One of the most buzzed-about books for 2024 is Green Dot (out 1 February) and it’s a gulp of a read thanks to Gray’s fizzing protagonist, Hera. A twentysomething adrift in the universe, Hera falls for married co-worker, Arthur, truly believing he will leave his wife for her (what could go wrong?). Hera’s longing, hope and pop culture references (everything from The Wire to Rupi Kaur and British pub opening times are used for proper laughs) make it one of the most entertaining reads we’ve had in a long time. 

Shop Green Dot by Madeleine Gray (W&N) at Bookshop, £16.99

Oooh, have you got a treat in store… The Ministry Of Time (out 14 May) is an assured and fun debut from British Cambodian author Bradley. The British government has discovered time travel (terrifying) and, instead of messing with future timelines, they’re bringing individuals from the past into the present (they prefer the term ‘expats’ to ‘refugees’, obviously). Mix in a rather attractive Arctic explorer (born circa 1809), notions of what home truly means, a sinister political plot right out of 2023 and a love affair to leave you reeling… and you’ve got one of our books of the year. 

Shop The Ministry Of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Sceptre) at Bookshop, £16.99

With a glowing recommendation from the late, great Hilary Mantel, The Painter’s Daughters (out 29 February) is a historical novel that weaves fact and fiction into a haunting novel of love, madness and family secrets. Based on Thomas Gainsborough’s famous portraits of his daughters Peggy and Molly, it’s an incredible first novel from Howes that’ll leave you scouring the real-life paintings for clues. 

The Painter’s Daughters by Emily Howes (Phoenix) at Bookshop, £20

Phoebe McIntosh’s must-read Dominoes (out 7 March) started life as a one-woman show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018 and has now morphed into a compulsively timely novel. Black woman Layla and white guy Andy are tickled to discover they both have the same surname, fall in love and start counting down the days to their wedding. However, Layla’s switched-on best friend, Sera, wants her to stop and think about why they have shared names and what it means for her own history and sense of self… 

Shop Dominoes by Phoebe McIntosh (Chatto & Windus) at Bookshop, £16.99

Completely lose yourself in the transporting Manny And The Baby from writer and journalist Varaidzo (out 11 April). Flitting between two eras: Bath just before the 2012 Olympics and 1930s London, its cast of characters includes Itai, who’s unravelling his father’s past via his old audio tapes; Rita (The Baby), a dancer longing for the spotlight; and her intellectual big sister, Manny. Bound together by music and talent and a sweeping backdrop of world history, it’s an uplifting ode to the power of family and enduring love. 

Shop Manny And The Baby by Varaidzo (Scribe) at Bookshop, £16.99

Shop Nuclear Family by Kate Davies (Borough) at Bookshop, £16.99

Kiley Reid’s breakout book, Such A Fun Age, was a brilliant read thanks to its piercingly tricky central relationship between babysitter Emira and her oblivious boss, Alix. In Come And Get It (out 30 January), multi-layered and complex relationships between seriously flawed characters once again take centre stage as its narrative smartly delves into racism, social and economic status, and university campus politics in the 21st century. A perfect read for anyone who loved Netflix’s brilliant The Chair and Jean Hanff Korelitz’s Admission. 

Shop Come And Get It by Kiley Reid (Bloomsbury) at Bookshop, £16.99

A psychological horror for Generation Rent, The Lodgers (out 1 February) is the first novel from poet Holly Pester. Alternating between one woman’s experience of subletting an anonymous, badly furnished flat (complete with a wonky bottom drawer) overlooking her mother’s house and her obsession with a shared house she’s just left, this brief but captivating read will wickedly resonate with anyone who’s had to navigate precarious and depressing lettings. 

The Lodgers by Holly Pester (Granta) at Bookshop, £14.99

Following up last year’s rollicking Moonlight And the Pearler’s Daughter, this new historical mystery from Pook (out 1 February) is a taut and riveting adventure that sees Maude Horton set out to discover the mystery behind her fearless sister’s disappearance. Armed with scientific knowledge instilled by their apothecary grandfather, Maude ventures into London’s real-life underbelly of criminals and untrustworthy aristocracy with pleasing aplomb. The jaw-dropping cliffhangers mean it’s hard not to read it in a single sitting. 

Shop Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook (Picador) at Bookshop, £16.99

Tony is a Chinese-born father who takes a job as a doorman in America, Tammy is his tenacious daughter and Oliver is a rich lawyer who lives in the prestigious building where Tony works. All three of these characters’ lives become intertwined as Luo explores past and present, tense family relationships and shock acts of violence and desire. It’s beautifully written and thought-provoking (out 21 March). 

Shop Paper Names by Susie Luo (Verve) at Bookshop, £9.99

Following up the bestselling Cleopatra And Frankenstein wasn’t going to be easy but Mellors’ Blue Sisters (out 25 May) is instantly compelling. Avery, Bonnie and Lucky are floundering, hiding their emotions from themselves, the people they love and each other. And with good reason: their fourth sister, Nicky, has died. Spanning the Upper West Side to the fashion haunts of Paris via addiction, motherhood and desire, prepare to be swept along completely by Mellors’ forthright style. 

Shop Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors (4th Estate) at Waterstones, £16.99

The prize-winning, bestselling author of Peaces and Gingerbread is back with this highly anticipated and almost undefinable novel (out 1 February). A story about Prague (where Oyeyemi now lives), its history, its present and the varied inhabitants, which the city itself narrates and reflects on. You see? We can’t do it justice – just settle back and allow yourself to enjoy a writer who’s playfully and joyously conjuring up something entirely original. 

Shop Parasol Against The Axe by Helen Oyeyemi (Faber) at Bookshop, £16.99

What women – especially stay-at-home mothers – are worth in society is the central theme of the brilliantly wry and offbeat Normal Women (out 4 January). Dani is a new mother who becomes increasingly obsessed with how economically reliant she is on her husband, Clark. Then she discovers The Temple… a wellbeing centre that could offer the freedom and self-reliance she’s desperate for. But it’s not quite what it seems. 

Shop Normal Women by Ainslie Hogarth (Atlantic) at Waterstones, £16.99