It may only be the first week of the year, but there’s already plenty of discussion about what the biggest best-sellers of 2024 are likely to be.
Romantasy, Second World War anniversary recollections and a celebration of Jane Austen are likely to be among the hot book trends of 2025.
“Romance has been absolutely huge this year, particularly what we call spicy romance,” says Bea Carvalho, head of books at Waterstones.
“Next year, we’ve got books coming from big-name authors including Jojo Moyes, Emily Henry and Taylor Jenkins Reid.”
New publications are also expected to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.
Meanwhile, in health and wellbeing, manifesting is still drawing readers, with a new book from self-help guru Paul McKenna.
Here are just a few of the books to look out for in 2025 - according to the experts at Waterstones.
17. Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld (Doubleday, Feb 27)
The acclaimed author homes in on urban Midwesterners dealing with middle-aged disillusionment in this amusing collection of stories featuring moving moments, moral dilemmas, comedy and life lessons. | Contributed
18. The Seventh Floor by David McCloskey (Swift Press, Jan 30)
Fans of espionage thrillers should bag a copy of the third part in this series from the former CIA officer which began with Damascus Station, followed by Moscow X. This is focused on a Russian mole hidden within the the CIA, with the plot bouncing between Langley and the Kremlin. | Contributed
19. Death At The White Hart by Chris Chibnall (Penguin Michael Joseph, Mar 27)
Watch out for this debut novel from the award-winning writer of the hit TV series Broadchurch. He brings that expertise to the novel form, set in a small-town community in the South West, in which a city CID detective moves back to Dorset and straight into a murder mystery. | Contributed
20. Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine (HarperCollins, Apr 24)
He’s written romantic fiction and assorted memoirs and now the popular radio and TV presenter leaps into the world of crime, with his debut murder mystery about a killer on the airwaves. | Contributed