Best books coming out in 2024: Essential reads for the rest of the year

Those after some star power can expect autobiographies from the likes of Al Pacino (Sonny Boy), Cher (The Memoir, Part One) and Rick Astley (Never), while those seeking some exciting fictional worlds to escape into should pencil in The City and Its Uncertain Walls (Haruki Murakami), Dream Count (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) and What Does it Feel Like? (Sophie Kinsella) to their lists.

It can be a bit overwhelming trying to decide what to read next, but luckily for you, RadioTimes.com has done the hard work so you don't have to.

Check out our handy list below for the hottest releases in the book world you absolutely have to know about.

Best fiction releases in 2024

• Paper Boat - Margaret Atwood
• What Does it Feel Like? - Sophie Kinsella
• By Any Other Name - Jodi Picoult
• Juice - Tim Winton
• In Too Deep - Lee Child
• Karla's Choice - Nick Harkaway
• Murder Under the Mistletoe - Reverend Richard Coles
• The Party - Tessa Hadley
• Gliff - Ali Smith
• Eat the World - Marina Diamandis
• The Proof of My Innocence - Jonathan Coe
• She's Always Hungry - Eliza Clark
• Fire - John Boyne
• First Love - Rio Shimamoto
• Set My Heart on Fire - Izumi Suzuki
• The City and Its Uncertain Walls - Haruki Murakami
• Defiant: The Fourth Skyward Novel - Brandon Sanderson

Paper Boat - Margaret Atwood

Paper Boat release date: 10th October 2024

What is Paper Boat about? The Handmaid's Tale author assembles her biggest and best poems in this new collection.

Pre-order Paper Boat.

What Does it Feel Like? - Sophie Kinsella

What Does it Feel Like? release date: 10th October 2024

What is What Does it Feel Like? about? Kinsella writes her most personal novel yet; following her own cancer diagnosis in 2022, Kinsella tells her story through "Eve", a successful author who wakes up one day in a hospital bed to discover she's just had an operation to remove a malignant brain tumour.

Pre-order What Does it Feel Like?.

By Any Other Name - Jodi Picoult

By Any Other Name release date: 10th October 2024

What is By Any Other Name about? A feminist retelling of Shakespeare's origin, By Any Other Name tells the story of a woman in Elizabethan times who wishes to tell powerful stories to the masses, but has to enlist an actor called William Shakespeare to be able to do so... Meanwhile, a New Yorker in the 21st century finds that not much has really changed since the 1500s.

Pre-order By Any Other Name.

Juice - Tim Winton

Juice release date: 17th October 2024

What is Juice about? Two fugitives cross a desert in a bid to survive in this tense and heartbreaking novel from The Booker Prize nominee.

Pre-order Juice.

In Too Deep - Lee Child

In Too Deep release date: 24th October 2024

What is In Too Deep about? The latest in the Reacher series sees Jack wake up injured in a makeshift bed that he had no recollection of getting into...

Pre-order In Too Deep.

Karla's Choice - Nick Harkaway

Karla's Choice release date: 24th October 2024

What is Karla's Choice about? John le Carré's George Smiley returns in this new story, penned by Harkaway.

Pre-order Karla's Choice.

Murder Under the Mistletoe - Reverend Richard Coles

Murder Under the Mistletoe release date: 24th October 2024

What is Murder Under the Mistletoe about? Christmas Day goes awry when a surprise death brings about a big mystery.

Pre-order Murder Under the Mistletoe.

The Party - Tessa Hadley

The Party release date: 31st October 2024

What is The Party about? A novella about two sisters who have their lives thrown upside down on one night.

Pre-order The Party.

Gliff - Ali Smith

Gliff release date: 31st October 2024

What is Gliff about? A dystopian novel with Smith's usual intrigue as she keeps her plot under tight wraps.

Pre-order Gliff.

Eat the World - Marina Diamandis

Eat the World release date: 31st October 2024

What is Eat the World about? The Marina and the Diamonds' star is releasing her first collection of poetry as she turns her lyrics into further works of art.

Pre-order Eat the World.

The Proof of My Innocence - Jonathan Coe

The Proof of My Innocence release date: 7th November 2024

What is The Proof of My Innocence about? A murder mystery wrapped up with political intrigue, The Proof of My Innocence marries comedy, crime and the Cotswolds in this blistering novel.

Pre-order The Proof of My Innocence.

She's Always Hungry - Eliza Clark

She's Always Hungry release date: 7th November 2024

What is She's Always Hungry about? The author of Penance and Boy Parts releases her first short story collection centred around the complexities and nuances of hunger.

Pre-order She's Always Hungry.

Fire - John Boyne

Fire release date: 7th November 2024

What is Fire about? Boyne explores the age-old question of nurture or nature in Fire, which centres around a successful woman, Freya, with one complicated past.

Pre-order Fire.

First Love - Rio Shimamoto

First Love release date: 8th November 2024

What is First Love about? Kanna Hijiriyama is arrested for the gruesome murder of her father, and enigmatically tells the police to work out her motive, thus propelling readers into a dark tale of Kanna's life - and lies.

Pre-order First Love.

Set My Heart on Fire - Izumi Suzuki

Set My Heart on Fire release date: 12th November 2024

What is Set My Heart on Fire about? Izumi lives in Tokyo in the 1970s and frequents the underground bar and club scene. This "visceral" novel transports readers to a very specific time and place, showcasing unusual romances.

Pre-order Set My Heart on Fire.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls - Haruki Murakami

The City and Its Uncertain Walls release date: 19th November 2024

What is The City and Its Uncertain Walls about? The first novel from celebrated author Murakami takes readers on a playful adventure through the eyes of a librarian in the Fukushima province.

Pre-order The City and Its Uncertain Walls.

Defiant: The Fourth Skyward Novel - Brandon Sanderson

Defiant release date: 28th November 2024

What is Defiant about? Best-seller Sanderson concludes his epic series about a girl who will travel any distance to save her world.

Pre-order Defiant.

Best non-fiction releases in 2024

• Sonny Boy - Al Pacino
• Last Boy of '66 - Geoff Hurst
• Finding the Edge - Jimmy Anderson
• Cher: The Memoir, Part One - Cher
• From Under the Truck - Josh Brolin
• Citizen: My Life After the White House - Bill Clinton

Sonny Boy - Al Pacino

Sonny Boy release date: 15th October 2024

What is Sonny Boy about? Pacino needs no introduction, but in his autobiography, he tells the story of his life in an astonishingly candid way.

Pre-order Sonny Boy.

Last Boy of '66 - Geoff Hurst

Last Boy of '66 release date: 24th October 2024

What is Last Boy of '66 about? Hurst recounts his famous World Cup victory, and how it came to be in this remarkable and definitive account of the historical time period.

Pre-order Last Boy of '66.

Finding the Edge - Jimmy Anderson

Finding the Edge release date: 7th November 2024

What is Finding the Edge about? Cricketing great, Anderson, details his life from starting his career at Lancashire to winning the Ashes multiple times.

Pre-order Finding the Edge.

Cher: The Memoir, Part One - Cher

Cher: The Memoir, Part One release date: 19th November 2024

What is Cher: The Memoir, Part One about? The extraordinary life of Cher can be told by only one person… Cher herself.

Pre-order Cher: The Memoir, Part One.

From Under the Truck - Josh Brolin

From Under the Truck release date: 19th November 2024

What is From Under the Truck about? Brolin details his incredible life from his unconventional childhood to his successful Hollywood career in this tell-all autobiography.

Pre-order From Under the Truck.

Citizen: My Life After the White House - Bill Clinton

Citizen: My Life After the White House release date: 21st November 2024

What is Citizen: My Life After the White House about? Bill Clinton opens up on life following his time as president of the United States.

Pre-order Citizen: My Life After the White House.

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