Discover New Voices in Fiction
Featuring powerful historical fiction, a locked-room mystery, a chilling horror novel, and more—here are 13 unforgettable debut authors you don’t want to miss.
Looking for more new voices in fiction?
Check out our latest Debut Excerpt Sampler!
And Watch our “Meet Debut Authors” Panel.
Junie: A Novel by Erin Crosby Eckstine
*A Good Morning America Book Club Pick*
A young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms.
“The richly textured prose quickly pulled me into the protagonist’s treacherous yet magical world. I was drawn to the story of Junie, an enslaved teenager with a love of books and nature who must navigate difficult truths about her family and friendships in order to survive her times.”—Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake
Available in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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A Gorgeous Excitement: A Novel by Cynthia Weiner
A dazzling debut novel set in 1980s New York, when cocaine is as easy to get as ice cream, about one young woman’s summer of infinite possibility—and looming danger.
“Terrific debut . . . the book recalls another excellent true crime–inspired novel, Emma Cline’s The Girls. Carefully paced and beautifully written, this edgy coming-of-age novel succeeds on all counts.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“I haven’t felt this kind of excitement reading a story set in the ’80s since I first discovered Jay McInerney, Tama Janowitz, and Bret Easton Ellis.”—Margarita Montimore, bestselling author of Oona Out of Order
Available in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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Watch Our ‘Meet Debut Authors’ Panel Featuring Cynthia Weiner
Clever Little Thing: A Novel by Helena Echlin
A taut, powerful psychological thriller following a mother who must confront a sudden and terrifying change in her daughter after the abrupt death of their babysitter.
“Clever Little Thing taps into the heart of maternal fear and will shock you in the best way. This one will give you goose bumps.”—Ashley Elston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins
“Sharp and unflinching—a perfectly unnerving story.”—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push
Available in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Also Available in Spanish: Qué niña tan lista
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Going Home: A Novel by Tom Lamont
Going Home is a sparkling, funny, bighearted story of family and what happens when three men—all of whom are completely ill-suited for fatherhood—take charge of a toddler following an unexpected loss.
“Funny and poignant, bittersweet and moving . . . Going Home made me cry on more than one occasion, and laugh out loud many more times. It’s a terrific reminder that what binds us to our loved ones isn’t blood but the care we take to keep them close, and our ability to show up for them when we screw it up on the first go-round.”—Isaac Fitzgerald, The New York Times
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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End of August: A Novel by Paige Dinneny
A captivating, multigenerational debut novel of a young woman navigating the personal trauma that ties herself, her nomadic mother, and her alcoholic grandmother together, perfect for fans of Ask Again, Yes and What the Fireflies Knew.
“Filled with complex characters, a lovingly rendered coming-of-age story, and a tight-knit community that pulls you into its familiar customs and lore, End of August is a remarkable depiction of young love, flawed mother-daughter relationships, and the fight for a place to call home in a small town where summer days feel like a lifetime, and it’s never too late to chase the joys of adolescence. This is a beautiful debut novel with an unforgettable protagonist who I wanted a happy ending for, just as much as she wanted it for herself.”—Kai Harris, author of What the Fireflies Knew
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, and eBook Editions.
You Are Fatally Invited: A Novel by Ande Pliego
An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered.
“Twisty and fabulously fun, You Are Fatally Invited is a locked-room mystery that readers won’t want to put down. With its clever use of tropes and an expertly drawn cast of characters.”—Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author of Listen for the Lie
“Deliciously twisted . . . perfect for thriller fans hungry for a fresh spin on a locked-room murder mystery.”—Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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The Garden: A Novel by Nick Newman
A darkly beautiful, eerie, hypnotic novel about two elderly sisters living alone at the edge of the world.
“Eerie, slow-burn . . . Part dystopian fantasy, part horror, this book is perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle.”—Reader’s Digest
“Part fable, part literary thriller, wholly unmoored from genre convention, The Garden may be the elusive inheritor to the weirdness of Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi.”—Vulture
Available February 18th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Notes on Surviving the Fire: A Novel by Christine Murphy
When Sarah’s only friend in her graduate program is found dead of an alleged heroin overdose, Sarah is forced back into the orbit of the man in their department who assaulted her. A hurtling ride of a novel—darkly funny and propulsive.
“A wild horse of a plot . . . Fiery on many levels . . . An author to watch.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A biting, savage, unflinching story of how the culture of sexual assault is systemically tolerated and tucked out of sight into the dark corners of ivory towers. Part campus satire, part murder mystery, and most importantly a tale of formidable survival.”—Aube Rey Lescure, author of River East, River West
Available February 25th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Tilda Is Visible: A Novel by Jane Tara
A self-help book wrapped in a funny, poignant novel, Tilda Is Visible is for anyone who has ever looked in the mirror and found fault within themselves.
“Fun, freeing, and wise, Tilda Is Visible is a manual, a manifesto for those of us (all of us?) who are still so hard on ourselves–even though we’re old enough to know better!”—Fran Littlewood, New York Times bestselling author of Amazing Grace Adams
“A warm, big-hearted story encompassing all the foolishness and wisdom, rage and humor, and most of all, the hope at the heart of midlife.”—Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters
Available February 25th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Fundamentally: A Novel by Nussaibah Younis
A wickedly funny and audacious debut novel following an academic who flees from heartbreak and lands in Iraq with a one-of-a-kind job offer—only to be forced to do the work of confronting herself.
“Tart, tender, trenchant, and hilarious, Fundamentally is a brilliant novel about faith and friendship that refuses to be any one single thing—because it is EVERYTHING. Nussaibah Younis is a genius.”—Catherine Newman, New York Times bestselling author of Sandwich
“Funny, gripping and compassionate; Fundamentally is a truly original novel that you won’t be able to put down.”—Dolly Alderton, author of Good Material
Available February 25th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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What You Make of Me: A Novel by Sophie Madeline Dess
In this mesmerizing debut from a bright new talent, two enigmatic and unforgettable siblings confront what—and who—they’re willing to sacrifice for their art.
“What You Make of Me is a stunning novel of art, love, memory and death written with exquisite wit and deep feeling. Sophie Madeline Dess has conjured one of the most unique and heartbreaking family narratives in recent memory, and with her rendering of the dynamic between Ava and Demetri, she’s given us a sibling duo for the ages.”—Sam Lipsyte, author of The Ask and No One Left to Come Looking for You
“Sophie Madeline Dess may be the freshest debut in this year’s literature. What You Make of Me is a brilliant novel as well as a provocation to all great readers.”—Gary Shteyngart, author of Our Country Friends
Available February 25th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Murder in the Dressing Room: A Novel by Holly Stars
A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag’s not just dramatic, it’s deadly.
By day, Joe is a hotel accountant, invisibly sitting behind their desk and playing by the rules. By night, donned in sequins, they take to the stage as Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene. But when Misty’s drag mother, Lady Lady, is found dead in her dressing room beside a poisoned box of chocolates, Misty and her fellow performers become the prime suspects.
Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won’t rest until she finds out who it is.
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Our Winter Monster: A Novel by Dennis Mahoney
Chilling holiday horror about an unhappy couple running from their problems and straight into the maw of a terrifying beast, perfect for fans of Paul Tremblay and Sara Gran.
“A truly satisfying blend of supernatural, survival, and physiological horror. Just as surprising as it is heartbreaking, every page pulls you deeper into a storm that you’ll never forget.”—Erin E. Adams, author of Jackal
“Like a couples therapy session straight out of our nightmares, Our Winter Monster serves up a slab of profoundly unsettling relationship terror—probing into the very nature of love by exploring what brings us together and what tears us apart—while ripping the reader to pieces in the process. Dennis Mahoney is just the horror counselor we readers need to see us through this gripping chiller and survive.”—Clay McLeod Chapman, author of What Kind of Mother and Ghost Eaters
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.