You may find you have more time on your hands over the next couple of months (thank you, spring bank holidays), so what better time to start making a dent in your reading list? If you require some assistance in finding the perfect book to sink your teeth into, allow us to present our carefully-curated selection of the best fiction and non-fiction tomes hot off the press this month. From Emily Henry’s feel-good romance to a Mexican thriller and a fresh take on a sci-fi staple, here are the best new books coming out in April 2023 to pre-order now.
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
From the author of the bestselling family drama The Younger Wife comes an equally-thrilling new novel set against the backdrop of a quaint seaside town. Gabe and Pippa were chuffed when they moved into their cliffside home with their two daughters until the idyllic coastline became a hotspot for those ending their own lives. Gabe becomes the talk of the town due to his heroic efforts in preventing a number of suicides, until he fails to stop Amanda from jumping off the cliff. Soon, a sordid web of dark secrets begins to unravel, pushing Gabe and Pippa’s love to the limits as they question how far they will go for their soulmate. Suspenseful and riveting, we promise you won’t be able to put this novel down. Out on 4 April.
A Fever In The Heartland by Timothy Egan
Also published on 4 April is a historical thriller by the Pulitzer and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Egan, who tells the riveting story of the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to power in the 1920s. Focusing on the cunning con man at the helm of one of the most famous hate groups in America, Egan examines how DC Stephenson garnered influence over churches, politicians and judges. But at the peak of his influence, Madge Oberholtzer, a powerless woman, finally brought the Klan to its knees. This page-turning thriller does an excellent job portraying the rise and fall of one of the darkest organisations in American history and is definitely one for history lovers.
Hit Parade of Tears by Izumi Suzuki
Comprising 11 short stories (and aptly published on 11 April), Suzuki takes advantage of her skewed imagination — which brought us famed novel Terminal Boredom — to distort and enhance some of the classic concepts of science fiction and fantasy. The legendary Japanese author delves into the lives of several characters, from the philandering husband that receives a bestial punishment from a wife with her own secrets to a misfit band of space pirates discovering a baby among the stars. There’s plenty here to sink your teeth into…
The Haunting of Alejandra by V Castro
Steeped in Mexican folklore, this novel has been dubbed as one of the most terrifying books of the year, so don’t say we didn’t warn you. It follows the life of Alejandra, who is struggling with a dark ghostly vision that threatens to consume her and her family. While delving into her ancestral history, she discovers the ghost is actually La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend, who will not leave until Alejandra follows all the women who came before her into the darkness. Does Alejandra have the courage to banish La Llorona forever? Find out if you dare when this is published on 18 April…
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane returns with a masterpiece to rival his award-winning Mystic River in a new story set against one of the most tumultuous periods in Boston history. Summer 1974 is one of the hottest protagonist Mary Pat Fennessey can remember, and she’s lived her entire life in the housing projects of ‘Southie’, the Irish American enclave in the heart of Boston. One evening, her daughter Jules doesn’t come home and a Black man is killed — are the two incidents connected? On a quest to find her daughter, Fennessey begins touching stones best left unturned while questioning the local Irish mob, who don’t take kindly to any threat to their business. Published on 25 April, this powerful thriller interrogates Boston’s gritty, violent history to create an unflinching portrait of American racism.
Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Julia Child (who even stars in this novel), Mastering the Art of French Murder publishes on 25 April and is the first instalment in a new mystery series set in Paris. Protagonist Tabitha Knight is fresh off the plane from Detroit and, alongside her friend Julia Child, another expat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha’s having the time of her life. Until she discovers a body. From the shadows of the Eiffel Tower at midnight to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates the city to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison. If you’re looking for something witty and addictive, pre-order this delightful book which provides a fresh perspective on the iconic chef’s years in post-war Paris.
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
If sci-fi or fantasy fiction is more to your taste, try award-winning author TJ Klune’s new novel about a group of robots and their human companion living in a very peculiar forest. In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots and human Victor Lawson, who only cares about his family being hidden and safe. When Lawson salvages a damaged robot, he learns of a dark past which threatens to reprogramme his family out of existence. Highlighting the fragility of happiness, Klune’s novel is filled with imagination and compassion.
Ascension by Nicholas Binge
When scientists discover a mountain mysteriously appearing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a group of scientists are sent to investigate, marking the start of a nail-biting journey. Unsurprisingly, not everything is as it seems: the higher the team ascends, the stranger things become. Time and space behave differently and the chilling wind numbs the memories of their lives before the mountain. What will they discover about themselves and their world as they rise? And what, or who, will they discover at the top? Great for those looking for a fresh sci-fi novel, Ascension — published on 27 April — considers the limitations of science while examining the unsettling sides of human nature.
The Lost Wife by Susanna Moore
The first novel in 10 years from the author of In the Cut and Miss Aluminium, Susanna Moore’s latest novel is an unforgettable story about freedom and oppression during one of the most seminal moments in American history. Set in 1855, protagonist Sarah Brinton sets out from Rhode Island, leaving an abusive husband and child behind to head west. Her journey ends at a small frontier post in Minnesota Territory, on lands claimed both by white settlers and Native Americans. There she finds herself another husband, a doctor who serves the nearby Sioux, and settles into a new life. But trouble is brewing in the territories and her loyalties are split between the Sioux and her fellow white settlers, leaving her lost to two very different worlds.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
It seems the notable author behind Book Lovers and Beach Read can’t stop churning out the goods as she releases her latest novel this month: Happy Place. Renowned for her feel-good and witty prose, Emily Henry’s latest fiction is about Harriet and Wyn, who pretend to be very much in love at their friend’s annual party despite having broken up six months ago. Will they be caught out? Or will they fall back in love? Find out on 27 April…
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