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 2025 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. Now on with the recommendations!
Featured Book of the Month
Death At The Museum by Janice Hallett
Imagine an old museum with more secrets than anyone could ever guess. A school trip that ends in murder. A crime unsolved for decades. . . But who did it?
Now, Ava and Luke are on the case, following the clues left in a new box of murders. Using School workbooks, museum records, secret recordings and letters the siblings start to unravel the mystery of a body in the basement. But can they discover what really happened . . . before the killer strikes again?
YOU know the facts. YOU have all the clues. Can YOU solve the mystery before they do? (Credit: Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
Foes & Cons by Georgia Bowers
Set in the convention world of the fictional show Vampire Falls, this is a story that celebrates the inclusivity of conventions, the passion of fandoms and meeting friends for life.
Eliza and Charlie Chamberlain were best friends until he decided to abandon her and become the most popular (i.e. worst) guy in school. Now he can’t be within a five-meter radius of Eliza without taking the piss out of her Vampire Falls obsession. A TV show that he used to watch with her. Religiously.
But Eliza can rejoice in her happy place: the annual Vampire Falls convention where she and superfan bestie, Roxy, can enjoy a weekend of guest Q&As and cosplay, safe from the judgement of others who just don’t understand their passion.
Or that’s what she thinks, until guess-who shows up chaperoning his little sister. Not only that, but Eliza finds herself pitted against Charlie Chamberlain’s team in a once in a lifetime opportunity. Eliza and Roxy join forces with a feisty pensioner and a mysterious (possibly hot) guy in a werewolf costume to win the ultimate prize: an all-expenses paid trip to San Diego Comic Con.
But with the stress of uni looming and the past rearing its ugly head, Eliza finds her sanctuary crumbling at every scheduled panel and themed party. Will Charlie Chamberlain ruin the one weekend Eliza lives for, or is that bubbling feeling in the pit of her stomach not actually hatred after all? (Credit: Fox & Ink Books)
Coterie of Liars by Kate Weston
t’s the party you’d KILL to be invited to…
As Evie and her friends – dubbed the ‘Coterie’ in homage to her grandmother’s legendary group of artists – graduate from their elite private school, they prepare to host one last epic summer party at Evie’s family mansion, D’olobelle. The D’olobelle parties are notorious, with everyone desperate for an invite and a taste of the debauchery.
And the Coterie are determined this year’s party will be the most scandalous yet.
Hugo: The suave and charming golden boy, and Evie’s devoted boyfriend, whose charisma hides deeper complexities.
Jess: The passionate vegan influencer who struggles with her principles –especially when she stress-eats chorizo.
Tim: The hot mess with a drink perpetually in hand and a knack for self-sabotage.
CeCe: The fashion-loving intellect who’s too clever for their own good, always ready to dissect the drama.
And Evie herself, queen bee of their elite private school and aspiring actress. She wants this last summer to be perfect.
But as the festivities unfold, a series of chilling ‘accidents’ begin to plague the group. And it seems that each of them has something to hide. Who is targeting them, and what dark secrets are lurking just beneath the surface?
And as eerie photos of the previous Coterie emerge, it becomes clear that D’olobelle is not just a backdrop for their celebration – it holds secrets of its own.
Can the Coterie unravel what is going on – or will the last summer at D’olobelle be their last summer of all? (Credit: HarperCollins Publishers)
People In Love by Clarie Daverley
One frosty day in February, on a bench by the river, Nora’s partner Robin proposes unexpectedly. They’d always agreed they didn’t need a wedding, but after a decade of in-jokes, dancing in the kitchen and sharing toast in bed, Nora says yes. Why wouldn’t she?
The answer lands on the night of their engagement party, when Bren turns up on her doorstep.
Growing up, Bren and Nora were the kind of best friends that everyone thought would end up together. But when a sudden heartbreak turned their lives upside down, Bren left, Nora stayed, and the silent longing between them remained unspoken.
Now, after twelve years apart, their tentative yet undeniable spark reignites, forcing Nora to wonder what might have been – and, as her wedding day draws closer, whether she can accept never knowing the answer.
For what does it mean, to be a person in love? (Credit: Penguin Books)
Death By Noir by Olly Smith
In an idyllic Sussex town, murder is fermenting…
Barclay Flint is the charmingly eccentric proprietor of The Bottle Bank wine shop, nestled in a picturesque Sussex town renowned for its gloriously anarchic Bonfire Night celebration.
Barclay can taste a kaleidoscopic universe in a single glass of wine and delights in matching customers to the grapes of their dreams. But when his close friend, struggling regenerative vineyard owner Victor Crawshaw, is found dead, Barclay finds himself a prime suspect.
To crack the case and clear his name, Barclay must deploy his wine detection skills and follow his nose through the rolling Sussex hills where a tangle of old resentments and rivalries awaits to ensnare him.
With a killer on the loose and Bonfire Night fast approaching, the town crackles with anticipation. This year the fireworks might not be the only things to explode…
Join Barclay and his friends from The Bottle Bank in this sparkling debut novel by wine expert Olly Smith. It’s time to uncork the most exuberant and irresistible mystery of the year! (Credit John Murray Press)
The Queer Bookshelf: A Reader’s Guide by Layla McCay
We are in the middle of a vibrant renaissance of queer writing. But LGBTQ+ writers, characters and readers have been here since the beginning — quietly, defiantly, and persistently telling their stories — if you know where to look.
The Queer Bookshelf is your guide to this essential queer history, and to its contemporary flourishing. Drawing on the author’s own journey as a queer reader and book club host, and packed with recommendations from authors, booksellers, and book lovers around the world, The Queer Bookshelf is a celebration of the books that have helped generations of LGBTQ+ people find themselves on the page.
From literary fiction to memoir, to crime, fantasy, and young adult, and even cowboy romance, The Queer Bookshelf is a warm, entertaining companion for anyone beginning or deepening their own queer reading adventure. (Credit: Scribe Publications)
Six Weeks by Matt Goodfellow and illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton
The hotly anticipated new book from rising star Matt Goodfellow, author of bestselling The Final Year. Meet Alfie Piper, embarking on a summer he’ll never forget …
Alfie Piper has six weeks of summer – and nothing left to lose.
Since his mum died, Alfie’s world has unravelled. The silence between him and his stepdad roars louder than ever.
So he does the only thing that makes sense: grabs his bike, and rides.
In these long summer days, can Alfie rebuild what was broken? (Credit: Hachette Children’s Group)
French Kisses by Jenny Ireland
When wild-child Margot is forced to go to on a summer holiday to the South of France with her family, she’s definitely not happy about it.
Enter Félix and Antoine. They are polar opposites. Félix: mild mannered, caramel haired and sweet. Antoine: dark haired. Tattooed. Arrogant.
The only thing they seem to have in common is that they’re both ridiculously attractive, and they both have a thing for Margot. But there’s something much more significant about them that’s going to come as a real shock to Margot . . . (Credit: Little Island Books)
The Wildness by Anne Keer
As the Enlightenment dawns, Hannah Sentance finds herself increasingly disturbed by her husband Walter’s unyielding desire to transform the land around their estate into an elite Gentleman’s Park. Local people will be evicted, an old way of life lost and an ancient oak tree felled. A symbol of resistance, wildness and a young woman’s love affair with nature, the tree embodies Hannah’s struggle for a way of belonging. But how can she – and it – survive? (Credit: Honno Welsh Women’s Press)
Bad Deeds by Andrew Hunter Murray
Expected Publication Date: June 11
Alex used to break into other people’s houses.
These days though, he’s turned his life around. He still breaks into homes and offices – but now it’s legal, to test the security for the rightful owners. He’s got a job, a regular income, a roof over his head, even a girlfriend.
For once, it’s all going right.
And then he takes a job he shouldn’t, and steals a souvenir – a vial of white powder – from an executive’s desk in an office he’s just entered.
It’s pretty clear what the powder is. Only it proves to be something quite different, and soon Alex’s problems begin in earnest as his own flat is trashed and his life is threatened.
This little tube has opened up a whole world of trouble for Alex and his friends.
Trouble that won’t go away any time soon. (Credit: Cornerstone)
Actually, I’m A Corpse by Terry Deary
Expected Publication Date: June 11
1973. Hours after a mysterious phone call is made to the police, a train pulls into Sunderland station with a dead body on board.
Cause of death: strangulation. Victim: unknown. Witnesses: none.
Undeterred by this baffling set of circumstances, newly promoted Police Sergeant Aline James vows to crack the case and prove her critics wrong. But when her famously ruthless investigation tactics yield no results, she is forced to seek help from two unlikely allies: unassuming assassin John Brown and calamitous actor Tony Davies.
As bodies pile up, can this unusual trio thwart a devilishly complex plot, before one of them, actually, becomes a corpse? (Credit: Little, Brown Book Group)
Puzzles of the Parish: Short Tales of Ministers, Murder and Mystery edited by Martin Edwards
Expected Publication Date: June 11
“I think that it is desirable to discuss the affair – here, in the room in which the Bishop’s body was found.”
A pernicious parson outwits the thieves of a priceless chalice from the parish treasury. A beloved vicar contemplates a perfect crime when a blackmailer comes knocking. Poisoned pen letters lead to a fall from grace for a rector’s wife, and a suspicious fall from the second storey for the rector.
Gathered here in this new collection are some of the greatest mystery tales in which the tendrils of crime steal into the churchyard, featuring clergymen and nuns as victims, amateur sleuths and villainous perpetrators of the devil’s work. Replete with a fascinating introduction and notes from one of the guiding lights of crime fiction, Martin Edwards, this anthology delivers cosy brainteasers and fiendishly-fashioned stories with a sting in the tail, from a congregation of writers including Joyce Porter, H. C. Bailey, Cyril Hare and Edmund Crispin. (Credit: British Library Publishing)
The Defence by Rob Rinder
Expected Publication Date: June 18
At MP-turned-wellness-guru Adrian Wells’ celeb-encrusted launch event for a bath salt ‘tub experience’ that promises to halt all signs of aging, someone is about to turn up the heat.
As Adrian lowers himself into the architectural copper tub to showcase his miracle product in front of countless influencers, it soon becomes clear that something is amiss.
The bath salt has been poisoned. And now Adrian is dead. His long-suffering assistant Jules is the prime suspect.
Barrister Adam Green is tasked with Jules’s defence, and he quickly realises that there were many more people with a score to settle against Adrian.
Can Adam win the day, or is he in too deep? (Credit: Cornerstone)
A Brief History of the Coast in 100 Objects by Sally Coulthard
Expected Publication Date: June 18
An immersive history of our coasts and the people who have shaped them
The coast means something different to everyone.
It’s a place of pleasure and reckless pursuits, of fishing, fearless endeavours and a crashing, rugged beauty. The coast is, and always has been, our first line of defence and our springboard to other cultures.
Through the lens of 100 carefully selected objects, this treasure chest of a book delves into the myriad ways our coastlines have shaped, and been shaped by, our history, culture, and identity. From Roman lighthouses to rosary beads, knitted jumpers to Viking slave shackles, each object serves as a portal to a unique story.
Sally Coulthard’s engaging narrative goes far beyond the traditional seaside holiday to illuminate the coast’s role as a first line of defence, a site of trade, and a catalyst for cultural exchange. Readers will discover how the coast has influenced our beliefs, economy, and even our domestic lives. And, looking out to sea, this book will show how Britain’s story is anchored to those of our European neighbours and of faraway lands.
From one of Britain’s finest historians of material culture, this book vividly captures the enduring magic and significance of our shores. Whether it’s smugglers’ underpants or sailor’s hoaxes, whale vomit or pickled puffin – it all washes up on the British coast…(Credit: HarperCollins Publishers)
A British Childhood: How Our Children Live Now by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Expected Publication Date: June 18
‘The right place, walked at the right time, can heal, energise, restore and inspire. Instead of ambling the same old track, find a route to match and mend your mood … and prepare to be astonished.’
In this inspirational guide, Annabel Streets explores the curative and therapeutic benefits of both rural and urban landscapes: from mountains to meadows, disused railway lines to rivers, and coastal cliffs to city parks. She investigates how walking benefits us not only physically, but also how we see, feel and experience ourselves and the world.
With warmth, wisdom and a compelling blend of anecdotal and scientific evidence, Streets identifies the perfect place to walk whatever your mood. Whether it be a canal path to spark creativity, a bustling city to allay boredom or the coastline to heal grief and worry. The Walking Cure celebrates the joy of walking and shares the extraordinary health benefits that landscape unlocks. (Credit: Bloomsbury Publishing)
Go Home Birdie Brown by Laura Blake
Expected Publication Date: June 18
Birdie has come too far to go quietly …A powerful and emotional novel inspired by the Windrush Scandal.
This is a story about being told you don’t belong. This is a story about knowing you do.
This is a story about Birdie.
Birdie Brown’s life is held together by family — her sharp-witted daughter Carmen, her son Scott who no one mentions, and five grandkids who keep her on her toes. Retirement is bingo nights, babysitting, and TV with her granddaughter Saffie — until a letter from the Home Office arrives.
It says she’s here illegally. That she must return to Jamaica — a country she hasn’t seen since childhood.
As the system threatens to erase her, Birdie must confront buried truths and fractured ties. Can she hold on to the life she built — and the family that built her? (Credit: HarperCollins)
Homeward Bound: The joy of nature and my life outdoors by Hamza Yassin
Expected Publication Date: June 18
Hamza Yassin loves being outdoors in nature. As a child who struggled with dyslexia at school, he always longed to be in the world outside the classroom. Thankfully, due to a forward-thinking teacher who encouraged him to run outside before a lesson, Hamza embraced his love of nature from an early age. There he discovered that his dyslexia allowed him to see the world in a special way.
Homeward Bound tells the story of Hamza’s fascination with the outdoors. From learning to ring birds in Wales to chasing orca in Scotland – Hamza explores wildlife across the British Isles and delights in the hidden life that is found there. Throughout his journey, he shows us the wonder of wildlife and how mother nature is a home for us all.
Packed with charming personal stories, including life in the Scottish Highlands, and his adventures as a wildlife cameraman – Hamza shares the joy of nature and shows us how it has made him who he is today. (Credit: Octopus Publishing Group)
The House On Otley Road by Rosa Silverman
Expected Publication Date: June 18
Everyone heard the story. But no one knows the truth.
Two murders. Twenty years apart. One truth to be uncovered.
1999. Emily Pierce is at uni in Leeds having the time of her life. On New Year’s Eve her plans to have the best night ever are brutally cut short when she is killed in her student house. The police conclude her murder was a burglary gone wrong and never find the killer.
2019. When Olivia Kavanagh discovers that twenty years earlier a girl was murdered in her bedroom, she becomes obsessed. But her questions end with another dead body.
Journalist Kate Marsden is sent to cover the story. She reported on Emily’s murder twenty years earlier and finds the similarities staggering and eerie. She is determined to discover the link. But the deeper she digs, the closer she gets to a murderer. Because this isn’t just a story, it’s a well-hidden crime and there’s someone out there who will do anything to stop her from ever unearthing the truth… (Credit: HarperCollins)
The Curry Bible by Nisha Katona
Expected Publication Date: June 25
Nisha Katona’s warmth, authenticity and ability to conjure delicious flavour from just a handful of ingredients have led to her being one of our most trusted and recognisable voices in Indian cookery. In her newest book, Nisha has created the ultimate guide to curry, featuring delicious recipes from across India, streamlined to make them accessible and achievable for home cooks.
Dishes range from definitive versions of curry house classics to homestyle curries that are rich with the warmth, intimacy and no-frills deliciousness of domestic cooking.
Recipes include:
• Butter Chicken
• Onion Bhajis
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Beef Madras
• Tandoori Lamb Chops
• Goan Fish Curry
• Matar Paneer
• Black Daal
• Carrot Halwa
With 100 recipes that prove that curry night can be any night of the week, this really is the only curry cookbook you will ever need. (Credit: Penguin Books)
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