Are you looking for your next great read? Why not try out the books from across the pond? Despite from what governments say, books are essential and are needed now, more than ever. So if you are need of a variety and want to read diverse stories, then I suggest you try out some British and Irish titles!
We may have left 2024 behind, but the pain and struggles of last year are still being faced, especially independent bookstores. Continue to support indie bookstores by shopping on Bookshop.org and Hive.co.uk.
Waterstones currently ships to the United States but there will be an international shipping fee. You can also try with the British bookstore, Blackwell’s, also with Wordery.com. Now on with the recommendations!
Featured Book of the Month
Roar by Manjeet Mann
Rizu lives a comfortable life in the gated middle class suburbs of Delhi; her biggest worries are getting her homework done and keeping up with the mean girls at school. That is, until she’s accused of being a witch and the hysteria that follows triggers a chain reaction that ends in tragedy and life as she knew it changes forever.
Alone and fearing for her life, Rizu runs away and joins a group of pink sari wearing, stick wielding women, known for their revenge vigilantism. Together they can help Rizu take back her life and seek justice against those who wronged her.
Because sometimes you have to run through the streets and ROAR. (Credit: Penguin Random House UK)
Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm by Charlie Mackesy
One day you’ll look back and realise how hard it was, and just how well you did’
Charlie Mackesy’s four unlikely friends are wandering through the wilds again. They’re not sure what they are looking for. They do know that life can be difficult, but that they love each other, and cake is often the answer.
When the dark clouds come, can the boy remember what he needs to get through the storm? (Credit: Ebury Publishing)
House of Splinters by Laura Purcell
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, Freddie, 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? (Credit: Bloomsbury Publishing)
The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Movie Monster by Marcus Rashford, written with Abiola Bello and illustrated by Marta Kissi
Join Marcus and friends as they solve another mystery in The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Movie Monster. This spooky adventure is the seventh exciting book in the series by England International footballer, child food-poverty campaigner and bestselling author Marcus Rashford MBE. Inspired by Marcus’s own experiences growing up!
Marcus is excited to show off his football skills in a video for new students. But whenever he gets in front of the camera, a creepy creature ruins the shot! With the deadline fast approaching the Breakfast Club Investigators are in a race against the clock to catch the monster and save the film! (Credit: Pan Macmillan)
The Long Shoe by Bob Mortimer
Bathroom salesman Matt is at a crossroads. He has lost his job, he is about to be made homeless and his girlfriend has left him. He wants his luck to change and he wants things to go back to how they were. Out of the blue he is offered a job that comes with a free luxury apartment. He hopes this might be enough to tempt her back. But, as events unfold, it starts to dawn on him that perhaps she didn’t leave of her own accord after all… (Credit: Simon & Schuster)
The Naked Light by Bridget Collins
A village haunted by stories. Two women bound by a secret.
Watching over the village of Haltington is an ancient carving in the ground, known to locals simply as the Face. It was first etched into the chalk when lives were ruled by superstition and stories; by fear of the unknown, of the shadows.
For centuries, the inhabitants of Bone Cottage have tended to it. But now that the Great War has decimated the population of even this most isolated of places, the Face stands neglected and overgrown.
When enigmatic outsider Kit moves into the cottage, the villagers are suspicious of her androgynous appearance and bohemian ways. In defiance of their disapproval, the vicar’s unmarried sister-in-law Florence finds herself inexplicably drawn to Kit, and the friendship that grows between them becomes a light in the dark for her.
But the Face calls things to it, and now Florence and Kit are in its path… (Credit: HarperCollins)
Be Right Back by Bill Wood
DO YOU DARE STEP OUT ALONE? Scream meets Scooby Doo.
A year has passed since the events in Sanera left the town reeling. Buffy, Jonesy, Amber and Cam unmasked the killer of 2001, but now, a new horror stirs. Back for the inaugural Hallowed Fall Fest where tourists wander the streets in masks and costumes, the bodies start piling up. With each new death, the gang is left a cryptic clue, leading them deeper into a horrifying mystery. An online forum is filled with speculation about local legends, and there is a clue buried within it . if the gang can work it out, they will be able to stop the killer in their tracks. but it’s possible the killer is one step ahead. It all leads to a grand finale, back where it all began, if they can make it there alive. (Credit: Scohlastic)
We Three Witches by Rosie Talbot
1930s haunted York. Viola Samphire was once part of a coven of four powerful witches, but now only three survive. A devastating fire in an artist’s studio led to Edie dying of smoke inhalation. When Viola discovers that the fire was no accident, she hunts for clues, but she is getting used to a new witch ability – to see ghosts. Most importantly, she can see the ghost of Edie, the witch who died in the fire, and her unrequited love. With the help of her friends, witches Bea and Merle, and her beloved bones she throws to show her fate, Viola knows she will discover who killed Edie. But Vi’s bones are stolen. And children are dying, Vi can see their ghosts. What if everything is connected? A stolen gift, a murderer, an underground network of spirits with corruption rife…
And Viola soon realizes that admitting her love for Edie could change the course of their future, could it even bring Edie back from the dead? (Credit: Scholastic)
The Lone Husky by Hannah Gold by illustrated by Levi Pinfold
Expected Publication Date: October 23
Can she win his trust … and win the race?
April Wood is no stranger to adventure. After all, she lives in the Arctic and her best friend is a polar bear. But when April finds herself volunteering for the Polar Race – a long-distance dog sled race across the frozen tundra – even she wonders if this may be an adventure too far.
April will need all the help she can get if she’s to make it to the finish line. And competition is fierce – with experienced dog sledders, including new boy Finn, who will go to any lengths to win.
But April has something the other teams don’t: Blaze, a solitary husky with a troubled past, who may just prove to be her secret weapon… (Credit: HarperCollins Publishers)
A Case of the Claws: Classic Tales of Feline Crime by Catherine Aird, Edmund Crispin, Patricia Highsmith and Ellis Peter
Expected Publication Date: October 23
Soft paws come with sharp claws…
It’s deep winter. Time to light the fire, pull up a blanket and curl up with your cat. But is your feline friend playing innocent? What were they up to while you were out of sight?
Slink through shadows in these classic cat-themed mystery tales from beloved crime authors Catherine Aird, Edmund Crispin, Patricia Highsmith and Ellis Peters.
A Case of the Claws bring a thrilling winter chill to the festive season and asks: are these furry friends the guardians of our secrets or omens of misfortune? (Credit: Profile Books)
The Christmas Eve Murders by Noelle Albright
Expected Publication Date: October 23
It’s Christmas Eve at the Merry Monarch.
Nestled amongst the Yorkshire Dales, the pub is preparing to host its annual scavenger hunt for its rabble of regulars. There’s the landlord, Mickey, his wife Sofia and their wayward son, James; local policeman Alex and his supernaturally minded deputy Don; as well as Sita, Mrs Fazarkaley, the Kapoors and Curtis, who’s never far from his beloved dog Barkley. Quite the crowd.
And this year, they are interrupted by a knock at the door from Maddie Marlowe, a journalist who was homeward bound to Edinburgh for Christmas – only to be stranded by car failure, and by the snow storm that’s closing in on the village.
But Maddie’s arrival won’t be the only surprise of the night. When the power is cut off and darkness descends, the hunt turns deadly. Maddie and her unexpected Christmas companions must try to find the murderer amongst them, as it seems one of the group would kill to win . . . (Credit: Quercus Publishing)
Monstrous Tales: Haunting Encounters with Britain’s Mythical Beasts
Expected Publication Date: October 23
This isle is full of noises…
From the finfolk of the beaches of Orkney to the plague monsters of the Welsh mountains, and the giant slugs of the Derbyshire peaks to the Beast of Bodmin Moor, Britain is home to many strange creatures of folklore. Some are ancient, as enduring as the forests and mountains they inhabit. Others live among us, in our cities, creating new legends as they scuttle through the shadows. And none of them are to be trusted.
In this deliciously chilling collection, award-winning and bestselling authors bring you tales inspired by the monsters that share our land. The perfect read for anyone who’s ever spotted something slimy and unexplained in their peripheral vision, or seen eyes reflecting back in the forest where no eyes should be.
INCLUDES NEW AND ORIGINAL STORIES FROM:
Janice Hallett
Abir Mukherjee
Rosie Andrews
Stuart Turton
Dan Jones
Jenn Ashworth
Sunyi Dean
Jane Johnson
Rebecca Netley (Credit: Bloomsbury Publishing)
It’s Not a Cult by Joey Batey
Expected Publication Date: October 23
Callum, Melusine and Al play in a band with no name, baffling audiences in terrible pubs across the north-east of England with their ‘sound’. Their songs tell the stories of the Solkats: fictional northern gods of small things, of mishap and mayhem. Absolutely no one knows what they’re on about. But they believe in their music, and in each other. And they’re happy.
That is, until an act of violence at a pub gig goes viral, they catch the eye of a disillusioned influencer and suddenly go from having a cult following to having a cult, following.
All the Solkats want, Callum insists, is to have effect on the world. But as fans from LA to Australia flock to Northumberland, and each gig becomes larger and more lawless than the last, this effect starts to feel scarily… real. Which poses the question: if the Solkats really do exist, which is it more dangerous to anger: a wayward group of elder gods, or your biggest fans?
Because gods and cults both demand sacrifices. And one way or another they’re going to get one… (Credit: Bloomsbury Publishing)
The Merry Christmas Murders by Alexandra Benedict
Expected Publication Date: October 23
Every year, six local schools compete to win the Christmas Cup. Last year, the rival school to Brooke Parkin’s school won for the most crackers pulled in a minute! This year, the cup will be judged and awarded to the school with the perfect mince pie. But when a series of murders seemed to be linked to the very mince pies (each with a clue from a letter from the alphabet imprinted in the pastry) the five neuro-divergent children must turn detective and combine their skill sets to find the killer. Can they prevent another death and save their out-of-school club from being shut down forever . . .? (Credit: Simon & Schuster)
The Murder At Worlds End by Ross Montgomery
Expected Publication Date: October 30
Secrets, murder and mayhem collide as this 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 Steven 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… (Credit: Penguin Books)
Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders by Rory Stewart
Expected Publication Date: October 30
Rory Stewart spent nearly a decade as MP for Britain’s most rural constituency, Penrith and the Border. As he came to know and love this part of Cumbria, he found inspiration in the beauty of its landscape, its rugged history as a frontierland, and in the spirit of its people.
Drawing on pieces originally written for a local newspaper, Middleland is an urgent and inspiring portrait of rural Britain today – a place caught in tensions between farming and the natural world, between the need to preserve and to grow, between local and national politics – as well as a timeless evocation of the history, people and landscape of Cumbria.
These are stories of beauty and ingenuity, which also show us what a better politics might look like. (Credit: Vintage Publishing)
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