Bookish newness: August 2024
Cat-and-mouse mind games, filthy-rich treachery, and mutilated bodies
The summer season in the publishing world is heating up and shows no signs of slowing down, with a slew of thrilling, horrifying, and puzzling books about to hit the shelves.
I’ve compiled a list of nine new releases I am truly excited about. From eerie retreats and filthy-rich treachery to intense cat-and-mouse mind games, these books span my favourite genres: crime fiction, noir, thrillers, and horror. I’ve kept each synopsis short and punchy to give you a taste of what’s to come.
So, if, like me, you’re ready for a summer packed with deliciously spine-tingling stories, keep on scrolling.
(Pssst! Before you do, it’s worth noting these books are organised by UK publication release dates.)
August 2024
I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay | 1 August 2024
Teacher Richard Boyle never expected to face a life-or-death situation, but when a former student, Mark LeDrew, arrives at school with a bomb, Richard's quick thinking prevents a tragedy, earning him hero status. However, his newfound fame attracts a dangerous blackmailer with a vendetta. As events spiral out of control, Richard becomes entangled in a web of accusations and secrets, realising that everyone in his town is hiding something. Trusting the wrong person could cost him everything he loves.
Publisher: HQ (HarperCollins Publishers) | Page count: 352
Bookshop.org / Waterstones / Amazon
The Unmothers by Leslie J. Anderson | 6 August 2024
Marshall, still grieving her husband's death, is sent by her editor to the remote town of Raeford to investigate an unbelievable rumour: a horse giving birth to a human baby. Upon arrival, she discovers a community that treats its famous horses better than its own residents. When two mutilated bodies - a horse and a human - are found, she realises there's more to the rumour than she thought. Marshall's grip on reality wavers as she delves deeper into Raeford's secrets. Is she losing her mind or uncovering a dark secret that has haunted the women of Raeford for generations?
Publisher: Quirk Books | Page content: 320
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
Whitesands by Johann Thorsson | 8 August 2024
Detective John Dark's daughter has been missing for two years, and his actions in his desperate search to find her cost him his job. Suddenly reinstated to the homicide department, Dark is assigned a chilling case: a man kills his wife in their locked home and then dresses her body to resemble a deer. Dark finally starts making progress when a similar tragedy surfaces, linking the suspects to a thirty-year-old missing persons' case. However, a new lead on his daughter's disappearance emerges, threatening to derail his career again. With time running out, Dark must solve the case to prevent more deaths and retain hope of finding his daughter.
Publisher: Canelo | Page count: 336
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
The Group by Sigge Eklund (translated by Rachel Wilson-Broyles) | 8 August 2024
When Hanna moves to Spain for an internship at the prestigious Prado Gallery, she spends her days in the museum's stifling archives and her nights alone in a tiny flat. One day, she encounters Tom, Samuel, and Leah - glamorous, wealthy foreigners whose lives are filled with creativity and hedonism. When Hanna discovers an uncatalogued 17th-century etching in the archive, her decision to act on it changes everything. From the sultry streets of Madrid to luxurious Mediterranean villas and exclusive art parties, Hanna's journey toward her deepest desires intensifies, leading to a gripping tale of hidden identity and obsession.
Publisher: Ithaka Press (Bonnier Books Ltd) | Page count: 304
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning | 8 August 2024
Willow needs an escape. A former sitcom star, she's been publicly shamed online after posting something she shouldn't have. Seeking refuge, she checks into Camp Castaway, an adults-only retreat in the woods. On the first night, campers gather around the fire to share ghost stories, and Willow hears about Knock Knock Nancy - a local legend of a witch brutally beheaded in the woods. The legend says her spirit knocks on doors at night; if you answer, she'll take your head. Willow dismisses it as nonsense, but when a camper mysteriously vanishes the next day and hears knocking on her cabin door that night, she begins to fear there might be truth to the tale.
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd | Page count: 368
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell | 13 August 2024
Alex Marks moves to New York City for a fresh start, maintaining a quiet life until her childhood hero, advice columnist Francis Keen, is murdered. Impulsively applying for and securing Francis's job, Alex excels but soon receives threatening letters. As she investigates Francis's unsolved murder, she realises everyone around her, including her boss, could be a suspect. Delving deeper, Alex uncovers dangerous secrets, leading her to Francis's summer house, where the killer may be waiting.
Publisher: Atria Books (Simon & Schuster Ltd) | Page count: 304
Blood Like Mine by Stuart Neville | 15 August 2024
Rebecca Carter and her daughter, Moonflower, travel the American West, constantly hiding and leaving bodies in their wake. FBI Special Agent Marc Donner has been tracking this elusive killer for two years, noting the pattern of male victims found with their throats slit and spinal cords severed. With minimal clues and only a few CCTV sightings of a middle-aged woman with a van, Donner finally catches a break. A cat-and-mouse game ensues between Donner and Rebecca, but as he gets closer, he begins to suspect that Moonflower might not be the child she seems, and he might be unprepared for the true nature of his prey.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Ltd | Page count: 432
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jónasson | 22 August 2024
The Akureyri Sanatorium, a former tuberculosis hospital, now stands mostly abandoned, haunted by its dark history. Six employees remain: a caretaker, two doctors, two nurses, and a young research assistant. Despite the wards closing decades ago, they remain at the hospital to conduct research. When nurse Yrsa is found brutally murdered, they all find themselves suspects. Two decades later, criminologist Helgi Reykdal reopens the unresolved case, determined to uncover the truth and finally lay the ghosts of the sanatorium to rest.
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd | Page count: 320
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson | 22 August 2024
Jackson Brodie returns for his sixth outing in Atkinson’s popular crime series. Stranded by a snowstorm at the crumbling Burton Makepeace, a diverse group of characters – including a vicar, an Army major, and a Dowager – are wrapped up in a mystery only Brodie and DC Reggie Chase can solve. The estate is haunted by the theft of a Turner painting years ago, with the housekeeper suspected of the crime. Now Jackson finds himself investigating the recent theft of "The Woman with a Weasel" from a deceased widow’s home. Could the cases be linked? Meanwhile, a convicted murderer roams the moors, and the estate soon ends up in chaos.
Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd | Page count: 336
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
This is just a glimpse of what August has to offer. Share the books you’re most excited about in the comments below. I'm always eager to expand my already-packed TBR list…
As always, happy reading!
Until next time,Â
Sian | Criminally Creepy Books
Any links mentioned above are non-affiliated, and I do not make any money from these companies. These are the places I shop at regularly. No affiliations, just recommendations!