Set yourself a reading challenge in the new year? We've searched for the best new novels hitting bookshelves in 2017. Whether you're after a new thriller or a sweet love story, you'll definitely want to add these to your reading list…
Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land
If you were a fan of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, then this is the book for you. Annie's mother is a serial killer, and the only way she can stop her is to hand her in to the police – but out of sight is not out of mind. With a new name, new family and fresh start, Annie finds herself able to create a new identity – but blood is thicker than water and she is, after all, her mother's daughter.
Published by Michael Joseph on 12 January.
Tin Man by Sarah Winman
Almost a love story, this beautiful and tender novel follows Ellis and Michael from the moment they meet at just 12-years-old and form an unbreakable bond, to a decade later when we find out that Ellis is married to Annie, but Michael is nowhere in sight. Which begs the question – what happened in the years between?
Published by Tinder Press on 27 July.
History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
From the New York Times bestselling novelist Adam Silvera comes History is All You Left Me, an already critically acclaimed novel which looks at grief and mental illness. The story follows Griffin, a high school student who goes on a downward spiral after his first love Theo dies in a drowning accident, unable to let go of the past.
Published by Soho Teen on 9 February.
The Lie of the Land by Amanda Craig
This funny and moving novel follows husband and wife Quentin and Lottie Bredlin who, like many modern couples, can't afford to get a divorce. Having lost their jobs in the recession, they downsize and move their three children into a house in a remote part of Devon, but little do they know that the luscious landscape conceals a dark side…
Published by Sphere on 15 June.
Everything but the Truth by Gillian McAllister
Gillian's gripping debut novel is packed with twists and turns that will make it almost impossible to put the book down! The story sees protagonist Rachel discover a mysterious message on boyfriend Jack's iPad, which leads her to start questioning whether he's been totally honest about his past. With the couple expecting their first child together, Rachel can't help but wanting to know the truth – and seeing the message only serves to set a chain of events in motion…
Published by Michael Joseph on 9 March.
Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan
Enjoy both romance and Sci-Fi novels? This story follows the relationship of Carys and Max as they are fall through space with only 90 minutes of oxygen left. Although it is an unusual concept, the 'ticking clock' nature of the novel will have you tearing through it as quickly as you can, all the while getting caught up in the couple's beautiful love story.
Published by Double Day on 26 January.
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
From the author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas comes this story of a boy growing up in post-WW2 Catholic Ireland. Adopted after being born out of wedlock, a grown-up Cyril struggles to find his true sense of identity and home. This novel is guaranteed to make you laugh and cry in equal measure.
Published by Double Day on 9 February.
The Fourteenth Letter by Claire Evans
If you enjoyed Kate Mosse's Labyrinth or Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist, then chances are you're going to love this new thriller. In 1881, a young bride in London is murdered on her wedding day. The following morning, timid legal clerk William Lamb meets a reclusive, terrified client who entrusts him with a small casket of yellowing papers, which deliver an enigmatic message: 'The Finder knows'.
Published by Sphere on 6 April.
The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon
This is the eagerly awaited third novel in The Bone Season series, and sees protagonist Paige Mahoney attempt to bring the magical community of London together in time to defend themselves from monstrous creatures who are making their way into the world. Surrounded by enemies, the dreamwalker also has to deal with the introduction of Senshield, a new technology which threatens the entire clairvoyant community.
Published by Bloomsbury on 7 March.
What Alice Knew by T.A. Cotterell
If you love crime thrillers that look at relationships (see The Widow by Fiona Barton or My Husband's Son by Deborah O'Connor), this is definitely one for you. The novel subverts the usual 'whodunnit' angle of mystery novels and instead looks at what happens after you know who 'did it', and what you would do. Would you reveal their secret, or protect them at any cost?
Published by Black Swan.
