them all hidden in Juliette Willoughby’s lost painting?
The Wrong Hands (Dectective Miller Book 2) by Mark Billingham
Published June 20th by Sphere Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Had me laughing out loud one minute and emotional the next. I’m excited to have found a new favourite detective’ — CLAIRE DOUGLAS
This is one case Miller won’t want to open . . .
Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Still desperate to solve the murder of his wife, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands.
Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne’er do well Wayne Cutler – a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife’s death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of.
Chuck in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.
Published June 20th by Black & White Publishing Mystery, Thriller, Historical Mystery, Historical Thriller, Women Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Edinburgh, 1791. Isobel Duguid and her friend Clessidro are the stars of the Edinburgh Musical Society. Clessidro sings opera and Isobel sings famously dark Scottish ballads, despite her cavalier attitude to holding a tune. They roam the streets of Edinburgh, enjoying an opulent lifestyle.
One night a note arrives from the mysterious Mrs Abercorn, asking if Isobel’s most notorious song, The Fiddler’s Wrath, might be included in a book. It’s the tale of a prima donna who died of heartbreak after her husband committed murder and was sent to the gallows. Isobel is intrigued. But Mrs. Abercorn’s curiosity about the ballad is far more than a fickle interest. When Clessidro goes missing, Isobel is forced to confront her past and the truth about The Fiddler’s Wrath begins to emerge.
Using the geography of Edinburgh to guide us through the story, this dark tale becomes more complicated than anyone could have imagined and awakens the chilling retribution of a once buried secret.
Published June 20th by Doubleday Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The gripping historical debut about a family separated by the Berlin wall – perfect for fans of All the Light We Cannot See, In Memoriam and Alone in Berlin
‘A tautly plotted, deeply involving novel that packs a real emotional punch … I can’t recommend this novel highly enough’Laura Barnett, author of The Versions of Us _____
Imagine waking up and a wall has divided your city in two. Imagine that on the other side is your child…
Lisette is in hospital with her baby boy. The doctors tell her to go home and get some rest, that he’ll be fine.
When she awakes, everything has changed. Because overnight, on 13 August 1961, the border between East and West Berlin has closed, slicing the city – and the world – in two.
Lisette is trapped in the east, while her newborn baby is unreachable in the west. With the streets in chaos and armed guards ordered to shoot anyone who tries to cross, her situation is desperate.
Lisette’s teenage daughter, Elly, has always struggled to understand the distance between herself and her mother. Both have lived for music, but while Elly hears notes surrounding every person she meets, for her mother – once a talented pianist – the music has gone silent.
Perhaps Elly can do something to bridge the gap between them. What begins as the flicker of an idea turns into a daring plan to escape East Berlin, find her baby brother, and bring him home….
Based on true stories, The Silence in Between is a page-turning, emotional epic that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
Boys Who Hurt (Forbidden Iceland Book 5) by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir xxx
Published June 20th by Orenda Books Mystery, Thriller, Icelandic Noir, Hard-Boiled, Women Sleuths, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTIONL Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma finds herself confronted with a complex case, when a man is found murdered in a holiday cottage in the depths of the Icelandic countryside – the victim of a frenzied knife attack, with a shocking message scrawled on the wall above him.
At home with their baby daughter, Sævar is finding it hard to let go of work, until the chance discovery in a discarded box provides him with a distraction. Could the diary of a young boy, detailing the events of a long-ago summer have a bearing on Elma’s case?
Once again, the team at West Iceland CID have to contend with local secrets in the small town of Akranes, where someone has a vested interest in preventing the truth from coming to light. And Sævar has secrets of his own that threaten to destroy his and Elma’s newfound happiness.
Tense, twisty and shocking, Boys Who Hurt is the next, addictive instalment in the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series, as dark events from the past endanger everything…
Published June 20th by Hodder & Stoughton Psychological Thriller, Women Sleuths, Holiday Fiction,
BOOK DESCRIPTIONS: THE PERFECT ESCAPE . . . OR THE PERFECT TRAP?
TWO WEEKS AGO I woke up in a hotel room next to a dead man, with no memory of the night before. Panicked, I cleared up any trace that I was there and fled.
ONE WEEK AGO I was offered the perfect escape: the chance to housesit a gorgeous villa in a remote corner of Italy. Desperate to get away, I jumped at the chance.
NOW The owners have unexpectedly shown up at the house. The only problem? They’re the family of the man I woke up next to, two weeks ago.
ONE OF THEM KNOWS MY SECRET. AND THEY’VE COME TO FIND ME.
Published June 20th by Point Blank Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Sometimes it’s your own child you’re most afraid of…
‘I devoured this truly superb and extraordinary book… A must-read that will haunt me for a long time!’ Kathryn Croft, author of The Girl With No Past
Ever since an ominous palm-reading on her honeymoon, Frankie has suspected that her youngest son, Michael, is different. From an early age he sees things no one else can. As he grows up – academically gifted, a musical prodigy and with an unshakeable religious faith – his mother can no longer deny there is something strange about him, or that it frightens her.
It is only when Frankie learns Michael is sliding into drugs and violence that she realises she can’t keep ignoring the past. But by confronting her destructive marriage and her own responsibility for all that has gone wrong, she begins to see there is something darker at play.
The Cautious Traveller’s Guide To The Wastelands by Sarah Brookes
Published June 20th by W&N Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Steampunk
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A breathtaking historical fantasy set onboard the Great Trans-Siberian Express, perfect for fans of Piranesi, Babel, The Night Circus and Jessie Burton
It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.
It is the end of the nineteenth century and the world is awash with marvels. But there is nothing so marvellous as the Wastelands: a terrain of terrible miracles that lies between Beijing and Moscow.
Nothing touches the Wastelands except the Great Trans-Siberian Express: an impenetrable train built to carry cargo across continents, but which now transports anyone who dares.
Onto the platform steps a curious cast of characters: Marya, a grieving woman with a borrowed name; Weiwei, a famous child born on the train; and Henry Grey, a disgraced naturalist.
But there are whispers that the train isn’t safe. As secrets and stories begin to unravel, the passengers and crew must survive their journey together, even as something uncontrollable seems to be breaking in . . .
The Last Song of Penelope (The Songs of Penelope Book 3) by Claire North
Published June 20th by Orbit Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Greek Mythology, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Following the critically acclaimed Ithaca and House of Odysseus comes the final novel in Claire North’s Songs of Penelope trilogy – anexquisite, gripping tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before.
Many years ago, Odysseus sailed to war and never returned. For twenty years his wife Penelope and the women of Ithaca have guarded the isle against suitors and rival kings. But peace cannot be kept forever, and the balance of power is about to break . . .
A beggar has arrived at the Palace. Salt-crusted and ocean-battered, he is scorned by the suitors – but Penelope recognises in him something terrible: her husband, Odysseus, returned at last. Yet this Odysseus is no hero. By returning to the island in disguise, he is not merely plotting his revenge against the suitors – vengeance that will spark a civil war – but he’s testing the loyalty of his queen. Has she been faithful to him all these years? And how much blood is Odysseus willing to shed to be sure?
The song of Penelope is ending, and the song of Odysseus must ring through Ithaca’s halls. But first, Penelope must use all her cunning to win a war for the fate of the island and keep her family alive, whatever the cost …
Published June 20th by Bedford Square Publishers Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Set in London in 1968, A CURTAIN TWITCHER’S BOOK OF MURDER follows the lives of the inhabitants of a suburban London street. But this is no ordinary road.
“Ask anyone on Atbara Avenue how well they know their neighbours, and they’ll answer ‘well’. After all, they see each other across the vast distance afforded by close proximity, and that is probably for the best…”.
For the best, because Atbara Avenue is a street where, all too often, murder feels like the solution.
With a delicious cast of characters, dazzling plotting, and an utterly unique voice, Gay Marris’ first book is remarkably accomplished. If you’ve been longing for a fresh and compelling new voice in the world of crime fiction, your wait is over.
The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling by Katherine Blake
Published June 20th by Viking Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Crime Fiction, Romance Novel, Urban Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: You’re Loretta Darling now, welcome to your brand-new flipping life.
Dreams don’t come true for girls like Loretta but she won’t let that stop her. With her sights set on becoming a make-up artist to the stars, Loretta wangles her way from Lancashire to the bright lights of Golden Age Hollywood.
Only it turns out that Sunset Boulevard is less about dashing fellas and chilled martinis – more sticky floors and misbehaving men. The gift of the gab can only get her so far but she refuses to go quietly.
Hollywood has its secrets … and so does Loretta.
For a start, that’s not her real name, and much more than lipstick lurks inside her beauty case.
After all, revenge is a dish best served with a perfectly painted smile.
Published June 20th by Baskerville Gothic Thriller, Historical Mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A mesmerising historical mystery and tale of suppressed secrets set amid the raw beauty of 1920s and 30s Sark. A brilliantly evoked novel based on a fascinating real case. Delectable’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets
October 1933
With a population of five hundred souls, isolated Sark has a reputation for being ‘the island where nothing ever happens’. Until, one day, the neatly folded clothes of an unknown man and woman are discovered abandoned at a coastal beauty spot. As the search for the missing couple catches the attention of first the local and then national newspapers, Sark finds itself front-page news.
When young islander Phyllis Carey returns to Sark from England she throws herself into solving the mystery. As Phyll digs through swirls of gossip, ghost stories and dark rumours in search of the truth, she crosses paths with Everard Hyde, a surprise visitor from her past. As press coverage builds to fever pitch, long-suppressed secrets from Phyll’s and Everard’s shared, shadowy history begin to surface.
The Stranger’s Companion is a beguiling historical mystery inspired by a real-life crime, which remains unsolved to this day.
Published June 20th by Fairlight Books Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical Thriller, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘We’re actually all rather terrible.’
On the cusp of the 1960s, when fourteen-year-old Ben moves into the ancestral home of his aunt and uncle, he is shocked by their wealth and glamour. Under the watchful eye of the Merryvale Mask, his sophisticated cousins teach him how to appreciate their languid opulence and draw him into the world of the elites. But five years later, when a woman’s body is found on the estate, his new life begins to crumble.
As the family is placed at the centre of a murder investigation, Ben starts to see their manipulative power in a harsher light. Placed on a collision course with his family, Ben faces a dilemma: how far is he willing to go to fit into their world?
Published June 20th by Simon & Schuster UK Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘I absolutely adored Under Your Spell the sweetest, sexiest, funniest romance. It was such a treat!’ Marian Keyes ‘So witty and smart. I am thoroughly under Laura Wood’s spell’Hannah Grace
She only wants three things. He isn’t one of them…
Dumped by her cheating ex, fired from her dream job, about to lose her flat: Clementine Monroe is not having a good day. So when her sisters get her drunk and suggest reviving a childhood ritual called the breakup spell, she doesn’t see the harm in it.
But now Clemmie has accidentally ruined a funeral, had her first one-night stand, and she’s stuck with a new job she definitely doesn’t want – spending six weeks alone with the gorgeous and very-off-limits rock star, Theo Eliott.
He’s the most famous man on the planet. Her life’s a disaster. When it comes to love, Clemmie is learning you should be careful what you wish for…
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller
Published June 20th by HQ Satire, Political Ficiton, Southern Fiction, Dystopian
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the author of The Change, comes a novel about book banning and those brave enough to stand up against this censorship.
In Troy, Georgia, Lula Dean has decided to cleanse the town’s reading habits. All banned books have been removed from public spaces, and the townspeople are only allowed to read books Lula has deemed ‘appropriate’.
But a small group refuse to be told what they can and can’t read.
Published June 25th by Zaffre Contemporary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: I didn’t like to perform. I liked to be loved.
‘Like Daisy Jones soaked in Britney Spears’ Curious’ HOLLY BOURNE
It is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. It’s a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join a girl group and escape her small town. She quickly finds herself in the orbits of fellow rising stars Gwen Morris, a driven singer-dancer, and Wes Kingston, a member of the biggest boy band in the world.
As Amber embarks on her solo career and her fame intensifies, she increasingly finds herself reduced to a body, a voice, an object. Surrounded by the wrong kind of people and driven by a desire for recognition and success, for love and sex, for agency and connection, Amber comes of age at a time when the kaleidoscope of public opinion can distort everything, and one mistake can shatter a career.
Published June 27th by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Notting Hill, London. One May evening, seventeen-year-old Maggie Parker’s mother walks out of their front door and doesn’t return . . .
With her little brother in tow, desperate to find her mother, Maggie is drawn into a labyrinthine world of antiques and shadowy figures. There she befriends someone else living on their wits. But can he help solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance?
Twenty-one years later, in a Parisian apartment, Maggie’s phone rings and her hard-won grown-up life shatters. While in London, the new owner of the Parker’s old house is excavating the basement, unaware of what might lie beneath.
Sweeping from bustling London streets, the boulevards of Paris to an old English country house, The Midnight Hour is a thrilling, richly woven story about a golden family with a hidden past – and a woman trying to turn back the hands of time before it’s too late.
Published June 27th by Corvus Romance Novel, Magical Realism, Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Magical … uplifting … the Phoenix Ballroom feels like an old friend’ Anton Du Beke
‘Every page is a joy’ Pip Williams
When it’s time to face the music, all we can do is dance…
Recently widowed Venetia Hamilton Hargreaves is left with a huge house, a bank balance to match and an uneasy feeling that she’s been sleepwalking through the last fifty years. Determined to live fully again, she embraces life with an enthusiasm and purpose she’d forgotten she could muster.
Buying the dilapidated Phoenix Ballroom and with it a drop-in centre and spiritualist church could be seen as reckless, but Venetia’s generosity, courage and kindness provide a refuge for a touching cast of damaged and lonely people who find their chosen family. As their stories intertwine, long buried secrets are revealed, missed opportunities seized and lives are renewed as the Phoenix lives up to its name.
The Phoenix Ballroom is a story of hope and second chances across the generations.
Emma's Biblio Treasures 