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October is almost here. It’s time for reading under fuzzy blanets, drinking hot chocolate and eating parkin. It’s also time for my list of most anticipated October releases. One of the books I’m excited for is my most anticipated book of the year:House of Splinters by L aura Purcell. I can not wait to finally read this book!
Here are the xx books out in October that I’m most anticipating:
Medlock by S. G. Hartnell
Published October 2nd by Viper
Gothic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Horror Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Macabre and frightening’ PAULA HAWKINS
‘Twisted, exhilarating and very, very creepy’ LOUISE CANDLISH
‘Will keep you reading well into the night and awake well beyond that’ CATHERINE COOPER
1978. Mrs. Medlock is the dutiful housekeeper at Marwood Manor. One of the few remaining staff, she protects a dying aristocratic order, serving the Lord and Lady and caring for their sickly young son.
For over the past twenty years, Mrs. Medlock has become the keeper of secrets. Secrets of the family. Secrets of her own. Secrets that may be found in the manor’s walled garden, out of sight but not forgotten.
When a distant relative, Mary, arrives at the property in need of a place to live and with a determination to explore, Mrs. Medlock fears the secrets of Marwood are no longer safe. And digging up the past may have deadly consequences for them all . . .
Pre-order here*
The Vanishing Place by Zoe Rankin
Published October 2nd by Viper
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
One girl escaped. But the forest took another…
A young girl wanders into the small town of Koraha, her hands stained with blood. She won’t speak, but her path is tracked through New Zealand’s unforgiving wilderness to a cabin – and the scene of a double murder.
The townsfolk know this cabin; it has a violent history. Twenty years ago, another girl was forced to flee, leaving her siblings and father behind. But now that her family’s secrets have led to more victims, Effie has no choice but to return to the bush and face the truth of what happened there… and why she ran.
Flooded with atmosphere and full of twists, The Vanishing Place is perfect for readers of Lucy Clarke and Sarah Pearse.
Pre-order here*
Soyangri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye
Published October 2nd by Harvill Secker
Literary Fiction, Translated Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
In a peaceful village in the countryside, far from the bustling heart of Seoul, lies a book lovers’ paradise. With its wafts of delicious food and book-filled shelves, Soyangri Book Kitchen is managed by its plucky proprietor Yoojin. Her aim? To create a sanctuary for weary souls like herself.
But the book kitchen is more than just a place to eat or read – it’s a place which offers its guests a true escape, not just inside the pages of its many books, but in the warm embrace of an overnight bookstay.
Over one year, seven people at a crossroads in their lives find their way to Yoojin’s book kitchen. Among them are Da-in, a singer grappling with an identity crisis, Sohee, a promising lawyer confronted with a daunting medical diagnosis, and Soohyuk, a young musical director whose dreams have been stifled.
As they arrive in Soyangri, each of them will find their life subtly transformed by the magic of its books and the kindness of its people.
Pre-order here*
Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
Published October 7th by Gollancz
Fairy Tale, Fantasy Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
YOU’RE HERE BECAUSE OF A STORY . . .
It starts with a class in an old movie theatre. Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor.
Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real.
Her search for the truth leads her to a dazzling new world, a deadly ultimatum hidden at the heart of Los Angeles, and into the path of a magnetic stranger who claims he’s been sent to save her life.
But everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, her magical reality could change from a Hollywood dream to a nightmare.
Alchemy of Secrets is the spectacular new novel from global phenomenon Stephanie Garber, the multimillion-copy bestselling author of the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series. Fusing spellbinding Hollywood secrets with a cinematic mystery, it will transport you into another world.
Pre-order here*
The Second Chance Cinema by Thea Weiss
Published October 7th by HQ
Magical Realism, Domestic Fiction, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The Midnight Library meets Ashley Poston, in an emotional, heartwarming debut romantic novel, where an engaged couple stumble upon a magical movie theatre that plays formative memories from their lives, showing secrets they both have been keeping from each other.
……….
What if the love of your life could watch the story of your past?
At the end of a fog-covered alley, glitters a glamorous cinema. It’s nearly impossible to find. When Ellie and her fiancé, Drake, stumble upon it during a late-night walk, they’re shocked to discover what’s playing inside the red-velvet auditorium: their formative memories.
Drake fears what the cinema might reveal, but eventually gives in when Ellie insists they return for more viewings. She’s haunted by a night from her past that she doesn’t fully remember. This is her opportunity to piece the story back together. But as the memories displayed on screen inch closer to the present, they realize they’re both keeping secrets from each other.
With their wedding on the horizon, Ellie and Drake must decide if seeing their pasts changes their plans for a future together.
Filled with warmth, hope, and a dash of magic, The Second Chance Cinema is both an enchanting escape and a thought-provoking examination of how our memories shape who we are.
Pre-order here*
Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory
Published October 7th by Harper Collins UK
Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction, Political Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
She survives four queens. Will she fall to a tyrant?
Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor court. Where nothing is more powerful than a secret – or more deadly.
As the Boleyns rise, Jane rises with them. But the king’s love is a fickle thing. And when the royal gaze turns elsewhere, Jane uses the only weapon she has: her voice.
To survive in this dazzling, dangerous world she has mastered many masks: loving wife, devoted sister, and obedient spy. Now she must step out of the shadows.
She might outlive her rivals. She might know the court’s darkest secrets. But power rests on the edge of a tyrant king’s sword. Where will it fall next?
Philippa Gregory brings the Boleyn traitor into the light in an explosive story of one woman’s survival in the treacherous heart of the Tudor court.
Pre-order here*
The Ordeals by Rachel Greenlaw
Published October 7th by HQ
Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Adventure Fiction, New Adult Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Old Magic. New power. A contest to die for.
****************************
Sophia DeWinter has been bound to her cruel uncle, the Collector since he exacted a blood bond from her as a child. When she learns of Killmarth, an elite academy for magic wielders outside of the Collector’s control, she grabs it as her only chance to break free.
Each hopeful must prove their worth by competing in brutal and deadly challenges – the Ordeals. And that’s just the beginning, because hopefuls are also being viciously picked off one-by-one. To survive, Sophia could team up with another challenger. Perhaps the powerful wielder Alden Locke. But how to identify an ally from a rival? Or even a murderer?
In her haste to escape the Collector’s power over her, has Sophia risked everything only to run from the flames and into the fire?
Pre-order here*
The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch
Published October 7th by Allison & Busby
Gothic Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Horror Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
1953. Mei’s ‘gift’ of speaking to ghosts is one that she has endeavoured to bury while fighting to survive as a refugee in post-war, post-revolution Hong Kong. When former silent film star Holly Zhang invites Mei to the infamous Maidenhair House, the startling summons revives her link to the man who destroyed her life. During six séances over six nights, each night a medium will be asked to leave until only one remains as the recipient of a staggering reward, but the only prize Mei wants is revenge.
Years later, that shocking night in the labyrinthine mansion has become an urban legend, dismissed by the police at the time as a collective hallucination. Mei must uncover the truth of what really happened and see if the ghosts she has carried can finally be laid to rest.
Pre-order here*
House of Splinters by Laura Purcell
Published October 9th by Raven
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Not every house is a home…
Belinda Bainbridge has spent her life in the shadow of her anxious mother, so when her father-in-law dies at The Bridge, his remote ancestral seat, she is secretly thrilled. His death means she, her husband Wilfred and their children can relocate and finally begin to create their own happy home together: born a merchant’s daughter, she will now be lady of the manor.
But their new home quickly proves far from ideal. The garden is a wilderness, the estate is struggling financially, there are whispers about the mysterious death of a servant many years before while their young son, Freddy, seems unusually fixated on the strange wooden figures – so-called ‘silent companions’ – that were once owned by his ancestors.
When Wilfred’s charismatic brother, Nathan, arrives unexpectedly from abroad, bringing a very different account of the family’s past, Belinda begins to question what her husband has told her. What really lies behind the sad history of the house?
And are Belinda’s children truly safe here?
The outstanding new haunted house story from Sunday Times bestseller and multi award winner, Laura Purcell, who is credited for reigniting readers’ passion for classic gothic tales for a new audience.
Pre-order here*
The Last Witch by C. J. Cooke
Published October 9th by Harper Fiction
Historical Fiction, Thriller, Horror Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Will she be damned by flame… or cursed by magic?
Innsbruck 1485
Helena should be doing what every other wealthy young wife is doing: keeping her husband’s house, bearing his children. But when their footman is found dead, Helena is accused of killing him. Worse, she is accused of being a witch.
Imprisoned with six other women, Helena is plunged into a world of terror. When a cursed witch totem is smuggled into the prison, the prisoners attempt to use it to escape only to unleash a malevolent spirit which places all their lives in danger.
Does Helena risk her life and the lives of others by standing up to the terrifying witchfinder and risk death at the stake if found guilty? Or is the real threat the world beyond this one…?
Pre-order here*
The Infirmary by Carly Reagon
Published October 9th by Sphere
Gothic Ficiton, Historical Ficiton, Horror Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Obsession is a sickness
For which there is no cure.
Suffolk, 1847.
Charles Keller needs to escape London, so he leaps when he is offered a position as surgeon at a country infirmary for the poor. But St Cross is not as he expected, and he soon finds himself reflecting on a promise he once made. A promise to do no harm.
Some promises are made to be broken.
Suffolk, 2023.
Liam has brought his family to an old country house for a holiday, a former infirmary called St Cross. He can’t tell them why they are really here, but he hopes that, after this, he can start again. No more lies, no more secrets. But what Liam doesn’t know is that the house is keeping secrets of its own.
And some secrets are so dark, they should never be brought to light.
Pre-order here*
Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk
Published October 9th by Harper Collins UK
Ronance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Festive Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Is a fake boyfriend really just for Christmas?
One fake romance. One magical Christmas. One chance to fall in love.
Laura was all set for a quiet solo Christmas – just her, a bottle of wine, and flat-sitting for a stranger. But when the stranger’s parents mistake her for his mystery girlfriend, she’s swept off to the snowy Scottish Highlands with Callum and his whole family.
Between the cosy sleeper train, charming pubs and breathtaking views, this could be the no-strings-attached Christmas of Laura’s dreams.
But stranger Callum is hot, hilarious and their ‘fake’ chemistry is off the charts.
So is this just a Christmas fling? Or the start of something more?
Pre-order here*
The Secret Christmas LIbrary by Jenny Colgan
Published October 9th by Hodder & Stoughton
Romance Novel, Holiday Fiction, Festive Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
After Mirren Sutherland finds a priceless antique book in her great aunt’s attic, she is contacted by Jamie McPherson, who is hopeful she might be able to find another one- a book lost in his own house. He doesn’t even know the name of it, only that it is so valuable it could potentially save the entire estate from ruin, and time is running out.
On arriving at Jamie’s vast crumbling home in the highlands of Scotland (on the family train, no less), Mirren meets rival bookseller Theo Palliser, whose motives are not remotely honourable; and sets out on the quest.
Jamie’s grandfather was a book collector, a philanthropist, a hoarder and a great lover of puzzles and treasure hunts – as the snow falls in the highlands, cutting off the outside world, the three of them, plus Maggie, the estate manager, do their best to uncover the last hope of the MacPherson clan before the year ends: following clues, discovering the secrets of the house and forming and breaking alliances in a race against time and the weather.
Caught between devastatingly attractive and immoral Theo, and the distracted and worried Jamie, will Mirren find the book … and lose her heart?
Pre-order here*
Overdue by Stephanie Perkins
Published October 9th by Zaffre
Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Ingrid Dahl is a cheerful, twenty-nine-year-old librarian living in the cosy mountain town of Ridgetop. She and her boyfriend since college, Cory, have never discussed marriage; they’re perfectly happy with the way things are. But when Ingrid’s sister announces her engagement to a woman she’s only been dating for two years, Ingrid and Cory suddenly feel pressured to start thinking about the inevitable: marriage and kids.
The thing is, neither of them has ever been with anyone else. Shouldn’t they sow their oats before settling down?
They make the unorthodox decision to separate for a month to date other people, assuming that at the end of it, they’ll reunite and start planning their nuptials. And Ingrid has the perfect man in mind for this relationship sabbatical–Macon Nowakowski, her cantankerous and completely adorable coworker for whom she’s had a crush for years.
But of course the best laid plans often go awry, and when Ingrid and Cory meet at the end of the month to resume next steps in their relationship, it’s clear neither of them is ready to get back together…
Pre-order here*
Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason
Published Octobter 16th by Bantam
Mystery, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Police Procedural, Humorous Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
As the snow falls, the haunting begins… Get ready for the most gripping cosy murder mystery debut of the year.
‘A delightfully engaging debut, starring one of the most amusing and unusual sleuths I’ve come across. Best enjoyed with a nice glass of sherry!’ Tess Gerritsen
A grand country estate.
On her last day as a Detective, Midge McGowan is given the retirement present from hell: a ticket to take part in a haunted house tour. She’ll have to spend the weekend before Christmas ghost-hunting in an isolated mansion with a group of misfits, including a know-it-all paranormal investigator and a has-been pop star.
An impossible crime.
It isn’t long before the tour starts to spiral out of control. Midge and the guests see an unsettling figure walking the grounds late at night. Then the unthinkable happens – someone is murdered in a room that’s been locked from the inside.
A Christmas they might not survive.
Heavy snow cuts them off from help, the house’s own dark secrets begin to surface, and Midge can’t shake the creeping sense that they are walking into a nightmare. Could a ghost really be responsible, or is the culprit one of the guests?
Pre-order here*
Conform by Ariel Sullivan
Published October 16th by Tor
Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Dystopian Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
One man could offer her the world. The other will help her destroy it . . .
Born to an Elite family, Emeline has been marked as different from birth and by a society that judges all its citizens on their ability to conform.
Emeline only has one role open to her: to become a mother. Offered a pro-creation contract with Collin, a member of the Illum – the governing body of the Elite – Emeline finds herself increasingly torn between her growing complicated feelings for her proposed mate, and another man who lives on the margins of their society who challenges her ideals.
When the marginalized rise up in rebellion, Emeline begins to question everything she has ever believed in.
It’s time to choose a side . . .
Pre-order here*
Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
Published October 16th by Brazen
Fairy Tale, Magical Realism, Holiday Fiction, Festive Ficiton, Translated Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Welcome back to the Full Moon Coffee Shop. What do you really want this Christmas?
At the Full Moon Coffee Shop, we don’t take your order. Instead, we bring you desserts and drinks – selected just for you.
In Japanese myth, cats are symbols of good luck. If you are kind to them, they’ll return the favour one day. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might find yourself invited to a celestial café. The Full Moon Coffee Shop normally materialises on the night of the full moon – with one exception every year. This Christmas, the sagacious cats open their doors once more to all lost souls in need of a guiding light.
The season’s first customer, Satomi, catches wind of her boyfriend’s plan to propose on Christmas Eve, and feels torn between love and success. Her disaffected intern, Koyuki, has her own reasons for dreading the day, ever since her father died in a car accident. And Junko’s estranged father has fallen gravely ill, driving her to visit home after decades away.
In this festive follow-up to the cosy classic, the customers of the Full Moon Coffee Shop stand at a wintry crossroads in their lives. With the help of some feline divinations, they will find the courage to follow their stars into the new year.
Pre-order here*
The Witching Hour by Various
Published October 16th by Sphere
Gothic Fiction, Contemporary Horror, Short Stories Collection
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
FROM THE CREATORS OF THE HAUNTING SEASONAND THE WINTER SPIRITS COMES A BRAND NEW COLLECTION OF GHOSTLY TALES
Featuring new and original stories from:
Michelle Paver
Stacey Halls
Bridget Collins
Imogen Hermes Gowar
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Andrew Michael Hurley
Jess Kidd
Natasha Pulley
Elizabeth Macneal
Susan Stokes-Chapman
Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Stuart Turton
Catriona Ward
_________
There is something peculiar about the hour after midnight.
It is the time when darkness reigns.
And strange things roam the earth.
In this dazzling collection of original haunted tales, thirteen bestselling and much-loved authors bring the old superstition of the witching hour to new and vivid life.
Transporting you from the smog of London to the freezing mists of Svalbard, from an Irish town riddled with rumour to a sinister English boarding school, these thirteen stories will serve as your spinetingling companion to the long hours of winter.
So curl up, light a candle, and wait for the clock to strike . . .
Pre-order here*
King Sorrow by Joe Hill
Published October 21st by Headline
Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Horror Fiction, Psychological Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Bookish dreamer Arthur Oakes is a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters and beautiful buildings.
But his idyll – and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot – is shattered when local drug dealers force him into a terrible crime: stealing rare and valuable books from the exceptional college library.
Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for help: the wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren; brave, beautiful Allison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen. Together they dream up an impossible, fantastical scheme that they scarcely imagine will work: to summon the fabled dragon King Sorrow to kill those tormenting Arthur.
But the six stumble backwards into a deadly bargain – they soon learn they must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow each year or one of them will become his next victim. Unleashing consequences they can neither predict nor control, this promise will, over the course of four decades, shape and endanger their lives in ways they could never expect.
Pre-order here*
Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake
Published October 23rd by Tor
Psychological Thriller, Satire, Supernatural Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
From the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Olivie Blake, this is a powerful and darkly fun novel about ambition, lust and eating your fill – as wealthy moms and sorority girls practice a sinister new wellness trend . . .
Good girls deserve a treat.
The House is the most exclusive sorority on campus, and all its alumni are beautiful, high-achieving and respected.
After a freshman year she would rather forget, sophomore Nina Kaur knows being accepted into The House is the first step to the brightest possible future. The House will surely ease her fears of failure and protect her from those who see a young woman on her own as prey.
Meanwhile, adjunct professor Dr Sloane Hartley is struggling. After eighteen months at home with her newborn daughter, Sloane’s clothes don’t fit right; her girl-dad husband isn’t as present as he thinks he is; and even the few hours a day she’s apart from her child fill her psyche with paralyzing ennui. When invited to be The House’s academic liaison, Sloane enviously drinks in a level of collective perfection that Sloane desperately craves.
As Nina and Sloane each get drawn deeper into the arcane rituals of the sisterhood, they learn that living well comes with bloody costs. And when they are finally invited to the table, they will have to decide just how much they can stomach in the name of solidarity and power.
Pre-order here*
The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen
Published October 23rd by Orenda
Mystery, Suspense, Humorous Ficiton, Translated Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A desperate father’s Christmas promise sparks a wild Finnish road trip involving an antique sofa, unexpected passengers and danger … A darkly humorous and warmly touching suspense novel about friendship, love and death, The Winter Job flies at 120 kilometres an hour straight into the darkest heart of a Finnish winter night.
The NEW standalone darkly funny, poignant and uber-tense thriller from ‘The funniest writer in Europe’ (The Times)
Fargo meets Carl Hiassen and Fredrik Backman … via the Coen Brothers
____
Sofas, secrets and a snowbound road to trouble…
Helsinki, 1982. Recently divorced postal worker Ilmari Nieminen has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas, but with six days to go – and no money – he’s desperate.
A last-minute job offers a solution: transport a valuable antique sofa to Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost town in Finland.
With the sofa secured in the back of his van, Ilmari stops at a gas station, and an old friend turns up, offering to fix his faulty wipers, on the condition that he tags along. Soon after, a persistent Saab 96 appears in the rearview mirror. And then a bright-yellow Lada.
That’s when Ilmari realises that he is transporting something truly special.
And that’s when Ilmari realises he might be in serious trouble…
A darkly funny and unexpectedly moving thriller about friendship, love and death – The Winter Job tears through the frozen landscape of northern Finland in a beat-up van with bad steering, worse timing, and everything to lose…
Pre-order here*
Black As Death by Lilja Sigurdardottir
Published October 23rd by Orenda
Crime Fiction, Mystery, Police Procedural, Hardboiled Fiction, Icelandic Noir, Translated Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When the chief suspect in the disappearance of Áróra’s sister is found dead, and Áróra’s new financial investigation leads to the street where her sister was last seen, she is drawn into a shocking case that threatens everything … The unmissable finale to the chilling, twisty, award-winning series…
_______
A final reckoning…
With the fate of her missing sister, Ísafold, finally uncovered, Áróra feels a fragile relief as the search that consumed her life draws to a close. But when Ísafold’s boyfriend – the prime suspect in her disappearance – is found dead at the same site where Ísafold’s body was discovered, Áróra’s grip on reality starts to unravel … and the mystery remains far from solved.
To distract herself, she dives headfirst into a money-laundering case that her friend Daníel is investigating. But she soon finds that there is more than meets the eye and, once again, all leads point towards Engihjalli, the street where Ísafold lived and died, and a series of shocking secrets that could both explain and endanger everything…
Atmospheric, dark and chilling, Black as Death is the breathtaking finale to the twisty, immersive An Áróra Investigation series, as Áróra and her friends search for answers that may take them to places even darker than death…
Perfect for readers of Camilla Läckberg, Karin Slaughter, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and Jo Nesbø.
Pre-order here*
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben
Published October 23rd by Century
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Medical Thriller, Adventure Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
An unforgettable collaboration between an award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon and the and #1 international bestselling writer Harlan Coben.
———
Maggie McCabe is on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge.
But now, after a devastating series of personal tragedies, Maggie is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy – as well as absolute discretion.
Halfway across the globe, one of the world’s most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfils her end of the agreement.
But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself – or she will be the next one who is . . . Gone Before Goodbye.
Pre-order here*
The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin
Published October 23rd by Hanover Square Press
Historical Fiction, Gothic Ficiton, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.
Pre-order here*
Let the Bells Ring Out by Milly Johnson
Published October 23rd by Simon & Schuster UK
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Ficion, Festive Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Seven people, four days and a snowy Christmas on board a luxury sleeper train. This festive season getting away from it all takes on a new meaning…
The Yorkshire Belle is a glamorous steam train all decked out for an escapist festive getaway. It is not supposed to be where a group of people, all trying to get to their destinations for the holidays, will spend their Christmas.
Seven people, each with their own hopes and dreams, secrets and sorrows, board the train as strangers, but as the snow keeps falling and they realise they are going nowhere fast, they are forced to slow down and embrace the present.
This Christmas on board the Yorkshire Belle, will the friendships they make change their lives forever?
Pre-order here*
All Together For Christmas by Sarah Morgan
Published October 23rd by HQ
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Festive Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
This Christmas, the Balfour family will have more secrets to unwrap than presents
Becky is stranded at the airport, so when she bumps into her brother’s best friend, Will, and he suggests they drive home together, Becky reluctantly agrees. For the first time, Becky is dreading Christmas, and only Will knows why. Can she trust him to keep her secret?
Her twin sister Rosie married Declan after a whirlwind romance, and now the cracks are starting to appear. Rosie and Declan have agreed to hide their problems from her family, but Rosie’s insecurities are growing. Will this Christmas bring them closer or drive them apart?
Hayley can’t wait for her first Balfour family Christmas with Jamie. The Balfour Christmas traditions sound wonderful, but she’s worried about her place in this close-knit family. Will there be room for her too? And how will they react to the secret she and Jamie have been keeping?
Despite everyone’s best intentions, all the chaos and confusion could derail their normally happy holidays. Can they tell each other the truth in time to enjoy a perfect family Christmas?
Pre-order here*
The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell
Published Octobe 28th by Del Rey
Romance Novel, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Romantic Fantasty, Time Travel Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Journey to a magical hotel in the Swiss Alps in this spellbinding historical romance blending mystery, art, romance and time travel.
_________________________________
BEHIND EVERY DOOR, A SECOND CHANCE
‘Have you travelled a long way?’ she asked carefully.
A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. ‘Well, yes,” he said slowly. ‘Yes, you could say that. But it was worth the wait.’
London, 2015
When reclusive art appraiser Eve Shaw shakes the hand of a silver-haired gentleman in her London office, the warmth of his palm sends a spark through her.
His name is Max Everly – curiously, the same name as Eve’s favourite composer, born one hundred sixteen years prior. And she can’t shake the feeling that she’s held his hand before . . . but where, and when?
The White Octopus Hotel, 1935
Decades earlier, high in the snowy Swiss Alps, Eve and a young Max Everly wander the winding halls of the grand belle epoque White Octopus Hotel, lost in time.
Each of them has been through the trenches – Eve in a family accident and Max on the battlefields of the Great War – but for an impossible moment, love and healing are just a room away . . . if only they have the courage to step through the door.
Pre-order here*
Heap Earth Upon It by Chloe Michelle Howarth
Published October 28th by Verve
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBT Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
** A creeping story of sibling rivalry and dangerous obsession from the multi-award nominated author of Sunburn **
January 1965. The orphaned O’Leary siblings – Tom, Jack, Anna and Peggy – arrive in the village of Ballycrea, tight-lipped about their troubled past and desperate for a fresh start.
After being met with suspicion from most of the locals, the family are thrilled when they’re taken under the wing of their well-respected neighbours, Bill and Betty Nevan, who offer them work, companionship and an opportunity to fit in.
But for one of the O’Learys, this new friendship sparks an intense attachment that makes the dynamic dangerous for all. It’s difficult to bury secrets, but almost impossible to bury feelings…
Crackling with suspense, Heap Earth Upon It revisits the rural Ireland of Howarth’s critically acclaimed debut and delves into claustrophobic relationships and tangled identities, leaving you wondering who to trust until the very last page. It combines the emotional intensity and slow-burn sapphic obsession of Julia Armfield’s Our Wives Under the Sea and Yael van der Wouden’s The Safekeep with the unsettling gothic undertones of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca and Shirley Jackson’s fiction.
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The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
Published October 30th by Tor
Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fantasy, High Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Fairy Tale
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A legend. A lie. A love story.
A lady-knight whose legend built a nation meets a retiring historian in awe of her fame. He’s sent back through time to make sure she plays her part . . . even if it breaks his heart.
Sir Una Everlasting was Dominion’s greatest hero: the orphaned girl who became a knight, who died for queen and country. Her legend lives on in songs and stories, in children’s books and recruiting posters – but her life as it truly happened has been forgotten. Centuries later, Owen Mallory – failed soldier, struggling scholar – falls in love with the tale of Una Everlasting. Her story takes him to war, to the archives, and then into the past itself. Una and Owen are tangled together in time, bound to retell the same story over and over again, no matter what it costs. But that story always ends the same way.
If they want to rewrite Una’s legend, and finally tell a different story, they’ll have to rewrite history itself – and change their lives in the process.
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The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery
Published October 30th by Viking
Mystery, Crime Fiction, Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Downton Abbey meets Knives Out in the gripping new crime series from the bestselling author where an unlikely sleuthing duo – an under-butler and a foul-mouthed octogerian – hunt a killer in a manor sealed against the end of the world.
Cornwall, 1910. On a remote tidal island, the Viscount of Tithe Hall is absorbed in feverish preparations for the apocalypse that he believes will accompany the passing of Halley’s Comet. The Hall must be sealed from top to bottom – every window, chimney and keyhole closed off before night falls. But what the pompous, dishonest Viscount has failed to take into account is the danger that lies within… By morning, he will be dead in his sealed study, murdered by his own ancestral crossbow.
All eyes turn to Stephen Pike, Tithe Hall’s newest under-butler. Fresh out of Borstal for a crime he didn’t commit, he is the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time. His unlikely ally? Miss Decima Stockingham, the foul-mouthed, sharp as a tack, 80-year-old family matriarch. Fearless and unconventional, she relishes chaos and puzzles alike, and a murder is just the thrill she’s been waiting for.
Together, this mismatched duo must navigate secret passages, buried grudges and rising terror to unmask the killer before it’s too late…
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Petty Lies by Sulmi Bak
Published October 30th by Raven Books
Suspense, Horror Fiction, Epistolary Novel, Translated Ficiton
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Dear Jiwon,
I’m writing to you regarding the murder of your son…
Revenge is perhaps best served by letter. But letters get answered. And when a young tutor takes up the pen to write to her former employer revealing the true motive behind tutoring her son, she will trigger a chain of events that will leave you questioning everything – and everyone.
Dear Jiwon,
What’s the first thing we learn as babies? Don’t trust another person for no good reason. Even your own flesh and blood to whom you gave birth is no exception. After all, one’s offspring are other people too.
But how many times can I tell you to trust no one? Not even me.
—-
Content warning: this book contains instances of animal abuse and death
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Which of these are on your TBR? Let me know in the comments below.
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
Emma's Biblio Treasures 