It has been a thrill to see so many of our authors featured in lots of Best of 2020 lists, and others highlighted as hotly anticipated reads for 2021. To celebrate these tremendous achievements, we have compiled a list of the selections our authors were included in, along with the praise they received.
In prize news this year already, Monique Roffey has won the Costa Novel Prize and the overall Costa Book of the Year Award, as well as being longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize. Elsewhere three of our authors have been shortlisted for the 2021 Romantic Novelists Association (RNA) Romantic Novel Awards: SECRETS OF THE LAVENDER GIRLS by Kate Thompson has been shortlisted for The Romantic Saga Award, THE COMING OF THE WOLF by Elizabeth Chadwick has been shortlisted for The Goldsboro Books Historical Novel Award, and CHRISTMAS WISHES by Sue Moorcroft has been shortlisted for The Sapere Books Popular Romantic Fiction Award. Joseph O’Connor’s SHADOWPLAY has been longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award and on the Dylan Thomas Prize long list, Dima Alzayat has been picked for her debut short story collection, ALLIGATOR AND OTHER STORIES, and Romalyn Ante for her poetry collection, ANTIEMETIC FOR HOMESICKNESS.
We’re delighted that Peter James was Number 35 on The Bookseller’s overall 2020 Author Top 50, with lots of anticipation for ITV’s spring broadcast of GRACE, starring John Simm and Richie Campbell, adapted from Peter James’s first two Roy Grace bestsellers, DEAD SIMPLE and LOOKING GOOD DEAD.
THE BEST BOOKS OF 2020
ALLIGATOR & OTHER STORIES by Dima Alzayat
‘ALLIGATOR contains several stories of breath-taking power, worth noting since the title story alone, based on the true story of a Syrian man lynched in Florida in 1929, is worth the price of several volumes. Born in Syria, raised in the United States, and now residing in the United Kingdom, Alzayat “may be the first person to realize that our history is our own black mirror,” wrote a bookseller. Start reading now and you can say you were an early fan, because Dima Alzayat combines superb writing with razor-sharp imagination and focuses on social injustice, racial violence, and global immigration.’ — LitHub, The Best Books of 2020 you might have missed
THE YOUNG TEAM by Graeme Armstrong
‘Two semi-autobiographical Scottish debuts from Picador showcased essential new voices: Douglas Stuart took the Booker prize for his moving, devastating SHUGGIE BAIN the tale of a boy’s desperate love for his alcoholic mother in the deprived, post-industrial 80s; while Graeme Armstrong’s THE YOUNG TEAM, set among teenage gangs in Lanarkshire, updated TRAINSPOTTING for a new generation.’ — The Guardian, Best Fiction of 2020
‘Set in the schemes of Airdrie, THE YOUNG TEAM by Graeme Armstrong had scenes that made me wince and smirk at their North Lanarkshire familiarity.’ — The Scotsman, Laura Waddell’s year in books
LOVE IN COLOUR by Bolu Babalola
‘The most iconic love stories of myth and folklore from West Africa to Ancient Greece, vibrantly reimagined in bold, striking prose; LOVE IN COLOUR beautifully illustrates the timelessness of classic storytelling.’ — Waterstones, Best Books of 2020 - Debuts
‘Bolu Babalola “decolonizes love” in this stunning retelling of ancient love stories. The alluring collection affirms that love is a universal experience that takes varying forms in different cultures, from Mesopotamia to Senegal to Lesotho.’ – Brittlepaper.com, 50 Notable Books of 2020
‘Our busiest period coincided with this year’s demand for a renewed focus on Black Lives. While it’s good that so many people started reading about the reality of racism, it’s important to remember that joy and love are also part of the black experience. LOVE IN COLOUR by Bolu Babalola retells mythical love stories from around the world and serves as a reminder of this.’ – The Observer, Pages of Hackney, The best books of 2020, chosen by Booksellers
THE ENGLISHMAN by David Gilman
‘When Raglan, a former soldier in the French Foreign Legion, is recruited by M16 for an off-the-books operation, he is pitched into a fast-paced, dangerous journey through organised crime in London and Russia that ends in a Siberian prison camp. The narrative goes at breakneck speed but between the action Gilman slowly and deftly unveils Raglan’s back-story.’ — Financial Times, Best Books of the Year 2020
‘Klaxon alert! Discover full-on heart-pounding action, plus smart, sharp writing in this absolute reading feast of a book . . . This is the first in what promises to be a smash-hit spy thriller series and I already can’t wait for the next book . . . His words build a vivid picture, this world feels authentic and I read with full confidence. I was so involved in the unfolding story that my thoughts didn’t skim backwards or forwards, I purely existed in each moment as it hit. And boy, each moment lands with ferocious intensity. Shockwaves of action expanded and the storyline tripped me with unexpected developments. Even though I had read the prologue, the ending still came with a whammy. LoveReading Book of the Month - tick, LoveReading Star Book – tick, one of my personal Picks of the Month – tick! THE ENGLISHMAN comes with a tremendous thumbs up from me, more please!’ – LoveReading, Our favourite Books of 2020
I FOLLOW YOU by Peter James
‘A chilling standalone thriller from the bestselling king of crime, I FOLLOW YOU sees a respectable married doctor descend into an unhealthy obsession for a woman he has never been able to forget.’ — Waterstones, The Best Books of 2020: Crime & Thrillers
SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Tomasz Jedrowski
‘Remember the feeling of the last day of summer camp? Nostalgia for something you haven’t quite lost yet? Tomasz Jedrowski captures that wistfulness in his debut novel, set in 1980s communist Poland. Two young men meet and fall in love. One chafes against the restrictions of society; the other finds ways to thrive within the confines of the regime. Jedrowski’s writing reminds us that even in the face of oppression, life continues. As he told me, “People still fall in love. People still go skinny-dipping. People still smoke cigarettes. And people still dream.”’ – Ari Shapiro, NPR Books, Books of the Year 2020
‘Tomasz Jedrowski’s SWIMMING IN THE DARK is captivating on the twin challenge of being both gay and liberal in communist Poland. An enchanting story of coming out and surviving, just, in a cold climate.’ – Andrew Adonis, Daily Express, Books of the Year 2020
‘Poland, 1980. Anxious, disillusioned Ludwik Glowacki, soon to graduate university, has been sent along with the rest of his class to an agricultural camp. Here he meets Janusz - and together, they spend a dreamlike summer swimming in secluded lakes, reading forbidden books – and falling in love. This book is a masterpiece of fiction and made me smile and cry! Beautiful!’ – Gay’s The Word, Books of the Year 2020
GLOSSY by Nina-Sophia Miralles
‘The untold story of Vogue, told through the lens of its editors, in GLOSSY journalist Nina-Sophia Miralles asks what – and most importantly who – made the fashion magazine such an enduring success? It’s a story of passion and power, dizzying fortune and out-of-this-world fashion, of ingenuity and opportunism, frivolity and malice. Today, 125 years later, Vogue spans 22 countries, has an international print readership upwards of 12 million and nets over 67 million monthly online users. It is not just a fashion magazine, it is the establishment.’ – Forbes, Holiday Gift Guide 2020: The Best British Stocking Stuffers
CHRISTMAS WISHES by Sue Moorcroft
‘Sometimes fate has a way of keeping people who should be together, apart.
Enter Hannah and Nico, two childhood friends. Having lost her shop in Stockholm, a distraught Hannah is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip, only to discover Nico is there too. Will the two of them find romance under the falling snow or will they be iced out of each other’s lives? Another great read from Moorcroft, who went to Stockholm and tested out the culinary treats… all in the name of authenticity.’ — besteverchristmas.co.uk, Top Cosy Christmas Stocking Reads
SHADOWPLAY by Joseph O’Connor
‘O’Connor’s ingenious novel is based on the life of Bram Stoker, author of DRACULA and his relationship with Henry Irving, renowned actor and impresario. Barry McGovern gives brilliant renditions of the Irishman Stoker and of Henry Irving, whose voice here is a thespian thunder. Anna Chancellor pipes up on occasion as the warm voice of Ellen Terry, Stoker’s friend and Irving’s leading lady’. — The Washington Post, Best Audiobooks of 2020
‘Finally, a paperback, winner of last year's Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year, which reimagines the meeting of three extraordinary people, Bram Stoker, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. Reading this may even prompt me to attempt DRACULA for the first time too.’ — BookBrunch, What we’d like to read - Christmas 2020
BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER by Alan Parks
‘Two girls go missing in Harry McCoy’s third outing (after BLOODY JANUARY and FEBRUARY’S SON). The detective, world-weary at 30, also has to investigate the death of a druggy guitar genius whose global fame was fading. Glasgow, in the summer of 1973, is as fascinating and dangerous as Harry’s best pal, gangster Stevie Cooper. Alan Parks has clearly studied the masters of tartan noir, but has his own distinctive voice.’ – The Times, Best Crime Books of the Year 2020
THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH by Monique Roffey
‘This is Monique Roffey’s sixth novel and seventh book, and each one is markedly different from the other. She is the most adventurous of writers and THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH does not disappoint. Set in 1976 on the imaginary Caribbean island of Black Conch, this is a strange, haunting, original and memorable novel about Aycayia, a mermaid from deep history who is entrapped and taken out of the sea. At the mercy of American tourists, she is saved by a kindly fisherman who gives her shelter. Slowly, she starts to lose her tail and shed her scales and stands to metamorphose back into the indigenous Indian woman she once was, persecuted by other women because of her beauty. This is a novel packed with layers of meaning around womanhood, alienation, masculinity, toxic attitudes towards women, and inter-female rivalry, as well as love, compassion and the search for home.’ – Bernardine Evaristo, Waterstones, Bernardine Evaristo’s Favourite Reads of 2020
‘THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH by Monique Roffey (Peepal Tree) Just in time for my list the Costa shortlists are announced, which brings this book to my attention. A writer from Trinidad (along with another shortlisted author, Ingrid Persaud, whose LOVE AFTER LOVE I highly recommend), I much enjoyed her earlier ARCHIPELAGO, and so look forward to reading this.’ – Jo Henry, BookBrunch, What we’d like to read - Christmas 2020
‘Blending myth and history, magic and reality, this multi-voiced, multi-textured novel (it features journal excerpts and verse) tells a rich tale of love, jealousy and freedom, exposing racism, oppression and gender inequalities through its otherworldly cloak.’ – LoveReading, Our favourite Books of 2020
THE CATALOGUE OF SHIPWRECKED BOOKS by Edward Wilson-Lee
‘A majestic tour de force that explores the mind of a Renaissance great against the flow of Empire. Wilson-Lee presents a fitting tribute to the man behind the legend, impeccably researched, stunningly woven together and as epic in delivery as the West’s most famous explorer.’ — Wreckwatch Magazine, Wreckwatch Magazine Book of 2020
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BOOKS IN 2021
LOVE IN COLOUR by Bolu Babalola (US Edition)
A Goodreads ‘2021’s Hottest Romances’ pick
‘This collection of stories is a pure, joyous celebration of love, folklore, and the power of human connection in an often incomprehensible world. Drawing from mythology from West Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and more, Babolola crafts tales of romance that shift the perspectives and recontextualize well-trod tropes, offering an insightful, thoroughly modern take on what it means to feel guided by fate, captive to something bigger than yourself — to love.’ –Refinery29
‘A Nigerian goddess who longs to be seen, a young businesswoman who makes leaps in her love life, an influential Ghanaian spokeswoman who must decide if she will be true to her heart—these are just some of the characters you’re set to encounter in Babalola’s debut short story collection. Centering the folktales of West Africa, Babalola retells some of the most enduring mythologies with a refreshing voice. And though she also draws on Greek myths and legends of the Middle East, Babalola is keen to decolonize tropes inherent to these stories. This book is a celebration of love—its challenges and its sweet promise.’ – Lit Hub, Rasheed Saka, Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2021
‘After earning acclaim following its UK release in summer 2020, Bolu Babalola's debut is finally hitting the states. In this short story collection, the self-proclaimed “romcomoisseur” retells love stories from around the world. Mythology, folktales, and history from West Africa, Greece, and the Middle East serve as inspiration for her diverse romantic tales that add a new perspective to the genre's tropes.’ – Oprah Magazine, 27 Most Anticipated Romance Novels to Renew Your Faith in Love In 2021
‘I’m a big fan of British journalist Bolu Babalola (if you’re unfamiliar, her Vulture essay “The Innate Black Britishness of I May Destroy You” is the perfect example of her shrewd cultural criticism). Her fiction debut, a collection of reimagined love stories from history and myth, sounds fantastic: As Babalola herself describes it, it’s “a step towards decolonizing tropes of love.”’ —A.R., Buzzfeed
THE SWALLOWED MAN by Edward Carey
An AV Club ‘5 New Books to Read in January’ pick
‘Edward Carey and Elizabeth McCracken are Austin literary royalty, so it’s exciting that both have a new book out this year. Carey’s latest is a retelling of Pinocchio with a vast well of sympathy for the lying puppet’s lonesome and troubled creator, who spends much of THE SWALLOWED MAN contemplating his sins while in the belly of a whale. THE SWALLOWED MAN also has plenty of Carey’s trademark illustrations!’ – Molly Odintz, Lit Hub, Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2021
‘From the acclaimed author of LITTLE comes this beautiful and haunting imagining of the years Geppetto spends within the belly of a sea beast. Drawing upon the Pinocchio story while creating something entirely his own, Carey tells an unforgettable tale of fatherly love and loss, pride and regret, and of the sustaining power of art and imagination.’ – Tor.com, All the New Horror and Genre-Bending Books Arriving in January
CASE STUDY by Graeme Macrae Burnet
‘From the Booker-shortlisted author of HIS BLOODY PROJECT, a metafictional investigation into analysis and responsibility focused on a controversial 60s psychotherapist.’ – 2021 in Books: what to look forward to this year.’ – The Observer
‘Graeme Macrae Burnet is a novelist who likes playing around with form. CASE STUDY (Saraband, October) comprises a number of notebooks sent to the author in 2020 concerning psychotherapist Arthur Collins Braithwaite, a 1960s contemporary of RD Laing. The notebooks are from a woman who is convinced Braithwaite is responsible for her sister’s death.’ – The Herald, 21 Books for 2021: Nick Major previews the year’s most exciting releases
THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean
A Her Magazine ‘85 Brilliant Books That We Can't Wait to Curl Up with in 2021’ pick
A Novel Suspects ‘30 Thrilling Books to Look Out for This Year’
A Financial Times pick for ‘Best New Crime Fiction’
‘Set on a remote farm and filled with lingering dread, The Last Thing to Burn is a chilling depiction of an obsessively controlling relationship driven to its breaking point.’ – Waterstones, Books to Look Forward to in 2021
‘Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name. She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen. Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished. For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting.’ – Grazia, The 30 Best Books We're Looking Forward to Reading in 2021
‘After three excellent novels featuring the deaf reporter Tuva Moodyson — DARK PINES (2018), RED SNOW (2019), BLACK RIVER (2020) — Will Dean has changed publishers and direction. This is a short, sharp shocker, burning with righteous anger, intended to highlight the evils of human trafficking.’ — Mark Sanderson, The Times, The Best Crime Fiction for January 2021
‘A bleak but brilliantly handled tale of oppression, torture and enslavement that will have you turning the pages late into the night.’ – inews, 75 of the best books for 2021
‘After the dramatic Swedish backdrops of his Tuva Moodyson trilogy, Will Dean switches to a farm in Lincolnshire’s fens in THE LAST THING TO BURN, a two-hander that has been misleadingly compared to Room. The narrator, the Vietnamese migrant Thanh Dao, is the tortured captive of her husband, Lenn, who burns her few possessions if her cooking and cleaning are below standard or she tries to escape. Dean laudably combines gaslighting and modern slavery in this set-up, but it makes for a necessarily repetitive and relentlessly grim read: as if Beckett had tackled the Bluebeard story, although without his merciful moments of poetry and humour.’ – The Sunday Times, Best Thrillers for January 2021
‘The atmosphere is vivid, the characters are brilliantly drawn — especially Len, who shows surprising human touches despite his almost unconscious monstrousness. If it feels uncomfortable to be deriving entertainment from such a terrible situation, this story at least draws attention to a plight that is rooted in all-too-real-life tragedies. Claustrophobic, harrowing but also inspiring, this book is not for the faint-hearted. It’s hard to read, and hard to put down’ — News Chain, 5 new books to read this week
THE DREAM WEAVERS by Barbara Erskine
A Love Reading ‘Exciting New Books on the Horizon’ pick
LEFT YOU DEAD by Peter James
A Waterstones ‘The Best Fiction Books to Look Forward to in 2021’ pick
Grace (Peter James TV)
A Tatler ‘The Best TV Dramas to Look Forward to This Year’ pick
An inews ‘The Best TV Coming in 2021’ pick
A Mirror ‘Best New TV Shows 2021’ pick
A Telegraph ‘10 New TV Shows to Look Forward to in 2021’ pick
A Sunday Express ‘TV series to Watch in 2021’ pick
A Radio Times ‘Most Anticipated TV Dramas Coming in 2021’ pick
‘The crime writer has been referred to as the “king of police procedural”, thanks to his rigid commitment to authenticity. It is said James routinely accompanies detectives and police officers while they work as research for his 16-part franchise, which focuses on the heady antics of Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. With jolly titles like WANT YOU DEAD, NEED YOU DEAD and DEAD SIMPLE, there’s enough material to see you through until Covid-23 at the very least. From the TV writer Russell Lewis (Endeavour), ITV’s upcoming adaptation stars John Simm as Grace.’ – The Sunday Times
ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? by Lucy Mangan
‘The Guardian journalist’s first novel is a comedy of domestic life, inspired by EM Delafield’s classic DIARY OF A PROVINCIAL LADY.’ –The Observer, 2021 in Books: what to look forward to this year
WHEN THEY FIND HER by Lia Middleton
‘WHEN THEY FIND is a haunting, emotional and nerve-shredding debut about a desperate mother, a tragic accident and a terrible lie that spirals out of control. Penned by a barrister specialising in crime and prison law, this is a sharp, sophisticated and intense thriller combining a dark plot with white-knuckle pace – and we couldn’t put it down.’ – Dead Good Books, Debut crime novels to watch out for 2021
GLOSSY by Nina-Sophia Miralles
‘Miralles, the founder of Londnr magazine, turns her hand to social history with this hugely entertaining peek behind the pages of Vogue.’ – inews, 75 of the best books for 2021
THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY by Sheila O’Flanagan
‘THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY by Sheila O’Flanagan (Headline) is a road-trip novel that begins in Ireland but covers France from north to south and Spain as well, as two women accidentally thrown together learn the importance of inter-generational friendship, and of coping with their personal upheavals back in the oul’ sod.’ – The Anglo-Celt, Looking for reasons to be cheerful in a year like no other
SHIVER by Allie Reynolds
An Irish Independent ‘New Voices and Stories Help Balance the Books’ pick
A Her Magazine ‘85 Brilliant Books That We Can't Wait to Curl Up with in 2021’ pick
A New York Post ‘These Three New Thrillers Set in Ski Resorts will Chill You to the Bone’ pick
The Sydney Morning Herald ‘Most Anticipated Books of 2021’ pick
A News Chain ‘Books Set to Create Buzz in 2021’ pick
An Independent ‘Books to Look Out For in 2021’ pick
‘A promising debut with a dramatic setting.’ – The Sunday Times, Best Crime Novels for January 2021
‘Buckle up – this chilling thriller will have you feeling like you’re hurtling down a black run. Milla, a former snowboarder, is invited to a reunion in the French Alps. The friends haven’t seen each other for 10 years since the disappearance of the beautiful Saskia. With a broken ski lift, a blizzard setting in and a group turning on each other, secrets are about to emerge – and it isn’t pretty. An unforgettable debut.’ – Woman & Home, Best Books 2021: The reads to look out for this year
‘Written by debut author and former British top ten freestyle snowboarder, Allie Reynolds SHIVER is set in the glitteringly beautiful yet deadly French Alps. In the world of high stakes, professional snowboarding, five friends and former athletes reunite with sinister consequences.’ – Grazia,
The 30 books We're Looking Forward to Reading in 2021
‘When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. …. In a deserted lodge high up a mountain, the secrets of the past are about to come to light.’ – Shemazing.net, The 10 best books you need to add to your reading list this winter
‘Locked-room mystery set against a snowy, Alpine backdrop, Allie Reynold’s SHIVER centers on five friends who come together to catch up after spending the last years apart. Once they arrive, however, they quickly come to realise that they’re stranded in the cold. Someone wants them to remember a sixth friend, but who is it and – after all this time – why?’ – Bustle, The Most Anticipated Books of January 2021
‘Mind games, a hyper-competitive cast of characters and a dangerous natural environment make SHIVER a seriously suspenseful mystery, with tension that builds and builds. Prepare to be chilled!’ – Dead Good Books, Debut crime novels to watch out for 2021
‘In the grand tradition of Agatha Christie, Allie Reynolds's debut SHIVER is a locked-room mystery. The story begins with five friends meeting for a reunion, but things turn deadly when it becomes clear someone arranged for them to be stranded during a snowstorm.’ – Popsugar, 10 Must-Read New Thriller and Mystery Books Coming Out This January
