Top new literary-fiction books in December 2024
Last updated:
December 31, 2024
December 2024 featuring new releases by Jillian Cantor, Minette Walters, Rosa Kwon Easton, Weike Wang, Jane Pek, Nicola May, Ella Baxter, Nicole Trope, Adam Hamdy, Loretta Ellsworth and many more.
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The Greatest Lie of All by Jillian Cantor
A glamorous romance novelist and an aspiring starlet share an unexpected secret in this addictive story about love, ambition and how far we’re willing to go to protect our hearts Fledgling actress Amelia Grant is at rock bottom when offered the opportunity of a to star in a biopic about the world-renowned romance author Gloria Diamond, who used her own tragic love story as inspiration for her...romance · mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · contemporary · audiobook · suspense · drama · family · friendship -
The Players by Minette Walters
A gripping tale of compassion, imposture, trickery and surprising alliances set against the backdrop of The Bloody Assizes, from the bestselling author of The Last Hours and The Swift and the Harrier.The much-anticipated sequel to The Swift and The HarrierEngland, 1685...historical-fiction · historical · fiction · politics · audiobook · early-modern · crime · literary-fiction · book · adult -
White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton
A rich, deeply moving portrait of a young Korean woman in 1930s Japan who is torn between two worlds and must reclaim her true identity to provide a future for her family.1928, Japan-occupied Korea. Eleven-year-old Miyoung has dreams too big for her tiny farming village near to become a teacher, to avoid an arranged marriage, to write her own future...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · literary-fiction · audiobook · season-winter · war · ww2 · family · female-mc -
Rental House by Weike Wang
From the award-winning author of Chemistry, a sharp-witted, insightful novel about a marriage as seen through the lens of two family vacationsKeru and Nate are college sweethearts who marry despite their family differences: Keru’s strict, Chinese, immigrant parents demand perfection (“To use a dishwasher is to admit defeat,” says her father), while Nate’s rural, white, working-class family...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · family · realistic · poc-author · humor · marriage · book -
The Rivals by Jane Pek
A prescient literary mystery about corporate espionage, family dynamics, and the follow-up to Jane Pek’s “thoroughly modern twist on classic detective fiction,” The Verifiers (New York Times Book Review)“Exhilaratingly well-written. I loved it so much that I didn’t want it to end.” —Emily St...mystery · fiction · lgbtq · contemporary · audiobook · wlw · literary-fiction · crime · suspense · sci-fi -
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How Do I Tell You? by Nicola May
An uplifting, heartwarming story from the number one bestselling author.How do you rebuild your life when it changes forever in an instant?Thirty-five-year-old Victoria Sharpe has a decent job as an illustrator, a perfectly good if predictable relationship, and great friends...romance · contemporary · family · female-author · mystery · medical · friendship · fiction · womens-fiction · female-mc -
Woo Woo by Ella Baxter
A thrilling and eccentric novel about what it means to make art as a woman, and about the powerful forces of voyeurism, power, obsession, and online performanceWoo Woo follows Sabine, a conceptual artist on the verge of a photo exhibition she hopes will be pivotal, as she plunges deeper into her neuroses and seeks validation in relationships—with her frustratingly rational chef husband, her...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · feminism · female-author · romantic-love · mystery · horror · dark -
A Mother Always Knows by Nicole Trope
I stare at the photo of my beautiful daughter. Her hair is shining and her face is lit up with a smile. The man with her looks so happy too. But my mother’s instinct is screaming. I know something is terribly, terribly wrong. And I know what I have to do…I wish I could hold her tight. See if she still wears the same perfume she always wore. But my daughter blames me for her father’s death...psychological · suspense · secrets · revenge · plot-twist · thriller · audiobook · domestic-drama · female-mc · family -
Deadbeat by Adam Hamdy
The author of the “moving head-spinner of a novel” (John Connolly) The Other Side of Night returns with a taut thriller following a desperate single father as he searches for the anonymous employer who hired him as a hitman.Peyton Collard was a good man once, but his life changed after a horrific car accident...audiobook · fiction · suspense · thriller · crime · literary-fiction · political-intrigue · vigilante · justice · assassinations -
The French Winemaker’s Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth
Set during World War II, an unforgettable historical novel about love, war, family, and loyalty told in in the voices of two women, generations apart, who find themselves connected by a mysterious and valuable bottle of wine stolen by the Nazis.1942. Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when the Nazis come to take her father away...historical-fiction · ww2 · fiction · historical · war · audiobook · family · mystery · romantic-love · literary-fiction -
Private Rites by Julia Armfield
‘Julia Armfield is one of my favourite writers’ Florence Welch‘A writer whose next move you wouldn’t want to miss’ ObserverThe bestselling author of Our Wives Under the Sea returns with a stunning, unsettling novel following three sisters navigating queer love and faith at the end of the world...horror · lgbtq · fiction · literary-fiction · wlw · contemporary · 21st-century · dystopia · lesbian-mc · spooky -
His Wife's Secretary: A Husband's Betrayal by Elise Camden
Contains on-page cheating.A gut-punch moment that will leave you reeling, a husband on his knees, begging for forgiveness, and a wife whose pride demands more.Lena Sutton thought she had it all—until her husband, David, betrayed her with her own secretary, shattering her world.David Sutton know's he's made the worst mistake of his life...romance · contemporary · cheating · domestic-drama · betrayal · second-chances · angst · fiction · literary-fiction · book -
Dared by Becca Steele
From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Becca Steele comes a new standalone M/M college romance.When I discovered that my online gaming friend was Leo Evans, a student from my university, I had no idea how much my life would change. On paper, we’re complete opposites. He’s a shy computing student and I’m an outgoing footballer. Yet there’s an undeniable connection between us...romance · mlm · university · sports · contemporary · lgbtq · new-adult · mental-illness · friends-to-lovers · found-family -
Leviathan by Robert McCammon
It is August of 1704, and Matthew Corbett and his companions have narrowly escaped the island of Golgotha and are recuperating in the town of Alghero on the northwestern coast of Sardinia, currently under Spanish rule. Hudson Greathouse is at his limits, both mentally and physically, after their harrowing ordeal...historical-fiction · horror · fiction · mystery · action-adventure · fantasy · literary-fiction · supernatural · audiobook · christian -
What It's Like in Words by Eliza Moss
Eliza Moss's intoxicating debut novel is a dark, intense, and compelling account of what happens when a young woman falls in love with the wrong kind of man.Enola is approaching 30 and everything feels like a lot. The boxes aren’t ticked and she feels adrift in a way she thought she would have beaten by now...romance · fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · audiobook · suspense · season-winter · psychological · coming-of-age · book -
Bourbon & Secrets by Victoria Wilder
In Fiasco, Kentucky, there is one rule: never fall for a Foxx brother.Any woman who did, ended up dead. It wasn’t just a rumor. It was my reality. I buried my wife along with too many secrets surrounding the night she died.Now, I’m a single dad with two priorities above everything else: raising my two girls and making great bourbon...romance · enemies-to-lovers · contemporary · suspense · western · mystery · small-town · age-gap · found-family · forced-proximity -
Daphne: Re-education of a Duchess by D.G. Rampton
When heiress Miss Daphne Jones finds herself married to the wrong brother – the black-sheep son of the Duke of Burlington – she has little idea that her groom will promptly disappear after the wedding, or worse, that she'll become a duchess and a widow before her seventeenth birthday...romance · historical · historical-fiction · industrial-era · regency · satire · fiction · literary-fiction · humor · book -
Sister Snake by Amanda Lee Koe
A glittering, bold, darkly funny novel about two sisters—one in New York, one in Singapore—who are bound by an ancient secret.Sisterhood is difficult for Su and Emerald. Su leads a sheltered, moneyed life as the picture-perfect wife of a conservative politician in Singapore...fiction · lgbtq · fantasy · contemporary · literary-fiction · wlw · myths · poc-mc · romantic-love · retellings -
Finding the Forward, Part Two by Jane Handler
I’ve finally found my pack.After being raised to believe that no one would want an alpha female like me, I’ve finally found where I fit—with Grif, Jonas, Dean, and AJ.When my presence causes a chain reaction, I realize that alphaing-up isn’t enough. No. If I want my fairytale ending, I’m going to have to take it.But then anything worth having is worth taking...romance · omegaverse · reverse-harem · sports · mlm · fantasy · polyamory · fated-mates · found-family · lgbtq -
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Cora by Karin Winter
A grumpy bodyguard with a strict no-nonsense rule. A spirited heiress who just can't keep out of trouble.Ex-military bodyguard Ryder West thought he’d seen it all—until he’s tasked with his toughest assignment protecting Cora Valeur, the fiercely independent daughter of a tech billionaire...romance · grumpy-sunshine · cheerful-mc · grumpy-mc · forbidden-love · bodyguard · literary-fiction · fiction · book · adult -
When We Had Forever: A Novel by Shaylin Gandhi
An emotionally powerful roller coaster of a novel about losing and finding love, perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover and Lucy Score.Six months after her husband died in a car crash, Mina Drake is still mired in a haze of grief. Reminders of her years with Michael are everywhere, but beneath her heartache lies an even more painful emotion...romance · contemporary · mystery · fiction · female-mc · young-adult · literary-fiction · new-adult · book -
Kingdom of No Tomorrow by Fabienne Josaphat
It's that pivotal year, 1968, and Nettie Boileau, a young Haitian student in Oakland, gets caught up in the ongoing revolutionary fever. With her friend Clia Brown, she uses her public health skills to help operate the free health clinics created by the people she believes are "true revolutionaries," the Black Panthers...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · audiobook · social-commentary · literary-fiction · black-mc · female-mc · family · poc-mc -
Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson
A touching and deeply funny debut about starting over sober only to discover life’s biggest messes are still waiting right where you left them. The very last person anyone should worry about is Emma. Yes, hi, she’s an alcoholic. But she’s officially been sober for one entire year. That’s twelve months of better health...fiction · contemporary · mental-illness · literary-fiction · humor · comedy · satire · coming-of-age · romance · female-mc -
Havoc by Christopher Bollen
In the vein of The Bad Seed comes a twisty, atmospheric psychological suspense about a meddlesome elderly guest at a decadent luxury hotel who believes she has left her problematic past behind, until she decides to interfere in the lives of a young mother and her eight-year-old son, and finally meets her wicked match.The war between age and youth has never been so vicious... -
Void Corporation by Blake Butler
Following up the 2023 publication of Blake Butler's smash hit memoir Molly, Archway Editions is proud to bring you Void Corporation, the revised and definitive paperback of his masterful 2020 novel Alice Knott, now with a new foreword from the author. The perfect introduction to Butler's hypnotic and wildly inventive fictional world for his many new fans...fiction · literary-fiction · sci-fi · political-intrigue · conspiracies · psychological · book · adult -
Garden of the Gods: Vol. 3 Books 11-15 by Alaska Angelini, A.A. Dark
This is Vol. 3 of the Garden of the Gods series, books 11-15. These books are DARK. Despite having romantic elements, they're considered HORROR.With the death of Whitlock, a new home for horror is born…Garden of the GodsBook 1Ethan O'Brien may have been the most famous actor in the world, but at the Gardens he has more problems than paparazzi. His new slave was meant to make his life easier. Cook... -
The Night Before Grumpmas by Kendall Hale
An all new holiday grumpy-sunshine rom-com with banter, delicious tension, and plenty of festive spice from Kendall Hale.Life doesn’t always go according to plan, but sometimes it brings you exactly what you never knew you needed.I’m Noelle Holiday, lover of all things cozy and festive. I thought moving into my grandma’s rent-controlled apartment in New York would be a fresh start... -
The World With Its Mouth Open: Stories by Zahid Rafiq
“An utterly exquisite debut.”—Emily Fridlund, History of WolvesIn eleven stories, The World With Its Mouth Open follows the inner lives of the people of Kashmir as they walk the uncertain terrain of their days, fractured from years of war... -
A Crush for the Holidays by E.L. Ough
TristanWhen my best friend Jake deserted me for Christmas, it made my plans go to shit. The only bright spot is the offer to use his father’s cabin, which is better than sitting in my apartment. Alone...romance · mlm · forced-proximity · lgbtq · contemporary · humor · age-gap · literary-fiction · fiction · holidays -
Holidate Pursuit by Bethany Rosa
Do I have a sign on my back that says, ‘Love her and leave her’? Because that’s what it feels like these days.I thought I’d never see Justin again when he ghosted me after the best night of my life. But guess who shows up at the company Christmas party months later wanting to talk? I don’t think so Mr. Burns. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me. That’s sober Lucy talking... -
All Your Friends Are Here by M. Shaw
Your new favorite assortment of New Weird Lit stories about car-vampires; fascist deer; memory-devouring tree gods; and the torment matrix; from Wonderland Award-winning author M.Shaw (One Hand to Hold, One Hand to Carve)...horror · fiction · spooky · humor · sci-fi · fantasy · anthologies · literary-fiction · lgbtq · adult -
I Made It Out of Clay by Beth Kander
In this darkly funny and surprisingly sweet novel, a woman creates a golem in a desperate attempt to pretend her life is a romantic comedy rather than a disaster.Nothing’s going well for Eve: She’s single, turning forty, stressed at work and anxious about a recent series of increasingly creepy incidents...romance · fiction · fantasy · audiobook · magical-realism · humor · contemporary · supernatural · female-author · lgbtq -
Ivy in Stills by Ka Hancock
From the author of Dancing on Broken Glass and The Duzy House of Mourning comes an unforgettable story of personal triumph.Imagine the perfect afternoon in Savannah, Georgia...Backyard filled with smiles, an amazing dress tailored to your particular bodaciousness, your dad-in-name-only ready to walk you down the path...fiction · friendship · contemporary · literary-fiction · family · female-mc · romance · book · adult -
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We Were Never Lovers by Sasha Avice
He knows they were friendsHe knows they were enemies But were they ever lovers?Aboriginal footballer and rising superstar Sean Hiller wakes up in hospital, missing the last two years of his life. The first thing he sees is the good-for-nothing white boy he hates—his teammate, Jack Reaver. And the last thing he remembers is an altercation with Jack in the locker room.Jack must’ve put him here...romance · sports · mlm · contemporary · lgbtq · enemies-to-lovers · amnesia · angst · slow-burn · mental-illness -
The Feisty Omega by R. Gaen
'I heard the sound of my heart breaking and pretended I didn’t.' I'm 19 and on the cusp of maturing into an adult alpha, when I make a friend I know is going to mean something special in my life. Although we only see each other at Christmas, with every passing year our bond gets stronger. Before long, I can see where this is leading...romance · shapeshifters · mlm · lgbtq · paranormal · friends-to-lovers · coming-of-age · omegaverse · literary-fiction · holidays -
Rescued By The Billionaire: Billionaire's Boy SHORTS . by Medusa Stone
MM/Dark Mafia/ Billionaire-Romance/ Hurt-Comfort/ Enemies to loversDonovanI pick someone off the streets every Christmas. Offer them a chance to build a new life, to prove that they want to be saved. So when I see Angel—too beautiful, too defiant to be there—I know he's my project this year. The streets have made him tough, but I see what’s hidden beneath that sass and attitude...dark · billionaire · age-gap · mlm · anthologies · fiction · lgbtq · literary-fiction · romantic-love · adult -
The Believers: Stories by A.K. Herman
A. K.’s wondrous and shattering debut collection imbues people on the periphery with power hardly visible to outsiders—where no one conforms to type. In the title story, to leave a seemingly friendly and supportive church, a family must risk everything. In “The Iridescent Blue-Black Boy with Wings (After Márquez),” children find a winged boy in a seaside village in Tobago... -
The Way by Cary Groner
A postapocalyptic road trip and a quest for redemption.The world has been ravaged by a lethal virus and, with few exceptions, only the young have survived. Cities and infrastructures have been destroyed, and the natural world has reclaimed the landscape in surprising ways, with herds of wild camels roaming the American West and crocodiles that glow neon green lurking in the rivers...fiction · sci-fi · dystopia · apocalyptic · coming-of-age · post-apocalyptic · literary-fiction · book · adult -
King of Broadway by Dan Elish
Horatio King is an eighty-five-year old curmudgeon who happens to be the greatest musical theater composer and lyricist of his generation. Fifteen years before the story begins, his last musical, "Black Hawk Down," was a flop. Now King is approached by twenty-five-year old Ben Willis who sends him a copy of his newly published children's novel, "The Worldwide Dessert Contest... -
早餐店阿姨什麼都記得住: 早安,今天的鬼故事加點洋蔥嗎? by 路邊攤, 變種水母
★PTT百萬爆文作者 路邊攤★★臉書120萬觸及爆文同名新書★走進平凡的早餐店,穿越時間與空間,人鬼溫情互動。前一秒不可思議、下一秒感動爆淚!│療癒奇幻新文體│...