July 2026
Your body. Their Choice. The Hope Party's new laws have transformed Great Britain: the countryside rewilded, children's rights prioritised, and births on the rise. But freedom is fading. Karen has learned to navigate this new world, keeping her head down as her fertility is constantly monitored. As her husband's career thrives, while hers stalls. As her son is drawn into misogynist groups. Like everyone else, she's too frightened to speak up. Until her teenage daughter reveals a life-changing secret: she's pregnant. With abortion and contraception banned, her future has gone up in flames. But Karen won't let this happen - Charlotte is going to have the life she lost. Karen turns to her sister Isobel, a doctor who's initially reluctant to help. But when they learn Charlotte's pregnancy is ectopic and life-threatening, the stakes skyrocket. The three women go on the run, getting deeper into danger with every hour that passes. With powerful enemies on their tail, they will risk everything in a desperate fight for freedom, and for life. The Quickening is by Claire McGowan.
The Shadow Step is by Mark Billingham. One taken simultaneously by a pair of dancers facing the same direction, one of them behind and slightly shifted leftwards ('in the shadow') Typically, such a step perfectly demonstrates synchronised elegance. It showcases a couple in near telepathic harmony with one another. It does not normally end with someone stone-dead in a lake. DS Declan Miller is a magnet for strange cases, but how can he catch a killer when the man confessing to the crime is clearly innocent? Things rapidly escalate when the murder that isn't really a murder at all attracts the unwanted attention of a drugs Queenpin, a deranged ex-squaddie and a lovesick gangland enforcer. Then a student is kidnapped... Throw in a wobbly dog, a pair of ceramic leopards and the distracting smell from a local biscuit factory, and - if he wants to save a young man's life - Miller has little choice but to waltz all the way into the shadows.
Leeds 1982. As a city struggles to break free of the past, evil finds a new place to hide.DS Mick Hunniford, tired and tainted by the botched Yorkshire Ripper investigation, is yesterday's man, his career hanging by a thread.Maureen, owner of Leeds's leading brothel, struggles to recover from a horrendous attack three years before. When notorious escort Lynda Brown is killed in front of Maureen's eyes, she and Mick find themselves drawn together once more. The pair must face a new killer, with new appetites, one which dwells among the city's elites. Can they put the past behind them once and for all, even if this investigation proves to be their last? The Burning Fears by Katy Massey.
The Venetian Redemption is by Philip Gwynne Jones. The city of Venice is alive with celebrations for Redentore, the most spectacular festival of the year. The streets are lined with revellers eating and drinking, and boats travel along the canals into the bacino of San Marco in anticipation of the firework display. It's going to be a night to remember, and all the more so for Nathan Sutherland and his wife Federica, who have been invited to an exclusive party in the company of the British Ambassador. The festivities take a turn, however, when Nathan suddenly finds himself struggling for breath and is rushed to hospital. Tests show he has all the symptoms of aconite poisoning, a toxin derived from the deadly wolfsbane plant. An unfortunate accident? Or a deliberate attempt to poison him? As Nathan investigates, he discovers many guests might just have had a motive for murder . . .
The Recruit is by L.D.Sharpe. The spy game has a brand new player . . . Sarah Black is startlingly smart and super frustrated . . . while her fellow fresh graduates are signing away their souls to square mile internships, she is sabotaging civil service exams and beating any chess opponent who dares face her. Surely there has to be more to life? Enter, Michael. Enigmatic, suave, and looking for a new recruit to his band of elite spies. His offer is irresistible, and Sarah leaps into the world of international espionage without hesitation. But when Michael hears rumours of a catastrophic attack on an oil pipeline in the Caucasus, he whisks Sarah from London to Georgia with a new identity, a meagre brief and no backup. Thrown into a hostile environment where nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted, Sarah must learn the rules of the game quickly, just to survive. But is she really a player, or merely a pawn?
A yacht full of suspects, on a sea of red herrings... Rosalind King, Caro Hooper and Posy Starling may be famous for each playing fictional detective Dahlia Lively on screen, but their growing reputation for solving real murder cases has prompted an offer that they can't refuse . . . Property mogul and billionaire, Percy Pendleton, has invited them for a two-week trip on his mega yacht this summer to investigate a case of expected murder. Percy doesn't believe that his father's recent death was natural, despite what the police say. In fact, he thinks he's going to be murdered too - and soon. Not being one to sit around waiting for things to happen, he's gathered all the people he suspects of wanting him dead for a luxury cruise around the Mediterranean. He's giving the three Dahlias the length of the voyage to investigate his father's demise, figure out who wants him dead, and stop them. It's a challenge unlike any they've ever tackled before. But at least they get to enjoy the sun, sea and a Limoncello Spritz while they're interviewing the suspects . . . Death on a Lively Sea is by Katy Watson.
August 2026
The Millionaire Waltz is by Anthony Quinn. London in the 1920s: a young woman treads the path between danger and desire. Against a backdrop of thuggish blackmail, constricting high society and a London still fragile from the war, Edie Greenlaw is trying to decide what she wants from the world. The closer the prospect of marriage with her handsome war hero fiance becomes, the less fulfilling it seems. Defying caution she goes to the aid of a friend and entangles herself in a dangerous demi-monde of sexual extortion and violence.
South Devon is returning to its usual calm after the summer tourist season when DI Wesley Peterson and his team receive a disturbing call. A mummified body has been discovered, hidden behind a wall, during the renovation of nearby Sycamore House.The body is that of Dr Aleric Donnal, an academic with a special interest in Devon's medieval history. Donnal was last seen over a decade ago, around the time that Sycamore House belonged to a new age commune who believed that the house occupied an ancient sacred site. While Wesley is seeking potential suspects for Donnal's murder, Dr Neil Watson is investigating the ruins of an ancient chapel nearby; a building once decorated with grotesque carvings of mythical creatures.As Wesley's team work on one of their most baffling cases yet, a new murder occurs in a nearby village. Could the two crimes be linked? Wesley needs to separate truth from myth in order to solve this mystery. The Chapel of Bones is by Kate Ellis.
The Butcher Legacy is by Alaina Urquhart. Dr. Wren Muller is back! But has the Bayou Butcher returned, too? Two months after the life-changing events on the tail of a serial killer known as the 'Bayou Butcher', forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is back in the place she knows best: the New Orleans morgue. She buries herself in routine, reuniting with her closest ally, Detective John Leroux, and tries to convince herself that normality can be rebuilt. But in the weeks leading up to Halloween, shadows begin to shift again as young girls vanish in both cities where Jeremy Rose, the unmasked Bayou Butcher, once ran rampant. When bodies are discovered with all the hallmarks of Bayou Butcher killings, Wren and Leroux must mobilise. Hundreds of miles away in Massachusetts, Philip Trudeau stands behind a pulpit. He is the revered pastor of a close-knit congregation, but beneath his calm composure lies something sinister - he has history with Jeremy Rose, and a hunger that did not fade when the Bayou Butcher was jailed . . . Is Jeremy pulling the most gruesome of strings from behind bars? And will Wren ever be free of the Bayou Butcher's legacy . . . or will it be her downfall?
The Killer's Mark is by M.W.Craven. A Monster. A Mother. A Murder? When Vice Admiral Boyer, RN (retd) died without leaving a will, his estranged daughter inherited his- not inconsiderable - estate. Called home to sort through his belongings, she found an AegisBox - a tamper proof safe within a safe designed to self-destruct if anyone without the code attempts to open it. Faced with the choice of walking away or opening it, she opted for knowledge over silence and uncovered something so horrifying it launched the biggest investigation in the National Crime Agency's history. Five years later, Washington Poe is unwittingly, and unwillingly, sucked into its gravity well... Finally able to escape the authority they once railed against, Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are enjoying their new jobs as private detectives or - as the sign on their door says - 'Gumshoes for Hire'. When a teenage girl walks into their office, looking for the mother she has long believed to be dead, they agree to take the case. As Poe and Tilly investigate the girl's claims, they find themselves drawn into a murky world of trafficking, pornography and prostitution. Will they be able to help the girl find her mother or will the dark forces at work, who will stop at nothing to protect themselves, get there first...
September 2026
The Big Cats Dance Party is by Alexander McCall Smith. "I am a fortunate woman to have such an eventful life," observes Mma Ramotswe of the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Perhaps, but there are times when rather too much seems to be happening, and a quieter life might seem rather attractive. This latest despatch from Botswana is certainly full of events, even if it starts with a leisurely trip to buy a pair of shoes as a birthday present for Mr J.L.B. Matekoni. As often happens in Mma Ramotswe's world, one thing leads to another, and we are soon caught up in an ill-thought-out plan hatched by Charlie, junior mechanic and enthusiastic trainee detective. Charlie has met up with two rising stars of the local musical world - jazz players known to their public as Lion and Leopard. He is keen to plan a big event with them, even though Mma Makutsi sees nothing but disaster ahead. Mma Ramotswe would like to keep an eye on the situation, but she has to go up north, to the wilds of the Okavango Delta, where her friends at an elephant sanctuary are battling with a campaign being waged against them. Mma Ramotswe's help is needed, and, of course, is given with all the generosity of spirit that illuminates the character of this most beloved of lady detectives. A happy ending? Of course.
The Occidental Book of the Dead is by T Geronimo Johnson. An audacious, darkly funny and dazzlingly innovative literary crime masterpiece about a black police officer in Atlanta, Georgia - and the fatal shooting of a suspect. George Washington Jonson has been in the Atlanta police force for a decade, patrolling the streets he grew up on and managing to build relationships within the force - especially with Tucker, the veteran police officer and self-described 'redneck' who taught Jonson the ropes. Now it's 2005 and Jonson himself is tasked with training hot-headed rookie recruits. One night out on patrol with his trainee, Utner, a split-second confrontation with a white teenager takes a violent turn and Utner shoots the teenager dead. As the resulting furore mounts to a fever pitch, it threatens to expose the complex nest of lies that seethes beneath the entire city, and order must be restored. So far, so Hollywood. But then a dizzying somersault in the novel's structure upends the narrative and begins an even darker, more complicated and provocative story about racism, power and corruption - building to an unforgettable portrait of a nation divided.
I look along the road and notice how many people are standing outside their houses or watching from doorways and windows. Staring. Studying. 'Do you think this town will ever forgive me?' I ask. 'Not in a million years.' Small towns are quick to anger and slow to forgive, but Arlo Hackett doesn't expect mercy when he emerges from a twelve-year prison sentence and makes his way back to Yulara, a waypoint on Australia's Great Southern Road. The last time Arlo was home, his brother Luke was charged with a terrible crime and Arlo was found guilty by association. His return to the former goldrush town is like cracking open a time capsule full of hatred and violence, along with memories of the people he loved - the ones he couldn't save. Yulara wants Arlo gone, or worse, but every insult and humiliation pushes him to confront what really happened all those years ago. The truth will shock you, surprise you, and break your heart. Tell Me Something True is by Michael Robotham.
Crash and Burn is by Alison Bruce. Two bodies. Two decades apart. One deadly connection. When an arson attack reveals a fresh corpse alongside remains from nearly twenty years ago, DS Ronnie Blake and Cambridge's special investigations unit, known as the DEAD team, must investigate both to find the connection. Their only lead is Mariel Quinn, who, as a child, survived her mother's abduction and presumed murder. Mariel remembers nothing, except a single, haunting phrase she repeated over and over. Now, as long-buried secrets resurface, the team must untangle a mystery long thought lost, before the killer strikes again.
Agatha Raisin's Cotswolds village of Carsely is in uproar when word spreads that The Red Lion pub is preparing to close. The aristocratic owner of the local brewery plans to develop the land into luxury apartments. Taking it upon herself to lead the petition against the closure, Agatha sees a perfect opportunity to confront redeveloper Lord Ancombe when she is invited to his annual Civil War re-enactment at Ancombe Manor. Watching men ride around on horses with replica guns is far from Agatha's favourite pastime, so she is relieved to hear there will at least be afternoon tea. But before the scones can be served, Lord Ancombe is discovered shot dead. Suddenly Agatha has not just a pub to save, but a murder to solve. It seems her investigations are not everyone's cup of tea . . . Agatha has the distinct impression that someone is trying to silence her, for good. Agatha Raisin:Dead Before Teatime is by MC Beaton with R W Green.
Rogue Agency is by L D Sharpe. Agent Sarah Black is back, and she's done asking permission. Scarred by the events of her first official assignment, new recruit Sarah has cut all ties with the special liaison unit known as The Pelicans. Abandoning enigmatic leader Michael on the banks of the Thames and defying all orders, she vows to finish the mission he set her . . . alone. Her dogged pursuit of the mastermind who eluded her in Georgia takes her to searing heat and civil unrest in west Africa, to a lawless land rife with war profiteering. When she hears that her mark is bankrolling a ruthless rebel leader, the only surprise is that it's her one ally, Elias, who delivers the news. How did he earn his place in the inner circle? Can she trust the intelligence he shares, that the endgame is more deadly than she could ever have imagined? With doubt thrown on Elias and no backup from the Pelicans, Sarah must rely on raw instinct to neutralise the operation and burn the network to the ground. She needs to think three moves ahead to outmanoeuvre her ruthless opponent, and in a game without rules, every move counts. But when the game is being played on a global stage with catastrophically high stakes for peace, for democracy, and for everything Sarah believes in, how far will she go to win?
Lt. Eve Dallas journeys into the darkness where murder is born... NYSPD homicide detective Eve Dallas has seen a lot in her time but even she is shocked by the savagery of a beating which leaves a wealthy biotech executive dead in his home office. The victim's corpse is so mangled and damaged it's hard to believe a lone assailant would be capable of this. The killer is clearly unnaturally strong. Or very, very angry. While the excessive violence leads Dallas to conclude that this was a deeply personal act, she can't ignore the suspicious bank account in the Cayman Islands, or the shadowy, profit-hungry company Chu worked for. The mystery only grows when it turns out Chu isn't the only victim of this furious killer. Dallas will need to tear through one layer of secrecy after another to reveal the terrible truth behind this series of rage-fuelled murders... Fury In Death is by J D Robb.
November 2026
No Good Deed is by Tom Wood. Victor's entire existence is dependent on caution and control. Every move is carefully considered. He avoids risks. He manages consequence. He is an assassin-for-hire, and yet staying alive is a full-time profession. Although not one for doing favours, he takes his debts seriously. So when the person who recently saved his life asks for help, he drops everything to pay what he owes. But delaying his current contract puts him on a blacklist with a client who tolerates no mistakes. If Victor doesn't deliver on his commitment, he's going to be next in the firing line. As the supposedly simple task spirals out of control, Victor must decide what's more important: the target on his back or repaying the favour. Worse still, his personal mission threatens to unearth a part of himself he buried long ago...
Faithful is by Roberta Kray. Kellston, East London When crime boss Terry Street is buried, his empire is buried with him. With his heir dead and his son unwilling, the borough is up for grabs. Gangs circle. Old loyalties crack. Violence is inevitable. Marianne Day knows this world well. She's lived on its edges for years, hiding in plain sight, waiting. Because the man who destroyed her life all those years ago, is now back in London. Connor Bond stole her son and vanished. Now, as Kellston teeters on the brink of war, Marianne sees her chance. She's waited eleven years. And she'll stop at nothing to get her child back...
Burning Season is by Martin Griffin. She left him to die. Now, he's back from the ashes. Twelve years ago, firefighter Jade Bowyer watched a man burn. Curtis Hoole was a criminal - a killer - and although Jade didn't start the fire, she let it finish him. Now Jade has built a new life as a wildfire lookout in British Columbia, thousands of miles from the memories that haunt her. She has finally escaped her past. Until a plane crashes in the forest. As fire rages and a bear circles the dead, one survivor clings to life in the wreckage. Curtis Hoole. Jade's orders are simple: guard the wreck and protect the bodies. Until she knows the truth, she must keep him alive - because she can't kill the same man twice. No matter what secrets he carries . . .
Murder on the Mistletoe Express is by Katy Watson. Rosalind, Caro and Posy are planning to take a much-needed break from investigating murder cases this Christmas for a winter getaway with their partners in the Swiss Alps. They've been invited to spend three days on a glamorous new luxury sleeper train, the Mistletoe Express, which Posy's boyfriend Kit is planning to invest in. Travelling with them for the festivities are several other investors in the company. But the morning they depart, the company's administrative assistant, Olivia, is missing - just hours after warning Posy of a problem with the Mistletoe Express's accounts. The three Dahlias' investigative minds are already whirring when, at their first destination, Olivia is discovered dead, despite never boarding the train . . . It seems that the Mistletoe Express is brimming with secrets, and murder suspects. Can the Dahlias catch a killer - and in time for Christmas?
