It’s getting to that time of year when the bookworm’s equivalent of digging out the red pen and snaffling a copy of the Christmas Radio Times starts. That’s right. It’s 2019 publisher catalogue time. So I’ve undergone the arduous task of sitting down and seeing what bookish offerings we can expect in the first half of next year. This time I’ve been looking at the offerings of Orion whose imprints include Weidenfeld and Nicholson, Trapeze, Orion, Gollancz, Seven Dials and Orion Springs.

January sees the publication of Wrecked by Joe Ide. For Isaiah Quintabe – IQ for short – a series of high-profile wins in his hometown of East Long Beach have made him so notorious that he can hardly go to the corner store without being recognized. Dodson, once his sidekick, is now his full-fledged partner. So when a young painter approaches IQ for help tracking down her missing mother, it’s not just the case Isaiah’s looking for, but the human connection. And when his new confidant turns out to be connected to a dangerous paramilitary operation, IQ falls victim to a threat even a genius can’t see coming. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

In Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen, Louis and Louise are the same person born in two different lives. They are separated only by the sex announced by the doctor and a final ‘e’. They have the same best friends, the same red hair, the same dream of being a writer, the same excellent whistle. They both suffer one catastrophic night, with life-changing consequences. Thirteen years later, they are both coming home. (Orion)

Still in January and To Catch a Killer by Emma Kavanagh is published. When a well-dressed woman is found dying on a Chelsea street, it seems clear to DS Thea Walsh that this murder will be one that is wrapped up quickly. The policing murder manual describes the golden hour, that window in time in which the most critical information can be gathered and they have the best start. The witness who found her reacted quickly and respected the crime scene. There’s the victim. She is wearing a wedding ring and has recently had a child, so someone will be looking for her. She is, to all intents and purposes, the perfect victim. Until she isn’t. Because what if your perfect victim has no name? What if the woman that everyone should be looking for, can’t be found? (Orion). I have a copy of this book so keep a look out for my review.

Also out this month is The New Iberia Blues by James Lee Burke Detective Dave Robicheaux first met Desmond Cormier on the backstreets of New Orleans. A young woman has been crucified, wearing only a small chain on her ankle, and all the evidence points to Cormier. Robicheaux wants to believe his old friend wouldn’t be capable of such a crime – but Cormier’s silence is deafening. (Orion)

Finally this month sees the publication of A Year at the End of the Pier by Helen Rolfe.  A Year at the Café at the End of the Pier is the Café at the End of the Pier novellas collected together for the first time. When Jo’s beloved grandparents ask for her help in running their little café at the end of the pier in Salthaven-on-Sea she jumps at the chance. Jo soon realises that each of her customers is looking for love – and she knows just the way to find it for them. She goes about setting each of them up on blind dates – each date is held in the café, with a special menu she has designed for the occasion. But Jo has never found love herself. She always held her grandparents’ marriage up as her ideal and she hasn’t found anything close to that. But could it be that love is right under her nose? (Orion)

Also out this month are The Golden Tresses of Death by Alan Bradley (Orion) and Maid by Stephanie Land (Trapeze).

Out in February is Flowers Over the Inferno by Ilaria Tuti, the first in a trilogy of books. In a quiet village surrounded by the imposing Italian Alps, a series of violent assaults take place. Police inspector and profiler Teresa Battaglia is called in when the first body is found, a naked man whose face has been disfigured and eyes gouged out. Soon more victims are discovered  and when a new-born baby is kidnapped, Teresa’s investigation becomes a race against the clock. But Teresa is also fighting a battle against her own body, weighed down by age and diabetes, and her mind, once invincible and now slowly gnawing away at her memory. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

In Now You See Me by Chris McGeorge, Matthew McConnell  took five of his friends on a boat through the longest canal tunnel in England. Six of them entered that tunnel but he was the only one to come out. He doesn’t know what happened to them. Buthe’s the only suspect and if he doesn’t find out what happens to them, he’ll be found guilty of their murders. (Orion)

Still in February and the chance to read Bring Me Sunshine by Laura Kemp. Charlotte Bold is nothing like her name – she is shy and timid and just wants a quiet life. When her job doing the traffic news on the radio in London is relocated to Sunshine FM in Mumbles, she jumps at the chance for a new start in Wales. But when she arrives she discovers that she’s not there to do the travel news – she’s there to front the graveyard evening show. And she’s not sure she can do it. Thrust into the limelight, she must find her voice and find a way to cope. Soon she realises that she’s not the only person who finds life hard – out there her listeners are lonely too. And her show is the one keeping them going. (Orion)

Also out this month is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Late one evening, Alicia Berenson shoots her husband Gabriel five times and then never speaks another word. Forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber is convinced he can successfully treat Alicia, where all others have failed. Obsessed with investigating her crime, his discoveries suggest Alicia’s silence goes far deeper than he first thought. And if she speaks, would he want to hear the truth? (Orion). I have a copy of this so keep a look out for my review.

Finally this month If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman is published. Audrey’s family has fallen apart. Her two grown-up daughters, Jess and Lily, are estranged, and her two teenage granddaughters have never been allowed to meet. A secret that echoes back thirty years has splintered the family in two, but is also the one thing keeping them connected. As tensions reach breaking point, the irrevocable choice that one of them made all those years ago is about to surface. Can one broken family find their way back to each other? (Orion)

Also out this month are The New Achilles by Christian Cameron (Orion), This is Only the Beginning by Cathy Kelly (Orion), Revolution by Megan DeVos (Orion) and Gentleman Sinner by Jodi Ellen Malpas (Orion).

Moving on to March which sees the publication of The Wrong Mother by Michel Bussi. Malone, a four year old boy, starts to claim that his mother isn’t his real mother. The school psychologist is the only one who believes him and he’s in a race against time to find out the truth. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

In Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela, Salma left Egypt for her Scottish husband, but when an old boyfriend messages her, she is tempted to risk the life she has worked so hard to build. Moni’s husband wants her to join him in SaudiArabia, but she is reluctant to uproot their disabled son. Iman is on her third husband; burdened by her beauty, she longs to be free. Together,they go on a trip to the Highlands. They are visited by the sacred Hoopoe bird, and begin to question how much they have sacrificed in the name of love. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Also out in March is The Scandal by Mari Hannah. When an young man is found stabbed to death in a side street in Newcastle city centre in the run up to Christmas, it looks like a botched robbery to DCI David Stone.  DS Frankie Oliver IDs the victim as Herald court reporter, thirty-two-year old Chris Adams she’s known since they were kids. With no eyewitnesses, the MIT are stumped. They discover that when Adams went out, never to return, he was working on a scoop that would make his name. As detectives  uncover a link to a missing woman that turns the investigation on its head, they find that the exposé has put more than Adams’ life in danger. And it’s not over yet. (Orion)

This month sees the publication of Shadows of Athens by J.M. Alvey. Ancient Athens. Philocles, an aspiring comic playwright, is making his living as a writer for hire; but this year is the highlight of his career – he has a play in the drama competition at the prestigious Dionysia Festival. The last thing he wants to find on his doorstep the day before is a body with its throat cut. With the play that could make his name on the horizon, Philocles must find out who this man is, why he has been murdered – and why the corpse was in his doorway. (Orion)

In Never Look Back by A.L. Gaylin, 1975 and 15-year-old April Cooper and her 18-year-old boyfriend went on a week-long killing spree, the pair apparently killed in a bloody shoot-out. In 2015, Robin Brennan’s parents have been involved in a shooting. Her father is dead, and hermother is in a critical state. But when Jameson Malloy, the host of Closure, a true crime podcast investigating the San Gabriel Valley murder, shows up, Robin soon learns that her parents were maybe not who they said they were. (Orion)

Finally this  month The Bad Mother’s Book Club by Keris Stainton is published.  Since moving to the seaside after her husband’s career change, Emma Chance’s life consists of the following: long walks on the beach (with the dog), early nights (with the kids) and Netflix (no chill). Bored and lonely, when Emma is cordially invited to the exclusive cool school-mums’ book club, hosted by Head of PTA and footballer’s wife, Jools Jackson, she thinks her luck may finally be about to change. She soon realises she may have made a grave mistake when she realises it’s all about books, and less about wine and gossip. After a few months and a few awkward moments involving a red wine on white carpet accident and a swear-word incident involving Jools’s daughter, Emma is ungraciously kicked out of the book club. She decides it’s about time she fights back against the shame and humiliation. Enlisting the help of some similar-thinking mums, Emma sets up her own book club – no cleaners, polite conversation or reading required: this is the Bad Mother’s Book Club. (Trapeze)

Also published are Kaddish.com by Nathan Englander (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), Swallowtail Summer by Erica James (Orion), Three Bullets by R.J. Ellory (Orion), An Italian Affair by Caroline Montague (Orion) and Annihilation by Megan DeVos (Orion).

On to April and Dignity by Alys Conran is published. Magda lives alone in her a huge house by the sea. A former scientist with a bad temper and a good dose of old fashioned British pride, she does not need help from anyone – despite her derelict house and her body’s many betrayals. With her sharp tongue, she gets through carers at a rate of knots. Until Susheela arrives. Susheela, it turns out, is in even more trouble than Magda. Still reeling from the recent death of her mum and trying to prop up her heartbroken dad, she finds herself falling for Ewan, a beautiful, fragile young man recovering from the brutal experience of war. The two women – seemingly separated by class, culture and time – strike up an unlikely and sometimes uneasy friendship. Memories slowly bring back to life the tragic figure of Magda’s mother, Evelyn, once a warm hearted, and free-spirited school teacher in rural England who had her innocent optimism ground away by a controlling husband and the misery of being a respectable member of the Raj’s ruling class – with devastating consequences. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

In The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose, Arky Levin has promised his dying wife that he will not visit her in hospital. She wants to spare him a burden that would curtail his creativity, but the promise is tearing him apart. One day he finds his way to MOMA and sees Mariana Abramovic in The Artist is Present. The performance continues for seventy-five days and, as it unfolds, so does Arky. As he watches and meets other people drawn to the exhibit, he slowly starts to understand what might be missing in his life and what he must do. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Also out in April is What She Saw Last Night by M.J. Cross Jenny Bowen is going home. Boarding the Caledonian Sleeper, all she wants to do is forget about her upcoming divorce and relax on the ten-hour journey through the night. She helps a panicked woman with a young girl she assumes to be her daughter. Then she finds her compartment and falls straight to sleep. Waking in the night, Jenny discovers the woman dead in her cabin … but there’s no sign of the little girl. The train company have no record of a child being booked on the train, and CCTV shows the dead woman boarding alone. The police don’t believe Jenny. She tries to put the incident out of her head and tells herself that everyone else is right: she must have imagined the little girl. But deep down, she knows that isn’t the truth. (Orion)

What will be a long-awaited sequal of sorts arrives this month. In The Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris, Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, the place that once rejected Vianne Roche, has finally become her home. With Rosette, her ‘special’ child, she runs her chocolate shop in the square, talks to her friends on the river, is part of the community. But when old Narcisse, the florist, dies, leaving a parcel of land to Rosette and a written confession to the priest, the life of the village is thrown into disarray. The opening of a mysterious new shop in the place of the florist’s, one that has a strange appeal of its own, seems to herald some kind of change: aconfrontation, a turbulence. Even, perhaps, a murder. (Orion)

In The Sound of Her Voice by Nathan Blackwell, Detective Matt Buchanan he has never forgotten the death of 14-Year old Samantha Coates. That innocent girl he just can’t get out of his head. He has probably been in the job too long. But when Buchanan pursues some fresh leads, it soon becomes clear he’s on the trail of something big. As he pieces the horrific crimes together, Buchanan finds the very foundations of everything he once believed in start to crumble. He’s forced across that grey line that separates right and wrong – into places so dark, even he might not make it back . . . (Orion)

Also out this month is Our Life in a Day by Jamie Fewery. Tom and Esme are about to play a game. The rules are simple. Choose the most significant moments from your relationship – one for each hour in the day. You’d probably pick when you first met, right? The moment you knew for sure it was love? But what about the car journey on the holiday where everything started to go wrong? Or your first proper fight? Or that time you lied about where you’d been? If you had to be completely honest with the one you love, would you still play? (Orion)

In Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, Queenie Jenkins can’t cut a break. Well, apart from the one from her long term boyfriend, Tom. That’s definitely just a break though. Definitely not a break up. Stuck between a boss who doesn’t seem to see her, a Carribbean family who don’t seem to listen (if it’s not Jesus or water rates, they’re not interested), and trying to fit in two worlds that don’t really understand her, it’s no wonder she’s struggling. She was named to be queen of everything. So why is she finding it so hard to rule her own life? (Trapeze)

Still in April and You Die Next by Stephanie Marland is published. A group of urban explorers stumble into a murderer’s kill room in a derelict film studio. Terrified, they run, thinking they are safe. Then a message appears on their video channel: Who dies next? As DI Dominic Bell and his team investigate the series of murders in hidden locations across London, they fail to find the connection between the victims. The only person who can help is Clementine Starke, an academic researching adult thrillseekers. However, Clementine is haunted by dark and violent obsessions, including her former relationship with DI Dominic Bell. Clementine and Dominic form an uneasy alliance to hunt the killer. But as they close in on their prey, and things turn personal, Clementine has to decide which side of the law she’s really on. (Trapeze)

Finally this month sees the publication of The Poisoner by Sharon Bolton. Florence Lovelady visits the man she put away formurder thirty years earlier. Larry Glassbrook is dying. Four child skeletons have been uncovered near a children’s home in Sabden, where  they met, and Larry isn’t buying the official line that these are ancient remains. Reasoning that Larry may be right and seeking the closure she has looked for all these years, Florence decides to return. Larry’s eldest daughter, Cassie, is liberated by the news of her father’s death. Now, at last, she is free to go back to her home town and win back the love of the man she lost thirty years earlier. And Cassie will stop at nothing to get him back. (Trapeze)

Also out this month is Commodus by Simon Turvey (Orion).

Onto May and The River by Peter Heller is published. Wynn and Jack have been best friends since their first day of college. They decide to take time off university and canoe down the Maskwa River in northern Canada. No phones. No fellow travellers. No way of going back. But a raging wildfire starts to make its way towards them their idyllic expedition becomes a desperate race for survival. And when a man suddenly appears, seemingly in a state of shock and claiming his wife has vanished, the fight against nature’s destructive power becomes entangled with a much deadlier game of cat and mouse. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Also out is Poison Ink by Alison Belsham. After old remains resurface in a heatwave, a young woman is attacked and left fighting for her life in hospital. 24 hours later she dies and a deadly tattoo is discovered on her body. When another young woman disappears, Detective Francis Sullivan and his team fear a serial killer walks the streets of Brighton. The suspect is Alex Mullins, son of his lover, Marni. Can Francis forget their shared past and save the next victim before it is too late? (Orion)

In You Can Take Her Home Now by Anna Jefferson, Emily Jones is a new mum: she’s bought the swank buggy, planned her labour soundtrack, read the books. Then her little girl actually arrives and Emily realises: she has all the gear, no idea – and only 12 months of maternity leave to figure it out. Lonely but not alone, it’s the women Emily befriends in this first year who really see her through to the other side. (Orion)

Also out this month is For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt. On their first date back in law school, Natalie and Will Clarke bonded over drinks, dinner and whether they could get away with murder. Now married, they’ll put the latter to the test when an unchecked danger in their community places their son in jeopardy. Shocked to discover Nat’s taken matters into her own hands, Will has no choice but to dirty his, also.  With the police poking holes in their airtight plan, what will be the first to fall apart: their scandalous secret – or their marriage? (Orion)

Still in May which sees Are We Nearly There Yet? by Lucy Vine published. Alice is turning thirty and is stuck in a rut. Her friends are settling down, while she’s still working as a temp, trying (and failing) not to shag her terrible ex, getting thrown out of clubs, and accidentally sexting her boss…She decides to throw caution to the wind and jets off on a round-the-world adventure to #FindTheFun and find herself. Of course, she’s no more likely to find the answer to true happiness on the beach in Thailand than she is at the electric beach in Tooting, but at least in Thailand there’s paddleboard yoga. Can Alice find happiness on her travels? Or is she more likely to lose herself all over again…? (Orion)

In Reader, I Married Me by Sophie Tanner Chloe Usher has just broken up with the love of her life. All her friends urge her to find another man before she disappears down the slippery slope to spinsterhood. One evening, after a particularly messy date and several gins, she realises she doesn’t need an ‘other half’ to complete her. She is enough, just as she is. So she announces that she is going to marry herself! The news goes viral and, in the sober light of day, Chloe finds herself thrust firmly into the public eye; suddenly she’s the spokesperson for all the single ladies out there. The reactions from her friends and family are mixed, with some thinking she’s completely lost the plot. Planning her wedding takes Chloe on a bumpy journey of self-discovery, showing the world that if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?! (Trapeze)

Still in May and Bonnie and Stan by Anna Stuart is published. Bonnie and Stan are soulmates. They met during the Swinging Sixties, to the soundtrack of The Beatles and the Merseybeat scene. Now they’ve grown up and grown old together, had children and grandchildren. They are finally building their dream home, when disaster strikes. Stan is running out of time, and can’t bear the thought of leaving Bonnie alone. Alongside his teenage granddaughter Greya, he forms a plan to find Bonnie a new love of her life. And she must never find out. (Trapeze)

Finally this month also sees the publication of The Woman Inside by E.G. Scott. Rebecca didn’t know love was possible until she met Paul, a man with a past as dark as her own. Their demons drew them together, but twenty years later, the damage and secrets that ignited their love begin to consume their marriage. When Paul catches the attention of the police after two women go missing, Rebecca discovers his elaborate plot to build a new life without her. Though she is quickly spiralling out of control, it doesn’t stop her from coming up with her own devastating plan for revenge… they made a promise to each other, afterall. (Trapeze)

Also published is Cape May by Chip Cheek (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), The Falling Sword by Ben Kane (Orion), The Disappearance by Katherine Webb (Orion) and My Mother’s Daughter by Ann O’Loughlin (Orion).

On to June which finds Call Him Mine by Tim MacGabhann published. Reporter Andrew and his photographer boyfriend, Carlos, are sick of travelling around Mexico in their battered jeep: from cartel massacres to corrupt politicians, they think they’ve seen it all. But when they find a body even the police are too scared to look at, what started out as just another reportage becomes the sort of story all reporters dream of. Then Carlos is murdered,leaving Andrew grief-stricken and flailing for answers, justice, and revenge. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

In The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo, Marilyn and David Sorenson fell in love in the 1970s, blithely ignorant of all that’s to come. By 2016, their four adult daughters are matching wits, harbouring grudges and recklessly igniting old rivalries. When a teenage boy, given upforadoptionyearsbefore,reappears,long- buried secrets threaten to erupt and reveal the family’s history. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

June sees the release of Tell Me Everything by Emma Rowley. Olivia is the domestic goddess-turned-internet sensation who has won millions of followers by sharing her picture-perfect life online. And now she’s releasing hertell-allautobiography. Nicky is the ghostwriter tasked with coaxing out the full story– including the tragic accident that  blighted Olivia’s golden childhood. But as she delves into Olivia’s life, Nicky discovers cracks in the glamorous façade.(Orion)

Alos out is the as yet untitled by Natalie Cox. Violet loves animals. In fact she prefers them to people–having grown up in an old-fashioned zoo where her best friends were an elephant and Lenny, the boy next door. Now Violet is the zoo’s director and Lenny has become famous presenting wildlife programmes from around the globe. Finally, after many years of rebuffing him, Violet has agreed to marry him. On one condition: Lenny must write her six letters while filming abroad. But what will the letters add up to? A love story–or something else altogether. (Orion)

Still in June and Twisted by Steve Cavanagh is published. Who is JT LeBeau? A bestselling crime writer, whose words have gripped the world. The only mystery greater than his stories is his true identity. One woman thinks she’s found him. Her husband has millions in the bank and a letter for the author. The truth is far more twisted. (Orion)

In For the Missing by Lina Bengtsbotter Nora’s daughter Annabelle has disappeared, last seen on her way home from a party. Gullspång’s inexperienced police are wilting under the national media spotlight– and its residents desperate for answers. Stockholm DI Charlie Lager must return home to find Annabelle, and then get out of town as soon as she can. Before everyone discovers the truth about her. (Orion)

Still in June and the debut Something to Live For by Richard Roper is published. Andrew works with death for a living. Searching for people’s next of kin and attending the funerals if they don’t have anyone,he’s desperate to avoid the same fate for himself. He has the perfect wife and 2 .4 children waiting at home for him after a long day. At least, that’s what he’s told people. But the little white lie he told is about to catch up with him. In all Andrew’s efforts to not die alone, he’s forgotten one important thing: how to live. And maybe, it’s about time for him to start. (Orion)

The second book in the Penelope Kite series, Death in Avignon by Serena Kent is out this month. When Penelope Kite attends the opening of an art exhibition on the arm of the gorgeous Mayor of St Merlot, it seems she is finally settling into life in Provence.But shockwaves ripple when an artist collapses afterchoking on an olive. A tragic accident?Or was he poisoned? Penelope is thrust once again into the middle of a murder investigation. (Orion)

Tightrope by Marnie Riches is out this  month. Having lost everything Beverley Sanders begins to do investigative work for other wronged women. As she immerses herself in her latest investigationon behalf of the wife of the shadow Science Minister, who is knee deep in corruption, Beverley soon discovers that she isn’t the only one doing the investigating, and Beverley has a secret history she doesn’t want coming out. (Trapeze)

In Somewhere Close to Happy by Lia Louis Lizzie James is happy. She has a steady office job, has had the same best friend since secondary school, and she sees her family every Thursday night for take-away and TV soaps. Until a letter arrives from her best friend, Roman. A letter dated 12 years ago, the exact day he went missing.  As Lizzie uncovers the secrets of the letter, she starts to discover what really happened the year herlife fell apart. Who sent her the letter,and what happened to Roman? (Trapeze)

Finally also published this month is Fugative 13 by Rob Sinclair. AydinTorkal– aka Sleeper 13– is on the run. Hunted not only by the world’s intelligence agencies, but also by the elite brotherhood of insurgents he betrayed, he has lived the past year like a ghost. Until now. MI6 agent Rachel Cox knows Aydin better than anyone.The only person who believes he is an ally not the enemy. So when a coded message arrives from him, warning her not to trust her own colleagues, Rachel must choose between her career and the truth. (Orion).

Lastly we come to July and Dolores by Lauren Aimee Curtis. Dolores has left her hometown and a boy called Angelo. A tablecloth pinned to her head as a makeshift veil, she is found outside a convent. She is given the name Delores. She doesn’t know if she wants to stay there forever. All she knows and she doesn’t tell anyone–is that the baby is coming.(Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Also out is The Sentence by Stephanie Scott. Inspired by a real case, The Sentence tells the story of Takashi, a wakaresaseya agent hired by a man to seduce his wife.Takashi falls in love with his target, Rina,and after the divorce she moves in with him,unaware of what he does for aliving. But can he live a lie, and what will happen when Rina discovers his past? (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Still in July in which The Reunion by Guillaume Musso is published. The French Riviera, 1992. On a freezing night,19-year-old Vinca Rockwell runs away with her philosophy teacher with whom she’s been having a secret affair. They are never seen again. The FrenchRiviera, spring 2017. Peviously inseparable, Fanny, Thomas and Maxime –Vinca’s best friends–haven’t spoken in twenty-five years. Then they receive a notice from their old school detailing plans for a new gymnasium, and inviting them to a class reunion. They know they must go back one more time. Because there ‘s a body buried in that building. And they’re the ones who hid it there. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Also out is Summer Reunion by Fanny Blake. When Miranda invites three of her old school friends to her beautiful villa in Majorca, it seems like an idyllic reunion. Having lost touch with each other over the years, the four women, now approaching their sixtieth birthdays, are drawn together by curiosity–and secret reasons for wanting to escape their normal lives for a weekend. However, Miranda’s motives for bringing them together might be more complicated than they imagine, and before they leave Majorca the four women will have to confront conflicting memories. (Orion)

In The Garden on Holly Street by Megan Attley, reeling from a breakup, Abby moves into Willow House to live by herself for the first time in thirty-six years. Lonely and in desperate need of something, she finds an unruly patch of garden. Over the course of a couple of months, Abby’s life will change because of this garden. And not, in all cases, for the better…) (Orion)

Five Steps to Happy by Ella Dove is out this month. In 2016, Ella was jogging along a canal path in East London. She tripped over and landed with her right leg at a horrifying angle. A man walking past stopped and called an ambulance, but refused to wait. When she finally got to hospital the surgeons discovered that the damage to her leg was irreparable. They amputated her leg below the knee. Inspired by these real life events this novel explores how unexpected events can effect your life, sometimes for the better. (Trapeze)

Finally this month sees the publication of The Little Vineyard in Provence by Ruth Kelly. Ava’s marriage  has been a lie. For five years her husband Mark has been squandering their money, and now he has left Ava and their daughter, Sophia, to fend for themselves with a mountain of debt. Just when Ava couldn’t feel any lower, she receives the news that her grandfather has passed away. They hadn’t seen each other for years, which is why Ava is shocked to learn he has left money to her sister, but his entire vineyard, Chateau Montrose, to her. But what does Ava know about making wine?(Trapeze)

Also published is Meet Me at the Riviera (Orion), as yet untitled by Veronica Henry (Orion), Red Queen Story Collection by Victoria Aveyard (Orion), Butterflies by Jemma Wallace (Trapeze) and Strings Attached by Erin Reinelt (Trapeze).

So there we have it, another fine list of books to expect next year. Let me know if any have caught your eye.