Happy New Year! Thanks to everyone who’s supported the Dorset Book Detective through 2024, and here’s to an even better 2025.
I’ve got loads of great things coming up for 2025, and to begin, here’s some of the books I’m excited for! I’ve been given a sneak peak at some, and others are just books I really want to read.
So, if you’re looking for a great read for the New Year, or have some book vouchers from Christmas you want to spend, then here are the books I think you should check out or preorder.
The Inheritance: This thrilling modern locked room mystery, set on a remote Scottish Island, is a BBC miniseries in the making. Trisha Sakhlecha’s novel is a triumph, telling the story of the warring Agarwals, headed by Raj, the patriarch who’s health woes are forcing him to make major changes, including handing out his adult children’s inheritance early. Told from the perspective of a mysterious assailant, Raj’s daughter-in-law, a budding influencer, and his two daughters, the book is gripping and will have you on the edge of your seat.
The Other People: If The Inheritance is a BBC miniseries in the making, then C.B Everett’s The Other People is a horror movie waiting to happen. A group of strangers wake up in a creepy mansion, where they’re forced to work together to try and find a missing girl before time runs out. It’s a horror that occasionally takes you away from reality, but is easy to read despite the huge number of characters. With American and English characters and an unknown setting, the novel is engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
This Is Not A Game: Set on the bizarre but real island of Mackinac, a posh area of Michigan that’s banned cars, Kelly Mullen’s debut novel is a riot. When Mimi, an elderly eccentric on the island, is invited to a posh auction in the home of her neighbour, and is blackmailed into buying a priceless piece of memorabilia, she calls on her granddaughter for support. Getting over a breakup and being cut out of a deal for the rights for her video game by her ex, Addie is happy to come, but what starts as a bit of fun becomes a locked room mystery you’ll never forget. The host is murdered and with the island and the house cut off by a big storm, the pair are forced to work together to uncover the truth. Filled with pop culture references and technical writing jargon, this is a fun but educational read.
Death Of An Officer: Mark Ellis has another book coming out in 2025, and you know there’s nothing I love more than a Frank Merlin novel. It’s apparently the 6th one in the series, and while I’ve no idea what it’s about, I have no doubt it will be amazing. If you haven’t already checked out the Frank Merlin series, I’d recommend starting before this latest installment comes out in Spring; you’ll be hooked in no time!
The Last Death Of The Year: The latest of the new Poirot novels by Sophie Hannah is set at New Year’s, and is due out at the end of this year, but I’m already looking forward to it. I didn’t initially think we needed to reboot Agatha Christie’s timeless detective, but Hannah does an incredible job and I’m enjoying them now, and a novel set on a Greek Island sounds like the perfect winter warmer.
Death In The Artic: It’s no secret that I love Tom Hindle’s work, and while I’ve only just got around to reviewing Murder On Lake Garda, but I’m already looking forward to his new novel, which is due out later this month. Set in the North Pole, the book revolves around a travel writer who gets invited on the trip of a lifetime on board an airship, but soon discovers that things aren’t that simple. I’m expecting an exhilarating locked room mystery with more twists and turns than the average roller coaster.
I’m sure there will be loads more books out throughout the year, but these are the ones I’ve got my eye on. Happy reading and stick around to see what’s next for the Dorset Book Detective.
