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The best books to look out for in 2025, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Adam Kay
Start planning your reading list for next year with Katie Rosseinsky’s guide to the new novels and non-fiction you shouldn’t miss
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Your support makes all the difference.Make sure you’ve got plenty of space on your bookshelves, because next year marks the release of a whole load of literary treats.
Fiction fans should keep an eye out for the return of literary heavyweights such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Stephen King and Eimear McBride, as well as a clutch of exciting debuts and hotly anticipated second novels from some of the most talked-about writers in recent years including Natasha Brown and Torrey Peters.
Plus, there’s fascinating non-fiction from the likes of historian Hallie Rubenhold, whose latest book will appeal to true crime lovers, and memoirs from Bill Gates – and even the Pope.
Your “to read” pile is about to get much, much bigger. Here’s our guide to the books you can’t miss in 2025.
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s first novel in more than a decade is undoubtedly among the most anticipated literary events of 2025. Dream Count, which comes 12 years after the release of Americanah, tells the interconnected stories of four Nigerian women, grappling with the choices and sacrifices they have made and how those decisions have shaped them. Expect everyone to be talking about this one come autumn. 4 March, Fourth Estate
So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne
Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi are four university friends living very different lives now that they’re in their thirties. When they’re reunited at a baby shower in swelteringly hot weather, things get tense. By the end of the day, everything is in flames – literally. Holly Bourne has a real knack for unpicking the bits of the female experience that we’re not meant to talk about, and this punchy exploration of the motherhood divide will likely be no exception. 16 January, Hodder & Stoughton
Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen by Hallie Rubenhold
Hallie Rubenhold’s books force us to look anew upon the historical cases we think we know. Her brilliant 2019 release The Five dismantled misogynistic myths about Jack the Ripper’s victims, and now Story of a Murder will reexamine the gruesome 1910 killing of music hall star Belle Elmore and the manhunt for the prime suspect, her husband Dr Crippen. Once again, Rubenhold gives voice to the women who’ve been silenced by history. 27 March, Doubleday
John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs by Ian Leslie
Shining fresh light on one of, if not the most well-known musical partnership of all time is no mean feat, but that’s exactly what Ian Leslie pulls off with John & Paul. Beginning with their first meeting in a church garden in Woolton, Liverpool circa 1957, Leslie charts the ups and downs of Lennon and McCartney’s friendship, using the music they made as a map. Certainly, this is one for fans of Craig Brown’s much-loved One, Two, Three, Four: The Beatles in Time. 27 March, Faber
Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
Disowned by her mum and dumped by her lover, Nadia decides to accept a United Nations job in Iraq where she’s responsible for rehabilitating Isis women. When she meets Sara, who joined Isis as a teenager, the pair form an instant connection, bonding over their shared backgrounds and similar personalities. Then Sara shares a big secret, one that forces Nadia to make an impossible decision. Fundamentally deftly balances searing humour with weighty questions about belief, ethics and international aid. 25 February, W&N
Love in Exile by Shon Faye
Shon Faye grew up with the feeling that love was something for other people, not for her; her experience as a trans woman only heightened that fear. In Love in Exile, Faye exposes the narrowness of our ideals of love, how we contort ourselves to fit in, and how those ideals have sprung from capitalist culture. The result is a brilliantly perceptive manifesto on love in all its forms. 6 February, Allen Lane
Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal
Gurnaik Johal is only in his mid-twenties, but already he has picked up a clutch of literary prizes for his short stories. Anticipation is high, then, for his first novel Saraswati, named after the sacred river that once flowed through Punjab. When Satnam returns to his ancestral village, a discovery sets off a scheme to unearth the holy river. It’s a journey that will cause his story to intertwine with those of six very different relatives. Saraswati is a debut to look out for. 12 June, Profile
Maternity Service by Emma Barnett
Isn’t the term maternity leave a bit of a misnomer, when mothers spend this period constantly switched on? After the birth of her second child, BBC Radio 4 broadcaster Emma Barnett set out to candidly and compassionately chronicle the reality of maternity leave in real time, hoping to capture the rollercoaster ups and downs of this unique time in a parent’s life, and how it can impact a woman’s sense of identity and purpose. 13 March, Fig Tree
Universality by Natasha Brown
Natasha Brown’s debut novel Assembly might’ve only been 112 pages long, but it packed a serious punch. In her follow-up, Universality, Brown is again grappling with questions of wealth and power in her now-trademark spare, acute prose. When a man is bludgeoned to death with a gold bar, one journalist tries to dig up the truth. Her exposé goes viral, but it prompts more questions than it answers. 13 March, Faber
Dianaworld: An Obsession by Edward White
In the almost 30 years since her death, Diana, Princess of Wales, has been depicted in countless screen dramas, biographies and think pieces. Dianaworld promises a different take on the people’s princess, exploring not just her life but those of the people in her orbit, and the present-day devotees who maintain her status as a cultural icon, from drag performers and Britain’s ethnic minority communities to Gen Z superfans on social media. 8 May, Allen Lane
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
What if the dutiful governess was actually a bloodthirsty killer? Virginia Feito turns Victorian tropes upside down in this gloriously grotesque period horror. Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House tasked with preparing young Andrew for boarding school and teaching teenage Drusilla all about ladylike decorum. Little do her employers know that there are murderous intentions lurking under Winifred’s sensible gowns and dowdy hairdo. The film rights have already been snapped up, with The Substance’s Margaret Qualley set to star. 13 February, Fourth Estate
Stag Dance by Torrey Peters
Her 2021 debut Detransition, Baby was one of the most talked-about releases of that year, and later ended up on The New York Times’s prestigious list of the 100 best books of the 21st century. Now, Torrey Peters is back with a quartet of tales exploring the trans experience, past, present and future. It’s as innovative, insightful, funny, and confronting as we’ve come to expect from Peters’s work. 13 March, Profile
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman
Sarah Harman’s debut thriller was so in demand that it prompted a nine-way auction in the industry. No wonder, because it is an absolutely wild ride: imagine if the writers of Motherland tried their hands at a missing person mystery. Florence is a washed-up girl band star and single mum to 10-year-old Dylan; they both stick out like sore thumbs at the gates of his Sloaney private school. When one of Dylan’s most obnoxious classmates vanishes on a school trip, he becomes the prime suspect, prompting his mum to turn amateur sleuth. 10 April, Fourth Estate
Gunk by Saba Sams
Saba Sams’s short story collection, Send Nudes, caused a stir upon its release in 2022. Since then, she’s won the BBC National Short Story Award and been named one of Granta’s best young British novelists, so it’s safe to say that expectations are high for her debut novel. Gunk is set around a scuzzy student nightclub in Brighton and explores the tangled mess of relationships that emerge between exes Jules and Leon, and 19-year-old bar staffer Nim. 8 May, Bloomsbury
Nobody Can Give You Freedom: The Real Mission of Malcolm X by Kehinde Andrews
Coinciding with the centenary of the civil rights leader’s birth, Nobody Can Give You Freedom sees Kehinde Andrews debunk some of the myths that have clouded and confused Malcolm X’s legacy in the years since his assassination. Andrews looks afresh at his philosophy and activism, aiming to shine a light on his political mission at a time when it feels especially urgent. 1 May, Allen Lane
Resistance by Steve McQueen
The visionary filmmaker and artist Steve McQueen looks back at 100 years of activism in Britain. He begins with the rise of the suffrage movement at the start of the 20th century, before spotlighting moments such as the Black People’s Day of Action (previously explored in his brilliant 2021 documentary Uprising) and the Miners Strike. The book, then, concludes with the 2003 protests against the war in Iraq. McQueen has compiled an array of fascinating photos as well as firsthand accounts and contributions from journalist Gary Younge, cultural theorist Paul Gilroy, and Baroness Chakrabarti to paint a compelling picture of protest in Britain. 13 February, Fourth Estate
Albion by Anna Hope
A group of siblings gather at their sprawling family estate in the wake of their father’s death, each one with very different ideas about how to bring their ancestral seat into the 21st century. Their mismatched convictions will put them on a collision course, which threatens to expose secrets and tear apart their dreams. There are shades of both Succession and Saltburn at play here, with Albion promising more of the emotional acuity that Anna Hope wielded so well in 2019’s Expectation. 1 May, Fig Tree
When The Going Was Good by Graydon Carter
Graydon Carter, former editor of Vanity Fair and co-founder of satirical magazine Spy, looks back on an extraordinary career in publishing, which just so happened to coincide with what he hails as “the last golden age of magazine publishing”. Expect a razor-sharp take on the New York media world and modern celebrity culture, with plenty of glorious gossip. Anyone who lapped up the diaries of Carter’s VF predecessor, Tina Brown, will love this. 27 March, Grove Press
Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms by Nicola Slawson
From the so-called “singles tax” to the unsolicited advice from over-zealous family members (not to mention strangers), navigating the world solo can be tough, but there’s plenty to love about singledom, too. Journalist Nicola Slawson has been writing about solo life in her Substack newsletter The Single Supplement for years. Now, she’s compiled a frank, thoughtful book to take you through the ups and downs – and help you find joy in your single status. 13 February, Headline
Free by Amanda Knox
Amanda Knox spent almost four years in an Italian prison after being wrongfully convicted of the murder of her flatmate Meredith Kercher, a case that garnered press attention around the world and cast her as a tabloid villain. Her memoir reflects on that stint in jail, but it also explores how Knox has readjusted to life post-exoneration, trying her hand at normality while her name remains etched in the public consciousness. 25 March, Headline
The Names by Florence Knapp
How do our names shape who we become? It’s an intriguing question, and one that’s cleverly explored in the debut novel from Florence Knapp. Cora sets out to register the birth of her son, and pauses before deciding upon his name. Her husband expects they will call the boy after him, in keeping with family tradition, but does she want the baby to be weighed down by this legacy? What follows is a sliding doors story, exploring three different versions of a life. 8 May, Phoenix
Never Flinch by Stephen King
The master storyteller is back with a novel rooted in two intertwined storylines. One follows a celebrity feminist activist targeted by a stalker; the other is about an anonymous letter writer threatening to kill 14 people in a twisted act of revenge. King brings back one of his most compelling characters, Holly Gibney, and introduces us to a load of brilliant new creations, too. 27 May, Hodder & Stoughton
Hope by Pope Francis
The publication of Hope will mark the first time that a sitting Pope has ever released an autobiography (originally, Pope Francis intended for it to be unveiled after his death). As well as charting his childhood in Argentina and his early days as a Jesuit priest, this memoir will see the Pope candidly discuss some of the major moments and controversies of his papacy. 14 January, Viking
Sweat by Emma Healey
The best-selling author of Elizabeth is Missing returns with a new page-turner tackling coercive control and fitness addiction. Liam and Cassie seem like a perfect couple, but in reality, he is dominating every aspect of her life, planning out her diet down to every last calorie and macro, and obsessing over her exercise regime. Years after their breakup, Liam walks into the gym where Cassie is now working. This time, she’s the one with the power – and she’s out to get him back. It’s both a gripping revenge thriller and a razor-sharp examination of wellness culture. 30 January, Hutchinson Heinemann
Source Code: My Beginnings by Bill Gates
The first memoir from Bill Gates is something of an origin story for the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire and philanthropist. Source Code sees the 69-year-old look back at his outsider childhood in Seattle, his early fascination with computing, and his famous decision to drop out of Harvard to forge a career in a fledgling industry, a choice that would change his life and shape his mythology. 4 February, Allen Lane
The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The latest book from Pulitzer Prize finalist Ta-Nehisi Coates sees the author travelling to three sites of conflict: Dakar in Senegal, where he grapples with the past and the present, Columbia in South Carolina, where his own books have been banned, and Palestine. In each location, Coates seeks to explore how the stories we tell ourselves can shape the real world, with often destructive consequences. 6 February, Hamish Hamilton
The City Changes Its Face by Eimear McBride
The new novel from Women’s Prize winner Eimear McBride is a follow-up of sorts to 2016’s The Lesser Bohemians. That said, it reads just as well as a standalone piece, too. McBride turns her attention back to 19-year-old Eily and 39-year-old Stephen, a couple consumed by the rush of new love. Eighteen months later, the pair reflect on their two-year romance now that initial spark has faded and reality has intruded. 13 February, Faber
Good Anger: Positive Aggression, and Why the World Needs it by Sam Parker
Over the past few years, we’ve made great strides in coming to terms with and talking about the more difficult of human emotions. Perhaps one of the trickiest, though, is anger, which remains something of a taboo. In Good Anger, journalist Sam Parker explores how we can better understand this most stigmatised feeling, and how harnessing its power in a positive way might just improve our lives. 5 June, Bloomsbury
A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay
His bracingly honest, wildly successful memoir of life as a junior doctor spawned a TV show that got everyone talking. Now comedian and writer Adam Kay is turning his hand to fiction, also set in the medical world. Doctor Eitan Rose is the only person at his hospital who suspects foul play when a particularly nasty colleague suffers a fatal heart attack, and his convictions only harden when another co-worker dies in similar circumstances. Is he on to something, or is he losing the plot? 11 September, Trapeze
Hark: How Women Listen by Alice Vincent
Women are often told that they’re good listeners (almost as much as they’re told that they’re supposed to be good at multitasking) – but what do their worlds really sound like? How do they navigate the noise made by men? And conversely, what happens when they feel unheard? In Hark, Alice Vincent sets out to explore how sound can be restorative, and whether listening more deeply might help us reconnect to ourselves and others. 1 May, Canongate
Dream State by Eric Puchner
Reports of the death of the Great American Novel have been vastly overstated: just look at brilliant recent efforts like Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead or Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Long Island Compromise. Another decade-spanning epic that’s already getting publishers excited is Eric Puchner’s Dream State. It’s set in Montana and traces how the events of one summer shape the lives of three friends and their children, who are vying to escape from their parents’ legacies. 8 May, Sceptre
Dark Like Under by Alice Chadwick
This hypnotically written debut unfolds over a single day at a secondary school in the Eighties. A group of pupils are left reeling when they learn of the sudden death of a beloved teacher, tragic news that only exacerbates the tensions in the teenagers’ fraught friendships and tentative romantic relationships. It’s the sort of haunting novel that sticks in your mind long after you’ve put it down. 27 February, Daunt Books
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
The Booker Prize-winning author of The God of Small Things reflects on the 2022 death of her mother in her first memoir. Arundhati Roy’s relationship with Mary, a teacher and activist, was a knotty one that echoed throughout her fiction. In Mother Mary Comes to Me, Roy attempts to process her feelings towards the woman that she distanced herself from when she turned 18, and deals with grief, the intensity of which surprised her and left her “more than a little ashamed”. The book promises to excavate all the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship. 4 September, Hamish Hamilton
We Were Promised the Moon by Vicky Spratt
House prices have skyrocketed, and so has the cost of basic amenities. Even those on what were once considered solid incomes are struggling from month to month, let alone those with lower salaries. Vicky Spratt’s first book Tenants focused on the housing crisis; now she’s exploring how the steady erosion of living standards has defined the lives of millennials and Gen Z, who were sold a vision of adulthood that now feels near-impossible. 14 August, Fourth Estate
The Violet Hour by James Cahill
Critic James Cahill’s second novel is set against the glittering backdrop of the art world. Its protagonist, Thomas Haller, has the career that most artists only dare to dream of: high-profile shows, wealthy backers and international glory. But his fame is built on a lie, and it’s about to start unravelling. An intriguing look at an industry built on appearances. 27 February, Sceptre
I Make My Own Fun by Hannah Beer
Marina is an A-list actor with a picture-perfect life. Behind the scenes, however, she’s a total nightmare, terrorising her personal assistant with her wild demands and vacillating emotions. When she meets Anna in a bar, she becomes obsessed to the point of desperation– and soon learns there are some things that can’t be bought. Hannah Beer’s debut is a riotous dissection of celebrity culture that goes in directions you won’t expect. 6 March, Atlantic
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