2024 is set to be another great year of reading and our booksellers have narrowed down the books that they are most excited for this year.* As we know many people patiently wait for the paperback editions, we have also included some of our most anticipated paperback releases based on the hardbacks that we adored last year.

The hardbacks that we are most looking forward to…

Beholders by Hestor Musson | published 18th January | £16.99 | Chosen by Vicky

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek | published 29th February | £14.99 | Chosen by Jack

Mona of the Manor by Armistead Maupin | published 7th March | £20 | Chosen by Roz

A Drop of Golden Sun by Kate Saunders | published 7th March | £7.99 |Chosen by Vicky

Clear by Carys Davies | published 7th March | £12.99 | Chosen by Sarah

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton |published 28th March | £20 | Chosen by Vicky

Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan | published 4th April | £20 | Chosen by Roz

As Young As This by Roxy Dunn | published 4th April | £16.99 | Chosen by Jack

You are Here by David Nicholls | published 23rd April | £20 | Chosen by Roz

Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor | published 25th April | £14.99 | Chosen by Sarah

The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing | published 2nd May |£20 | Chosen by Sarah

Did I Ever tell You? by Genevieve Kingston | published 9th May |£20 | Chosen by Sarah

The Puzzle Wood by Rosie Andrews | published on 9th May | £16.99 | Chosen by Jack

The King’s Witches by Kate Foster | published 6th June | £16.99 | Chosen by Vicky

English Houses by Ben Pentreath | published 9th July | £40 | Chosen by Roz

The Cautious Travellers Guide to the Wasteland by Sarah Brooks | published 20th June | £16.99 | Chosen by Jack

The Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak | published 8th August | £16.99 | Chosen by Sarah

Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson | published 29th August | £22 | Chosen by Roz

The paperbacks that we are most looking forward to…

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton | paperback published 1st Feb | Reviewed by Roz

Catton deserves a medal for successfully navigating the treacherous waters of the ‘post-Booker win’ novel with Birnam Wood, a gripping eco-thriller set in New Zealand. There is a powerful, yes, Shakespearean, momentum to the plot and her writing is glorious throughout.

In Memoriam by Alice Winn | paperback published 29th Feb | Reviewed by Roz

In Memoriam is as much about love as it is war.  The narrative grips from the first page, and the vivid, funny, sharply observed characters will stay with you long after the last page.  It’s a remarkable novel, even more so given it’s Winn’s first.

Other Women by Emma Flint | paperback published 7th March | Reviewed by Vicky

Based on a real-life case from 1924, Other Women is a study in obsession, loneliness and deception. This is the kind of book you pick up whenever and wherever you can, just to get through a few more pages!

Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson | paperback published 28th March | Reviewed by Vicky

Wonderfully-written prose is matched by a brilliant structure. Shepherd-Robinson combines the characterisation of Dickens with the sensationalism of Wilkie Collins to create a vivid page-turner. A classic for modern times.

Ascension by Nicholas Binge | paperback published 28th March | Reviewed by Jack

The fear of the unknown is often subtle but ever-present, and as the characters become increasingly and ferally compelled to climb higher, you find yourself being swept along with them.

Lady Macbethad by Isabelle Schuler | paperback published 25th April | Reviewed by Vicky

Intricately researched, Schuler’s writing is gripping and immediate. Her characters are sly, loyal, desperate, loving and vengeful. A fantastic debut novel. This isn’t history, it’s herstory. And you won’t be able to put it down.

Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang | paperback published 9th May | Reviewed by Roz

This is a fast, furious satire, packed with the blackest of humour.  The author pulls no punches with the literary world, nor her amoral first person narrator.

Unruly by David Mitchell | paperback published 9th May | Reviewed by Jack

This book is an addictively educational and hilarious grounded study of England’s early monarchs and, ultimately, their failings (of which there are many).

O Brother by John Niven | paperback published 6th June | Reviewed by Roz

A painful, but also painfully funny, memoir that takes as its starting point the suicide of John Niven’s brother, Garry.  Don’t let that put you off.  As raucous as it is tender, O Brother is a riot of a book. Highly recommended.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay | paperback published 6th June | Reviewed by Vicky

Hay has brought to life a group of women who become the reader’s friends. You’ll be rooting for them on every page, hoping they will succeed.  Fabulous, fast and, above all, fun. 

Black Eden by Richard T. Kelly | paperback published 4th July | Reviewed by Roz

Beautifully crafted story set around Scotland’s oil boom and told through the eyes of five young men.  Robbie, Aaron, Mark, Ally and Joseph all have different notions of what success and ambition look and feel like.  Black gold seems like the perfect opportunity, but a price must be paid.  The Black Eden is a fascinating study of the Scottish wild west, brought to life by engaging intertwining human stories.

North Woods by Daniel Mason| paperback published 29th August | Reviewed by Sarah

Mason has written a masterfully crafted and captivating novel that simultaneously has you looking at the small things that make up the world as well as the expansive impact of history. 

*If you would like to pre-order any hardback titles, you can do so over on our pre-order page.