Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
The year is 412 BC, and Sicilian potters Lampo and Gelon are planning to put on a play of Euripides Medea no less. Who better to cast in it than the thousands of Athenian men who lie about starving and practically boiling in the Syracuse quarry where they have been imprisoned since their failed invasion of the island.
Under the Hornbeams by Emma Tarlo
When author Emma Tarlo went out for a walk in London one day, she met Nick and Pascal. Nick is a big reader of philosophy and history, Pascal an avid lover of animals, and together they live under the hornbeam trees in Regents Park. Yet despite all preconceptions, they dont identify as homeless. Over the four seasons of a single year that follows, Tarlo returns almost every day and as she slowly gets to know the pair, her own sense of freedom, community and connection is remoulded.
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Proses hotel-set whodunnit The Maid became an instant hit when it was published in 2022, with the film rights being snapped up and Florence Pugh cast in the lead role. This follow-up novel, which sees a mystery writer meeting their end in the tea-room, is bound to achieve similar success.
My Friends by Hisham Matar
A single snap decision leaves Khaled and Mustafa, two Libyan 18-year-olds studying in the University of Edinburgh, in political exile. Together with their friend Hosam, a writer, they must face the consequences over years to come in this profound tale by the Pulitzer-prize winner.
Day by Michael Cunningham
From the Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Hours comes a tale about a Brooklyn household on a single day before, during and after lockdown. With raw and real characters a married couple, their two children, and the wifes younger brother Day is an intimate and elegant read.
Helle and Death by Oscar Jensen
Danish expat Torben Helle has reluctantly turned up at a Northumbrian country house for a 10-year reunion with university friends. As a snowstorm ensues, the host makes a series of shocking revelations over dinner then is found dead. A spine-chilling, Agatha Christie-esque whodunnit.
Hidden Fires by Sairish Hussain
80-year-old Yusuf lives in Bradford and is haunted by childhood memories. His granddaughter, Rubi, is bullied at school. A multi-generational family story which deftly weaves in the tragic events of Partition and the Grenfell Tower fire, this is a sweeping tale of resilience.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Evie Porter has the perfect life. Except she doesnt actually exist: its an alias given to her by her mysterious employer, along with the latest target, Ryan Summer. But she can sense this job is going to be different. With an Octavia Spencer-helmed TV adaptation already in development, this is the kind of jaw-droppingly twisty read you stay up all night for.
Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody
On the tenth anniversary of Teddys sister Angies disappearance, their father dies suddenly. When clearing out his things, Teddy discovers he had been fixated with online forums and their conspiracy theories about what happened to Angie.
The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez
A writer, a college drop-out, and a parrot named Eureka form an unlikely friendship when they are thrown together in a Manhattan apartment, hiding from a turbulent world outside. A funny, and totally original novel about human connection in the face of the pandemic.
The House of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams
In this luscious debut set in the English countryside, alternating perspectives allow us to slowly piece together what has happened to a family who are broken by loss.
One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall
As much a psychological thriller as a novel packed with sharp commentary about society and gender, One of the Good Guys transports us to a coastal town where two women have gone missing. Residents and new friends Lennie and Cole are thrust into the investigation, and soon realise they know less about each other than they first thought.
Murder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle
On a breathtakingly beautiful island where Laurence and Eva are about to celebrate their wedding, someone takes their last breath. Murder on Lake Garda is a delightfully glitzy murder-mystery with family rivalry, old feuds and a killer twist.
The Library of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina
Messina, international bestselling author of The Phone Box at the Edge of the World, has penned a gorgeous, lyrical tale about a tranquil Japanese island where people go to record their heartbeats, and the meeting of two lonely people.
Confrontations by Simone Atangana Bekono
After being bullied for years without a single person intervening, Salomé snapped and now finds herself in a secure unit for young offenders. Worst of all, the counsellor she is relying on to get out is known for his racist gaffes.
The Promised Party by Jennifer Clement
Charting the authors early life in 60s Mexico City, where she grew up next door to Frida Kahlos house and lived alongside revolutionaries, through to the counterculture of 80s New York City where she inhabited the world of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, Clements memoir is raw and difficult to peel yourself away from.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Bettany Hughes
From The Great Pyramid of Giza to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the historian author gives us both a portrait of the seven wonders of the ancient world themselves, and a paean to human imagination and capability to create.
No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall
Emma has purposely kept her husband in the dark about her past. When Emma announces she is pregnant, he confesses that he was laid off and has lost the down-payment to their house. With nowhere else to turn, Emma and Nathan move into her parents estate that she jointly owns with her estranged sisters. Emma just never mentioned that this is the house where her parents were murdered, and she was always seen as the prime suspect. With a baby on the way, Emma finds its time she learn what actually happened all those years ago. For Emma has been covering for her sisters without ever really knowing what actually happened that night.
The Fury by Alex MichaelidesI
Reclusive former movie starlet Lana Farrar invites her closest friends to her private Greek Island. Having recently discovered her husbands affair, Lana intends to confront him. As bitter resentments between old friends come to a head, a cat-and-mouse game ends in a murder.
BEHIND YOU IS THE SEA BY SUSAN MUADDI DARRAJ
This debut uses humor and endearing moments to shine a light on the lives of Palestinians in America. Through three families the wealthy Ammars, the struggling Baladis, and the Salamehs Darraj shatters stilted narratives surrounding Palestinians, instead offering a nuanced look at generations trying to balance both old and new customs. The Ammars spoiled teenagers get looked after by a Baladi, while one of the Salameh aunts is married to an Ammar. We watch their dynamic as its applied to weddings, funerals, and secrets.
