Published September 12th, 2024 by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction
Welcome to my bookish thoughts on Circus of Mirrors, which was the SquadPod Book Club pick this month. Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
A Cabaret dancer falls in love as political tensions rise and the city becomes increasingly dangerous not only for herself, but also for her lover . . .
Perfect for fans of Cabaret and The Whalebone Theatre
‘Julie Owen Moylan writes about mid-20th century women like no-one else’ Laura Price
‘Sexy, electrically stylish, and beautiful – a gorgeous story about sisterhood, and a glamorous, evocative passport to a period we all long to get lost in’ Daisy Buchanan
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BERLIN, 1926: After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other. Desperate, but dreaming of better days, Leni finds work at a notorious cabaret: the Babylon Circus.
From the dancer’s barely-there costumes, to the glimmering mirrors that cover the walls, the Babylon Circus is where reality and fantasy merge. For Leni, it’s an overwhelming new world, and she’s happiest hiding in the shadows.
Until she meets the cabaret’s resident pianist, Paul. And so begins a tentative love affair that will play out over the next forty years.
But, in a city whose divisions will define a century, can a love born within the feverish walls of the Babylon Circus ever survive?
And can the bond between Leni and Annette – tugged in opposite directions of their own – also endure?
In Berlin, two sisters dared to dream of a better life – but where in this dark and dazzling city will they find their true home?
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MY REVIEW:
Sexy, stylish, dazzling and evocative, Circus of Mirrors is Julie Owen Moylan’s best book yet. Set in Berlin, the story begins in 1926 when nineteen-year-old Leni and her younger sister, Annette, are living on the street following the death of their parents. Desperate for a way to put a roof over their head, Leni finds a job at the Babylon Circus, a strange and intense place where fantasy blends with reality. And it is there that Leni meets Paul, the resident pianist, and begins an all-consuming romance. But, the course of true love doesn’t run smooth for these lovebirds, and we follow Leni and Annette as they – and their city – experience some of their most tumultuous years in a story of survival, strength, self-discovery, love, dreams and regret.
I’ve been a fan of Julie’s book ever since her brilliant debut and her books are always a big event on the SquadPod’s calendar. So I was very excited when we were offered the chance to read Circus of Mirrors. Expertly written, intricately woven and perfectly paced, this book is flawlessly crafted and her meticulous research is evident on every page.Babylon Circus and the city of Berlin feel like characters in their own right and are brought to life in vivid technicolour. A city of conflict that is inextricably linked to much of twentieth century history, Berlin is made alive once again on these pages, making me feel like I’d stepped back in time. But that history is a mere backdrop as the lives of the characters take centre stage, Julie breathing life into them so evocatively that it felt like they were in the room with me. I was in her thrall as she wove her magnificent tale around me and I lost myself in it completely.
One of my favourite things about Julie’s books is how she writes women who are flawed, complex, conflicted and nuanced. These women are recognisable and reliable, reflecting parts of ourselves back at us as we read. She makes us understand them and their actions, even when they aren’t likeable, and Annette was a great example of this. Rebellious, selfish and aggrieved at the things she’s lost or doesn’t have, Annette is someone it would be a nightmare to know in real life, but we can understand her feelings and behaviour because of the things she’s gone through. And in an exploration of how people can experience the same thing with different outcomes, Leni is the polar opposite of her sister. While Annette rebels, Leni is dutiful and responsible, giving up her own freedom to raise her young sister when their parents died and continuing a life of servitude over pursuing her own desires. It is these differences that slowly build a wall of resentment and misunderstanding between them that neither one can breach, though at times they do try. It was heartbreaking to read but wonderfully written.
And I can’t review this book without talking about the romance between Leni and Paul. Their love story has to be one of my favourites I’ve ever read, primarily because it was so refreshing to see the good guy get the girl. I loved seeing him as the romantic lead instead of the more typical problematic male. Yes, Leni and Paul had their ups and downs, but the obstacles in their relationship come from outside forces and I was rooting for them at every step.
Enthralling, moving and simply unforgettable, this is a must for all your TBRs.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Julie Owen Moylan is the author of three novels: That Green Eyed Girl, 73 Dove Street and Circus of Mirrors.
Her debut novel That Green Eyed Girl was a Waterstones’ Welsh Book of the Month and the official runner up for the prestigious Paul Torday Memorial Prize. It was also shortlisted for Best Debut at the Fingerprint Awards and featured at the Hay Festival as one of its TEN AT TEN.
73 Dove Street was recently named as one of Waterstones’ Books of 2023 and a Daily Mail Historical Fiction Book of the Year.
As a filmmaker Julie won the Celtic Media Award for her graduation film “BabyCakes” before going on to win Best Short Film at the Swansea Film Festival.
Her writing and short stories have appeared in a variety of publications including Sunday Express, The Independent, New Welsh Review and Good Housekeeping.
She has a Masters in Filmmaking and an additional qualification in Creative Writing & English Literature. Julie is an alumna of the Faber Academy.
Welcome to my list of Emma’s Anticipated Treasures for September. It’s a great month, with books from stone of my favourite authors such as Louise Swanson, M. J. Arlidge, Julie Owen Moylan and Richard Osman.
Here’s what’s on my list:
Lights Out by Louise Swanson
Published September 5th by Hodder & Stoughton Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: When darkness is everywhere, nowhere is safe…
A state of emergency has been declared in the UK. From now on, at 8pm every night, all electricity cuts out. The Government promises it’s a temporary measure. They promise they are always thinking of your safety.
But for Grace, the darkness is anything but safe.
Someone is coming into her house under its cover every night while she lies in bed upstairs, too terrified to sleep. Someone who knows her past, who knows why she has more reason to fear the dark than most…
And every morning she wakes to a new message from the intruder:
I have you in my sights. Love, The Night
But how can Grace escape, when there’s nowhere safe left to hide?
Published September 5th by Orion Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A skull looks up at Jennie from the trench, but it’s not the chalk-white bone and grimacing teeth that send her reeling. It’s the heart-shaped gold pendant, its delicate chain snapped in two. The necklace Hannah never took off. It can’t be Hannah. But it is.
When Jennie Whitmore arrives at her school reunion, she immediately regrets her decision. Why would she choose to surround herself with people who were never nice to her? Who still aren’t, even now she’s a police officer? The only person who truly looked out for her all those years ago was charming, beautiful Hannah.Until the day she disappeared.
Jennie is ready to finally put White Cross Academy behind her, the old school building demolished the morning after the party. But with the demolition comes a call: a teenage girl’s remains have been found on the grounds.
The instant drop in Jennie’s gut tells her that the remains might be Hannah’s, but when she’s called in to examine them, the truth becomes undeniable. Hannah didn’t run away and abandon Jennie thirty years ago; in fact, she never left White Cross at all.
Suddenly, Jennie has a murder to solve. The murder of her best friend. But can she do so before her colleagues discover just how closely connected she is to the victim? Before a mystery stalker makes good on his threats to silence her for good?
The Reunion is a gripping mystery perfect for fans of THE SANATORIUM, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Kelly.
Published September 5th by Oneworld Publications Suspense, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: CLOVE HAS SPENT YEARS BUILDING THE PERFECT LIFE. IT’S ABOUT TO COME CRASHING DOWN.
An unexpected letter from her mother threatens to pull Clove back to a life she’s left behind, in this thrilling novel from an explosive new talent
To the outside world, Clove has it all. Thanks to her lies, she’s landed the life of her dreams, complete with a kind, reliable husband, two adorable children, a stable family home. So what, if silencing the memories of her own abusive childhood means racking up a little credit card debt or obsessing about her wellness routine? Nothing to see here.
But then a letter arrives from a women’s prison in California – a letter that threatens to expose the secrets of a past she has worked so hard to hide. Soon, Clove will become caught up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the very people she thought she had outrun. No amount of shopping, green juice or meditation can help her avoid the defining day of her life forever.
Brave, hilarious and full of surprising twists, Madwoman is a story about violence, recovery, and Clove’s refusal to be defined by her worst experiences.
‘A truly stunning read – this is my book of the year.’Ella Berman
Published September 5th by Michael Joseph Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Police Procedurals
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Six people land on a desert island ready to make their reality show debut.
The contestants are hungry to prove themselves. The stakes are high and losing is not an option. But three weeks and eighteen episodes later, five of the six contestants sit in a Portuguese police station, and none of them are winners.
Because twelve million people were watching when Rhys Sutton died on camera, and someone must pay for the crime.
The best friend, the rival, the girlfriend, the lover, and the sworn enemy are left standing. And of course, no-one is talking. But how do you keep secrets when the world has been watching?
Especially when, just a day before his murder, Rhys was the most hated man on television.
Published September 5th by Doubleday UK Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Adventure Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: For fans of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES, THE CAT WHO SAVED BOOKS and SHE AND HER CAT, discover the award-winning bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation in this utterly charming celebration of the healing power of cats.
A cat a day keeps the doctor away …
On the top floor of an old building at the end of a cobbled alley in Kyoto lies the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. Only a select few – those who feel genuine emotional pain – can find it.
The mysterious centre offers a unique treatment for its troubled patients: it prescribes cats as medication.
Get ready to fall in love: – Bee, an eight-year-old female, mixed breed helps a disheartened businessman as he finds unexpected joy in physical labour; – Margot, muscly like a lightweight boxer, helps a middle-aged callcentre worker stay relevant; – Koyuki, an exquisite white cat brings closure to a mother troubled by the memory of the rescue kitten she was forced to abandon; – Tank and Tangerine bring peace to a hardened fashion designer, as she learns to be kinder to herself; – Mimita, the Scottish Fold kitten helps a broken-hearted Geisha to stop blaming herself for the cat she once lost.
Brimming with feline comfort and warmth, we see how the company of a wise and satisfied cat never lets us down when we need it most in this irresistible celebration of our furry friends.
Published September 5th by Hodder & Stoughton Romance Novel, Episolatory Novel, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A REASON TO LIVE. Still grieving the death of her best friend, Erin knows she needs to start living – but has no idea how. Then she loses her favourite book, a heavily annotated and containing her friend’s final words to her.
A REASON TO LOVE. When James finds Erin’s note-filled book in his local community library, it sparks a life-changing conversation. He writes his own message back, and soon they are locked in an anonymous book exchange, with no idea who the other person in the margins might be.
A REASON TO FORGIVE? But Erin and James have a shared history that neither of them realise. How will Erin react when she discovers the other writer isn’t a stranger at all – but the person she once swore she’d never forgive?
A story of second chances and new beginnings, this is a love letter to books – and a love letter to love.
Published September 5th by Jonathan Cape Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From Rachel Kushner, Booker Prize finalist and two-time National Book Award finalist, comes a new novel about a seductive and cunning American woman who infiltrates an anarchist collective in France
‘The most exciting writer of her generation’ BRET EASTON ELLIS
‘Reinvents the spy novel in one cool, erudite gesture’ HERNAN DIAZ
‘Compulsively readable… Kill Bill written by John le Carré’ OBSERVER
Sadie Smith – a thirty-four-year-old American undercover agent of ruthless tactics and bold opinions – is sent by her mysterious but powerful employers to a remote corner of France. Her mission: to infiltrate a commune of radical eco-activists influenced by the beliefs of an enigmatic elder, Bruno Lacombe, who has rejected civilisation, lives in a Neanderthal cave, and believes the path to enlightenment is a return to primitivism.
Sadie casts her cynical eye over this region of ancient farms and sleepy villages, and finds Bruno’s idealism laughable, but just as she is certain she’s the seductress and puppet master of those she surveils, Bruno Lacombe is seducing her with his ingenious counter-histories, his artful laments, his own tragic story.
Beneath this taut, dazzling story about a woman caught in the crossfire between the past and the future lies a profound treatise on human history. Creation Lake is Rachel Kushner’s finest novel yet – a work of high art, high comedy and irresistible pleasure.
Published September 5th by Transworld Gothic Ficiton, Horror Fiction, Southern Gothic, Supernatural Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Discover the gothic horror phenomenon that is sweeping across Europe, with over 2 million copies sold
‘RIVETING, TERRIFYING…JUST ABSOLUTELY GREAT’ STEPHEN KING
As the dark and menacing waters of the local river submerge Perdido, a small town in the south of Alabama, the Caskeys – a family of rich landowners – must confront the tide of damage caused by the flood. Led by Mary-Love, the powerful matriarch, and by Oscar, her devoted son, the family must pick itself back up. But what they haven’t anticipated is the sudden appearance of Elinor Dammert – a mysterious but seductive young woman with a troubling past. Her sole ambition appears to be to infiltrate the very heart of the Caskey clan…
Published September 5th by Del Rey Science Fiction, Space Opera, LGBT Literature, Science Ficiton Comedy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A dying universe. A search for answers. An adventure at the end of a trillion lifetimes.
When the home worlds finally achieved the technology to venture out into the stars, they found a graveyard of dead civilisations. What befell these worlds is unknown. All they know is that they are the last ones left – and whatever came for the others will one day come for them.
Scout is an Archivist who scours the dead worlds of the cosmos for their last gifts: interesting technology, cultural rituals – anything left behind that might be useful to home and their survival. During an excavation on a lifeless planet, Scout unearths something unbelievable: a surviving message from an alien who witnessed the world-ending entity thousands of years ago.
Now Scout, their brother and their sometimes-fearless, space-faring cat, Pumpkin, must race to save what matters most.
Published September 5th by MacLehose Press Short Story, Urban Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Is three days with a cat enough to change your life?
The troubled and anxious of Tokyo are desperate to find out. They all have their problems – and they all want to believe that a feline companion from a unique pet shop can help them find a solution. But there are rules: they must be returned after three days, and they must always sleep in their own familiar blankets.
In The Blanket Cats, we meet seven such customers, including a couple struggling with infertility, a middle-aged woman on the run from the police, and two families in very different circumstances simply seeking joy.
But like all their kind, the blanket cats are mysterious creatures with their own unknowable agendas, who delight in confounding expectations. And perhaps what their hosts are looking for isn’t what they really need.
Three days may not be enough to change your life. But it might be enough to change how you see it.
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Would you know if you lived next door to a serial killer? Based on her smash hit tour, Emma Kenny – psychologist and true crime expert – reveals the chilling true stories of killers who hide in plain sight.
Taking readers on a journey into the dark side of humanity, Emma Kenny explores the ingredient list of experiences that turns regular people into murderous monsters, looking at crimes that shook the world.
From Ted Bundy to Joanna Dennehy, Richard Trenton Chase to Aileen Wuornos and many more besides, Emma explores the crime scenes and criminal minds of some of the most notorious serial killers of our time. She also unveils shocking stories of lesser-known killers that even the most dedicated true crime fan will be surprised by.
What unites all of these killers is the ability to slip into society. They look just like you and me. Some were married or parents, conscientious neighbours, teachers or fixtures of their community. Join Emma in this compelling exposé of their depraved world to understand what motivates them and what they look for in a victim. Then maybe you’ll be able to spot the serial killer next door...
Published September 12th by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Sexy, electrically stylish, and beautiful – a gorgeous story about sisterhood, and a glamorous, evocative passport to a period we all long to get lost in’ Daisy Buchanan
‘Julie’s best novel yet’ Georgina Moore _________
BERLIN, 1926: After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other. Desperate, but dreaming of better days, Leni finds work at a notorious cabaret: the Babylon Circus.
From the dancer’s barely-there costumes, to the glimmering mirrors that cover the walls, the Babylon Circus is where reality and fantasy merge. For Leni, it’s an overwhelming new world, and she’s happiest hiding in the shadows.
Until she meets the cabaret’s resident pianist, Paul. And so begins a tentative love affair that will play out over the next forty years. But, in a city whose divisions will define a century, can a love born within the feverish walls of the Babylon Circus ever survive? And can the bond between Leni and Annette – tugged in opposite directions of their own – also endure?
In Berlin, two sisters dared to dream of a better life – but where in this dark and dazzling city will they find their true home?
The Torments (The Annie Jackson Mysteries, Book 2) by Michael J. Malone
Published September 12th by Orenda Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary Horror, Horror Thrillers, Hard-boiled Mystery, Book Series
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A tense, creepy page-turner’ Ian Rankin, New Statesman
Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.
While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.
Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother’s home.
Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever…
The second book in the critically acclaimed Annie Jackson Mysteries series, The Torments is both a contemporary gothic thriller and a spellbinding mystery that deeps deep into a past that should, perhaps, remain undisturbed…
Published September 12th by Viking Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Crime Series, Humorous Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB
A brand new series.
An iconic new detective duo.
And a thrilling new murder to solve . . .
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Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favourite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.
Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job . . .
Then a dead body, a bag of money and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a deadly enemy?
Published September 12th by The Borough Press Mystery, Crime Fiction, Humorous Ficiton, Urban Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Delicious’ JOJO MOYES
‘Very funny… I inhaled it’ JOE LYCETT
‘Taut, pacy, seamless… a huge pleasure to read’ MARIAN KEYES
‘I was immensely grateful that despite the gruesome way my husband died, he’d done it with his clothes on.’
Anthony Wistern is wealthy beyond imagination. Fragrant wife, gaggle of photogenic children, French chateau, Cotswold manor, plethora of mistresses, penchant for cutting moral corners, tick tick tick tick tick tick.
Unfortunately for him, he’s also dead. Suddenly poised to inherit his fortune, each member of the family falls under suspicion.
And that’s when everything comes crashing down…
‘Still not over Succession? A dysfunctional family with four inheritance-obsessed children gives the Roy clan a run for its money, with a murderous twist’ SUNDAY TIMES STYLE
Living is a Problem (The Skelfs, 6) by Doug Johnstone
Published September 12th by Orenda Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Crime Series, Humorous Fiction, Women Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Drones, gangland vendettas, a missing choir singer, disturbances in the cemetery, PTSD, panpsychism, and secrets from the past … This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as nail-biting, tense and warmly funny as ever!
‘Hurroo! The Skelfs — Edinburgh funeral directors and part-time private eyes — are back … the persistence of love in the Skelf household, no matter what fate flings at it, is reassuring and life-affirming’ The Times Book of the Month
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The Skelf women are back on an even keel after everything they’ve been through. But when a funeral they’re conducting is attacked by a drone, Jenny fears they’re in the middle of an Edinburgh gangland vendetta.
At the same time, Yana, a Ukrainian member of the refugee choir that plays with Dorothy’s band, has gone missing. Searching for her leads Dorothy into strange and ominous territory.
And Brodie, the newest member of the extended Skelf family, comes to Hannah with a case: Something or someone has been disturbing the grave of his stillborn son.
Everything is changing for the Skelfs … Dorothy’s boyfriend Thomas is suffering PTSD after previous violent trauma, Jenny and Archie are becoming close, and Hannah’s case leads her to consider the curious concept of panpsychism, which brings new danger … while ghosts from the family’s past return to threaten their very lives.
Funny, shocking and profound, Living Is A Problem is the highly anticipated sixth instalment of the unforgettable Skelfs series – shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Novel and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Book of the Year – where life and death become intertwined more than ever before…
Published September 12th by Renegade Books Historical Fiction, Mythology
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A beautiful weave of history, myth and storytelling by one of our most exciting new classicists’ DAN SNOW Steeped in ancient magic, dark divinity and wild ways, Goddess with a Thousand Faces takes you on a historical journey like no other…
Blending mythological retellings with historical research, Goddess with a Thousand Faces traverses the world and transports through time to bring ten formidable and inspiring ancient goddesses to life. Meet Artemis, the Greek goddess of the wilderness, never without her bow and arrow; Sedna, Inuit goddess of the ocean, guarding the icy waters and all its creatures; Isis, Egyptian goddess of healing, who dwells by the River Nile, just to name a few…
Jasmine Elmer explores these goddesses of our past, uncovering their truths, their rebellion and their freedom. For too long, they have been written out of history; lost to the sands of time and stamped into silence. Goddess with a Thousand Faces restores these women to their glory.
Pour over this treasure trove of myths, legends and mighty goddesses. Hear the messages echoing through the ages and see yourself in the faces of these icons. For while their stories might ancient, today they are more important – and more powerful – than ever.
A treasure trove of beautiful storytelling and ancient wisdom, perfect for fans of Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola and Storyland by Amy Jeffs.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, 2) by T. J. Klune
Published September 12th by Tor Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel, Contemporary Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Gay Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.
This is the hugely-anticipated sequel to TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, a cosy-fantasy triumph and a New York Times bestseller.
Arthur Parnassus has built a good life on the ashes of a bad one. He’s headmaster at an orphanage for magical children, on a peculiar island, assisted by love-of-his-life Linus Baker. And together, they’ll do anything to protect their extraordinary and powerful charges.
However, when Arthur is forced to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself fighting for those under his care. It’s also a fight for the better future that all magical people deserve. Then when a new magical child joins their island home, Arthur knows they’ve reached breaking point. The child finds power in calling himself a monster, a name Arthur has tried so hard to banish to protect his children. Challenged from within and without, their volatile family might grow stronger. Or everything Arthur loves could fall apart.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.
Published September 12th by Wildfire Gothic Fiction, Ghost Story, Horror Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Folklore
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Spring, 1985. Twelve year old Phoebe MacDonald’s world is falling apart.
She has just buried her parents, a fire at their family home claiming both in a freak accident. Now she must leave Scotland, the only place she has ever known, and go to live with her uncle Louis and aunt Maude in their home in the Welsh woods.
As spring turns to summer, Phoebe falls slowly into the rhythm of life with her eccentric guardians in their curious home. But there is no one her age in the nearby village, and she is lonely until she meets a strange girl, Gwyneth, who wanders the surrounding forest barefoot and alone.
Outsiders both, the two girls form a strong bond, though nobody else seems to believe that Gwyneth is real. Phoebe knows better, and soon with her new friend’s help, she begins to see the woods for what they truly are – a place of magic and wonder, where the line between life and death is blurred. Where spirits roam and secrets fester.
Something happened here, a lifetime ago. A wrong that yearns to be put right. The answer is within Phoebe’s grasp, but will revealing it put her in grave danger?
For the woods hold a dark truth, and some will do anything to keep it in the shadows.
Published September 12th by One More Chapter Historical Ficiton, Historical Romance, Romance Novel, War Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Kehinde must put everything on the line to find herself during a time of war.
Lagos, 1939
With the announcement of World War Two and a change that sends shockwaves through her family, Kehinde is forced to put aside her dreams of writing and become the third wife of Mr Ogunjobi.
Kehinde makes her peace by selling snacks at a small market. When she gets the chance to assist the leader of the Lagos Women’s Market Association, fighting for the rights the British are trying to take away, Kehinde finally feels useful again.
But if her husband finds out he’ll abandon her.
Can Kehinde find the courage to fight for herself and the other women of Lagos? Or will she remain a caged bird, a parlour wife, forever.
A poignant story of a young Nigerian woman, living with the consequences of a war her country didn’t choose.
Published September 12th by Black & White Publishing Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Merry lives a simple life. For work, she writes cryptic crossword puzzles. For pleasure, she swims in the icy cold sea. And in between she keeps a careful eye on her neighbour, Lucas Manning, the son of her late best friend Julia.
One day Lucas’s wife reports him missing. Merry has known Lucas his whole life; he would never walk out like this. Bad things have always hovered around the Manning family. Lucas’s abusive criminal father disappeared decades ago, and his brother Sean is in jail. But Lucas is different. A good man. He was the one who turned Sean in to the police, after all. Although Sean has spent every day since professing his innocence.
As she begins to dig into Lucas’s life, Merry forms an uneasy alliance with a private investigator doing the same. Gareth was hired by Lucas’s employers, who are also desperate to locate him – and the sensitive work project he has absconded with. Merry might be a cryptic crossword mastermind, but reading people is hard. Was she wrong about Lucas? Did the wrong brother go down all those years ago? This is no straightforward disappearing act: something much more sinister is at play. But as she get closer to the truth, Merry must confront her own dark past with the Manning family, which she has fought so long to keep buried. Who can she trust with her secrets?
Published September 12th by Harper Collins UK Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Fairy Tale,Horror Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Chilling and uncanny folk suspense in a novel of twisted sisterhood and dark secrets.
Some places are cursed.
An isolated village
A twisted sisterhood
A dark secret that festers in silence
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1978. When teenager Rina Pine is abandoned by her hippy mother in the isolated village of Sorrow Spring and forced to live with her elderly aunt, she quickly realises no one is coming to rescue her.
Rina finds herself trapped amidst a community of women beholden to the past, who believe in the protective powers of the local spring. When a child goes missing and a young mother is killed, she is drawn into the dark and sinister truth flowing through the sacred waters that give the village its name.
Rina is about to learn what it truly means to be a daughter of Sorrow Spring…
Published September 12th by Avon Cozy Mystery, Fantasy Fiction, Magical Realism, Romantic Fantasy, Supernatural Fiction, Contemporary Horror, Horror Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: One new owner. One hot barista. And one seriously weird coffee shop…
Adele is down on her luck. She’s just failed her last musical theatre, and it now looks like the bright lights of Broadway are behind her for good. So, when the opportunity comes up to take over a Brooklyn coffee shop, finally it feels like at last things are going her way.
The only issue is the coffee shop comes with strings attached in the form of one very grumpy (but roasting hot) barista, Ben. He’s worked there for years and he’s not about to move on just because there’s a new owner in town.
But soon it’s not only Ben who’s smouldering, because strange things are happening with the old coffee roasting machine in the basement, with roaring flames and weird noises that seem to come from nowhere. She’d ask Ben for help, but he never seems to be around when there’s a problem to fix. And to add to it all, now some of the regular customers are nowhere to be seen…
Trouble is brewing for Adele and, before she knows it, she’s in a whole latte trouble…
Published September 12th by Bedford Square Publishers Domestic Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A gorgeous and funny story about family and acceptance’ Nina Pottell (Prima) ‘Laugh out loud funny yet poignant at heart’ Frances Quinn, author of That Bonesetter Woman __________
Twenty-nine-year-old teacher Emily needs her father to believe her life is a success. He may have walked out on the family when she was a child and let her down when she needed him most, but her life is perfect despite him.
Or it was until last Friday, when her fiancé dumped her. Now she’s facing a frighteningly empty future, and she’s unravelling at work. And just when she thought things couldn’t get worse, her father turns up on her doorstep.
Ed knows he’s got it wrong, and he wants to make amends, even if his motives aren’t entirely selfless. What better way to do that than to show Emily how much he cares about her wedding? He’ll even shell out for the dress if that’s what it takes.
Emily can’t bear to tell her father that her life has fallen apart. So she doesn’t. Before she knows it, they’re planning – and booking – a wedding that’s totally perfect.
Published September 17th by Daphne Press Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Folklore, Dark Fantasy, Lesbian Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A sharp-tongued folklorist and her academic rival must solve their mentor’s murder in this lush sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.
Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a mythical spring of untold power. The king wants to harness the fabled water source from which magic flows to secure his reign, and Lorelei is determined to prove herself and to make her dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to faraway lands.
The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader―Lorelei’s beloved mentor―is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again―and a coup begins in earnest.
But other dangers lurk in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons hiding beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood. As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth―and resist their growing feelings for each other―they discover that their leader had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, and if this kingdom is worth saving at all.
The Butcher Game (Dr Wren Muller Book 2) by Alaina Urquhart
Published September 17th by Zando Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction. Crime Ficiton, Police Procedural, Horror Ficiton, Crime Series
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the New York Times bestselling author and cohost of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid comes the thrilling book two in her national bestselling series, told from the dueling perspectives of a notorious serial killer and a medical examiner seeking justice.
Destruction follows the ruthless serial killer, Jeremy Rose, the Bayou Butcher, as he heads north to evade capture for his horrific crimes. As he seeks safe harbor with a former friend, he remains focused on unfinished business with forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller, the only target who’s ever escaped him–twice. But not this time. He’s determined to make Wren suffer, and he’s promised to make her play by his own twisted rules.
Still in shock over the harrowing encounter with her old nemesis, Wren is on forced medical leave in New Orleans, attempting to mend the deep scars of her traumatic past. But with growing evidence that Jeremy is leaving a fresh trail of mutilated victims across Massachusetts, Wren realizes the best way to heal is to renew her pursuit of this vicious killer. She sets her sights on Jeremy, only to discover that she may have walked directly into his trap. As their twisted cat-and-mouse game rachets up to a violent clash of good versus evil, Wren prepares to sacrifice everything to bring Jeremy to justice.
With intense true-to-life details from autopsy technician and Morbid podcast cohost, Alaina Urquhart, The Butcher Game is a gripping addition to the New York Times bestselling Dr. Wren Muller series.
Published September 19th by Michael Joseph Mystery, Fantasy Fiction, Horror Fantasy, Horror Ficiton, Supernatural Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Dark academia meets horror in this gripping fantasy series which is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s NINTH HOUSE.
‘All the Devils is eerie, intense, and mysteriouswith immersive world building and mythology. The fast pace kept me turning pages, and I’d follow Jae pretty much anywhere’ Stacia Stark, bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series — HELL IS EMPTY AND ALL THE DEVILS ARE AT RAVENSWOOD ACADEMY . . .
Mourning the sudden death of her sister, Andy Emmerson knows she must come to terms with a life without Violet. But on the day of the funeral Andy is shocked to discover one thing: the person in that casket is not her sister.
Violet is alive.
Convinced her sister’s elite boarding school is covering up the truth, Andy enrols at Ravenswood Academy to discover what really happened and find Violet.
The school is as beautiful and haunting as the students within it and Andy learns that it’s not just good grades that drives these pupils. Something much darker is at play.
After discovering a cryptic note from her sister, Andy must follow a set of clues to unlock the truth. This will bring her into contact with secret societies, ancient magic, demons and monsters. And a charming senior named Jae Han who has his own reasons for finding out what happened to Violet . . .
Soon Andy realizes the price she must pay to bring her sister home is darker and more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.
Published September 19th by Viking Drama, Soap Opera, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A hopeful, healing novel about new friendships, old loves, and the very human desire to leave a mark on the world, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Booker-shortlisted author
It’s autumn in Maine, and the town lawyer Bob Burgess has become enmeshed in an unfolding murder investigation, defending a lonely, isolated man accused of killing his mother. He has also fallen into a deep and abiding friendship with the acclaimed writer, Lucy Barton, who lives nearby in a house next to the sea. Together, Lucy and Bob talk about their lives, their hopes and regrets, and what might have been. Lucy, meanwhile, befriends one of Crosby’s longest inhabitants, Olive Kitteridge, now living in a retirement community on the edge of town. They spend afternoons together in Olive’s apartment, telling each other stories. Stories about people they have known – “unrecorded lives,” Olive calls them – reanimating them, and, in the process, imbuing their lives with meaning.
Brimming with empathy and pathos, TELL ME EVERYTHING is Elizabeth Strout operating at the height of her powers, illuminating the ways in which our relationships keep us afloat. As Lucy says, “Love comes in so many different forms, but it is always love.”
Before We Forget Kindness (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, 5) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Published September 19th by Picador Time Travel, Contemporary Fantasy, Psychological Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The million-copy bestselling series.
In the fifth book in the sensational Before the Coffee Gets Cold series translated from Japanese, the mysterious Tokyo café where customers arrive hoping to travel back in time welcomes four new guests:
– The father who could not allow his daughter to get married – A woman who couldn’t give Valentine’s Day chocolates to her loved one – A boy who wants to show his smile to his divorced parents – A wife holding a child with no name . . .
They must follow the café’s strict rules, however, and come back to the present before their coffee goes cold.
Another moving and heartwarming tale from Toshikazu Kawaguchi, in Before We Forget Kindness our new visitors wish to go back into their past to find closure and comfort so they can embark on a beautiful future.
Catch up on the rest of the series with Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Tales from the Cafe, Before Your Memory Fades and Before We Say Goodbye.
Published September 19th by Pan Macmillan Fantasy Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: It’s time to rediscover her magic . . .
With found family, a dash of romance and an uplifting message about self-love, Rewitched is a cosy autumnal fantasy that will leave readers spellbound.
Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark, but she hasn’t seen it in a while either. Balancing work at her beloved London bookshop, Lunar Books, with handling her toxic boss and concealing her witchcraft from those around her – Belle is burnt out. Perfecting the potential of her magic is the last thing on her mind.
But, when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle risks losing her magic for ever. With the month of October to fix things and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get – from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure and even from an (infuriating) coven watchman who’s sworn to protect her . . .
‘I was completely charmed by this delightful and endearing novel about rediscovering your spark’ – Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Spellshop
Published September 19th by Constable Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Humorous Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A twisty and wickedly funny murder mystery
Welcome to Aberfal Boys High School. Independent jewel of academic and sporting excellence in the South-west — until the headmaster is murdered in his study. And now the Year Seven School Mums’ WhatsApp Group really do have something to talk about…
Clare Withoutani: OMG have you heard about Newhall?!!! Becky Rupertsmum: Helen-Louise just texted. Can’t believe it. Asha: Not heard anything. What’s happened? Pam Geoffreysmum: What’s he done this time? They’re going co-ed, aren’t they? I knew this would happen. Clare Withoutani: Can’t believe it, Becky. I’m in shock. Pam Geoffreysmum: Are we going co-ed? Becky Rupertsmum: No, Pam. Newhall died. Pam Geoffreysmum: Oh GOD. Seriously??!! Can’t believe it. So sad. He’ll be such a loss to the school. The boys will be devastated. Will the school be offering grief counselling? Rose Oliversmum: Anyone know what pages they’re meant to do for chemistry? Ollie’s homework diary says ‘do questions 1-4’ but no page numbers!
As the resulting police investigation reveals more and more of Aberfal’s long-hidden secrets the list of suspects who wanted the headmaster dead grows by the day. And far from being a glittering jewel of exclusivity and excellence, it would appear Aberfal Boys High School is rotten to its core…
Published September 26th by Magpie Gothic Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Mythology, Coming-of;Age
BOOK DESCRIPTION: YOU’LL WANT TO BE ONE. UNTIL YOU KNOW THEIR SECRETS.
After sixteen-year-old Emily’s father tragically dies, she is forced to live with the only family she has left, an aunt and grandmother in the heart of Savannah, Georgia in a house as beautiful as it is mysterious.
But all is not what it seems with the Bell family; they’re hiding a magical secret.
When Emily meets the alluring Wyn, she forms a connection that feels like it was always meant to be. As the spark between them grows more powerful, her life takes an exhilarating and terrifying turn; but every step closer to him, takes her a step further away from her family.
Emily will find out that blood is always thicker than water…
Published September 26th by Oneworld Publications Fantasty Fiction, Fairy Tales, Mythology, Dark Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the author of House of Salt and Sorrows comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for
When death calls, she must answer.
Hazel has always known she was different from her siblings. A thirteenth child, she was promised at birth to Merrick, the god of death.
Under his care, Hazel learns the art – and magic – of healing. Word of her extraordinary gift spreads throughout the kingdom. But all gifts come with a price. When Death claims a soul for himself, it is Hazel who must end their suffering… permanently.
Soon, destiny brings her to the royal court where she meets Leopold, an infuriatingly alluring prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. Here, Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet: to carry out her duties or follow the urges of her own heart. Can she go against the will of Death himself to save someone who is marked to die?
Published September 26th by Black & White Publishing Historical Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Medical Thriller, Medical Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Inside the grand walls of Edinburgh’s nineteenth-century scientific institutions, anatomists began to map the secrets of the human body in order to discover new medical innovations.
But to the horror of the local population, a shortage of bodies soon led to the gruesome act of graveyard bodysnatching, a heartless crime that would soon spread like a disease throughout the city. And when stealing cadavers turns to murder, Burke & Hare became two of the most notorious serial killers of their time.
This is the story of those grim events, told for the first time through the eyes of Susan and Helen (Nelly), two women caught up in those horrific matters.
Published September 26th by Michael Joseph Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: We’re all so busy, caught up in life’s moments, big and small . . .
The flight attendant working a shift on her birthday. The mother struggling alone with two young children. The newlyweds excited about their tropical honeymoon . The overworked father missing his kid’s big show. The young man returning from his best friend’s funeral. The ER nurse wondering what retirement will bring.
All strangers. All unsuspecting. Each with a life heading in a particular direction – or so they imagine.
Because an elderly woman is about to step into each of their paths. In just a few words, she will make a prediction, tying herself to all of them. And, in being bound to her, these disparate strangers will all face similar existential dilemmas. .
Who is this woman? Is she a genuine clairvoyant? A charlatan? The answer to prayers, or a harbinger of nightmares?
What she will prove to be is an agent of chaos, fraying relationships, putting entire futures into doubt and causing the most ordered of lives to unravel in the most unexpected of ways . . .
Published September 26th by Michael Joseph Greek Mythology, Folklore
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Pre-order the final book in Stephen Fry’s acclaimed internationally bestselling Greek myths series telling the story of The Odyssey – can a hero find his way home?
Sometimes the hardest journey is the way back home . . .
Wily Odysseus, King of Ithaca, has won Troy for the Greeks – after a decade of brutal, bloody warfare. But now this warrior remembers he is a husband and father – and his gaze turns longingly towards home.
Setting sail with a small fleet, Odysseus dreams of soon lying in the arms of his beloved wife Penelope, and of teaching his son Telemachus the ways of a warrior. However, the gods laugh at the foolish hopes of mortals. Angered by this upstart, Poseidon – God of the ocean realms – curses our hero to wander the seas for ten long years.
Encountering one-eyed giants, six-headed monsters, terrible storms, titanic whirlpools, hypnotic sirens, seductive witches and jealous goddesses, Odysseus is tempted and tormented beyond any man’s endurance.
Yet he is no mere mortal – and the lure of his wife and son draws him, step by step, stroke by stroke, ever closer to home and his ultimate destiny . . .
A tale of love and longing, return and redemption, home and hope, Stephen Fry’s Odyssey weaves the final threads of the story begun in the worldwide bestseller, Mythos, into an astonishing and mesmerising tapestry for the ages.
Published September 26th by Verve Books Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: An unflinching and emotionally insightful debut about cultural identity, homesickness, love and loss.
In the five years following his brother’s death, Aaron has built himself a life of solitary routines. After moving from Dublin to Boston, and illegally overstaying her visa, Róisín has done the same.
When the two meet on a night out, they each find in the other something missing in their lives. A semblance of home.
Their relationship is complicated by their disparate religious backgrounds – Aaron is Jewish; Roísín is atheist – and by the harsh realities of everyday life. Just as they’re pushed to their breaking point, Roísín realises she is pregnant.
Placeholders is a poignant story of loneliness corrected and the transformative power of love. The next fix for fans of Sally Rooney, Nick Hornby, David Nicholls, Louise Kennedy and Coco Mellors.
Published August 15th, 2024 by Michael Joseph Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction
Welcome to my review for the The Liars, the unnerving thriller by Katherine Fleet, which was one of the SquadPod Featured Books in August. Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
EAD THE INTENSE, EVOCATIVE DESTINATION THRILLER FOR FANS OF LUCY CLARKE AND WILL DEAN
Two sisters. One missing girl. An island full of secrets . . .
‘Compelling and utterly transportive, a scorching summer read’ LUCY CLARKE
‘Beautiful writing and characterisation and a gripping plot. Such an atmospheric read ‘ SARAH PEARSE
—- I thought I saw her today. Down by the water. It was her hair I noticed. Do you ever see her, Lex? Does she haunt you too?
I haven’t been back to Eos since I first met my step-sister, Lex. It’s been twenty-five years since that summer. Since we went from strangers to sisters. Since Abigail went missing.
Since we told the first lie.
Now we’re back together on the island. So much has changed since we were teenagers. We’ve both tried to move on from the past – from each other. But the island won’t let us escape our secrets.
Only me and Lex know the truth about Abigail. We’ve been living a lie for so long. And if the truth comes out – neither of us will survive it . . .
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MY REVIEW:
A cold case that has never been solved. Teenage friendship and insecurities. A sun-soaked summer of memories and secrets. A missing girl. The Liars has all this and more, making it the perfect scorching summer thriller.
Still haunted by memories of the sun-soaked summer she met Lex, Zoe hasn’t returned to Eos for twenty-five years. That summer wasn’t just one of teenage fun, friendship and insecurities, it was also when a girl went missing and her two friends swore to keep a dark secret forever. But now, Zoe is back for her step-father’s funeral and finds that the ghosts of that summer never left the island. And they’ve been waiting for her to return…
Atmospheric, intense, unnerving and addictive, this escapist thriller is not to be missed. Told in dual timelines, Katherine Fleet has packed a lot into these pages: heartbreak, grief, friendship, insecurity, anxiety, envy, secrets, lies, romance, and self-discovery. Her writing is skillful and captivating, a sense of uneasiness and foreboding woven through the story while darkness simmers beneath the surface. There is also a strong sense of place, Fleet transporting me to the island of Eos so evocatively that I could feel the sun rays hitting my skin, hear the waves and smell the suncream. From the start we know that something bad happened twenty-five years ago. A secret that Zoe and Lex had vowed to always hide and was so terrible it tore them apart. Chills ran down my spine and I was on the edge of my seat as I tried to guess what had happened to Abigail.
Zoe narrates the story in both timelines, offering the reader a glimpse into her psyche and showing us the other characters through her lens. This obviously makes it a biased account of events, but you get the sense that Zoe is a reliable narrator. Fleet’s characterisation is spot on, perfectly capturing the bittersweet teenage years with all their rebellion, angst, confusion and insecurity. She also perfectly captures the dynamics of teenage female friendships with all their drama, rivalry and jealousy.
So if you’re looking for a suspenseful and intriguing read you can escape with this summer, The Liars is for you.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Katherine Fleet is a writer and author coach for The Novelry. As a journalist, she wrote for The Guardian, Sunday Times, Red, Stella and Grazia. She lives in a Cotswold valley with her two rescue dogs, where she writes and coaches full-time. A trip to the small Greek island of Paxos was the inspiration for The Liars.
Published June 6th, 2023 by Michael Joseph Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, New Adult Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story
Here’s my bookish thoughts on Talking at Night, the heartwarming debut which was one of our SquadPod Featured Books in July. Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
THE LOVE STORY THAT WILL KEEP YOU AWAKE AT NIGHT
‘A beautiful love story. I devoured it’ JOJO MOYES Gave me One Day vibes’ LIBBY PAGE ‘Basically impossible to put down’ BOBBY PALMER ‘Deeply romantic’ LAURA BARNETT ‘Beautiful and very clever’ FEARNE COTTON
‘Stunning, tender and true’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING SUMMER READING INCLUDED IN THE INDEPENDENT’S ‘BEST ROMANTIC SUMMER READS’
—-
Will and Rosie meet as teenagers.
They’re opposites in every way. She overthinks everything; he is her twin brother’s wild and unpredictable friend. But over secret walks home and late-night phone calls, they become closer – destined to be one another’s great love story.
Until, one day, tragedy strikes, and their future together is shattered.
But as the years roll on, Will and Rosie can’t help but find their way back to each other. Time and again, they come close to rekindling what might have been.
What do you do when the one person you should forget is the one you just can’t let go?
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MY REVIEW:
Tender, heartfelt and affecting, Talking at Night is a deeply beautiful love story. It follows Rosie and Will, who meet as teenagers and have an instant connection. The pair are total opposites: Rosie is the stereotypical ‘good girl’ and overthinks everything, and Will is the wild and unpredictable best friend of her twin brother. It is clear from the start that this is more than teenage infatuation, but, before their relationship gets the chance to start, tragedy strikes, destroying any chance of a future together. What follows is a memorable will they/won’t they love story that will make even the most cynical person believe in soulmates.
Oh, my heart. I’d heard that this book was emotional but I was still unprepared for how it wreaked havoc on my emotions. Debut author Claire Daverley’s writing is simple but beautiful, allowing the characters and the story to shine in her exploration of love, friendship, loss and grief. Achingly human, acutely observed, and deeplymoving, this character-driven romance has much more depth than your average, lighthearted love story. Real love isn’t all hearts and rainbows, and Daverley isn’t afraid to show that, exploring the flawed, painful side of love alongside the joy and laughter. But those things are still there. After all, this is a story about true love; that all-consuming, red-hot, soulful love that is impossible to resist. It feels like a very fresh and modern romance, revealing how bittersweet love can be. After all, the path to true love rarely runs smooth, and it’s certainly a bumpy journey for Rosie and Will. But will it be worth it in the end?
Rosie and Will are very real, three-dimensional characters who I found likeable and relatable. Their romance gets off to a rocky start after a tragedy and we wonder if they will ever truly find their way back to one another. They try not to, seeing other people and severing contact on and off over the years, but they can never forget each other or completely let go and always find themselves drawn back together. We go on this journey with them, Daverley opening them up and revealing their innermost thoughts and feelings. And I felt every emotion alongside them, leaving me wrung out but heartened when it was all over.
Passionate, poignant, heartwarming and compelling, Talking at Night is a glorious debut you won’t forget. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Claire Daverley was born in 1991 and has been writing stories ever since she was six years old.
After graduating with a degree in Fine Art from The University of Oxford, she began a career in publishing, writing about books by day, but penning her own by night, on trains and in the light of the early mornings.
She has spent most of her life in Hertfordshire, but now lives in Scotland by the sea with her husband and spaniel.
Her debut novel, Talking at Night, has sold in twenty-four countries to date.
Published July 18th, 2024 by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Welcome to my review for this charming, witty and sassy novel, which was the SquadPod Book Club book for July. Thank you Michael Joseph for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
‘Romance and scandal abound in this compelling period drama . . . Recommended for all lovers of Regency historical fiction’ LAURA SHEPPERSON, author of The Heroines
‘Warm and witty, with a wonderful cast of quirky characters whose company I found irresistible’ JESSICA BULL, author of Miss Austen Investigates
‘A glittering comedy with spiky wit, an eye for social critique, and (of course) a terrific sense of irony’ TOM MEAD, author of Death and the Conjuror and The Murder Wheel
‘Rich with scandal, romance and social mores . . . a total delight!’ ANITA FRANK, author of The Lost Ones and The Good Liars
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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.
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MY REVIEW:
Witty, fun, gossipy and addictive, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is a glorious Regency comedy of manners. Katie Lumsden’s sensational debut, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall, was one of my top reads of last year so I was excited to dive into her sophomore novel. I went into it blind, expecting another Victorian gothic mystery, and was pleasantly surprised by this piece of Victorian uplit.
Set in the fictional county of Wickenshire in 1841, this is a story of family, romance, society, gossip and scandal. It follows Amelia, the eldest daughter of the wealthy Ashpoint family. Amelia is not your average 19th century heroine and has vowed never to take a husband. Despite this, her father hopes to secure her marriage to Mr. Montgomery Hurst, but his hopes are quashed when Mr. Hurst announces his engagement at the first ball of the marriage season. The gossip fires are ablaze as all of Society wonders who his mystery bride-to-be could be. Tongues wag further when it is revealed that not only is the new Mrs. Hurst a stranger, but also a widow and mother of three young children. The scandal! How could a gentleman choose such an unsuitable bride? And what will become of Miss Ashpoint now?
Katie Lumsden has knocked it out of the park once again with this magnificent tale. She brings her fictional world to life in vivid technicolour with her exquisite period prose, cleverly choreographed plots and ebullient characters. I lost myself completely in this book, captivated by the people and their lives. It is lively and upbeat, but also touches on serious topics from that time such as sexuality, gender and illegitimacy. These are all handled sensitively but honestly, woven into the narrative seamlessly alongside the secrets, drama, romance and laughter. It gave me wholesome Bridgerton vibes and feels ripe for a sequel.
I was captivated by the book’s cast of quirky, compelling characters. Its heroine, Amelia Ashpoint, is not your average 19th century heroine, and that is why I loved her so much. Spiky, headstrong and plain-speaking, she prefers reading books to dancing, doesn’t fit into the strict gender roles available to her, vows never to take a husband, and is struggling to find her place. But she is kind hearted, likeable, and so fun to read. The eponymous Mrs. Hurst was another fascinating character. Only we know very little about her and are given only breadcrumbs of information about her history and character, keeping us guessing what she might be hiding. I also really liked Diggory, Amelia’s older brother. There were also some great stuck up and unlikeable characters who added to the drama and authenticity.
So if you’re looking for a different kind of lighthearted and escapist read this summer, then look no further than this charming, elegant and sassy novel.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
From Katie’s Website: Right, so, hello!
Hi, I’m Katie and I like books. I like to read books, write books and talk about books on the internet. When I am not speaking rapidly about Victorian literature and historical fiction on YouTube, I also write novels and work as a freelance editor.
I chiefly write historical fiction, both novels and short stories. My debut novel, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall, was published in spring 2023, by Penguin Michael Joseph in the UK and by Dutton in the US.
My second novel, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst, will be published by Penguin Michael Joseph in the UK in July 2024
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.
Welcome to my list of most anticipated books out in March. It’s another jam-packed month, with highly anticipated books from authors such as Bobby Palmer, Doug Johnstone, C. L. Taylor and Freya Sampson.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Published March 7th by Century Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy,Horror Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Ghost Horror, Science Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The sweeping new novel from New York Times bestselling author Katherine Arden.
‘A wonderful clash of fire and ice … A book you won’t want to let go of.’ Diana Gabaldon ‘A spectacular tour de force … I love this book so much and want everyone to read it!‘ Naomi Novik ‘Darkly beautiful and deeply humane … The Warm Hands of Ghosts will stir your heart, and settle into your bones.’ Ava Reid ‘Visionary, imaginative and brilliantly written.’ Anthony Horowitz ‘This exquisite novel took me over like a haunting … One of the best historical fantasies I’ve ever read’ Emma Törzs ______________
World War One, and as shells fall in Flanders, a Canadian nurse searches for her brother believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise in this gripping and powerful historical novel from the bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale.
January 1918. Laura Iven has been discharged from her duties as a nurse and sent back to Halifax, Canada, leaving behind a brother still fighting in the trenches of the First World War. Now home, she receives word of Freddie’s death in action along with his uniform -but something doesn’t quite make sense. Determined to find out more, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about ghosts moving among those still living and a strange inn-keeper whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could this have happened to Freddie – but if so, where is he?
November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped under an overturned pillbox with an enemy soldier, a German, each of them badly wounded. Against all odds, the two men form a bond and succeed in clawing their way out. But once in No Man’s Land, where can either of them turn where they won’t be shot as enemy soldiers or deserters? As the killing continues, they meet a man – a fiddler – who seems to have the power to make the hellscape that surrounds them disappear. But at what price?
A novel of breath-taking scope and drama, of compulsive readability, of stunning historical research lightly worn, and of brilliantly drawn characters who will make you laugh and break your heart in a single line, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a book that will speak to readers directly about the trauma of war and the power of those involved to love, endure and transcend it.
Published March 7th by Hutchinson Heinmann Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘The Tower is such a vivid, visceral read, you feel you’re locked in the tower alongside the characters, acting out a royal family drama. I am moved and impressed‘ TRACY CHEVALIER
They are imprisoned, but not contained.
Three women cross a loch. It is 1567, one of them is pregnant, two of them fretful. The boat takes them to Lochleven castle in the middle of the water. Awaiting them are courtiers braying for blood, hellbent on keeping one of them under lock and key: Mary Queen of Scots.
In the tower, Mary’s maids Frenchwoman, Cuckoo and watchful Scot, Jane are her only allies, and the chamber their entire world. A new reality sets in where they are at the mercy of not only their keepers, but of raging Scotland itself.
In the outside world, Mary’s kin, Queen Elizabeth claims she can do little but write. Downstairs, the shrewd jailor-courtier Margaret Erskine places her daughter-in-law Agnes in the chamber as her pair of eyes. Hope seems futile until the bewitching Lady Seton arrives. Seton’s power shifts everything in the tower and soon a plan is hatched.
But which of them will risk it all to save their mistress? Which woman loves her queen best? The Tower is a triumphant story of desire, grit, God-given power and wiles from a striking new voice in historical fiction.
Published March 7th by Duckworth Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuth
SYNOPSIS: A twisty Victorian mystery featuring quick-witted detective Eliza Mace
In the first of a thrilling new Victorian detective series, Eliza Mace, on the cusp of adulthood, is battling for her independence. Stuck in a crumbling manor house in the Welsh borders in the 1870s, she is thwarted by powers that conspire to protect, control and deceive her. But when her father goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Eliza’s determination to uncover the truth is unstoppable.
Joining forces with the charismatic new police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, she sets out to solve the case, but that’s no easy task. Her father has run up debts in town and beyond, and there are many who bear him a grudge. As she searches for evidence, Eliza exposes dark secrets that threaten to tear her world apart…
Published March 7th by Chatto & Windus Political Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘A warm, sweet love story, and a thought-provoking examination of the British slave trade and its legacy’ MARIAN KEYES
**A STYLIST UNMISSABLE BOOK FOR 2024**
They already share a surname. But will they share a future?
When Layla and Andy first meet, they can’t believe they have the same surname. It feels like fate, almost too romantic to be true.
But Sera, Layla’s best friend, has her doubts about Andy. As the pair fall deeper and deeper in love, Sera becomes more and more vocal about Layla settling down with a white boy. And then, only a few weeks before their wedding, Layla makes a devastating discovery about their shared name.
What seemed like a fairy-tale romance is rapidly derailed. In part propelled by Sera’s rising anger, Layla begins to uncover parts of her history and identity that she had never imagined — or, perhaps, had simply learnt to ignore. And now, she faces an impossible choice, between past and future, friendship and marriage, the personal and the political.
Published March 7th by Pushkin Vertigo Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Ida is a self-confessed serial killer of predatory men. She feels no remorse for her victims, but has decided she needs psychiatric help… if only to lay the groundwork for an insanity plea if she gets caught. Clarissa is a celebrity psychotherapist, the best in her field, a familiar face on television and in glossy magazines. For her, every patient is special-someone only she can save. When Ida walks into Clarissa’s consulting room one day, the therapist doesn’t know that they share a dark secret, buried in both their pasts. As Ida’s therapy begins, and Clarissa starts to probe the deepest recesses of her mind, a game of cat and mouse begins. Will Clarissa realise the truth before it’s too late? When Ida becomes Clarissa’s patient, a cat-and-mouse game begins in which nobody plays by the rules. The kind of game that never ends well…
Published March 7th by Serpent’s Tail Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Irresistible – a funny, sexy romp that’s also smart, even wise’ Kirkus starred review
‘ Pure elegance, subtlety and wit. A triumph of a novel’ – Francesca Segal, author of Mother Ship
It is 1954, and prostitution is legal in the tropical haven that is Verona Island. Here, among gangsters and corrupt lawmen, Lila Gulliver runs a brothel that promises her exclusive clientele privacy and discretion. When nineteen-year-old Carità, beautiful and blind since birth, comes to her door seeking employment, Mrs Gulliver sees a business opportunity and takes a chance. Carità is mesmerising, sharp and a mystery to her employer, always holding herself at a distance.
One night, the son of a wealthy judge patronises Mrs Gulliver’s establishment, immediately falling madly in love with Carità. This is Ian Drohan – young, idealistic and cushioned by wealth and family connections. Mrs Gulliver mistrusts him, and worries for Carità’s future. Carità, on the other hand, is fearless, headstrong and a force of nature that Mrs Gulliver is always several steps behind.
A dazzling drama filled with sex, wry wit and literary references, Mrs Gulliver follows two women who have nothing to lose in their fight for agency on an island too ready to dismiss them.
Published March 7th by Footnote Press Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Only Kiyoko Murata can convey this world’ YOKO OGAWA, author of The Memory Police, Yomiuri Shibun
The year is 1903, and tenacious and spirited Aoi Ichi is sold to the most exclusive brothel in Kumamoto, Japan, becoming the protégée of Shinonome, the oiran, or the highest-ranking courtesan.
Through Shinonome’s teachings, fifteen-year-old Ichi begins to understand the intertwined power of sex and money. Education for a courtesan extends beyond the art of seduction, and as Ichi is taught to read and write she develops a voice that refuses to be dampened by the brothel’s rigid hierarchy.
Outside the cloistered world of the red-light district, rumours of local worker strikes grow, and as the seasons change in Kumamoto, Ichi, Shinonome and their fellow courtesans begin to wonder how they might redistribute the power and wealth of the brothels among themselves.
Critically acclaimed veteran writer Kiyoko Murata creates in stunning detail the harsh yet vibrant lives of women in a red-light district at the turn of the twentieth century. Based on real-life events, A Woman of Pleasure is a testament to the bonds between women and the power of owning one’s language and freedom.
I Promise It Won’tAlways Hurt Like This by Clare Mackintosh
Published March 7th by Sphere Memoir
SYNOPSIS: ‘Truly the best and most insightful book about grief I have ever read’ – Joanna Cannon
Grief is universal, but it’s also as unique to each of us as the person we’ve lost. It can be overwhelming, exhausting, lonely, unreasonable, there when we least expect it and seemingly never-ending. Wherever you are with your grief and whoever you’re grieving for, I Promise It Won’t Always Hurt Like This is here to support you. To tell you, until you believe it, that things will get easier.
When bestselling writer Clare Mackintosh lost her five-week-old son, she searched for help in books. All of them wanted to tell her what she should be feeling and when she should be feeling it, but the truth – as she soon found out – is that there are no neat, labelled stages for grief, or crash grief-diets to relieve us of our pain. What we need when we’re grieving is time and understanding. With 18 short assurances that are full of compassion – drawn from Clare’s experiences of losing her son and her father – I Promise it Won’t Always Hurt Like This is the book she needed then.
‘A book dripping with a compassion that can only truly be laid out on the page by a Survivor of the Trenches of Grief . We need now, perhaps more than ever, beacon-makers like Clare to help guide us through our darkness’ – Greg Wise
‘That Clare has used her own devastating experience to help others who are going through something similar is a brave and hugely laudable thing to do. A book that is both heart-breaking in its honesty and uplifting in its compassionate approach, it is beautifully written and offers – implicit in the title – hope’ – Alan Titchmarsh
‘A true lifeline if you think no one else can possibly understand how you feel’ – Jill Mansell
‘Beautiful, heart-breaking and yet overwhelmingly hopeful’ – Mike Gayle
‘Written with honesty, realism, deep personal insight and hope’ – Child Bereavement UK
‘A salve for broken hearts. Readers who’ve been touched by loss will find comfort in these pages.’ – Publishers Weekly
SYNOPSIS: ‘Tracy King’s memoir is heartbreaking and hopeful…An incredible true story of survival and forgiveness.’ TIM MINCHIN
‘Impossible not to read in one sitting.’ – Stylist, Best books for 2024
‘What would you do if you began to suspect the events of your childhood didn’t happen as you remembered them? In this evocative memoir, Tracy King confronts the stories we all tell ourselves in order to live.’ HELEN LEWIS
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When you have nothing, you cling to whatever gives you hope.
Put yourself in Tracy King’s shoes. Growing up in an ordinary council estate outside Birmingham; a house filled with creativity, curiosity and love, but marked by her father’s alcoholism and her mother’s agoraphobia.
By the time she turns twelve her father has been killed, her sister taken into care and her mother ensnared by the promises of born-again Christianity.
This isn’t the stuff of cult documentaries; this is the story of an ordinary family trapped in a broken system. It’s a story that could happen to anyone without the tools to transform their circumstances. And it’s the story of how Tracy found her way out.
A shocking, inspiring and ultimately hopeful memoir that holds up a mirror to the everyday realities of living in poverty, it is also a testament to the power of books and to learning to question our world.
Published March 12th by Orion Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Hilarious, heartwarming and delightfully refreshing’ CAROL KIRKWOOD
‘Will put a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step. Fabulous fun!’ VERONICA HENRY
‘Wickedly funny and utterly engaging. Sylvia is our queen!’ ALEX BROWN
‘Joyful, feel-good fun with a feisty heroine you can’t help but love!’ FANNY BLAKE Growing older doesn’t just mean growing wiser. But it does mean a lot of fun…
When 63-year-old Sylvia finds her husband in bed with another woman, she’s shocked and furious . . . at first. But by the time her head stops spinning, Sylvia realises she hates the retirement community she’s living in – it’s for old people. And she certainly doesn’t feel old!
So, she enlists the help of her best friend, glamorous 70-year-old widow Evie, and the pair flee to Manhattan to start a new life in the city that never sleeps. Sylvia’s husband may have lost her life savings, but they’re scrappy and determined – and they weren’t born yesterday…
Before long, Sylvia is reviving her wedding planning business and even finds herself back in the dating game! And no matter what her meddling daughter thinks, it’s her time now – and she’s determined that in this glorious second act, the best is yet to come!
Hilarious, heartwarming and utterly feel-good, Sylvia’s Second Act is perfect for fans of Heartburn by Nora Ephron, Grace & Frankie, and Sex and the City.
Published March 14th by Headline Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Powerful’ JOANNA GLEN ‘Beautiful’ KATE SAWYER ‘A triumph’ JENNIE GODFREY The eagerly awaited new novel from Bobby Palmer, author of the critically acclaimed debut Isaac and the Egg.
If you stood before sunrise in this wild old place, looking through the trees into the garden, here’s what you’d see:
A father and son, a fox standing between them.
Jack, home for the first time in years, still determined to be the opposite of his father.
Gerry, who would rather talk to animals than the angry man back under his roof.
Everything that follows is because of the fox, and because Jack’s mother is missing. It spans generations of big dreams and lost time, unexpected connections and things falling apart, great wide worlds and the moments that define us.
If you met them in the small hours, you’d begin to piece together their story.
Published March 14th by Orenda Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Hadboiled, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Supernatural Fiction
SYNOPSIS: An investigative reporter gives up her job when her young twins are killed in a fire, but when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager, she’s thrust into a chilling investigation that will leave no one unscathed…
‘An extraordinary debut: intriguing, unsettling, heavy on atmosphere and with a formidable leading lady … Suzy Aspley is one to watch’ Mari Hannah
‘A gripping piece of contemporary gothic, Crow Moon signals the arrival of a hugely promising new talent’ Kevin Wignall
‘A nerve-tingling thriller that both enchants and terrifies. Aspley weaves sinister folklore into a tense murder investigation that has you looking over your shoulder as you turn each page’ Eve Smith
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When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed…
Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire.
Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back…
When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows. As darkness descends on the village of Strathbran, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha… Both a nerve-shattering, enthralling and atmospheric thriller and a moving tale of grief and psychological damage, Crow Moon is a staggeringly accomplished debut and the start of an addictive, unforgettable series.
Published March 14th by Bantam Press Thriller, Mystery, Romantic Comedy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Dark comedy and darker thrills’ – ALEX MICHAELIDES ‘A world-class whodunit’ – STEPHEN KING ‘Edgy, thrilling, twisty – I loved it!’ – LIANE MORIARTY
Am I a murderer? You tell me . . .
You probably already know about me. Lucy Chase, the woman who doesn’t remember murdering her best friend.
You all think I did it. That’s OK, I get it. Being found wandering the streets covered in her blood wasn’t a great look.
Believe me, I’m as frustrated as you are. I’d love to know if I’m a murderer – it’s the sort of thing you really should know about yourself, isn’t it?
And now, thanks to true-crime podcast Listen for the Lie, I finally have the chance to find out. But will I be able to live with myself if it turns out it was me?
And if it wasn’t, will digging into the secrets of the night I forgot make me the next target of whoever did?
Perfect for fans of HOW TO KILL YOUR FAMILY by Bella Mackie, NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell and MURDER IN THE FAMILY by Cara Hunter.
The Best Way To Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale
Published March 14th by Viking Dark Comedy, Suspense
SYNOPSIS: ‘A darkly comedic story . . . I loved it’ JESSE SUTANTO, author of Dial A for Aunties
‘Poignant and funny, dark and searing’ ANDREA MARA, author of No One Saw a Thing
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Four new friends. Four dead bodies. One big problem . . .
Sally never meant to cave her husband’s head in with a skillet. Or at least she didn’t until suddenly, she did.
But Sally isn’t the only woman in town being pushed to breaking point. When coincidence brings four strangers together, a surprising solidarity is formed.
So can they find the best way to bury their husbands – and get away with it?
Darkly funny and with a big beating heart, The Best Way to Bury Your Husband takes four very different women, one unexpected friendship and several spades to unravel a complex issue with a light touch in this irresistible must-read.
Published March 14th by HarperNorth Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Horror Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story
SYNOPSIS: ‘A compulsive, didn’t-see-it-coming thriller’ ABIGAIL DEAN, international bestselling author of Girl A
One twin vanished. One twin reappeared.
‘A fantastic debut – unpredictable, tense and absorbing’ ROSE CARLYLE, #1 international bestselling author of The Girl in the Mirror
‘Dark and creepy . . . in the most compelling way. A proper page-turner’ KATY BRENT, bestselling author of How to Kill Men and Get Away with It
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When Eden is rescued from the lake, her mother Lucy has a second chance.
No one knows why the 14-year-old Eden almost drowned on her way home from school. But now she’s safe, Lucy can start being a good mother. The mother she should have always been, before the loss of Eden’s twin during the pregnancy consumed Lucy, all those years ago.
But when Eden wakes up in hospital, she claims that Eden isn’t her name. That her name is Eli – the name Lucy had reserved for the unborn twin.
Could it be that all this time, Lucy’s grief has been misplaced?
Eden, it seems, is the twin who’s really disappeared . . .
Published March 14th by Hutchinson Heinmann Literary Fiction, Political Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: From the Olivier award-winning playwright of Prima Facie Suzie Miller comes her first novel, where power, patriarchy and morality diverge.
‘This is not life. This is law.’
Tessa Ensler is a brilliant barrister who’s forged her career in criminal defence through sheer determination. Since her days at Cambridge, she’s carefully disguised her working class roots in a male-dominated world where who you know is just as important as what you know. Driven by her belief in the right to a fair trial and a taste for victory, there’s nothing Tessa loves more than the thrill of getting her clients acquitted.
It seems like Tessa has it made when she is approached for a new job and nominated for the most prestigious award in her field. But when a date with a charismatic colleague goes horribly wrong, Tessa finds that the rules she’s always played by might not protect her, forcing her to question everything she’s ever believed in . . .
Published March 14th by Bloomsbury Publishing Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: A brilliantly compelling domestic suspense from a rising star of the crime fiction world, and the man behind BBC/Netflix smash hit, You Don’t Know Me
Sophie King is missing.
Her parents, Harry and Zara, are distraught; for the last seventeen years, they’ve done everything for their beloved only daughter and now she’s gone.
The police have no leads, and Harry and Zara are growing increasingly frantic, although they are both dealing with it in very different ways. Increasingly obsessed with their highly suspicious neighbour who won’t open the door or answer any questions, they are both coming to the same conclusion. If they want answers, they’re going to have to take the matter into their own hands.
But just how far are they both prepared to go for the love of their daughter?
Published March 14th by Simon & Schuster UK Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Legal Thriller, Urban Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story
SYNOPSIS: From the internationally bestselling author of Quicksand, a brilliant, gut-wrenching story of childhood friends torn apart by gang violence and class differences.
Dogge is from affluent Rönnviken in Stockholm. Billy lives in the concrete towers of Våringe, a few hundred yards across a highway but a world apart. They met as six-year-olds at Rönnviken’s playground and have been unlikely best friends ever since. From the outside, Dogge looks privileged: he lives in a large home and there is plenty of money—at first. But his parents are addicts whose negligence becomes a form of abuse. Meanwhile, Billy’s family are poor first-generation immigrants unable to escape the no-go zone where they live. But their cramped apartment is nonetheless a bastion of love.
When gangs tighten their grip on Våringe, a ruthless small-time boss seeks recruits and both Dogge and Billy become runners by the time they’re twelve. Fast cash, easy access to drugs, and the dream of gaining status draw them in. But when Billy wants to leave the gang and finds himself trapped, the boys must face the violent rules of the adult game they tried to play.
When children commit horrible crimes, who bears the responsibility? With piercing prose and a breathless sense of urgency, Deliver Me is at once a poignant portrayal of the power of friendship and a shattering depiction of what happens when society fails to protect those that need it most. What does justice mean for these lost children and is the law capable of delivering it?
Published March 14th by Doubleday Historical Fiction, Literary Ficion
SYNOPSIS: Sometimes the truth lies in the things you cannot see.
In 1830 a young novice called Catherine Labouré was granted a vision of the Virgin Mary. Nearly 200 years later, Sister Anne is also waiting for a sign. Which is why she accepts a mission to go to a tiny community on an island just off the coast of Brittany. Her only companion there is a sceptical, chain-smoking older nun who just wants to be left in peace.
On the island she meets Hugo, the son of a devout family who prefers to look for the meaning of life amid the stars; Madenn, a grandmother whose daughter was killed in a crash and who finds meaning in routine; Isaac, Madenn’s grandson, an otherworldly teenager who doesn’t fit in but who befriends Hugo, and Julia, a sickly child. If anyone needs a miracle, it is her.
But it is not Sister Anne who receives a vision. Instead it is Isaac who is found on a promontary, transfixed, unable to utter more than the words ‘I see’. The event soon becomes headline news and the world descends on the small island, opening old wounds and unleashing a chain of events none of them could have foreseen.
SYNOPSIS: New York Times bestselling author Daisy Goodwin returns with a story of the scandalous love affair between the most celebrated opera singer of all time and one of the richest men in the world. ‘An extraordinary, vivid, and skilful re-imagining of a modern Greek legend’ – Victoria Hislop
In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas is known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she’s the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. Yet her fame has been hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her, Maria learned early in life how to protect herself.
When she meets the fabulously rich shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, her isolation melts away. For the first time in her life, she believes she’s found a man who sees the woman rather than the legendary soprano. Desperately in love, Onassis introduces her to a life of unbelievable luxury, mixing with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
And then, suddenly, it’s over. The international press announce that Onassis will marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.
In this remarkable novel, Daisy Goodwin brings to life a woman whose extraordinary talent, unremitting drive and natural chic made her a legend. But it was only in confronting the heartbreak of losing the man she loved that Maria Callas found her true voice.
‘I gulped it down… the brilliantly persuasive portrayal of a woman negotiating the demands of her art with an intense emotional life is so compelling’ – Elizabeth Buchan
The Collapsing Wave (The Enceladons Trilogy, 2) by Doug Johnstone
Published March 14th by Orenda Suspense, Science Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Alternative History
SYNOPSIS: Ava, Lennox and Heather make contact with alien Sandy and head for a profound confrontation … The awe-inspiring, exquisitely moving sequel to The Space Between Us, as seen on BBC Two’s Between the Covers.
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Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens’ visit has turned to dust and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland’s west coast.
Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.
Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.
When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…
Sequel to the bestselling The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is an exquisite, epic first-contact novel, laced with peril and populated by unforgettable characters, and the awe-inspiring book we all need right now…
Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White by Amelie Wen Zhao
Published March 14th by Harper Voyager Fantasy Fiction, High Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Adventure Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story
SYNOPSIS: The epic sequel to Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. A fast-paced, riveting YA fantasy inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.
Years ago, the Elantian colonizers invaded Lan’s homeland and killed her mother in their search to uncover the Last Kingdom’s greatest the location of its legendary four Demon Gods. Lan’s mother devoted her life to destroying the Demon Gods, and Lan is determined to finish her mission. Yet, there are others searching for the gods, too.
Zen knew his soul was forfeit the moment he made a deal with the Demon God known as the Black Tortoise, but he’s willing to lose himself if it means saving the Kingdom–and the girl–he loves. But to crush the colonizers who have invaded his land he needs more power than even a single Demon God can provide. He needs an army. And he knows exactly where he can find it–in the undead army his great grandfather lead decades ago.
The Elantians may have stolen their throne, but the battle for the Last Kingdom has only begun.
Published March 19th by Quercus Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Alternative History
SYNOPSIS: ‘Rebecca Serle is a maestro of love in all its forms’ – GABRIELLE ZEVIN, author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
‘Everything you could wish for in a love story – beautifully told, effortlessly romantic, and surprising in the very best of ways’ – HOLLY MILLER, author of What Might Have Been
Daphne has never left her love life to chance. The truth is, she can’t. . . Every time she meets a man, a note will arrive. On it, a name and a date. An expiration date.
Without fail, Daphne has always known when her next relationship will end. So when a note arrives with only a name on it: Jake, she is sure this is it. Finally, her own happy ever after.
But is it. . .? Because Daphne has another secret, and this one has the power to break Jake’s heart. Will their love story have an expiration date, or is fate on Daphne’s side at last?
A heartbreaking and emotional read from the queen of unexpected love stories.
Published March 21st by Bantam Press Historical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Mythology, Greek Mythology,
SYNOPSIS: From an unmissable new voice comes the powerful and epic story of mythology’s darkest heroine
‘Delightfully devastating’ Bea Fitzgerald, author of Girl, Goddess, Queen
‘A fiery and dramaticnovel, starring one of mythology’s most notorious women, this is a fascinating descent into darkness‘ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
‘Full of thwarted love and dark magic . . . Vivid and powerful, this is a book with teeth‘ Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros
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Shunned. Persecuted. Tormented. Medea longs for a different life. Since childhood, she has been separated from her sister, shunned by her mother, and persecuted and tormented by her brother and father. All because of a unique and dangerous talent: witchcraft.
Fierce. Powerful. Sorceress. But when a dashing young hero, Jason, arrives to claim the famed Golden Fleece that her father fiercely protects, Medea sees her opportunity for escape. Her offer to help Jason overcome the trials set by her father sets in motion a journey that will test every ounce of her strength, magic and loyalty; a journey that will see her battle monsters, dethrone kings and fall in love.
When faced with the ultimate betrayal, Medea is driven to an act of desperation so brutal it rips apart the lives of everyone involved…
Published March 21st by Orion Mystery, Susspense, Thriller, Historical Mystery
SYNOPSIS: The thrilling and unputdownable new novel from bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl, Anna Mazzola!
‘Vividly alive with menace, magic, and mystery’ESSIE FOX
‘Exceptional. Anna Mazzola’s finest work yet’ ELODIE HARPER
Rome, 1659.
Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth.
To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out.
Stefano’s investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished…
The Book of Secrets is inspired by real events that took place in 17th century Italy.
Published March 21st by Pan Macmillan Historical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Mythology, Norse and Viking Mythology
SYNOPSIS: A must-read for fans of Circe, Song of the Huntress recasts the folklore behind the Wild Hunt into a dark, feminist fantasy set amidst the legends and beauty of ancient Britain.
Britain, 60 AD. Hoping to save her lover and her land from the Romans, Herla makes a desperate pact with the Otherworld King. She becomes Lord of the Hunt and for centuries she rides, reaping wanderers’ souls. Until the night she meets a woman on a bloody battlefield – a Saxon queen with ice-blue eyes.
Queen Æthelburg of Wessex is a proven fighter, but after a battlefield defeat she finds her husband’s court turning against her. Yet King Ine needs Æthel more than ever: the dead kings of Wessex are waking, and Ine must master his bloodline’s ancient magic if they are to survive.
When their paths cross, Herla knows it’s no coincidence. Something dark and dangerous is at work in the Wessex court. As she and Æthel grow closer, Herla must find her humanity – and a way to break the curse – before it’s too late.
‘Striking, bold and beautifully written’ – Angela Slatter, author of The Briar Book of the Dead
Published March 21st by Corvus Contemporary Ficiton, Romantic Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Horror, Psychological Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Grips your emotions from the very first page … a love story not to miss’ Holly Miller What if your soulmate could only ever be the love of your afterlife?
The first time Emery’s heart stops, she is only five years old…
Emery is born with a heart condition that means her heart could quite literally stop at any moment. The people around her know what to do – if they act quickly enough there will be no lasting damage, and Emery’s heart can be restarted. But when this happens, she is briefly technically dead.
Each time Emery’s heart stops, she meets Nick. His purpose is to help people adjust to the fact that they are dead, to help them say goodbye, before they move on entirely. He does not usually meet people more than once – but with Emery, he is able to make a connection, and he finds himself drawn to her.
As Emery’s life progresses, and she goes through ups and downs, she finds that a part of her is longing for those moments when her heart will stop – so that she can see Nick again.
This is the story of two fated lovers who long for each other, but are destined never to share more than a few fleeting moments – because if they were to be together, it would mean the end of Emery’s life.
Published March 21st by Michael Joseph Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘The Haven is a smart, fierce thriller about an unravelling family, a corrupted utopia, and the wild hearts of teenage girls. I couldn’t look away’ Lauren Beukes, internationally bestselling author of The Shining Girls
The Haven is a taut and propulsive story of a family in crisis, a shattering of innocence, and a savage fight for survival. I couldn’t put it down. – Sunday Times bestselling author Karen Perry ‘Wow – what a book. I could not put it down.’ READER REVIEW
Sixteen year old Cass Sawyer wakes up in the woods with a head injury. She has no recollection of what happened.
But she recognises where she is. The Haven. The idyllic, off-grid retreat her parents claimed would heal their broken family.
As Cass searches the now deserted buildings, memories begin to trickle through.
Her father’s erratic behaviour. Her mother’s pleas that they go back to town. The Haven’s charismatic, free-spirited leader. The strange girls that hang on his every word.
And a nagging feeling: that Cass has done something terribly wrong.
What happened at The Haven? Where is Cass’s family? And will they ever escape?
Published March 21st by Trapeze Literary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
SYNOPSIS: “Genuinely new, bold and fascinating. Anoushka Warden is a true talent.” – Deborah Frances-White, author of The Guilty Feminist Maybe fannies and long-term love just don’t work well together . . .
Hers used to work perfectly. It found her fingerings, orgasms and love. But now, as she moves into her thirties completely committed to Serious Boyfriend Number Three…
It can’t get wet. It hurts. It might be broken. Surely there must be some way to get it going again?
Setting off on a desperate quest to fix her fanny, there’s no limit to what she’ll try. But nothing seems to be working…
What becomes of happily-ever-after for a woman who can’t stand sex with the best guy ever?
I’m F*cking Amazing is a hilariously frank, sharp and relatable tale of love, sex, pain and self-determination from a brilliant new voice in fiction, Anoushka Warden
Published March 21st by Viking Journalistic Writing, Violence and Crime in Society
SYNOPSIS: Three women. Three blazing stories of violent resistance. Three complicated paths to justice.
Brittany Smith, a young Alabama woman, killed a man she said raped her in her home, but was denied a self-defense claim.
Angoori Dahariya led a gang in Uttar Pradesh, India, dedicated to avenging victims of domestic abuse.
Cicek Mustafa Zibo fought in a thousands-strong all-female militia that battled ISIS in Syria.
Each woman has been criticised for their actions by those who believe that violence is never the answer; yet each has transmuted a story of pain into a story of power.
In this intimate, shocking and rigorous investigation, award-winning journalist Elizabeth Flock examines the lives of three women who chose to use lethal force to gain power, safety, and freedom when the institutions meant to protect them – government, police, courts – utterly failed to do so. In luminous prose, Flock asks searching questions about cultures in which violence seems like the only means of survival, where deeply ingrained ideas about masculinity have helped breed the unsafe conditions that women face.
Can women’s acts of vengeance help to create lasting change in misogynistic and paternalistic systems, or will they ultimately hurt their cause? The novelistic accounts of these three women offer profound insights into the quest for understanding what a society where women have real power might look like.
Published March 26th by Quercus Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Literary Fiction, Humorous Ficiton, Crime Series
SYNOPSIS: The biggest debut of 2024 and a hilarious mystery with a killer hook. Perfect for fans of Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building. FRANCES ALWAYS SAID SHE’D BE MURDERED… SHE WAS RIGHT.
In 1965, seventeen-year-old Frances Adams was told by a fortune teller that one day she’d be murdered. Frances spent the next sixty years trying to prevent the crime that would be her eventual demise. Of course, no one took her seriously – until she was dead.
For Frances, being the village busybody was a form of insurance. She’d spent a lifetime compiling dirt on every person she met, just in case they might turn out to be her killer. In the heart of her sprawling country estate lies an eccentric library of detective work, where the right person could step in and use her findings to solve her murder.
When her great-niece Annie arrives from London and discovers that Frances’ worst fear has come true, Annie is thrust into her great-aunt’s last act of revenge against her sceptical friends and family. Frances’ will stipulates that the person who solves her murder will inherit her millions.
Can Annie unravel the mystery and find justice for Frances, or will digging up the past lead her into the path of the killer?
Publsihed March 28th by Avon Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: The only way to stop a stalker is to become one yourself…
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…
Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie. Five friends who wish they’d never met. Because the one thing they have in common is the worst thing in their lives: they are all being stalked.
When one of their group is murdered, days after their stalker is released from prison, time stands still for them all. They know their lives could end just as brutally at any moment – all it takes is for the people they fear the most to catch up with them.
When the group receive a threat that one of them will die in ten days’ time, the terror that stalks their daily lives becomes all-consuming. But they know they don’t want to be victims anymore – it’s time to turn the tables and finally get their revenge.
Because the only way to stop a stalker is to become one yourself…
The multimillion bestseller returns with her most propulsive and addictive book yet. A chilling and terrifyingly real thriller that will keep you up all night – and looking over your shoulder for days to come…
Published March 28th by Hemlock Press Mystery, Suspense, Pyshcological Fiction, Crime Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
SYNOPSIS: *The breathtaking new novel from the bestselling author of Girl A*
Marty told the reporters that she saw it happen. She saw the gunman enter the hall. She saw her mother die trying to protect them all.
That’s the version of Day One Marty wishes was true.
But strange inconsistencies in her story begin to surface. Details that don’t add up. Questions she can’t answer.
The story ignites. Amidst the media frenzy, conspiracy theorists become obsessed with exposing what really happened. And at the epicentre of it all is a small community changed forever. Survivors crushed by guilt. Families torn in half. Outsiders consumed by the hunt for truth.
Each has their own version of Day One. Each must grapple with this tragedy, even as fanatics question whether it ever really happened at all.
But what did Marty really see?
And why would she lie?
As events spiral out of control, the true story is revealed, piece by shocking piece. Day One is an unflinching and heart-breaking exploration of our obsession with tragedy – and what it really means to live it.
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
Published March 28th by Raven Books Thriller, Mystery, Science Ficiton, Supernatural Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Dystopian
SYNOPSIS: Solve the murder to save what’s left of the world. ‘A mind-bending, genre-blending, boy-that-ending mystery unlike any I’ve ever read’ A. J. FINN ‘I loved it’ C. J. TUDOR ‘An absolute blast’ BENJAMIN STEVENSON ‘Wildly inventive’ M. W. CRAVEN ‘Believe the hype’ ALICE BELL ‘Extraordinary’ WILL DEAN
Outside the island there is nothing: the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island: it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.
Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.
If the murder isn’t solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it.
But the security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don’t even know it.
The outstanding new high-concept murder mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling and Costa Book Award winning author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. An ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, an audacious solution.
Leave No Trace ( Kat & Lock Book 2) by Jo Callaghan
Published March 28th by Simon & Schuster UK Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Science Fiction
SYNOPSIS: DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock return in the provocative new thriller from the author of In the Blink of an Eye.
‘A smart, agile, immaculately plotted and moving thriller that is unswervingly gripping and scary, and at the same time beautifully tender and humane’ NICCI FRENCH ‘Chilled me to the bone and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Callaghan writes with such intelligence; interspersing humour with moments of utter heartbreak’ NIKKI SMITH
One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic. It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .
When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.
But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.
For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to.
The Mind of a Murderer (Dr Olivia Winter Book 1) by Michael Wood
Published March 28th by One More Chapter Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series
SYNOPSIS: The best person to understand a serial killer is one of his victims.
Meet Dr Olivia Winter.
‘I was hooked from the first page… mind-blowing and gripping. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment’ Angela Marsons ‘Chilling, unnerving [and] pacey’ John Marrs ‘A searingly intense, utterly captivating character-driven thriller, and destined to be one of 2024’s most memorable pieces of crime fiction’ B P Walter ‘Perfectly paced – intriguing and relentless through to a pitch perfect conclusion’ Will Shindler
A DARK PAST
Dr Olivia Winter is a forensic psychologist whose job is to understand the minds of serial killers. There’s only one monster she can’t understand, her father.
A NEW IDENTITY
Notorious and brutal, he held a reign of terror until he was caught. His nine-year-old daughter was supposed to be his last victim, but she survived.
A SERIAL KILLER WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING
Now, a serial killer is stalking the streets of London. As the body count rises, the police need Olivia’s help to profile him before he can strike again. But to do so, she will need to confront her own demons…
Published March 28th by Michael Joseph Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story
SYNOPSIS: GET READY FOR THE SCARIEST READ OF 2024 – a gripping new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases
********* April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn.
They’re on a long dark road, late at night, and they see a woman up ahead, clearly in trouble.
They stop and pick her up. It’s only once she’s in the car that they see the blood.
And then they see the headlights, and at last, the woman speaks, her voice faint. “I’m sorry, he’s coming.” Ingeniously plotted and heartstoppingly terrifying, are you ready to uncover the secret of Murder Road?
Published March 28th by Pan Macmillan Thriller, Pscyhological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: The Trade Off from Sandie Jones – the author of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, The Other Woman – is an addictive, page-turning psychological thriller about how far a journalist will go to get the story. Everyone has a price. What’s yours?
Would you print a lie across a front page?
For Stella, Deputy Editor of The Globe, the choice has always been clear. There is no stone she will leave unturned in her pursuit of the best story. It’s what she’s built her reputation on.
For Jess, The Globe’s rookie reporter, the story stops when the truth does. But she knows that the dirty tricks of the tabloids will be hard to overturn.
And when the subject of the story Jess is working on pays the ultimate price, she suspects that the paper may have had more to do with it than they’re letting on . . .
What price would you pay to uncover the truth if someone is prepared to kill to bury it?
Published March 28th by Harper 360 Historical Romance, Mythology, Fairy Tale, Saga, Romance Novel, Adventure Fiction, Greek Mythology, LGBTQ Literature
SYNOPSIS: ‘As I read Orphia and Eurydicius I imagined the muses beside Elyse John, focussing her mind and guiding her hand. The writing is poetic and evocative, and the story will thrill readers who have long suspected something is missing from the classics of Greek Myth.’ Pip Williams, author of The Dictionary of Lost Words
Their love transcends every boundary. Can it cheat death? Orphia dreams of something more than the warrior crafts she’s been forced to learn. Hidden away on a far-flung island, her blood sings with poetry and her words can move flowers to bloom and forests to grow … but her father, the sun god Apollo, has forbidden her this art. A chance meeting with a young shield-maker, Eurydicius, gives her the courage to use her voice. After wielding all her gifts to defeat one final champion, Orphia draws the scrutiny of the gods. Performing her poetry, she wins the protection of the goddesses of the arts: the powerful Muses, who welcome her to their sanctuary on Mount Parnassus. Orphia learns to hone her talents, crafting words of magic infused with history, love and tragedy. When Eurydicius joins her, Orphia struggles with her desire for fame and her budding love. As her bond with the gentle shield-maker grows, she joins the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece. Facing dragons, sirens and ruthless warriors on the voyage, Orphia earns unparalleled fame, but she longs to return to Eurydicius. Yet she has a darker journey to make – one which will see her fight for her love with all the power of her poetry.
Published March 28th by Zaffre Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Brimming with hope, heart and intrigue’ JESSICA RYN
‘What a beautiful, compelling book! . . . I loved it’ HEMA SUKUMAR
‘A real hug of a book’ HAZEL PRIOR
You can choose your home, but you can’t choose who lives next door . . .
Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere, especially not in crumbling Shelley House. The other residents think she’s prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat is plagued by guilt from her past and looking for somewhere to belong.
Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House for longer than anyone else, and if you believe the other tenants, she’s as cantankerous and vindictive as they come. Dorothy may spend her days spying on the neighbours, but she has a closely guarded secret herself – and a good reason for barely leaving her home.
When their building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home; and even less likely detectives when they suspect that foul play is coming from within Shelley House . . .
Published March 28th by Cornerstone Contemporary Romance, Coming-of-Age Story
SYNOPSIS: Two epic love stories. One impossible choice. The stunning new novel from Paige Toon.
Six summers ago
Liv and Finn meet working in a bar on the rugged Cornish coastline, their futures full of promise. When a night of passion ends in devastating tragedy they are bound together inextricably. But Finn’s life is in LA with his band, and Liv’s is in Cornwall with her family – so they make a promise. Finn will return every year, and if they are single they will spend the summer together.
This summer
Liv crosses paths with Tom – a mysterious new arrival in her hometown. As the wildflowers and heather come into bloom, they find themselves falling for one another. For the first time Liv can imagine a world where her heart isn’t broken every year.
Now Liv must make an impossible choice. And when she discovers the shocking reason that Tom has left home, she’ll need to trust her heart even more . . .
The Good, the Bad and the Aunties by Jesse Sutanto
Published March 28th by HQ Mystery, Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Dark Comedy, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Another on point mix of humour, chaos and quirky fun’ Katy Brent, How to Kill Men and Get Away With It
The laugh-out-loud new novel from the bestselling author of Dial A For Aunties, winner of the Comedy Women In Print Prize 2021
It’s Chinese New Year, a time to celebrate…
Fresh from their honeymoon, Meddy and Nathan meet the Aunties in Jakarta for a family celebration. Amid the festivities, an old flame of Second Aunt’s arrives with extravagant gifts. Unfortunately, not all the presents were meant for them.
NOT the time to start an all-out war.
The most important gift goes missing, putting Meddy and the Aunties in the middle of a feud between Jakarta’s most powerful business moguls – and in great danger. To save her loved ones, Meddy must organise a search party, a break-in and a kidnapping. It might sound like an impossible mission– but with the Aunties by her side, nothing is impossible… just complicated.
Praise for Jesse Sutanto and Dial A For Aunties:
‘Had me laughing aloud within its first five pages. Charming, hilarious and heartfelt’ Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read
Published March 28th by Avon Mystery, Dark Comedy, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Contemporary Romance
SYNOPSIS: ‘A masterclass in murder. Millie is the serial killer you never knew you needed in your life.’ LM Chilton
Are you on a date that doesn’t feel right?
Can’t shake that creepy guy at the bar?
Worried you’re being followed home?
Message M.
After one too many terrifying encounters, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who feel unsafe walking home alone at night: Message M.
But very quickly she realises that there’s much more to be done to help the women who call in. Because the men just do it again the next night, and the next, and the next…
And when her own sister is assaulted on a night out, the temptation to take the law into her own hands becomes too much to resist.
Because M can also stand for murder…
A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted serial killer thriller with a villainous female lead. Perfect for fans of Bella Mackie’s How to Kill Your Family, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer, or anyone who enjoyed watching You.
Published March 28th by Michael Joseph Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘An absolute delight. A lovely novel full of warmth, courage and heart,Jenny Quinn is a heroine you’ll cheer for every step of the way’ A J Pearce, bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird
‘A charming, heartfelt and uplifting novel about love, family and the emotive power of home baking.I loved every minute of it!’ Libby Page, bestselling author of The Lido
‘Perfectly baked, utterly delicious, and completely moreish. Mrs Quinn is destined to become the nation’s favourite’ Clare Pooley, bestselling author of The Authenticity Project
–
Mrs Quinn is the unlikely star of Britain’s favourite baking show, but could her newfound stardom cause her biggest secret to unravel?
Jennifer Quinn has a secret. Her love of baking has just won her a spot as a contestant on a primetime TV show. It’s only the second time in fifty-nine years that she’s kept something from her beloved husband Bernard.
She’s about to be whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras, timed challenges and celebrity judges. She could be in with a chance of being crowned the best baker in Britain.
But, as Mrs Quinn’s quiet ambitions turn into unexpected stardom, the other secret she’s been keeping is in danger of resurfacing. It was supposed to stay hidden forever.
Will Mrs Quinn rise to the challenge? Or, will her success become a recipe for disaster?
Published March 28th by Manilla Press Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘LOVED it. Tightly-plotted elegance, 50s glamour and suspense. Put it on your lists’ Jessie Burton
A dark and dazzling debut from a beguiling new voice – for fans of Beautiful Ruins and Lessons in Chemistry.
Lois Saunders thought that marrying the right man would finally cure her loneliness. But as picture-perfect as her husband is, she is suffocating in their loveless marriage. In 1951, though, unhappiness is hardly grounds for divorce – except in Reno, Nevada.
At the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable of Reno’s ‘divorce ranches’ Lois finds herself living with half a dozen other would-be divorcees, all in Reno for the six weeks’ residency that is the state’s only divorce requirement. They spend their days riding horses and their nights flirting with cowboys, and it’s as wild and fun as Lake Forest, Illinois, was prim and stifling. But it isn’t until Greer Lange arrives that Lois’s world truly cracks open . . .
Gorgeous, beguiling, and completely indifferent to societal convention, Greer is unlike anyone Lois has ever met – and she sees something in Lois that no one else ever has. Under her influence, Lois begins to push against the limits that have always restrained her. But how much can she really trust her mysterious new friend? And how far will she go to forge her independence, on her own terms?
Set in the glamourous, dizzying world of 1950s Reno, THE DIVORCEES is a dark, riveting page-turner and a dazzling exploration of female friendship, desire, and freedom.
‘I straight up loved it. It’s so stylish, so elegant, each sentence a delectable little treat . . . and the nods towards darkness and things unravelling are so thrilling and chicly done’ Elizabeth Macneal, bestselling author of The Doll Factory
The Chain: The Relationships That Break Us , the Women Who Rebuild Us by Chimene Suleyman
Published March 28th by W&N Biography, Autobiography
SYNOPSIS: In January 2017, Chimene Suleyman was on her way to an abortion clinic in Queens, New York with her boyfriend, the father of her nascent child. It was the last day they would spend together. In an extraordinary sequence of events, Chimene was to discover the truth of her boyfriend’s life: that she and many other women had been subtly, patiently and painfully betrayed.
In this spellbinding memoir, she exposes one man’s control over many women and the trauma he left behind, and celebrates the sisterhood that formed in his wake despite – and in spite of – him. Exploring how women are duped every day by individuals, she interrogates how society itself continually allows this to happen. She demonstrates that, no matter how intelligent, educated or self-aware they might be, over time a woman can be played into performing the age-old role of giver and nurturer: self-sacrificing and subordinate.
Both a devastating personal testimony and a searing indictment of persistent misogyny, The Chain is a book for any woman who has questioned her relationship and buried her doubts, for any woman who can’t quite identify the source of her unease and for any woman who has been sheltered by the fierce protection of her female friends.
Published March 2nd, 2023 by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Greek Mythology
xxx
********
SYNOPSIS:
Mother. Monarch. Murderer. Magnificent . . . meet Clytemnestra, the ancient world’s most wronged woman . . . ‘Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling’ JENNIFER SAINT
‘A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious – and alight with murderous revenge’ DAILY MAIL
__________
She is born to a king but marries a tyrant.
She watches helplessly as he sacrifices her child to the gods.
She bides her time. She plots revenge. She knows how to play this game.
If power will not be given to her, then she will take it for herself.
She is Clytemnestra.
********
MY REVIEW:
Mother. Queen. Wronged Woman. Murderer. Heroine. It’s time for Clytemnestra to tell her story in this glorious feminist retelling.
Before reading this book I’d only heard Clytemnestra’s story as part of the background to the stories of her sister, Helen of Troy, and her daughter Elektra. So I was excited to learn more about this strong and fascinating woman. Though she was born to a King, Clytemnestra always felt second best as the sister to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. She manages to find love but it is soon snatched away in a despicable act of betrayal by the cruel tyrant Agamemnon, who is determined to make her his wife at any cost. And so she becomes a woman motivated by vengeance, spending her life plotting and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Exquisitely written, evocative and atmospheric, this isn’t a book you simply read, but one you step into. This phenomenal debut highlights Costanza Casati as a talent to watch and I will certainly be reading whatever she writes next. I listened to it on audiobook and I was hooked from the start. It consumed me, feeling alive as it burned with fury. And although I knew a lot of the things that happened in these myths, I was still on the edge of my seat, listening with baited breath to discover what would happen next, as if it was all new rather than a retelling, something that is a testament to Casati’s masterful storytelling.
Now, let’s talk about the woman at the heart of it all: the eponymous Clytemnestra. Fierce, feisty, intelligent, passionate, and unforgiving, she is a remarkable heroine who refuses to be broken or shackled by the rules of the patriarchal society. The fire inside her radiated from the page, Casati making me feel her heartache, rage, vengeance and strength so vividly that it was like it was coursing through my own veins. I wanted Agamemnon dead. Right now! I rooted for her at every step as she bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and avenge all of the betrayal. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold. And when Clytemnestra’s vengeance is served, it is glacial.
A furious, devastating, enthralling and magnificent retelling you won’t want to put down, Clytemnestra is a must-read.
Rating: 🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹
********
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Costanza was born in Texas in 1995, grew up in a village in Northern Italy and lived in the UK for five years. Before moving to London, she attended a classical Liceo in Italy, where she studied Ancient Greek, and Ancient Greek literature, for five years. Costanza is a graduate of the Warwick Writing MA programme, where she studied under Sarah Moss, and currently works as a freelance journalist and screenwriter. The art and history documentary she wrote on the 16th century painter Tintoretto had over 1 million viewers. Costanza’s short fiction has appeared in the collective Nothing in the Rulebook and broadcast on RAW1251 Warwick Radio.
It’s time for part two of my most anticipated February releases. There’s so many exciting books here, including new releases from Louise Fein, Nicci French and Paul E. Hardisty, and debuts such as Butter and A Fate Inked in Blood.
So, here’s the rest of my most anticipated books out next month:
To Cage A God(Those Monstrous Gods 1) by Elizabeth May
Published February 20th by Daphne Press Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: Join the rebellion to burn down a cruel tyrant in this heartracing new fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and The Wolf and the Woodsman.
To cage a god is divine. To be divine is to rule. To rule is to destroy.
Using ancient secrets, Galina and Sera’s mother grafted gods into their bones. Bound to brutal deities and granted forbidden power no commoner has held in a thousand years, the sisters have been raised as living weapons. Now, the time has come for them to overthrow an empire―no matter the cost.
With their mother gone and their country on the brink of war, it falls to the sisters to take the helm of the rebellion and end the cruel reign of a royal family possessed by destructive gods. Because when the ruling alurea invade, they conquer with fire and blood. And when they clash, common folk burn.
Forced into a desperate plan, Sera reunites with her estranged lover who now leads the rebellion, while Galina infiltrates the palace. In this world of deception and danger, her only refuge is an isolated princess whose whip-smart tongue and sharp gaze threaten to uncover Galina’s secret. Torn between desire and duty, Galina must make a choice: work together to expose the lies of the empire―or bring it all down.
Published February 20th by Hodder & Stoughton Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: THE TENSION-FILLED NEW NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF NUMBER ONE DIGITAL BESTSELLER THE PRISONER . ‘Expertly plotted and compellingly told – a cautionary tale that will put you off ever having anyone to stay with you again. I raced through it!’ HARRIET TYCE
Iris and Gabriel have just got home from a make-or-break holiday. But a shock awaits them. One of their dearest friends, Laure, is in their house – sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris’ clothes, even rearranging the furniture. She has walked out on her husband – and their good friend – Pierre over his confession of an affair.
Iris and Gabriel want to be supportive. But as Laure’s mood becomes more unpredictable, her presence begins to unravel secrets in all their pasts – until things reach breaking point …
A Tempest of Tea(Blood & Tea Book 1) by Hafsah Faizal
Published February 22nd by Pan Macmillan Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Vampire Ficiton, YA Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times-bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes A Tempest of Tea, the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.
On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it-and she can’t do the job alone.
Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.
Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.
Published February 22nd by Penguin UK Historical Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, YA Fiction
SYNOPSIS: House of Hollow meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, THE BAD ONES is a page-turning supernatural thriller about four mysterious disappearances in a town haunted by a sinister magical history – and one girl searching for the truth.
A GAME GONE WRONG. A MISSING FRIEND. A TOWN OF BURIED SECRETS . . .
Goddess, Goddess, count to five. In the morning, who’s alive?
One town. One night. Four people gone.
Nora’s best friend, Becca, is one of the lost. As Nora tries to piece together the truth, she uncovers dark events in her high school’s history and a string of coded messages Becca has left for her. These clues point to another missing girl thirty years previously and a sinister urban legend: a goddess figure, who played an eerie role in Nora and Becca’s own childhood games . . .
As Nora struggles to unravel the mystery, it’s clear there are dark forces at work in her town – and they’re willing to stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried deep.
Published February 22nd by Hodder & Stoughton Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Romance Novel, Lesbian Literature, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘What a sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!’ JENNY ASHCROFT
At the golden hour, hidden truths and desires come to light . . .
In the genteel squares of late-Victorian Brighton, Ellen and Reynold Harper – twins, companions, colleagues – ply their trade as portrait photographers.
But at the golden hour, the models arrive to pose for the lucrative – and illicit – photographs that really keep the Harpers’ business afloat. This is the other, shadowy world of the city: a world of erotic tableaux, boundary-crossing music hall performers, and the sinister figure of the local gangster, the Croc.
When Ellen is drawn into the orbit of unhappy newly-wed Clementine, she finds herself torn between loyalty to her brother, her dangerous attraction to new model, Lily, and her burgeoning friendship with Clem. And as the two worlds of Brighton collide, the three women discover that there is only a knife edge between the promise of freedom, and the threat of ruin . . .
Atmospheric, sensual and powerfully moving, The Golden Hour is a spellbinding portrait of three women determined to find their freedom – perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, The Doll Factory and The Essex Serpent.
Published February 22nd by Picador Saga, , Contemporary Horror,Ghost Horror, Political Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Costa Rica, 1968. When a lethal fire erupts at the American Fruit Company’s most lucrative banana plantation burning all evidence of a massive cover-up, the future of Teresa Cepeda Valverde’s family is changed for ever.
Now, twenty-seven years later, Teresa and her daughter Lyra are still picking up the pieces. Lyra wants nothing to do with Teresa, but is desperate to find out what happened to her family that fateful night. Teresa, haunted by a missing husband and the bitter ghost of her mother, is unable to reconcile the past. What unfolds is a story of a mother and daughter trying to forgive what they do not yet understand, and the mystery at the heart of one family’s rupture, steeped in machismo, jealousy and greed.
Where There Was Fire brims with ancestral spirits, omens and the forces of nature. John Manuel Arias’s extraordinary debut novel weaves a brilliant tapestry of love – lost and found again – and, ultimately, redemption.
Published February 22nd by Sandycove Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Two mothers. Two daughters. Two sides to the story.
When Sara leaves her high-flying London life to move to Dublin, her only concern is her nine-year-old daughter, Lexie. For Lexie’s sake she tries to get to know other mothers at the school gates, but they appear uninterested – particularly their leader, the beautiful and charismatic Vanessa, whose daughter rules the playground.
After a simple misunderstanding between Vanessa and Sara, none of the other kids at school want anything to do with Lexie. Desperate to mend fences, Sara offers to look after Vanessa’s daughter one afternoon. But when the playdate ends in catastrophe, Vanessa is convinced that what happened wasn’t an accident.
With allegations flying in all directions, Sara is forced to ask herself what she has unleashed? And how far a mother will go to protect her daughter?
Published February 23rd by Bookouture Psychological Thriller, Saga
SYNOPSIS: On a sunny Friday afternoon, beloved teacher Mrs. Walker and her eight-year-old son wave goodbye to their friends in the school playground. But they never make it home…
It’s only been a week, but the bright little faces at the picture-perfect school I’ve stepped into have captured my heart. Their big doe eyes, their paint-covered fingers and clinging hugs. They’ve been through so much, with their favourite teacher and classmate still missing…
I’m doing all I can to help them adjust, but I can’t avoid the swirling rumours that say Cate Walker’s charismatic husband, Oliver – our headteacher – is involved in her disappearance. The thought makes me shudder. But the more I find out about Cate, the more I wonder if she was also hiding a terrible secret…
I’m determined to uncover the truth about what really happened. I have to protect these other innocent children from the same fate – it’s my duty as their teacher.
That is, until an anonymous note turns up threatening me if I don’t stop looking. Until my home is broken into while I sleep.
I know the longer I stay here, the more danger I’m in.
But whoever’s trying to scare me doesn’t know who I am – or why I’m really here.
Or just how far I’ll go to protect the people I love…
An absolutely gripping psychological thriller, where no one is who they seem, that will get your heart pounding! Perfect for fans of addictive page-turners like The Housemaid, The Family Across the Street and The Family Upstairs.
A Fate Inked In Blood(Saga of the Unfated Book 1) by Danielle L. Jensen
Published February 27th by Del Rey Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Viking Romance, Norse Muthology
SYNOPSIS: A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king – while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son – in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: she possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which gives her magic capable of repelling any attack. A magic that was foretold would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath a king-the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders his son, Bjorn, to protect Freya from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. Except the greatest test of all may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
Published February 29th by Wildfire Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: **The spellbinding, bold new retelling of the story of Lord Byron and the Shelleys, from the perspective of Claire Clairmont, the incredible woman that history tried to forget.** ‘Beautifully written, Clairmont tells the sensuous hidden story of an influential historic woman.’ Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year
‘An absorbing, intoxicating page-turner about a woman who deserves to be remembered.’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne and Atalanta
‘An intimate and enlightening tale of one of Romanticism’s forsaken muses – an artfully told story that lingers in the mind far beyond the last page’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora
1816. A massive volcanic eruption has caused the worst storms that Europe has seen in decades, yet Percy and Mary Shelley have chosen to visit the infamous Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. It wasn’t their idea: Mary’s eighteen year old step-sister, Claire Clairmont, insisted.
But the reason for Claire’s visit is more pressing than a summer escape with the most famous writers in the world. She’s pregnant with Byron’s child – a child Byron doesn’t want, and scarcely believes is his own.
Claire has the world in her grasp. This trip should have given her everything she ever dreamed of. But within days, her life will be in ruins.
History has all but forgotten her story – but she will not be silenced.
Published February 29th by Harper Muse Historical Fiction, Thriller, Romane Novel, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: From the bestselling author of Daughter of the Reich, an historical drama set in London about a bookshop involved in an espionage network.
“An utterly atmospheric and completely compelling read!” —Julia Kelly, international bestselling author of The Lost English Girl
Two courageous women. One astonishing secret. A world on the brink of war.
London, 1962: The world is teetering on the brink of nuclear war but life must go on. Celia Duchesne longs for a career, but with no means or qualifications, passes her time working at a dusty bookshop. The day a handsome American enters the shop, she thinks she might have found her way out of the monotony. Just as the excitement of a budding relationship engulfs her, a devastating secret draws her into the murky world of espionage.
France, 1942: Nineteen-year-old Anya Moreau was dropped behind enemy lines to aid the resistance, sending messages back home to London via wireless transmitter. When she was cruelly betrayed, evidence of her legacy and the truth of her actions were buried by wartime injustices.
As Celia learns more about Anya—and her unexpected connection to the undercover agent—she becomes increasingly aware of furious efforts, both past and present, to protect state secrets. With her newly formed romance taking a surprising turn and the world on the verge of nuclear annihilation, Celia must risk everything she holds dear, in the name of justice.
Propulsive and illuminating, The London Bookshop Affair is a gripping story of secrets and love, inspired by true events and figures of the Cold War.
Published February 29th by Haper Muse Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, War Story, Adventure Fiction, Nautical Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend.
Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable.
After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own.
Daphne has survived calamity of her own.
Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father’s approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father’s expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict—if she can survive it.
Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one’s own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever.
Published February 29th by Harper North Historical Fiction, Alternative History, LGBTQ Literature, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Gunpowder, treason and a plot to destroy the British Empire…
**AN OBSERVER TOP 10 DEBUT NOVELIST OF 2024**
‘Couldn’t put this book down. Beautiful, tender, and ruthless’ HANNAH KANER
__________
1770. Delphine lives in the shadows of London: a secret, vibrant world of smugglers, courtesans and small rebellions. Four years ago, she escaped enslavement at great personal cost. Now, she must help her brother Vincent do the same.
While Britain’s highest court fails to administer justice for Vincent, little rebellions are no longer enough. What’s needed is a big, explosive plot – one that will strike at the heart of the transatlantic slave trade. But can one woman, one fuse and one match bring down an Empire?
An incendiary alternative history, Remember, Remember is a gripping story of conscience, conspiracy, queer identity and courage in the face of injustice.
Published February 29th by Simon & Schuster UK Suspense, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Classic Nicci French: an unputdownable missing-persons thriller that’s also a searing examination of family, memory and grief. A big-skied, full-blooded, broken-hearted book’ Erin Kelly
She’s loved by all who meet her. But someone wants her gone . . . Then
When beautiful and vivacious Charlotte Salter fails to turn up to her husband Alec’s 50th birthday party, her kids are worried, but Alec is not. As the days pass and there’s still no word from Charlie, her daughter, Etty, and her sons, Niall, Paul and Ollie, all struggle to come to terms with her disappearance. How can anyone just vanish without a trace? Left with no answers and in limbo, the Salter children try and go on with their lives, all the while thinking that their mother’s killer is potentially very close to home.
Now
After years away, Etty returns home to the small East Anglian village where she grew up to help move her father into a care home. Now in his eighties, Alec has dementia and often mistakes his daughter for her mother. Etty is a changed woman from the trouble-free girl she was when Charlie was still around – all the Salter children have spent decades running and hiding from their mother’s disappearance. But when their childhood friends, Greg and Morgen Ackerley, decide to do a podcast about Charlotte’s disappearance, it seems like the town’s buried secrets – and the Salters’ – might finally come to light.
After all this time, will they finally find out what really happened to Charlotte Salter?
Published February 29th by Bantam Press Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psycholgical Thriller, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Eight contestants. One killer. Can you find the traitor?
‘Wow! What a page-turner. I’m a Celebrity meets Lord of the Flies.’ Emma Curtis
‘The pace never slackens.’ Faith Martin
‘Dark, disturbing and addictive.’ L. C. North
Everything is a clue. Bonnie arrives on a remote sea fort off the coast of England to take part in a mysterious reality TV show. Competing against seven strangers, she must solve a series of puzzles to win the prize money, but this is no game – and the consequences of failure are deadly.
No one leaves. Under scrutiny from the watching public, the contestants quickly turn on one another. Who will sacrifice the most for wealth and fame? And why can’t Bonnie shake the creeping sense that they are not alone?
The only way out is to win. When the first contestant is found dead, Bonnie begins to understand the dark truth at the heart of this twisted competition: there’s a killer inside the fort, and anyone could be next. If Bonnie wants to escape, she needs to win…
Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
Published February 29th by Michael Joseph Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Dark Comedy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Clever, satisfying, impossible to put down and gloriously inventive. It’s fantastic’ STUART TURTON
SIX WRITERS. FIVE DETECTIVES. FOUR DAYS. THREE WEAPONS. TWO MURDERS. ONE TRAIN…
When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invited me to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, I was hoping for some inspiration for my second book. Fiction, this time: I needed a break from real people killing each other. Obviously, that didn’t pan out.
The program is a who’s who of crime writing royalty:
the debut writer (me!) the forensic science writer the blockbuster writer the legal thriller writer the literary writer the psychological suspense writer.
But when one of us is murdered, six authors quickly turn into five detectives. Together, we should know how to solve a crime.
Or commit one…
But how do you catch a killer, when all your suspects know how to get away with murder?
Published February 29th by Hutchinson Heinmann Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘A thrillingly suspenseful novel that reveals its riches, layers and secrets through effortlessly elegant prose . . . I was hooked right through to the shocking end‘ BERNARDINE EVARISTO
‘Obsessed‘ KERRY WASHINGTON
‘A shimmering success’ DIANA EVANS
Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life: a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of Lagos and a glamorous group of friends. She left London and a troubled family past behind to become part of a community of expat wives.
But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her aunt Claudine flies to Nigeria to take matters into her own hands. As she digs into her niece’s life, she uncovers a hidden truth. But the more she finds out about Nicole, the more Claudine’s own buried history threatens to come to light.
Published February 29th by Fourth Estate Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Translated Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Compelling, delightfully weird, often uncomfortable’ PANDORA SYKES
‘Unputdownable, breathtakingly original’ ERIN KELLY
‘Delicious’ i-D Magazine
‘Luscious … I devoured this’ IMOGEN CRIMP
The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story.
There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.
Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.
‘A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER
‘A tour de force that will leave readers satisfied‘ RYŌ ASAI
Published February 29th by Hemlock Press Mystery, Suspense, Psychologcial Thriller, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The brand new edge-of-your-seat thriller from the author of the smash hit bestseller The Woman in the Window.
“I’ll be dead in three months. Come tell my story.”
This is the chilling invitation from Sebastian Trapp, renowned mystery novelist, to his long-time correspondent Nicky Hunter, an expert in detective fiction. Welcomed into his lavish San Francisco mansion, Nicky begins to unravel Trapp’s life story under the watchful eyes of his enigmatic wife and plainspoken daughter.
But Sebastian Trapp is a mystery himself. And maybe – probably – a murderer.
Two decades ago, his first wife and son vanished, the case never solved. Is the master of mystery playing a deadly game? If so, who will be the loser?
And when a body surfaces in the family’s garden, they all realize the past isn’t buried – it’s waiting.
Published February 29th by Orenda Books Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Polictical Fiction, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: A young man and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster … The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.
Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search for a refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the planet on its course to disaster were the stories his step-father, long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.
But there are huge gaps in the story that his mother, still alive but old and frail, steadfastly refuses to speak of, even thirty years later. When he discovers evidence that his mother has tried to cover up the truth, and then stumbles across an account by someone close to the men who forced the globe into a climate catastrophe, he knows that it is time to find out for himself.
Determined to learn what really happened during his mother’s escape from the concentration camp to which she and Kweku’s father were banished, and their subsequent journey halfway around the world, Kweku and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet. What they find will challenge not only their faith in humanity, but their ability to stay alive.
The Descent is the devastating, nerve-shattering prequel to the critically acclaimed thriller The Forcing, a story of survival, hope, and the power of the human spirit in a world torn apart by climate change.
Death Flight (The Jonny Murphy Files Volume 2) by Sarah Sultoon
Published February 29th by Orenda Books Crime Fiction, Thriller, Political Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Cub reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of victims of Argentina’s Dirty War, when a headless torso has washed up on a city beach, thrusting him into a shocking investigation…
Argentina. 1998. Human remains are found on a beach on the outskirts of Buenos Aires – a gruesome echo of when the tide brought home dozens of mutilated bodies thrown from planes during Argentina’s Dirty War. Flights of death, with passengers known as the Disappeared.
International Tribune reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of the missing, desperate to keep their memory alive, when the corpse turns up. His investigations with his companion, freelance photographer Paloma Glenn, have barely started when Argentina’s simmering financial crisis explodes around them.
As the fabric of society starts to disintegrate and Argentine cities burn around them, Jonny and Paloma are suddenly thrust centre stage, fighting to secure both their jobs and their livelihoods.
But Jonny is also fighting something else, an echo from his own past that he’ll never shake, and as it catches up with him and Paloma, he must make choices that will endanger everything he knows…
Published February 29th by Penguin UK Hisotorical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Historical Thriller, Mystery,
SYNOPSIS: THREE LOST SOULS. A LONG-BURIED SECRET. THE TRUTH THAT COULD SET THEM FREE…
—–
London, 1915: Tarot reader Katerina is trying to hold her life together amid the wartime chaos. When she opens a bakery that offers divination alongside sweet treats, she is hailed as a beacon of hope. But Katerina is hiding a dark truth that could cost her everything.
Germany, 1918: A mute British soldier is taken to a prisoner of war camp where he meets Miriam, a researcher. She is drawn to his gentle manner and secretly vows to help him. But soon she will have to make an impossible choice: will she save the one she loves, or herself?
Cornwall, Present Day: Recently widowed Edie is astonished to discover a mysterious box hidden in the wall of her newly renovated cottage. As Edie starts to investigate, she uncovers a secret that has lain hidden for over a century…
A long-held secret ties the tales of three women, from the cobbled streets of war-time London to an isolated German WWI camp, and the sea-swept cliffs of Cornwall. Beautifully told, moving and unforgettable.
Published February 29th by Phoenix Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Regency Romance, Christian Fiction, Religious Fiction, Regency Fiction
SYNOPSIS: SELECTED FOR THE BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB WINNER OF THE MSLEXIA NOVEL COMPETITION
‘Beautifully written . . . I raced through it’ HILARY MANTEL
‘As exquisitely and tenderly rendered as a Gainsborough painting’ TRACY CHEVALIER
‘A moving exploration of the familial ties that bind us and the grief of a life half-lived . . . a wonderful debut that lingered with me’ ELIZABETH MACNEAL
1759, Ipswich. Sisters Peggy and Molly Gainsborough are the best of friends and do everything together. They spy on their father as he paints, they rankle their mother as she manages the books, they tear barefoot through the muddy fields that surround their home. But there is another reason they are inseparable: from a young age, Molly has had a tendency to forget who she is, to fall into mental confusion, and Peggy knows instinctively that no one must find out.
When the family move to Bath, the sisters are thrown into the whirl of polite society, where the merits of marriage and codes of behaviour are crystal clear, and secrets much harder to keep. As Peggy goes to greater lengths to protect her sister from the threat of an asylum, she finds herself falling in love, and their precarious situation is soon thrown catastrophically off course. The discovery of a betrayal forces Peggy to question all she has done for Molly – and whether any one person can truly change the fate of another.
The Antique Hunter’s Guide To Murder by C. L. Miller
Published February 29th by Pan Macmillan Mystery, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘A bold, bright and delightful jaunt back to the golden age of detective fiction’ Janice Hallett
‘A delicious read – who could resist a treasure hunt with murder at its core?’ SJ Bennett
‘It’s a delight!’ Katie Fforde
What antique would you kill for?
Freya, it’s down to you to finish what I started . . .
Freya Lockwood has avoided the quaint English village in which she grew up for the last 20 years. That is until news arrives that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and Freya’s estranged mentor, has died . . . and the circumstances seem suspicious.
You will uncover an invitation, I implore you to attend . . .
But when a letter from Arthur is delivered, sent just days before his death, and an ordinary pine chest concealing Arthur’s journals are revealed, Freya finds herself sucked back into a life she’d sworn to leave behind.
But beware, trust no-one. Your life depends on it . . .
Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Arthur’s staunch best friend, Freya follows both clues and her instincts to an old manor house for an ‘antiques enthusiasts weekend’. But not is all as it seems; the antiques are bad reproductions and the guests all have something to hide.
Can Freya and Carole solve the mystery and unearth the killer before they strike again?
Published February 29th by Orbit Fantasy Fiction, Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, Romatic Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Prepare to be engulfed. Chan has superbly created a world as real and complex as our own, where oppression has no easy solutions and there is no success without sacrifice. Fast-paced action combined with true social depth make this an unforgettable, must-read fantasy’ Shelley Parker-Chan
Revolution is brewing in the semi-submerged city of Tiankawi, between humans and the fathomfolk who live in its waters. This gloriously imaginative debut fantasy, inspired by East Asian mythology and ocean folk tales, is a novel of magic, rebellion and change.
Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below.
For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn’t hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk princess – is exiled to the city, under Mira’s watch. When extremists sabotage a city festival, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.
Published February 29th by Magpie Romantic Fantasy, Historical Romance, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli’s latest romantic fantasy.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.
Published February 29th by Penguin UK Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tales, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, YA Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Where the Dark Stands Still is a triumph; a deeply romantic debut with spiralling, atmospheric prose that swept me up and away to the enchanted forests of Polish folklore. You’ll never want to leave this beautiful, magical world’.Sarah Underwood, NYT Bestselling Author of Lies We Sing to theSea
A sweeping gothic fairytale romance for fans of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace and Gallant by V.E. Schwab.
Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters.
After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood – the Leszy – who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.
Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska makes an unsettling discovery: she is not the first person to strike this bargain and all of her predecessors have mysteriously vanished. If Liska wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.
Those who enter the wood do not always return . . .
Published February 29th by Fleet Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
SYNOPSIS: *AN OPRAH DAILY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024*
‘Incandescent, astonishing, a miracle. I’m elated and deeply grateful this book exists’ R. O. Kwon
‘Katherine Min is a singular, wildly talented voice and this is a trailblazing novel’ Sharlene Teo
‘Fiercely intelligent, perfectly crafted, and brimming with wit’ Lisa Ko A provocative, hilariously savage, and poignant novel by acclaimed author Katherine Min, to be published posthumously, about a daughter’s revenge on the man whom she believes drove her mother to her death . . . and nothing goes as planned.
The rain has made everything cold and damp, and it’s the perfect evening for Kyoko to exact her revenge. After years of rage and grief over her mother’s death, Kyoko has decided who is to blame: a man named Daniel, a fellow violinist who had wooed her mother, Emi, during their time together in an orchestra, and then dropped her – driving her to her death. Kyoko follows the unsuspecting Daniel home and manages to get her rash kidnapping plot off the ground . . . and really, what could go wrong?
The Fetishist is the story of three people – Kyoko, a young singer in a punk band who cannot find enough ways to channel her angry sorrow; Daniel, a seemingly hapless man who finally faces the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, long adored for her beauty and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved. It’s a beautiful, piercing and timely story that confronts race, ideals of femininity, complicity and visibility. Written and completed before the celebrated author’s death in 2019, it’s startlingly relevant and prescient, as wise and powerful as it is utterly moving.
Published February 29th by Mudlark Biography, Autobiography, Literary Reference
SYNOPSIS: The captivating true story of an underdog business – a feminist bookshop founded in Thatcher’s Britain – from a woman at the heart of the women’s liberation movement.
An Independent and Stylist Best Non-Fiction Book for 2024
What was it like to start a feminist bookshop, in an industry dominated by men? How could a lesbian thrive in Thatcher’s time, with the government legislating to restrict her rights? How do you run a business when your real aim is to change the world?
Silver Moon was the dream of three women – a bookshop with the mission to promote the work of female writers and create a much-needed safe space for any woman. Founded in 1980s London against a backdrop of homophobia and misogyny, it was a testament to the power of community, growing into Europe’s biggest women’s bookshop and hosting a constellation of literary stars from Margaret Atwood and Maya Angelou to Angela Carter. While contending with day-to-day struggles common to other booksellers, plus the additional burdens of misogyny and the occasional hate crime, Jane Cholmeley and her booksellers created a thriving business. But they also played a crucial and relatively unsung part in one the biggest social movements of our time.
A Bookshop of One’s Own is a fascinating slice of social history from the heart of the women’s liberation movement, from a true feminist and lesbian icon. Written with heart and humour, it reveals the struggle and joy that comes with starting an underdog business, while being a celebration of the power women have to change the narrative when they are the ones holding the pen.
Maurice and Maralyn : A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story by Sophie Elmhirst
Publshed February 29th by Chatto & Windus Biography, True Stories
SYNOPSIS: ***A Waterstones Book You Need to Read in 2024 *** Guardian Biggest Nonfiction of 2024 *** Observer Nonfiction to Look Out for 2024 ***
‘One of those very special books that makes you put everything on hold so you can get back to it’ RACHEL JOYCE * ‘Beautiful, moving and genuinely unputdownable’ JOANNA CANNON * ‘Extraordinary . . . Elmhirst is a terrific writer’ ELIZABETH DAY * ‘Easily one of the most captivating works of narrative nonfiction I’ve ever read’ OLIVER BURKEMAN
What begins as an eccentric English love story turns into one of the most dramatic adventures ever recorded…
Maurice and Maralyn couldn’t be more different. He is as cautious and awkward as she is charismatic and forceful. It seems an unlikely romance, but it works.
Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maralyn has an idea: sell the house, build a boat, leave England — and its oil crisis, industrial strikes and inflation — forever. It is hard work, turning dreams into reality, but finally they set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway there, their beloved boat is struck by a whale. It sinks within an hour, and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
On their tiny raft, over the course of days, then months, their love is put to the test. When Maurice begins to withdraw into himself, it falls upon Maralyn to keep them both alive. Their pet turtle helps, as does devising menus for fantasy dinners and dreaming of their next voyage.
Filled with danger, spirit and tenderness, this is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive — not just at sea, but in life.
February is so packed full of amazing new releases that I’ve had to split it into two parts. There’s new releases from some of my favourite authors like John Marrs, Tina Baker, Margaret Atwood, Dorothy Koomson, Alex Michaelides, Lizzie Pook and Milly Johnson, and exciting debuts such as Anna O, Frank and Red, A Sign of Her Own, Deadly Aminals, Meet Me at the Surface, and The List of Suspicious Things. On February 1st alone there are 15 books in my most anticipated list! That is just crazy. I swear that publishers don’t want us to finish our TBRs.
So, here is part one of my most anticipated February releases:
The Stranger in Her House by John Marrs
Published February 1st by Thomas & Mercer Suspense, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: A stranger has infiltrated your family…and now he’s taking over.
Paul’s just here to help, or so he claims―sent by a charity for vulnerable people to do odd jobs for elderly widow Gwen. But for Gwen’s daughter Connie, there’s just something about Paul that rings alarm bells from day one. He’s a little too kind, a little too involved…Worse still, Gwen seems to have fallen under his spell.
The last thing Connie wants is a stranger meddling in the safe routine she’s built around Gwen. She loves being the one Gwen turns to for cooking, cleaning and company. But the more Paul visits, the more Gwen is relying on him. By the time he conveniently finds himself between homes and has no choice but to move in, Connie is certain he’s trying to push her out completely.
It’s her word against his, though, and as her attempts to unmask him become ever more desperate she’s not the only one left wondering if she’s lost her grip on reality. But when events start spiralling rapidly out of her control, should Connie wage all-out war on Paul and risk losing Gwen forever―or has that been his plan all along?
Published February 1st by Harper Collins UK Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Medical Thriller
SYNOPSIS:
ANNA O – THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME
‘Reads like a dream but unsettles like a nightmare’ A J FINN
‘Certain to be on of the year’s best thrillers’ LEE CHILD
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*The instant global phenomenon*
*Publishing in over 30 territories*
*The thriller that will wake up the nation*
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ANNA O HASN’T OPENED HER EYES FOR FOUR YEARS
Not since the night she was found in a deep sleep by the bodies of her best friends, suspected of a chilling double murder.
For Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist on London’s Harley Street, waking Anna O could be career-defining. As an expert in sleep, he knows all about the darkest chambers of the mind; the secrets that lie buried in the subconscious.
As he begins Anna O’s treatment – studying his patient’s dreams, combing her memories, visiting the site where the horrors played out – he pulls on the thread of a much deeper, darker mystery.
Awakening Anna O isn’t the end of the story, it’s just the beginning.
Published February 1st by Michael Joseph Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Mystery
SYNOPSIS: Totally original and utterly compelling, with a voice all of its own, this is the outstanding new thriller from the no.1 internationally bestselling author of The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides.
‘My favourite Alex Michaelides yet –the undisputed master of the twist’ Lucy Foley ‘The king of all unreliable narrators, enough twists and turns to power two novels’ David Baldacci ‘You’ll think you know where it’s going and you couldn’t be more wrong’ Linwood Barclay ‘A very special bookand highly recommended’ Janice Hallett ‘The best novel yet from Alex Michaelides’ Sophie Hannah Even better than The Silent Patient… Alex Michaelides is a magician’ JP Delaney _______
‘There were seven of us in all, trapped on the island. One of us was a murderer . . .’
On a small private Greek island, former movie star Lana Farrar – an old friend – invites a select group of us to stay.
It’ll be hot, sunny, perfect. A chance to relax and reconnect – and maybe for a few hidden truths to come out.
Because nothing on this island is quite what it seems.
Not Lana. Not her guests.
Certainly not the murderer – furiously plotting their crime . . .
But who am I?
My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.
Published February 1st by Headline Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: It takes one moment to call for help. So why did he wait?
‘The rare gift that delivers it all’ ASHLEY AUDRAIN ‘Truly gripping and deeply satisfying’ CHRIS WHITAKER ‘I was hooked’ JANE CORRY ‘A new thriller writer to watch’ ROBYN HARDING ‘Left me in awe’ JO LEEVERS ___________
THE QUESTION For the last ten years, the small town of West Wilmer has been struggling to answer one question: on the night of the crash that killed his sister, why did it take Grant Dean twenty-seven minutes to call for help? If he’d called sooner, Phoebe might still be alive.
THE SECRET As the anniversary of Phoebe’s death approaches, Grant is consumed by his memories and the secret that’s been suffocating him for years. But he and Phoebe weren’t the only ones in the car that night. Becca was there too – she’s the only other person who knows what really happened. Or is she?
THE TRUTH Everyone remembers Phoebe, but local girl June also lost someone that night. Her brother Wyatt has been missing for ten years and, now that her mother is dead, June has no one left – no family, no friends. Until someone appears at her door. Someone who knows what really happened that night. And they are ready to tell the truth.
With a shocking twist that will leave you breathless, Twenty-Seven Minutes is a gripping story about what happens when grief becomes unbearable, dark secrets are unearthed, and the horrifying truth is revealed.
Published February 1st by Faber & Faber Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
OPRAH DAILY’S #1 Book of 2023 A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK FINALIST FOR THE NEW AMERICAN VOICES AWARD AMAZON EDITOR’S CHOICE & TOP TWENTY NOVEL OF THE YEAR ‘A Brilliant, satisfying, compassionate mystery.’ GABRIELLE ZEVIN ‘I can’t remember a book with more layers. . . I was riveted through the last page.’ JODI PICOULT ‘Gorgeous . a layered and innovative exploration of family, love, happiness, and race.’ JEAN KWOK
We didn’t call the police right away. Later, I would blame myself, wonder if things might have turned out differently if I hadn’t shrugged it off, insisting Dad wasn’t missing missing but just delayed, probably still in the woods looking for Eugene.
Mia Parkson’s life is turned upside down when her stay-at-home dad, the family’s anchor, goes missing. The only witness? Eugene – her younger, nonspeaking teenage brother.
As the Police struggle for leads, and her mother and twin brother struggle to keep things together at home, Mia gains access to key clues about her father’s disappearance. Headstrong, hyper analytical, and with secrets of her own, she decides to try and solve the case. But could Mia’s impulsive actions be putting her whole family in danger?
Published February 1st by Picador Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Victorian Gothic, Historical Thriller, Literary Fiction, Adventure Ficiton
SYNOPSIS: ‘Grisly, addictive fun . . . I devoured it in 24 hours’ – Emilia Hart, author of Weyward
In deepest winter, beware the coldest hearts . . .
London, 1850. Constance Horton has disappeared.
Maude, her older sister, knows only that Constance abandoned the apothecary they call home, and, disguised as a boy, boarded a ship bound for the Arctic. She never returned. ‘A tragic accident’, the Admiralty called it. But Maude Horton knows something isn’t right.
When she finds Constance’s journal, it becomes clear that the truth is being buried by sinister forces. To find answers – and deliver justice for her sister – Maude must step into London’s dark underbelly, and into the path of dangerous, powerful men. The kind of men who seek their fortune in the city’s horrors, from the hangings at Newgate to the ghoulish waxworks of Madame Tussaud’s.
It is a perilous task. But Maude has dangerous skills of her own . . .
‘Brilliant! Stuffed with adventure’ – Stuart Turton, author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Published February 1st by Wildfire Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Sometimes, the friend you need is the one you never saw coming.
‘A lovely feel-good treat’ The Times | ‘Simply perfect’ Daily Mirror | ‘Hilariously funny… and beneath it all really quite lovely’ The Metro | Brilliant, just brilliant’ Huffington Post
Frank and Red are a mess.
Frank is a grumpy old curmudgeon. A recluse whose only company is the ‘ghost’ of his dead wife, Marcie. He is estranged from his friends, his son, and the ever-changing world beyond his front gate.
And then Red moves in next door.
Red is six. A boy struggling to adjust to the separation of his mum and dad, a new school, and the demonic school bully. Red is curious, smart, he never stops talking, and he’s got a trampoline. From the moment Red’s blonde mop appears over the top of the fence that divides their two gardens, the unlikeliest of friendships is born.
. . . And it is a friendship that will change both of their lives forever.
Published February 1st by Tinder Press Historical Fiction, Alternative History, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Absolutely brilliant. Ellen Lark is unforgettable’ Emilia Hart, author of Weyward ‘Illuminating… Excellently conveys the experience of being deaf in a hearing world’ Priscilla Morris, Women’s Prize Shortlisted author of Black Butterflies ‘A fantastic novel. Shines a light into a hidden corner of history’ Louise Hare author of This Lovely City and Miss Aldridge Regrets Ellen Lark is on the verge of marriage when she and her fiancé receive an unexpected visit from Alexander Graham Bell.
Ellen knows immediately what Bell really wants from her. Ellen is deaf, and for a time was Bell’s student in a technique called Visible Speech. As he instructed her in speaking, Bell also confided in her about his dream of producing a device which would transmit the human voice along a wire: the telephone. Now, on the cusp of wealth and renown, Bell wants Ellen to speak up in support of his claim to the patent to the telephone, which is being challenged by rivals.
But Ellen has a different story to tell: that of how Bell betrayed her, and other deaf pupils, in pursuit of ambition and personal gain, and cut Ellen off from a community in which she had come to feel truly at home. It is a story no one around Ellen seems to want to hear – but there may never be a more important time for her to tell it.
The Unfinished Life of Eadie Browne by Freya North
Published February 1st by Welbeck Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: A powerful love letter to youth from Sunday Times bestselling author of Little Wing.
When your present meets your past, what do you take with you – and what do you leave behind?
Eadie Browne is an odd child with unusual parents, living in a strange house neighbouring the local cemetery. Bullied at school – but protected by her two best friends Celeste and Josh, and her many imaginary friends lying six feet under next door – Eadie muddles her way through.
Arriving in Manchester as a student in the late 1980s, Eadie confronts a busy, gritty Victorian metropolis a far cry from the small Garden City she’s left behind. Soon enough she experiences a novel freedom she never imagined and it’s seductive. She can be who she wants to be, do as she pleases, and no one back home needs to know. As Manchester embraces the dizzying, colourful euphoria of Rave counterculture, Eadie is swept along, blithely ignoring danger and reality. Until, one night, her past comes hurtling at her with ramifications which will continue into her adult life.
Now, as the new Millennium beckons, Eadie is turning 30 with a marriage in tatters. She must travel back to where she once lived for a funeral she can’t quite comprehend. As she journeys from the North to the South, from the present to the past, Eadie contemplates all that was then – and all that is now – in this moving love letter to youth.
Published February 1st by W&N Humorous Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: A BEST BOOK OF 2024 IN STYLIST, DAILY MAIL, THE I,IRISH TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES AND RED
‘incredibly funny. Every sentence sparkles’ CAITLIN MORAN ‘This year’s Sorrow and Bliss. Hilarious and heartbreaking’ DAILY MAIL ‘The debut of the year’ THE I PAPER ‘Witty as Fleabag, psychologically insightful as Sally Rooney’ LUCIE WHITEHOUSE
Hera is in her mid-twenties, which seems young to everyone except people in their mid-twenties.
Since leaving school, she has been trying to kick and scream into existence a life she cares about, but with little success so far.
Until she meets Arthur.
He works with her, he is older than her, he is also married. But in her soulless office – the large cold room she feels destined to spend her life in – he is a source of much-needed sustenance.
And though Hera has previously dated women, she soon falls headlong into a workplace romance that will quickly consume her life.
Laugh-out-loud funny, deeply moving and whip smart, Green Dot is a story about the terrible allure of wanting something that promises nothing and the winding, torturous, often hilarious journey we take in deciding who we are and who we want to be.
Published February 1st by HQ Mystery, Dark Comedy, Psychological Thriller, Satire, Suspense, Contremporary Romance, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: From the author of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, don’t miss this wickedly witty and utterly addictive novel, perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Dawn O’Porter and Killing Eve.
Something bad happened last night.
I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.
But I can’t remember a thing…
My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered.
There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.
Published February 1st by Legend Press Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Biographical Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘One of the best novels I have read this year’ Iris Costello ‘A luminous, pin-sharp portrait of a true trailblazer’ Zoe Howe
Societies are oiled with the unpaid, unaccounted for, work of women. It is the very glue that binds us together, and yet we are blind to it; a woman’s work remains invisible.
Rosalind Franklin knows that to be a woman in a man’s world is to be invisible. In the 1950s science is a gentleman’s profession, and it appears after WWII that there are plenty of colleagues who want to keep it that way.
After being segregated at Cambridge, then ignored and put down in the workplace, she has no intention of being seen as a second-class citizen and throws everything into proving her worth. But despite her success in unlocking the very secret of life, the ultimate glory is claimed by the men she left in her wake.
Inspired by the true story of a woman so many tried to silence, Rosalind is a tale of hope and perseverance, love and betrayal … of real-life lessons in chemistry.
Published February 1st Bantam Press Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Richard Osman meets MasterChef. In this cookery school, murder is on the menu…
‘Delicious fun!’ Tess Gerritsen ‘Knife Skills for Beginners is a joy.’ S. J. Bennett ‘A deliciously dark slice of murder and mystery.’ Chris Whitaker ‘If Ruth Rendell had teamed up with Delia Smith they’d have produced something like this.’ J. M. Hall ‘Dazzlingly sharp with a wit that sparkles off the page.’ Jane Corry
A recipe for disaster. When chef Paul Delamare takes a job teaching at an exclusive residential cookery school in Belgravia, the only thing he expects his students to murder is his taste buds. But on the first night, the unthinkable happens: someone turns up dead…
The school rests on a knife-edge. The police are convinced Paul is the culprit. After all, he’s good with a blade, was first on the scene – and everyone knows it doesn’t take much to push a chef over the edge. To prove his innocence, he must find the killer. Could it be one of his students? Or the owner of the school – a woman with secrets and a murky past?
It all boils down to murder. If Paul can’t solve the mystery fast – as well as teach his students how to make a perfect hollandaise sauce – he’ll be next to get the chop.
Published February 1st by One More Chapter Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Gothic Fiction, Crime Fiction, Horror Ficiton
SYNOPSIS: ‘Wickedly fun and highly addictive… a delicious read with all the elements of a perfect whodunit’ Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage
‘House on Haunted Hill mixed with Agatha Christie’ NetGalley Reviewer
The brand new locked-room thriller for fans of Ruth Ware and Freida McFadden.
You are cordially invited to the Beechwood Castle for a night you’ll never forget…
Six people find a thick cream envelope on their doorstep. Inside is an invitation to spend 24 hours in a crumbling manor house and be in with the chance to win a portion of one million dollars. The catch: Beechwood Castle was the site of one of the most horrific murders in modern history.
The smell of blood, decay and death still hangs heavy in the air.
Six people walk into the house. One of them is an imposter, all of them are traitors, which of them will survive the night?
Published February 1st by Avon Books Romance Novel, Saga, Humorous Fiction, Domestic Ficiton
SYNOPSIS: If you were to build a library that has shaped your life, which books would you choose?
For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library.
Each year, on her daughter’s birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves – with a note in the front dedicated to her own greatest work.
But Ella – Sally’s only child – fled to Australia twenty-one years ago after a heated exchange, and never looked back. And though Sally still dutifully adds a new paperback to the shelves every time the clock strikes midnight on July 11th, her hopes of her daughter ever thumbing through the pages are starting to dwindle.
Then disaster strikes and Ella is forced to return to the home she once knew.
She is soon to discover that when one chapter ends, another will soon follow.
All you have to do is turn the page…
Journey through the pages of this heartwarming novel, where hope, friendship and second chances are written in the margins. Perfect for book lovers everywhere and fans of Sally Page’s The Keeper of Stories.
Published February 6th by Chatto & Windus Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: A BBC, Financial Times and Cosmopolitan What to Read in 2024 pick
Set in a New York apartment building, Fourteen Days is an irresistibly propulsive novel with an unusual twist: each character in this diverse, eccentric cast of neighbours has been secretly written by a different, major literary voice – from Margaret Atwood and John Grisham to Emma Donoghue and Celeste Ng.
One week into lockdown, the tenants of a run-down apartment building in Manhattan have begun to gather on the rooftop each evening and tell stories. With each passing night, more and more neighbours gather, bringing chairs and milk crates and overturned pails. Gradually the tenants – some of whom have barely spoken to each other before now – become real neighbours.
A dazzling, heartwarming and ultimately surprising narrative, Fourteen Days is an ode to the power of storytelling and human connection.
Includes writing from: Charlie Jane Anders, Margaret Atwood, Jennine Capo Crucet, Pat Cummings, Joseph Cassara, Angie Cruz, Sylvia Day, Emma Donoghue, Dave Eggers, Diana Gabaldon, Tess Gerritsen, John Grisham, Maria Hinojosa, Mira Jacob, Erica Jong, CJ Lyons, Celeste Ng, Tommy Orange, Mary Pope Osborne, Doug Preston, Alice Randall, Caroline Randall, Ishmael Reed, Roxana Robinson, Nelly Rosario, James Shapiro, Hampton Sides, R.L. Stine, Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Monique Truong, Scott Turow, Luis Alberto Urrea, Rachel Vail, Weike Wang, DeShawn Charles Winslow, Meg Wolitzer
Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander
Published February 6th by Constable Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: THEY CALL ME THE LUCKY ONE. THEY DON’T KNOW I LIED.
‘My favourite debut of the year . . . utterly compelling’ LUCY CLARKE
‘Glossy, clever and unsettling’ ANDREA MARA
‘One of the most chilling reads of the year’ M. W. CRAVEN
‘Totally gripping’ RACHEL ABBOTT
‘The breakout debut thriller of 2024’ CELIA WALDEN __________________________________________
Nine years ago, Charlie Colbert’s life changed for ever.
On Christmas Eve, as the snow fell, her elite graduate school was the site of a chilling attack. Several of her classmates died. Charlie survived.
Years later, Charlie has the life she always wanted at her fingertips: she’s editor-in-chief of a major magazine and engaged to the golden child of the publishing industry.
But when a film adaptation of that fateful night goes into production, Charlie’s dark past threatens to crash into her shiny present.
Charlie was named a ‘witness’ in the police reports. Yet she knows she was much more than that.
The truth about that night will shatter everything she’s worked for. Just how far will she go to protect it?
THE GRIPPING DEBUT THRILLER OF 2024. A dark and deeply compulsive read that will keep you racing through the pages late into the night, perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Gillian McAllister and Girl A by Abigail Dean.
Published February 8th by Sphere Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: THE ESSEX SERPENT MEETS AMMONITE IN THE STUNNING HISTORICAL NOVEL EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT:
‘Singular and astonishing . . . I’ve never met a character quite like Ada’ ANNIE GARTHWAITE ‘The Bone Hunters has cemented Joanne Burn’s place as one of my favourite writers’ SONIA VELTON ‘Joanne Burn is fast becoming my go-to historical fiction writer’ EMMA CARROLL ‘The Bone Hunters is that rare combination . . . beautifully written but also a gripping page-turner’ LAURA SHEPPERSON ________
In 1824, Lyme Regis is as tumultuous as the sea that surrounds it. When twenty-four-year-old Ada Winters – poor, peculiar and brilliant – uncovers a set of unusual fossils on the cliffs, she believes she has found the answer to her scientific frustrations and her family’s financial struggles.
Meanwhile, Doctor Edwin Moyle has come to Dorset in search of the discovery that will place him amongst the greatest geologists of the age. What he finds instead is a strange young woman who seems to hold the key to everything he desires.
But what is the creature that Ada and Edwin seek to unearth? And will it lead them to greatness, or destruction?
Published February 8th by Hodder & Stoughton Historical Fiction, Erotic Literature, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: THE ENCHANTING NEW NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR OF THE 2022 WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR, THE FAIR BOTANISTS.
You wouldn’t suspect it, but scandalous secrets are being kept on Blythswood Square…
1846. Glasgow is a city on the cusp of great social change, but behind the curtains, neighbours are watching, and rumours of improper behaviour spread like wildfire on the respectable Blythswood Square.
When Charlotte Nicholl discovers that the fortune she has been bequeathed by her father is tied up in a secret collection of erotic art, she is faced with a terrible dilemma: sell it and risk shaming her family’s good name or lose her home.
An encounter with Ellory McHale, a talented working-class photographer newly arrived in Glasgow, leads Charlotte to hope she has found not only someone who might help her, but also a friend. Yet Ellory is hiding secrets of her own – secrets that become harder to conceal as she finds herself drawn into Charlotte’s world.
As the truth begins to catch up with both women, will it destroy everything they’ve fought to build – or set them both free?
Until one night after a work event she suffers an unspeakable attack.
As she tries to confront what happened to her, she finds herself caught between her parents who can’t understand, her boyfriend who feels betrayed, and her job that expects silence. The world Jade has constructed starts to crumble.
This raw, darkly funny novel explores the ‘grey-area’ of consent and recovery that’s far from linear, and will leave you asking yourself: what would you have done in Jade’s situation?
‘JADED is a thoughtful, hard-hitting exploration of race, identity, and the rippling effects of sexual assault. Ela Lee writes with an urgency and clarity that will have you hooked until the last page.’ ? Cecile Pin, Women’s Prize longlisted author of Wandering Souls
Content warning: this novel features themes of sexual assault and violence.
Published February 8th by Viking Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: DISCOVER THE THRILLER KEEPING EVERYONE AWAKE
‘The most gripping thriller I have ever read’ GILLIAN McALLISTER ‘As tender as it is terrifying’ ABIGAIL DEAL ‘I am trying to think of a book that has grabbed me by the throat more quickly’ LINWOOD BARCLAY ‘You won’t be able to look away’ SHARI LAPENA ‘Heart-thumping and mesmerizing’ ASHLEY AUDRAIN
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There was someone in the house.
Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. Then she hears a noise – old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it’s the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs…
In that split second, she has three choices.
Should she hide? Should she run? Or should she fight?
Published February 8th by Footnote Press Literary Fiction, LGBTQLiterature, Contemporary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Mongrel is so beautiful that I became lost in it . . . Simply, it must be read’ LISA TADDEO ‘A brilliant explosion of writing and storytelling . . . This feels like reading an Oscar-winning film’ AISLING BEA ‘Heart-shatteringly visceral and precise . . . a triumphant tribute to the self’ WIZ WHARTON ‘This compulsive, engrossing, and gorgeous debut will utterly consume you. Read it now’ STEPHANIE SCOTT
Mei loses her Japanese mother at age six. Growing up in suburban Surrey, she yearns to fit in, suppressing not only her heritage but her growing desire for her best friend Fran.
Yuki leaves the Japanese countryside to pursue her dream of becoming a concert violinist in London. Far from home and in an unfamiliar city, she finds herself caught up in the charms of her older teacher.
Haruka attempts to navigate Tokyo’s nightlife and all of its many vices, working as a hostess in the city’s sex district. She grieves a mother who hid so many secrets from her, until finally one of those secrets comes to light . . .
Shifting between three intertwining narratives, Mongrel reveals a tangled web of desire, isolation, belonging and ultimately, hope.
Published February 8th by Head of Zeus Fantasy Fiction, Gothic Ficiton, Contemporary Fantasy, Supernatural Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
SYNOPSIS: ‘A dizzying dream ride you will never forget’ LEIGH BARDUGO ‘An astonishing, gorgeous novel’ HOLLY BLACK ‘An incredible achievement’ CASSANDRA CLARE
FROM PULITZER-PRIZE FINALIST KELLY LINK
Supernatural beings and chaos descend on the small seaside town of Lovesend, Massachusetts, in the wake of the unexpected return of three missing teenagers.
Laura, Daniel and Mo disappeared without trace a year ago. They have long been presumed dead. Which they were. But now they are not. And it is up to the resurrected teenagers to discover what happened to them.
Revived by Mr Anabin – the man they knew as their high school music teacher – they are offered a chance to return to the mortal realm. But first they must solve the mystery of their death and learn to use the magic they now possess. And only two of them may stay.
What they do not realise is their return has upset a delicate balance that has held – just – for centuries.
Published February 13th by Quercus Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fairy Tale
SYNOPSIS: Some people think foxes go around collecting qi, or life force, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .
Manchuria, 1908: A young woman is found frozen in the snow.
Her death is clouded by rumours of foxes, believed to lure people into peril by transforming into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now.
Snow is a creature of many secrets, but most of all, she’s a mother seeking vengeance. Hunting a murderer, the trail will take her from northern China to Japan, with Bao following doggedly behind.
And as their paths draw ever closer together, both Snow and Bao will encounter old friends and new foes, even as more deaths occur.
The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about old loves and second chances, the depth of maternal bonds, and ancient folktales that may very well be true.
Published February 13th by Titan Books Gothic Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tale, Dark Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: Set in the same universe as the acclaimed All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns (one of Oprah Daily’s Top 25 Fantasy Novels of 2022), this beautifully told Gothic fairy tale of ghosts, witches, deadly secrets and past sins, will be perfect for fans of Hannah Whitten and Ava Reid.
Ellie Briar is the first non-witch to be born into her family for generations. The Briar family of witches run the town of Silverton, caring for its inhabitants with their skills and magic. In the usual scheme of things, they would be burnt for their sorcery, but the church has given them dispensation in return for their protection of the borders of the Darklands, where the much-feared Leech Lords hold sway.
Ellie is being trained as a steward, administering for the town, and warding off the insistent interest of the church. When her grandmother dies suddenly, Ellie’s cousin Audra rises to the position of Briar Witch, propelling Ellie into her new role. As she navigates fresh challenges, an unexpected new ability to see and speak to the dead leads her to uncover sinister family secrets, stories of burnings, lost grimoires and evil spells. Reeling from one revelation to the next, she seeks answers from the long dead and is forced to decide who to trust, as a devastating plot threatens to destroy everything the Briar witches have sacrificed so much to build.
Told in the award-winning author’s trademark gorgeous, addictive prose, this is an intricately woven tale of a family of witches struggling against the bonds of past sins and persecution.
Published February 15th by Viper Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychcological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: ‘Haunting and atmospheric’ – DAILY MAIL ‘Tina Baker’s best yet’ – JANICE HALLETT ‘Compelling and suspenseful’ – LISA HALL Everyone brings their secrets to the island…
On the beautiful and windswept island of Tresco, two worlds live side by side. The wealthy visitors come by helicopter to stay at their lavish time-share properties. The estate staff travel by boat, and work all hours to keep them happy, to keep the money flowing in.
But while the blue skies and savage waves make the island seem a wild paradise, under the surface the inhabitants are concealing more than they dare reveal. The truths about their marriages, their love affairs, and what they do in the darkness while their neighbours are sleeping.
As black clouds come rolling in and a storm hits the island, truths and rumours begin to tumble out, wreaking terrible damage. In the midst of the tempest, two women are attacked and one goes missing. The secrets of this fragile community can no longer be hidden if it hopes to survive. The islanders must finally reveal what they did in the storm, no matter the cost.
From the #1 bestselling author of Call Me Mummy comes a dark and luscious thriller, perfect for readers of Harriet Tyce, Amanda Jennings and Louise Candlish.
Published February 15th by Headline Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Master of the jaw-dropping twist’ S MAGAZINE
Please take care of my baby. But don’t try to find me. You’ll put him in danger. x
Profiler and therapist Kez Lanyon is shocked when she finds a baby on the backseat of her car, with an unsigned note asking her to take care of him.
Kez has a pretty good idea who the mother is – Brandee, a popular social media star with a troubled background, who once lived in Kez’s house.
Brandee recently dropped out of the limelight and if the internet rumours are true, Kez knows Brandee’s life is in danger.
Kez is torn. Should she simply take care of the baby as she’s been asked, or should she risk her whole family by using contacts from her previous job to save this young woman?
Time is running out for Brandee. Can Kez find her before it’s too late?
This is the heart-stopping new novel from The Queen Of The Big Reveal.
Published February 15th by Zaffre Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Police Procedural
SYNOPSIS: DISCOVERTHE GRIPPING 2024 BRITISH CRIME NOVEL EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT:
‘Utterly mesmerising’ – PETER JAMES ‘A crime novel I wish I had written’ – LYNDA LA PLANTE ‘Marie’s writing is beautiful’ – BELINDA BAUER ‘Exceptional in every way’ – CHRIS WHITAKER ‘A dark glittering gem of a book’ – LISA GRAY ‘Gloriously dark, deadly and deathly’ – C. J. SKUSE ‘An incredible debut. Damn near perfect’ – SUSI HOLLIDAY ‘A masterpiece’ – WILLIAM HUSSEY
Thirteen-year-old Ava Bonney possesses an unusual intellect far beyond her years. While her friends play, Ava’s fascination lies in the intricate process of animal decomposition, studying roadkill found in the streets around her home.
But, one night, Ava’s secret nocturnal routine takes a chilling turn when she stumbles upon the lifeless body of fellow schoolmate, Mickey Grant.
As Detective Seth Delahaye takes charge of the perplexing case, Ava refuses to sit idle. Determined and resourceful, she embarks on a daring quest to unveil the truth behind the string of chilling deaths plaguing her community.
Armed with her unique skills and unrivalled local knowledge, Ava becomes an unlikely force in the race to apprehend the elusive killer before more lives are claimed.
‘Deadly Animals is a shockingly beautiful, rare and heartbreaking gem. I really can’t recommend it highly enough’ – CHRIS WHITAKER
Published February 15th by Fourth Estate Fairy Tale, Horror Fiction, Lesbian Literature
SYNOPSIS: A haunting ode to Cornish folklore and the secrets of the places we call home
‘An astonishing debut … Rhythmic, atmospheric and enduring’ CHARLIE CARROLL
‘A book where language feels like hands reaching into the soil, where landscapes feel alive, where sentences, houses and memory are suffused with the uncanny’ TOM DE FRESTON
Everything that comes from the ground has to go back down… eventually
Merryn grew up on the wilds of Bodmin moor, raised by her mother and her aunt in an old farmhouse. Here, the locals never leave the village, fear for the future of their farms and cling desperately to the folkloric tales that are woven into their history. Except Merryn, who has escaped to Manchester for university, briefly untethering herself from her past.
When Merryn returns home for the memorial service of her ex-girlfriend Claud, she finds her childhood home stranger and more secretive than ever. She’s sure that her mother is hiding something. The villagers are hunting on the moors at night, but for what? And then there’s a notebook, found in an old chest of drawers, full of long-forgotten folklore that seems to be linked somehow to Claud…
Published February 15th by Magpie Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, Historical Mystery
SYNOPSIS: An unputdownable tale of obsession, jealousy and heartache against the backdrop of WW2
May 1945 and at long last, Rosamund Caradon is feeling optimistic. As she returns the last few evacuees to London from her Devonshire manor, she vows to protect dance-obsessed daughter Jasmine from further peril.
But a chance meeting with a Sadler’s Wells ballet dancer changes everything.
When the beautiful, elusive Briar Woods bursts into Rosamund’s train carriage, it’s clear her sights are set on the immediately captivated Jasmine. And Rosamund cannot shake the eerie feeling this accidental encounter is not what it seems.
For Briar may be far away from the pointe shoes and greasepaint of the Sleeping Beauty ballet that is so much a part of her, but her performance for Rosamund might just be her most successful yet.
This, Briar feels, is a show for a mother and daughter. A dance that could turn deadly…
One of Lucy Popescu’s Books to Look Forward to in 2024 in Camden New Journal
Published February 15th by Hutchinson Heinmann Mystery, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
SYNOPSIS: ‘Funny, poignant and drawn with real compassion. This is a heart-warming book’ EMMA HEALEY
‘A heartwarming tale about the power of human connection, written with empathy, warmth and care. To read it is to feel that little bit better about life’ ELIZABETH DAY
‘Profoundly original and dazzlingly written. A beautiful mystery with heart’ ROB RINDER
Yorkshire, 1979
Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.
Because of the murders.
Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn’t an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv’s mum stopped talking. Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?
So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don’t.
But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families – and between each other – than they ever thought possible.
What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?
Published February 15th by Piatkus Contemporary Romance, Humororus Fiction, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: From the bestselling author of Everything Is Beautiful, comes an utterly heartwarming new novel, about what it truly means to belong to those you love.
‘Gripping, endearing and thought-provoking, this beautifully woven novel championing family, solidarity and friendship is full of warmth and heart. A joy from start to finish – one not to miss’ HOLLY MILLER ‘Heartfelt and heartwarming, this uplifting read is full of characters to cherish and cheer for’ PHAEDRA PATRICK
‘The Art of Belonging is a gorgeous read . . . Eleanor Ray has created a warm hug of a book that will capture your heart’ HEATHER CRITCHLOW
………………………………………… Sometimes you need to open your heart to find where you truly belong . . .
When unexpected circumstances bring Grace’s estranged daughter, Amelia, and granddaughter, Charlotte, to live in her home, complicated feelings start to emerge, revealing a messy and emotional past which drove this family apart.
It will take a school mystery, an exquisite miniature railway and some brave decisions to help them each find not only themselves, but also each other – and to appreciate what it truly means to belong together.
This uplifting novel will warm your heart and touch your soul, and remind you of all the reasons humans can be downright wonderful.
Published February 15th by Pan Macmillan Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Medical Fiction, War Story
SYNOPSIS: Soon to be a major motion picture!
‘Astonishing. Compelling. Powerful’ – Delia Owens, bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing
‘Stuns with sacrifice. Uplifts with heroism’ – Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
From the worldwide bestselling author of The Four Winds, The Nightingale and Firefly Lane (a Number One series on Netflix),The Women is a story of devastating loss and epic love.
It would be the journey of a lifetime . . .
‘Women can be heroes, too’. When twenty-year-old nursing student, Frances “Frankie” McGrath, hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on California’s idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the young men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed America. Frankie will also discover the true value of female friendship and the heartbreak that love can cause.
Published February 15th by Hodder & Stoughton Historical Fiction, War Story
SYNOPSIS: Jersey, 1943. Once a warm and neighbourly community, now German soldiers patrol the cobbled streets, imposing a harsh rule on the people of the island.
Grace La Mottée, the island’s only librarian, is ordered to destroy books which threaten the new regime. Instead, she hides the stories away in secret. Along with her headstrong best friend, postwoman Bea Rose, she wants to fight back. So she forms the wartime book club: a lifeline, offering fearful islanders the joy and escapism of reading.
But as the occupation drags on, the women’s quiet acts of bravery become more perilous – and more important – than ever before. And, when tensions turn to violence, they are forced to face the true, terrible cost of resistance . . .
Based on astonishing real events, The Wartime Book Club is a love letter to the power of books in the darkest of times – as well as a moving page-turner that brings to life the remarkable, untold story of an island at war.
Published February 15th by Simon & Schuster UK Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: What if you could write your own perfect storyline…? The heartwarming, feelgood novel from the much-loved Sunday Times bestselling author, Milly Johnson.
‘Gloriously funny, witty, wise and wonderful, this book is a total joy!’ Alexandra Potter ‘A delicious warm hug of a book’ Jill Mansell ‘An escapist, uplifting read full of heart’ Libby Page ‘Funny and brilliant and gorgeously warm, Milly Johnson always, always delivers’ Paige Toon ‘Takes you on a classic transformative journey in the most wonderful and original way. What a joy!’ Julietta Henderson
Polly Potter is surviving, not thriving. She used to love her job – until her mentor died and her new boss decided to make her life hell. She used to love her partner Chris – until he cheated on her, and now she can’t forget. The only place where her life is working is on the pages of the novel she is writing – there she can create a feistier, bolder, more successful version of herself – as the fictional Sabrina Anderson.
But what if it was possible to start over again? To leave everything behind, forget all that went before, and live the life you’d always dreamed of?
After a set of unforeseen circumstances, Polly ends up believing she really IS Sabrina, living at the heart of a noisy Italian family restaurant by the sea. Run by Teddy, the son of her new landlady Marielle, it’s a much-loved place, facing threat of closure as a rival restaurant moves in next door. Sabrina can’t remember her life as Polly, but she knows she is living a different life from the one she used to have.
But what if this new life could belong to her after all?
Published February 15th by Transworld Books Contemporary Fantasy, Romance Novel, Magical Realsim, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Time Travel Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Joyful, exuberant, and crackling with adventure.’ STUART TURTON
‘A clever and beautiful novel about the power of books.’ SUNYI DEAN
‘Full of magic, wonder and heart.’ ANITA FRANK
‘A magical, mesmerising adventure from the very first page.’ A. J. WEST
———————————-
Because some doors should never be opened.
New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she’s doing with her life. She lives quietly, sharing an apartment with her best friend, Izzy. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book. Full of strange writing and mysterious drawings, at the very front there is a handwritten message:
This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.
Cassie is about to discover that the Book of Doors is a special book – a magic book. A book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And she is about to learn that there are other magic books out there that can also do wondrous – or dreadful and terrifying – things.
Because where there is magic there is power and there are those who will stop at nothing to possess it.
Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is Drummond Fox who has a secret library of magical books hidden in the shadows for safekeeping, a man fleeing his own demons. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .
Sunbringer (The Fallen Gods Trilogy, Book 2) by Hannah Kaner
Published Februayr 15th by Harper Voyager High Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Religious Science Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The thrilling epic fantasy sequel to No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller, GODKILLER.
War is coming, godkiller.
Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Now they are stirring, whispering of war. Godkiller Kissen sacrificed herself to vanquish the fire god Hseth and save her friends, but gods cannot be destroyed so easily – and neither can godkillers.
Reeling from the loss of Kissen, young noble Inara and her little god of white lies, Skedi, seek answers to the true nature of their bond. The secrets they uncover could determine the outcome of the war.
Meanwhile, Elogast, no longer a loyal knight of King Arren, has been charged with destroying the man he once called friend. The king vowed to eradicate all gods, but has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them all.
The kingdom is on the brink of destruction. What will they each sacrifice to save it?
Emma's Biblio Treasures 