Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

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She has his dead wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. The author of The Family Plot brings her signature prose to a twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.

The Last Room on the Left by Leah Konen

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The caretaker at an isolated mountain hotel finds herself fighting for her life—and sanity—in this twisty, addictive thriller.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

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A group of young women in a home for unwed mothers in 1970s Florida who find a book to witchcraft—a guide which may just be the key to regaining their power or the source of their worst nightmares.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

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A twisty domestic thriller about an author who travels to a remote Scottish island to write his next book…only to run into a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

The Weekend Guests by Liza North

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In the vein of Lucy Foley’s chilling, atmospheric mysteries, a compulsive, psychological thriller about a group of old university friends whose seaside reunion will end in betrayal and murder.

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

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In this captivating atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow, a woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death while confronting the ghosts of her own haunted past.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

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A gut-wrenching story of motherhood, survival, and twisted expectations, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a snowbound thriller that will chill you to the bone.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay

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Two former serial killers trying to keep their past buried realize that old habits die hard in this “wildly original, razor-sharp thriller” (Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark).

Call Her Freedom by Tara Dorabji

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A sweeping family saga following one woman’s struggle to protect her culture and her family amidst the backdrop of a military occupation.

Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson

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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

Head Cases by John McMahon

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Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying―and commercial―series debut.

At The Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce

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A murderess becomes the guardian of two very unusual girls in this mesmerizing gothic novel from acclaimed author Camilla Bruce.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins in this electric, voice-driven debut novel about an elusive bestselling author who decides to finally confess her true identity after years of hiding from her past.

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

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A moving story about two very different sisters, and a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space.

The Perfect Home by Daniel Kenitz

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Fixer Upper meets Gone Girl in this suspenseful and witty domestic thriller set in the world of home renovation TV—featuring a woman who becomes public enemy #1 after a horrifying discovery prompts her to flee her celebrity husband with their twin babies.

Old Soul by Susan Barker

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The Historian meets Under the Skin in this searingly provocative literary horror novel about one woman’s determination to stay alive at any terrifying cost.

We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr

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Weaving the women’s stories across multiple timelines, We Rip the World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deep and lasting repercussions―especially when people stay silent.

The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang

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An empowering, uplifting tale of two women from opposite sides of society, and their extraordinary journey of sisterhood, betrayal, love and triumph.

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

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A billionaire is primed to announce the succession plan for his company to his family at a lavish reunion, but at least one person won’t make it through the week alive. . . Most family reunions end in tears. This one will end in murder.

The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn

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From the author of Cradles of the Reich comes a poignant and inspiring tale for fans of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The German Wife about resistance, friendship, and the dangers of propaganda, based on the real story of the Nazi “show camp” Theresienstadt.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

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From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow

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New from the author of Presumed Innocent, the #1 bestseller that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever.

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton

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Written in the same enchanting style and raucous humor that defines Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures, Tartufo is a reflection on the interconnectedness of life in all its manifestations—and how holding on to harmony in the face of hardship can grow something beautiful and rare beneath the surface.

The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas

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From esteemed author Julia Bryan Thomas comes a novel for readers who loved the fashion and glamour of The Second Life of Mirielle West and the clandestine intrigue of The Secrets We Kept, showcasing a journey to France through the eyes of a wide-eyed American orphan who becomes embroiled in an international espionage scheme.

What January releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 24 New Fiction Books Releasing In January 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Julia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hello, and thank you for inviting me to do this interview! I came to writing a little late. After studying Education in college, I worked as a primary school teacher for twenty-five years. Along the way, I was editing my husband’s Victorian mystery novels, the Barker and Llewelyn novels by Will Thomas. Although I tried writing several books of my own through the years, I wasn’t successful until 2016 when I published an English mystery with a small press, followed by a second in 2017. However, I wasn’t entirely comfortable writing crime fiction, so I applied to the Yale Writer’s Workshop in 2019 and was accepted. I came away from that experience with a new perspective on writing and realized that with my love of history and research, I was better suited to write historical fiction. My next book, The English Boys, was published by Sourcebooks Landmark in 2022, followed by The Radcliffe Ladies’ Reading Club in 2023. I’m fortunate to have an amazing publisher and my third historical fiction book, The Kennedy Girl, comes out in January. It’s definitely a dream come true.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I have wanted to write ever since I could hold a pencil. I was raised partly by my grandparents, and my grandmother was a voracious reader who wanted to write herself. She encouraged me to write stories and poems for her from the age of seven. She also gave me very eclectic books throughout my childhood, primarily classics and English novels ranging from Gavin Maxwell to Charles Dickens, so I was definitely guided by her to look at life in a very specific, English way.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The first book I ever remember reading was “The Little House” by Virginia Lee Burton. I love that story and always give a copy to the young people in my life.
• The one that made you want to become an author: The one that made me want to become an author was a book called “Patricia’s Secret” by Ruth Daggett Leinhauser. It’s the story of a girl who was raised by a pair of maiden aunts who has to go and live with the father she doesn’t know. I bought it myself for thirty-five cents from the Scholastic Book Order when I was eleven, and I read it over and over again for years. Like the protagonist, I didn’t know my father, and I had never heard anyone articulate what that felt like. I realized even at a young age that authors have a special ability to help us understand things that we can’t figure out on our own.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The book that I can’t stop thinking about was also given to me by my grandmother. It’s the 1957 novel On the Beach by Nevil Shute. It’s the story of a diverse group of people in Australia who are waiting for the deadly radioactive fallout to reach them after there has been a nuclear war in the Northern hemisphere. They have approximately nine months to live, and of course, different characters handle the situation in different ways. It’s a book of fear, love, longing, and despair, and yet somehow I always finish it feeling hopeful about humanity and the world around us. It’s the one book I wish everyone would read.

Your latest novel, The Kennedy Girl, is out January 14^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Intrigue, glamour, France, fashion, espionage.

What can readers expect?

The Kennedy Girl is a story about a character named Mia, who at nineteen, has the opportunity to become a model in Paris. She’s thrust into the world of fashion and learning what it’s like living in Paris in 1960, when she discovers she’s being used to pass information to Cold War operatives. She’s caught by the CIA and given no choice but to become further drawn into the dangerous world of espionage.

Where did the inspiration for The Kennedy Girl come from?

I love the 1950’s and 60’s. There is so much glamour in that era. As far as espionage goes, I’m a fan of Len Deighton, who wrote The Ipcress Files, but I love other spy novels and movies, as well, both classics and modern. I decided to challenge myself to write something using the fashion industry and the complicated world of international politics. It was a tremendously fun book to write.

Can you tell us a bit about your research process for The Kennedy Girl?

I had so much to learn and I like to use as many facts as I can. First, although I had a fairly good knowledge base about former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, with whom my protagonist is obsessed, I read five biographies just to make sure I got the right feel for this story, even though her appearance is brief. In college, I had also studied Political Science as well as Education, so I enjoyed delving back into the arena of world politics, with a particular focus on the tensions from the post-World War II era through the early 1960’s.

France itself is almost a character in the book, and I was able to draw inspiration from my trips there, as well as immersing myself once again in the culture through books. And of course, there was a great deal of research to be done to build a credible story that involved the world of espionage. I conducted a number of interviews and studied spy manuals to create a realistic, era-appropriate novel.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I think my favorite character to write was Chantal Fournier, a seventy-four-year-old Frenchwoman who is a lynchpin in the story. I loved her unique backstory: she was a widow who was escaping a difficult family and creating a life for herself at the age of sixty. However, she’s no average woman. She defines elegance, intelligence, and style. When I was writing her scenes, I felt that I had internalized everything I love about France and she was the result.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Like many writers, it can be a challenge to stay focused, so I have developed my own system. I keep a notebook and record how many words I have written so far, along with how many pages I have in the manuscript all together. It’s exciting to the see numbers shift every day and a visual reminder that what I’m working on is building and growing into a real book.

What’s next for you?

I’m in the early stages of another historical novel and am currently immersed in learning everything I can about the politics of the time. It takes place in New York and western Europe and will involve both mystery and adventure.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?

I’m looking forward to picking up a copy of All Fours by Miranda July, as well as Follow Me to Africa by South African writer Penny Haw. I’m hearing wonderful things about both of them.

Will you be picking up The Kennedy Girl? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Julia Bryan Thomas, Author of ‘The Kennedy Girl’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Julia Bryan Thomas’s The Radcliffe Ladies’ Reading Club, which is out June 6th!

Massachusetts, 1954. With bags packed alongside her heavy heart, Alice Campbell escaped halfway across the country and found herself in front of a derelict building tucked among the cobblestone streets of Cambridge. She turns it into the enchanting bookshop of her dreams, knowing firsthand the power of books to comfort the brokenhearted.

The Cambridge Bookshop soon becomes a haven for Tess, Caroline, Evie, and Merritt, who are all navigating the struggles of being newly independent college women in a world that seems to want to keep them in the kitchen. But when a member of the group finds herself shattered, everything they know about themselves will be called into question.

From the author of For Those Who Are Lost comes an extraordinary love letter to books and friendship, a story that is at once heart-wrenching, strengthening, and inspiring.

CHAPTER 1
September 1955

“Dread remorse when you are tempted to err, Miss Eyre; remorse is the poison of life.”
—­Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

It had been raining for hours and still a light pattering soaked the cobbled pavement, fallen leaves swimming in puddles all around. Alice Campbell walked down Simpson Street in one of the oldest parts of Cambridge, Massachusetts, not looking left nor right but straight ahead, waiting for the redbrick building to come into view. It was a beautiful place, the Cambridge Bookshop, her pride and joy. Lifting her umbrella, she took it all in: the cherry-­red door set at an angle at the corner; the glossy, black facade and trim; the simple, faded gilt letters spelling out BOOKS. When she opened the shop, there hadn’t been room to put the entire name on the plaque, leaving it perhaps a little nondescript. But Alice hadn’t minded. The people who were meant to buy her books would find their way inside.

A few titles were exhibited on shelves in the window, newer books that had just come out in the last few years: The Catcher in the Rye, The End of the Affair, and her favorite, From Here to Eternity. The store, however, was located on an unremarkable street without a dress shop or comfortable café nearby, leaving pedestrians to walk past without giving it a second glance. Nor did the titles displayed to passersby reflect the true nature of the bookshop, where both old and new books rested on the somewhat crooked shelves. That, too, did not matter. She had chosen her entire catalog herself. The bookshop and the books in it were her refuge, her life, her mission.

Two windows, also framed in black, were above the shop on the second story, where Alice had made a flat out of an old bookkeeper’s office. At night, she read there by lamplight; by day, she organized and ordered and occasionally sold a few books in her little shop downstairs. It was more than she had ever hoped for. Sometimes she wondered at her good fortune.

Stepping around puddles, she made her way to the door, fishing in her pocketbook for the key. It turned in the lock and she pushed the door open, the musty odor of books lingering in the air. After closing the door behind her, she folded her umbrella and slipped it into the stand, setting her bag on the counter. Every time she entered the room, she was overcome by its beauty. The walls were paneled in oak and the window casings were wide and generous, allowing a great deal of light into the room. The secondhand desk in a corner was made of mahogany and was quite grand, she thought, though Jack would have called it wormy. It’s true, it had seen better days, but she had polished it until it had a lustered sheen, and as far as she was concerned, the worn places only gave it character.

Alice removed her gloves and unbuttoned her raincoat, then hung it on a hook near the door. Before she locked the shop and went upstairs, she would choose a book to take with her to while away her evening. A box from Doubleday had arrived earlier, and she took a sharp knife from the top desk drawer and cut it open. Unfolding the stiff cardboard, she pulled back the flaps to find copies of a du Maurier novel, My Cousin Rachel, which she had been expecting. Nodding in satisfaction, she closed it again and wandered over to a nearly empty shelf where she had stacked several new copies of Jane Eyre. She took the one from the top of the pile and tucked it under her arm, wondering who would read it with her.

All around the world, she knew, were kindred spirits who reached for the same book on the same evening for comfort or affirmation, souls who found themselves in the pages of a book. But there were other readers too—readers who didn’t yet know who they were and how much a particular novel would mean to them. Alice felt it was her job to find them and give them a book.

She bolted the shop door, took her pocketbook from the desk, and turned off the lights before making her way upstairs. It had only been a few weeks since she had moved into the building, but already she knew the familiar creak of every stair.

The flat above was simply furnished: a bed against the far wall, a wardrobe, a table, and chair. She hadn’t a television or even a sofa, but there was an old chaise with cushions one could sink into and a trunk she had found at a secondhand shop that functioned as a perch for a teacup. In the second room, there was a makeshift kitchen, where she plugged in the electric kettle and set out a cup and saucer as she did at the end of most days.

Alice had never lived in Cambridge before. In fact, she had never even been to Massachusetts. After Jack, she had taken a map and traced her way as far from Chicago as she could get, loading her few possessions into suitcases and boarding the train to Boston. It was the most frightening, exciting thing she had ever done. It had taken her three weeks to find an empty shop and then another two as she cleaned it up sufficiently to house the books she had selected and ordered from publishers and used bookstores around the city.

After pulling a dressing gown from the wardrobe, she slipped it on over her dress as the kettle whistled. She brewed a cup of tea and took it to the chaise, where she sat down with her book. It lay unopened on her lap as she contemplated the silence. It was good to have a space to oneself where one could think and dream and plan. And there was much to plan, for it was to be a busy year if things turned out as she hoped.

Taking a sip of her tea, she leaned back into the cushions, lifted her new copy of Jane Eyre, and held it to her breast. It was hard to imagine it had been published in 1847, as fresh as it felt to her each time she read it. She understood the loneliness Jane must have felt has a child and even more the struggle to find her way in life. Brontë’s heroines, like so many women before and after, were often dependent upon the humor and indulgences of men. Alice’s sister lived in a twenty-­room mansion in Chicago, but at what expense? To have such a home meant to be as dependent as a child, and that was one thing Alice would never be again.

She opened the book to the first page, content in every way with her situation, and began to read.

The following day was Friday, a good day for a bookseller in Boston. In fact, it was a good day for booksellers everywhere. Readers came in with wages in their pockets and the desire to have a book companion for the weekend. She sold two copies of Catcher, a Hemingway, a Nancy Mitford that had only been in the shop for a few hours, and four used books she had picked up at a book stall a week earlier for a quarter apiece.

Around three o’clock, a young woman walked into the shop, and Alice glanced up from her seat behind the oak desk, where she was shuffling papers, writing down accounts. She nodded in greeting, loath to disturb anyone browsing through a bookshelf, though the girl didn’t respond. She was likely one of the college girls around town. They were near Radcliffe, after all. The girl wore a plain dress, with sensible shoes and a pair of dark tortoiseshell glasses. Alice tried to turn her attention back to the accounts, but she was interested in which shelves the girl explored. For a moment, she thought of handing her a copy of Jane Eyre and then stopped herself. This was not a kindred spirit, she could tell. This was a girl who wanted A Tree Grows in Brooklyn or another popular book of its ilk. Not that she disparaged readers of any sort, but she was looking for someone different.

Eventually, the girl turned away from the shelves and brought a book up to the desk. It had been previously owned, a slim volume of poetry, an altogether nice choice.

“That will be one dollar, please,” Alice said.

As the girl took a bill from her handbag, Alice placed the book upon a sheet of waxed brown paper, folding it carefully and tying it with a length of string. When she was finished, she took out an ink pad and stamped an image upon the package. “The Cambridge Bookshop” looked elegant in formal, ink-­dipped letters. One might not know the name of the shop when one went inside, but if one came out with a purchase, it was stamped upon the paper for everyone to see.

The girl glanced at a flyer on the desk and back at Alice.

“You’re having a book club?” she asked. “How does that work?”

Alice nodded. “Once a month, a small group will meet and discuss a different book.”

She picked up the flyer, which read:

The Cambridge Bookshop
is proud to host a Reading Club
Last Thursday of each month
Serious book lovers only
Inquire if interested

“Will it be a classic?”

“Most of the time, yes,” Alice replied. “In September, we’ll be reading Jane Eyre.”

“May I take this?” the girl said, reaching for the paper. “I’ll talk to my friends and see what they say.”

“Of course,” Alice replied, wondering if she had misjudged the girl. “Let me know by next week if you’re interested.”

The next few days were unremarkable, although satisfying in their own way. Alice loved having a routine, and her days had little variation. Coffee, toast, and the newspaper, in which she read only the fashion page. Selling and ordering books in the morning. Exploring Cambridge during her lunch hour, walking through parks and peering in shop windows until she came upon the luncheonette, where she usually ordered a ham on rye or chicken salad at the counter. Afternoons were spent going over the accounts, followed by no small amount of daydreaming over what to read next. She was anxious about only one thing: to know with whom she would share Jane Eyre, wondering if the girl who took the flyer would return with her friends. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long.

She knew them the moment she saw them. The weather was as sunny and bright that afternoon as it had been rainy the previous one. Alice was washing the windows, which looked as if they hadn’t been cleaned in years, when four girls, smiling and talking, arms linked, came down the street and stopped at the door. A moment later, they stepped inside and Alice smiled in greeting, as if they were very old friends. They were young—not even twenty, if she was correct—and obviously Cliffies. One, a beautiful blond, even wore a sweater with the Radcliffe emblem on the front. She couldn’t have been happier to see them.

“Hello!” Alice said in greeting. “Welcome to the Cambridge Bookshop.”

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