by Heather Mottershead — is crime justified when it is in response to a society that is inherently unfair in its fundamental workings?
The Greatest Possible Good
by Ben Brooks — A well-off family is ripped apart when the father has an epiphany and decides to give all his money away.
One Yellow Eye
by Leigh Radford — London is recovering from a zombie apocalypse after all the zombies have been killed. Or have they? Can a cure be found in case it resurfaces?
Top 10 novels of 2025
Looking for a really great read among novels published in 2025? Here (in no particular order) are my top 10 favourites. Covering a range of fiction genres — literary, speculative, historical, crime and fantasy — they are all guaranteed great
The Last Woman on Earth
by Bex Benjamin — Strong world-building, plotting and dialogue, and a love/lust romance that adds heart to this pacy post-apocalyptic thriller.
Havoc
by Rebecca Wait — An absorbing, moving story set in an English boarding school where the social cohesion is crumbling even faster than the damp bricks.
Circle of Days
by Ken Follett — A sweeping, epic tale of daily life, tribal hardships and struggles, and of the building of a timeless stone monument, set in 2500 BC.
The House of Barbary
by Isabelle Schuller — A multilayered, immersive and convincing tale of trauma and revenge set in 17th C Bern.
A Happy Wife
by Ina L. Nara — In A Happy Wife, cracks are appearing in Ivy’s perfect marriage despite the neural implants that promised eternal love.
The greatest stories ever told: Victorian fiction
For many lovers of the novel, Victorian fiction represents the apogee of English literature and the noble art of storytelling.
J.S. Fletcher – Classic detective fiction influencer
Hailed as a leading writer of Golden Age crime fiction, J.S. Fletcher was, rather, a Victorian-style writer and detective fiction influencer
The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin
by Alison Goodman — A daring, witty and gritty Regency adventure with wonderfully independent female protagonists.
Checking Out
by Meryem El Mehdati — Portrays the grim reality of young workers in dead-end jobs. Bleak yet engaging, it feels like a heartfelt chat with a friend.
Actually, I’m A Murderer
by Terry Deary — With murder and mayhem galore, Actually, I’m a Murderer is an unpredictable, darkly entertaining and well written tale set in 1973.
The Maid, The Mystery Guest, The Maid’s Secret
by Nita Prose — Molly the Maid: naive, charming and delightful, she solves crimes while finding joy in cleaning.
The Mourning Necklace
by Kate Foster — Captures universal aspects of the human condition, illustrated through a unique story.
The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair
by Mackenzie Common — An original and engaging crime story wherein both the killer and investigator are unreliable narrators.
What Happens in the Dark
by Kia Abdullah — A legal thriller and domestic drama. It’s a good read with interesting characters and a twisty plot.
Kill Them with Kindness
by Will Carver — An intelligent speculative global-epidemic thriller that blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
The Neighbours
by Emma Babbington — A twisty psychological thriller with plenty of tantalising hints that will keep you guessing.