I had so much trouble being strict with my top 23 of last year and 2024 is already looking like a bumper year again! There is so much to look forward to already, some I’ve previewed through proofs and NetGalley whereas others I’m judging on the blurb and the fact I love the author already. My list covers a range of release dates, so some won’t be here with us until the autumn but others are here in January. Here’s a quick look and my final picks for the coming year.
Halfway House by Helen Fitzgerald – I’ve already reviewed this great read from Orenda Books and it really is a page turner. Lou is treading water in Australia and after breaking up from her sugar daddy, she decides to try her luck in Edinburgh. She has lined up a job in a halfway house, supervising prisoners who will soon be moving back into the community. Lou is confident, has a new lover and is starting work with a celebrity paedophile, a paranoid coke dealer and two killers. What could possibly go wrong? Blackly funny and so tense I held my breath.
Out Now from Orenda Books.
The Island of Mists and Miracles by Victoria Mas
I loved the author’s first novel The Mad Women’s Ball so I’m excited for this one, set on a remote island off the coast of Brittany. Sister Anne has accepted a mission to the tiny community, her only company being a chain-smoking older nun who wants to be left alone. Sister Anne is hoping for a vision, but instead it is local boy Isaac who is transfixed, looking out to sea. The only words he can utter are ‘I see’. As a media circus descends, old wounds are reopened setting in motion an unexpected chain of events.
Out on 14th March from Doubleday and Translated by Frank Wynne.
The Hunter by Tana French
I love a gritty crime drama and I enjoyed her previous novel The Searcher. It’s a blazing summer when two men arrive in the village. They’re coming for gold. What they bring is trouble.
Cal Hooper was a Chicago detective, till he moved to the West of Ireland looking for peace. He’s found it, more or less – in his relationship with local woman Lena, and the bond he’s formed with half-wild teenager Trey. So when two men turn up with a money-making scheme to find gold in the townland, Cal gets ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey. Because one of the men is no stranger: he’s Trey’s father.
Out on 7th March from Penguin Books.
The Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett
There’s mystery surrounding the cover of this one and I received a black proof with a lace eye mask and several keys through the post to pique my interest. This sounds like everything a Night Circus fan like me could want. In an alternate London, Juliet turns nineteen and wants to know who she is. She has never felt loved by her stepmother or father and starts to search for the truth about her birth. Her birth certificate tells her she was born in the walled area south of the river where an immersive theatre production ‘The Show’ runs continually. Juliet travels there, but can she find the truth when the only rule is ‘the show must go on’ and powerful men control which stories see the light of day.
Out on 23rd May from Black and White Publishing.
The Phoenix Ballroom by Ruth Hogan
Ruth Hogan’s books always leave me feeling warm and uplifted. Our heroine is Venetia Hamilton Hargreaves who feels like she’s been sleepwalking through life until widowhood leaves her in an interesting position. With a large house and bank balance to match Venetia can reshape her life and she buys the dilapidated Phoenix Ballroom, that comes with it’s own drop-in centre and spiritualist church. As the centre becomes a refuge for people who are lost and lonely, stories intertwine and secrets come to the surface. Chosen families are formed and missed opportunities are seized as the ballroom starts to live up to it’s hopeful and optimistic name. This sounds like a lovely weekend read in the garden that’s full of joy.
Out on 27th June from Corvus Publishing.
Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook
I’ve been lucky enough to be sent a beautiful proof of this book from the publisher and it really is a stunning cover. It’s London, 1850, and Maude Horton’s older sister Constance has disappeared. It seems she has left the apothecary where they live and disguised herself as a boy to join an Arctic voyage. The Admiralty tell Maude there’s been a tragic accident and Constance has gone. Maude doesn’t believe them and reading Constance’s journal makes her think there are sinister forces hiding the truth. Maude needs to step into London’s dark underbelly, taking on dangerous men who enjoy the horrors the city has to offer, from hangings at Newgate to Madame Tussaud’s ghoulish waxworks. It’s going to be a perilous task but Maude has dangerous skills of her own…..
Out on 1st Feb from Picador.
The Household by Stacey Halls
I’m a huge fan of Stacey Hall’s novels so I’m so excited for this one, set in the outskirts of London where a quiet house is being readied for a group of women. It’s location is secret and the residents have never met, but all have something in common – they are fallen. Urania Cottage is a second chance for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute. Only a few miles away in Picadilly lives the millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the cottage’s benefactors. She has found out that her stalker is being released after ten years in prison. Will their nightmarish games resume? As the women’s worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price . .
Out on 11th April from Manila Press
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Ive been lucky enough to read this wonderful sequel to The Maid where we’re back with Molly, now Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. She still lives in the flat she shared with her late grandmother but now shares with boyfriend Juan Marco. The couple were planning on travelling to Cuba to meet his family, but a mystery guest wants to hold and event in the hotel’s newly decorated Art Deco tearoom. Molly needs to oversee this and puts her newest recruit Lily on the job. J.D. Grimthorpe, the murder mystery author, is launching his new book and he has very specific requirements for his tea tray, including his very own honey pot to sweeten his tea. Horrifyingly, on the day, he takes one sip of his tea and falls down dead. Two things go missing in the chaos, the honeypot and the signed copy of his new novel. Suspicion falls on Lily, of course it’s always the maid’s fault, but can Molly work with the police to find the culprit? She does have something of an advantage though, Molly has met J. D. Grimthorpe before…. Such a joy to be in Molly’s company again for this sequel.
Out on 18th January by Harper Collins.
Voyage of the Damned by Frances White
Concordia has remained peaceful for a thousand years and to mark this achievement the emperor’s ship embarks on a twelve day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain. The twelve heirs of Concordia’s provinces are aboard, each one graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a blessing. All except one: Ganymedes Piscero – class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment. When one heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people, odds of survival are slim and as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their secret blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia? Or will the empire as he knows it fall forever? A brilliant mix of fantasy and murder mystery.
Out on 18th January from Michael Joseph
The Fury by Alex Michaelides
‘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. I love this author for his incredible twists – I sail recommend The Silent Patient.
Out on 1st Feb from Penguin.
The Book of Witching by C.J.Cooke
I can’t believe this author has a new book out this year! Talk about prolific. This is the blurb we have so far.
A terrible discovery on an idyllic beach in Fynhallow Bay: a teenage boy has been burned to death, a girl is missing, and another girl is in hospital and remembers just one thing – that she is Nyx. But her mother won’t give up on bringing her back to reality, and travels back to that remote beach where she starts to uncover a centuries old secret of witchcraft that may just be the key to saving her daughter . . .
Will Fynhallow Bay give up its secrets before someone else dies?
Out 10th October 2024 from Harper Collins
The Betrayal of Thomas True by A.J.West
It is the year 1710, and Thomas True has arrived on old London Bridge with a dangerous secret. One night, lost in the squalor of London’s back streets, he finds himself drawn into the underworld of the molly houses. Meanwhile, carpenter Gabriel Griffin struggles to hide his double life as Lotty, the molly’s silent guard. When the queen of all ‘he-harlots’, Mother Clap, confides in him about a deadly threat, he realises his friends are facing imminent execution. There is a rat amongst the mollies, betraying their secrets to the murderous Justices punishing sinners with the noose. Can Gabriel unmask the traitor before it’s too late? Can he save Thomas and their own impossible love?
Set amidst the hidden world of Georgian London’s ‘gay’ scene, this is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true sin is betrayal…
Out on 6th June from Orenda Books
The Library of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina
On the peaceful Japanese island of Teshima there is a library of heartbeats, a place where the heartbeats of visitors from around the world are collected. In this isolated building, even the heartbeats of people who’ve have already passed away, continue to echo. Several miles away, in the ancient city of Kamakura, two lonely souls meet: Shuichi, a forty-year-old illustrator, returns to his home-town to fix up the house of his recently deceased mother. Eight-year-old Kenta is a child who wanders like a shadow around Shuichi’s house. Day by day, the trust between Shuichi and Kenta grows until they discover they share a bond that will tie them together for life. Their journey will lead them to Teshima and to the library of heartbeats . . .
Out on 4th Jan from Manila Press.
House of Shades by Lianne Dillsworth
So excited for this one as I loved her debut. In London, 1833, doctress Hester Reeves has been offered a life-changing commission. But it comes at a price. She must leave behind her husband and their canal-side home in Kings Cross and move to Tall Trees – a dark and foreboding house in Fitzrovia. If Hester can cure the ailing health of its owner, Gervaise Cherville, she will receive payment that will bring her everything she could dream of. But on arriving at Tall Trees, Hester quickly discovers that an even bigger task awaits her. Now she must unearth secrets that have lain hidden for decades – including one that will leave Hester’s own life forever changed…
Out on 16th May from Hutchinson Heinneman
Ice Town by Will Dean
This one is coming very late in the year and will certainly be on my birthday wishlist. I’m a massive Tuva Moodyson fan and I’ve been waiting for a new one, even while enjoying his standalone novels.
A deaf teenager goes missing in Esseberg. Mountain rescue are launching a search party but conditions hinder their efforts.
When journalist Tuva Moodyson reads this news alert she knows she must join the search. If this teenager is found, she will be able to communicate with him in a way no one else can. Tuva is deaf too.
Esseberg lies on the other side of a mountain tunnel: there is only one way in and one way out. When the tunnel closes at night, the residents are left to fend for themselves. And as more people go missing, it becomes clear that there is a killer among them ..
Out November 7th from Hodder and Stoughton
When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman
This is also a later release but anything new by Alice Hoffman is always on my radar. This is aimed at younger readers but I do delve into young adult fiction and this is worth it.
Anne Frank’s story has captivated and inspired readers for decades. Published posthumously by her bereaved father, Anne’s journal, written while she and her family were in hiding during World War II, has become one of the central texts of the Jewish experience during the Holocaust. With the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Frank family’s life is turned inside out and Anne is forced to bear witness as ordinary people become monsters, and children and families are caught up in the violence. In the midst of danger, the audacious and creative Anne discovers who she truly is. With a wisdom beyond her years, her writing will change the world. Alice Hoffman weaves a heart-wrenching story of the way the world closes in on the Frank family until they are forced into hiding, bringing Anne to bold, vivid life. Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, When We Flew Away is an extraordinary and moving tour de force.
Out on 17th September from Scholastic Press
Meet Me When My Heart Stops by Becky Hunter
I was lucky enough to read this over Christmas and loved the premise, which had a Life After Life feel, but brought up to date.
The first time Emery’s heart stops, she is only five years old. She 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 it happens, she is briefly technically dead.
Each time Emery’s heart stops, she meets Nick. He helps people adjust to being dead, before they move on entirely. He doesn’t usually meet people more than once – but with Emery, he can a connection, and he finds himself drawn to her. As Emery’s life progresses, and she goes through ups and downs, she finds a part of her longing for those moments when her heart stops – so that she can see Nick again. This is the story of two fated lovers who are destined never to share more than a few fleeting moments – because if they were together, it would mean Emery’s life has ended. This is a real tear-jerker and I loved the author’s ability to create both the afterlife and a real, present life with all the issues of Emery’s condition played out.
Out on March 21st from Corvus
Death on the Lusitania by R.L. Graham
Welcome on board the Lusitania’s final voyage . . .
New York, 1915. RMS Lusitania, one of the world’s most luxurious ocean liners, departs for war-torn Europe. On board is Patrick Gallagher, a civil servant in Her Majesty’s government tasked with escorting a British diplomat back to England. When a fellow passenger is believed to have shot himself in his cabin, Gallagher is asked to investigate the scene but one crucial detail doesn’t fit. The man’s body was found in a locked cabin with the key inside and no gun to be found. Was it really suicide? Or murder? Gallagher believes one of the passengers is a deadly killer – one who could strike again at any moment. And all the while, the ship sails on towards Europe, where enemy submarines patrol dark waters . . .
Out on January 25th from Macmillan.
Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter by Nicci French
She’s loved by all who meet her. But someone wants her gone . . .
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, with no word from Charlie, her daughter, Etty, and her sons, Niall, Paul and Ollie, all struggle to come to terms with her disappearance. Left with no answers, 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. After years away, Etty returns to the village, 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 hiding from their mother’s disappearance. But when 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.
Out on 29th Feb from Simon & Schuster
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
This latest from prolific writer Jodi Picoult barely has a blurb as yet, just lots of positive feedback from other authors. I love her work so this is another book for my birthday list I think.
Out on 24th October 2024 from Michael Joseph.
The Lotus Readers 