Discover 13 dazzling debut authors to add to your TBR pile right now.
Check Out Our Debut Spring 2024 Excerpt Sampler
Ellipses: A Novel by Vanessa Lawrence
Set in the glossy world of New York City media, this sharp and witty debut novel follows a young woman caught in a toxic mentorship with an older, powerful executive as she grapples with career, belonging, and the complexity of modern relationships in the digital age.
“An unflinchingly honest debut about the dizzying stakes of finding selfhood in a society that constantly threatens total consumption. Lawrence’s writing is as lyrical as it is incisive, exposing the bravery it takes to not be complicit in your own oppression. I couldn’t put this down.”—Ling Ling Huang, author of Natural Beauty
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audiobook Editions.
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To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods: A Novel by Molly X. Chang
She has power over death. He has power over her. When two enemies strike a dangerous bargain, will they end a war . . . or ignite one?
“A thrilling tale of magic and murder, intrigue and betrayal.”—Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sword Catcher
“As ambitious as it is heartfelt, To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods cements Molly X. Chang as an explosive new talent in fantasy. I was swept away by this debut and eagerly await her next book.”—Isabel Cañas, USA Today bestselling author of Vampires of El Norte
Available April 16th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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The Tower: A Novel by Flora Carr
A bold, feminist debut novel, reimagining Mary, Queen of Scots’s darkest hour, when she was held hostage in a remote Scottish castle with a handful of loyal women while plotting a daring escape to reclaim her country and her freedom.
“Such a vivid, visceral read, you feel you’re locked in the tower alongside the characters, acting out a royal family drama. I am moved and impressed.”—Tracy Chevalier, New York Times bestselling author of Girl with a Pearl Earring
“An immediate, immersive experience of sharing the year the fallen Mary Queen of Scots was held in a Scottish island castle prison with a few attendants and only her courage and charm to rescue her. Lyrical, riveting, and unforgettable.”—Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of Elizabeth I
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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An Enchanting Case of Spirits: A Novel by Melissa Holtz
When a fortieth birthday celebration leads to a ghostly visitor, four friends find themselves navigating surprising mysteries and spiritual hijinks, in this clever debut from Melissa Holtz.
Alyssa Mann isn’t adventurous, not since her husband died and she found herself the single mom of a teenage daughter. But there’s no way to avoid celebrating the big 4-0, so when her best friends drag her out for drinks and a tarot reading, she throws caution to the wind and decides to see what the spirits have to say. It’s all fun and games until she wakes up the next morning with a wicked hangover—and a ghost perched on the edge of her bed. As the dearly departed keep appearing, Alyssa and her friends do their best to learn how to control her newfound power. But when looking into one ghost’s past reveals unexpected—and unwelcome—facts about Alyssa’s late husband’s death, she discovers she just may be in over her head.
Available April 9th in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Nightwatching: A Novel by Tracy Sierra
A mother is forced to the breaking point when her life and the lives of her children are threatened by an intruder.
“Straddling the line between psychological thriller and domestic horror, Sierra’s auspicious debut immediately plunges readers headlong into its unnamed protagonist’s waking nightmare. . . tense, emotionally resonant . . . Well-timed flashbacks add context and poignancy. Fiercely feminist and viscerally terrifying.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Black Shield Maiden: A Novel by Willow Smith
From Willow Smith and Jess Hendel comes a powerful and groundbreaking historical saga about an African warrior in the world of the Vikings.
“Intimate, tender, and fiercely epic . . . With her first foray into literature, Smith proves there is no limit to her boundless imagination and explosive creativity.”—Tomi Adeyemi, author of Children of Blood and Bone
Available May 7th in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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Bunyan and Henry; Or, the Beautiful Destiny: A Novel by Mark Cecil
A large-hearted reimagining of beloved all-American legends, this epic debut novel brings men of myth Paul Bunyan and John Henry alive like never before, teaming up for an adventure quest with deeper interrogations of race, class, and industrialization.
“Mark Cecil has just written the next American classic.”—Brendan Slocumb, author of The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets
“Cecil’s debut is an undeniably bright light to behold in a world sometimes full of so much dark, inspiring all of us to follow our own beautiful destinies. What a marvel.”—Mateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author of Black Buck
Available March 26th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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The Mother Act: A Novel by Heidi Reimer
Set against the sparkling backdrop of the theater world, this propulsive debut follows the relationship between an actress who refuses to abandon her career and the daughter she chooses to abandon instead.
“Wholly engrossing, beautifully crafted, and uncanny in its depiction of family intrigue and the life of the artist, this is a rare treasure of a book about both motherhood and daughterhood. I savored every page of this spellbinding debut. Reimer is truly a writer to watch.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular
Available April 30th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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While We Were Burning: A Novel by Sara Koffi
Parasite meets Such a Fun Age in a scorching debut that is as heartbreaking as it is thrilling, examining the intersection of race, class, and female friendship, and the devastating consequences of everyday actions.
“Fast paced and thrilling, While We Were Burning is also heartbreaking in its portrayal of a grieving mother forced to confront both the person who caused her son’s death and the systemic injustice that led to it. I was riveted the whole way through.”—Ana Reyes, author of The House in the Pines
Available April 16th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Knife River: A Novel by Justine Champine
A compelling story of family, home, and the bond between sisters that asks: Who do you believe when you can’t even trust yourself?
“A delicious smoke curl of a novel: atmospheric, sharp, and skilled at twisting the reader’s guesses in unimaginable ways.”—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“An intelligent literary mystery with a rich sense of place and a clever plot; but it is Champine’s keenly-observed depiction of the aftermath of tragedy and the corrosive impact of loss that sets this novel apart.”—Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Available May 28th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Perris, California: A Novel by Rachel Stark
In this unforgettable debut novel, twenty-seven-year-old Tessa, pregnant with her third child and living in a trailer on her mother-in-law’s property, encounters the woman she used to love—leading Tessa to question the very foundations of the life she’s built.
“A glorious debut from the magnificent Rachel Stark who writes from the soul when she is not writing from the heart . . . This is not only a story of trauma and survival, it will rouse your deepest well of empathy and have you rooting for a woman you may have never met. You will know her now, in this dazzling debut.”—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Good Left Undone
Available March 26th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Someone You Can Build a Nest In: A Novel by John Wiswell
Discover this creepy, charming monster-slaying fantasy romance—from the perspective of the monster—by Nebula Award-winning debut author John Wiswell.
“Sweetly furious, darkly funny, and gruesomely wholesome. It’s a love story for the unloved, a happily-ever-after with a higher-than-average body count. I just adored it.”—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times-bestselling author of Starling House
Available April 2nd in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
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The Moorings of Mackerel Sky: A Novel by MZ
Debut novelist MZ marries fantasy with the everyday in her contemporary novel of a Maine lobstering town whose local myths come to life.
“An enchanting tale of grief and hope, the myths that thread our lives together, and the love that anchors us. As powerful and sparkling as the sea.”—Emily Jane, bestselling author of On Earth as it Is on Television
“Exquisite. In prose as haunting as any siren’s song, MZ brings to shimmering life the seaside town of Mackerel Sky, where the legendary exists seamlessly beside the everyday. Readers will find themselves seeking out the wonder in their own lives after reading this beautifully wrought, hopeful debut.”—Molly Greeley, author of Marvelous
Available in Hardcover.
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Check Out Our Spring 2024 Debut Sampler
Our newest debut sampler is out! Check out excerpts of some exciting new voices, perfect for book clubbers of all kinds.
Check Out Our Complete Collection of Excerpt Samplers
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Watch Our Mystery and Literary Debut Author Panels Below!
