More New Books for Holiday Reading: Genre Fiction

From warm-hearted Christmas themed stories to killer thrillers, here’s a sampling of books to get you through the holidays.

A Thimble for Christmas by Dilly Court is a gentle, heart-warming read set in Victorian England. It follows the story of Amelia, destitute after the tragic death of her mother. She dreams of a future designing elegant gowns for the rich, when an unexpected inheritance takes her life in a new direction.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger could be the perfect novella to read as you digest that figgy pudding. It features Madeline, a bookshop owner with a tragic past, her infirm father needing care, and a true-crime podcaster sniffing out a story. It's a story Madeline would sooner forget so there's a lot for Madeline to deal with in the days leading up to Christmas.

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan concerns another bookshop, this one managed by Carmen who has what seems an unjolly Christmas ahead. There’s a film crew making a cheesy Christmas movie at the shop, she’s been ousted from her sister’s house and she's reeling from a breakup. Can she fend off a buyout offer from an obnoxious millionaire who wants to turn the bookshop into a souvenir shop selling unauthentic tat? The second in a series that began with The Christmas Bookshop.

Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night is the fifth new mystery featuring Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective, penned by Sophie Hannah. In these stories he teams up with Inspector Catchpole and here they investigate the murder of a man in a Norfolk hospital. The victim’s mother has Poirot to stay at her coastal mansion to solve the crime, hopefully before there are more deaths and in time for Christmas. No pressure then.

The Secret by Lee Child. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a new Jack Reacher story. This one has Reacher as a military investigator, and a case from 1992 – the death of a hospital patient who’d had two unexpected visitors. There’s a secret stretching back 23 years, while Jack must hunt down a cold-blooded killer whatever way he can.

Silent Waters by L V Matthews is a psychological thriller featuring Jen Harper, a police diver. When she’s called to dive in search of a missing woman, she discovers a personal connection. The woman was once a family friend, but they haven’t spoken to each other in decades. A twisty story full of secrets and lies.

Conviction by Jack Jordan has barrister Neve Harper taking on a case where her client has been charged with killing his family and burning down his house. If she can prove his innocence, it will be a career-making case. Only as the trial draws near, Neve receives threats that if she doesn't lose the case, her loved ones will be in danger.

Dark Horizon by James Swallow is a survival story with ex-military Kate Hood now a contract pilot and a covert assignment that will lead her into danger. Her passenger supposedly holds the key to a violent terrorist conspiracy, but he swears he’s innocent. Danger escalates as Kate has to figure out who she can trust.

The 9^th Man by Steve Berry kicks off the Luke Daniels series (book 2 out next year). Luke is on an international manhunt for the truth about the assassination of President Kennedy. First he has to help an old friend in danger, racing to Belgium where he soon finds himself embroiled in a battle between two determined sides and a case that will take him around the world.

Out of Nowhere by Sandra Brown. Brown could just about be the queen of romantic suspense. Here we’ve got an author and mother of a two-year-old, Elle Portman, and corporate consultant Calder Hudson, both caught up in a mass shooting at a county fair. Both are determined to seek justice, the killer still at large.

Over My Dead Body by Maz Evans is a humorous cosy mystery told from the point of view of the victim. Speaking from the afterlife, Dr Miriam Price must find her killer or be condemned to 50 years in limbo. There’s a long list of suspects while everyone thinks Miriam drank herself to death. The only person she can communicate with is her neighbour and former mortal enemy Winnie. 

12 December 2023

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