Hello everyone!

I’m a little behind with the new releases but hopefully you’ll still find a couple of books here that you like the look of!

Here are my most anticipated mystery and historical fiction releases from January 2025.

A Sea Of Unspoken Things follows James on her path to discover the truth behind her twin brother’s death. She’s left with no option but to revisit a past she’d rather forget. This includes the only man she’s ever loved.

The more James digs, the more she learns about the brother she thought she knew so well. Will it prove to be too much for her?

I really enjoy the extra depth of emotion that characters with very strong relationships bring. It would appear that the bond between James and her twin will be no different. I’m eager to find out how Young will weave this into the narrative because there is a lot of potential with these characters!

The overall premise is very captivating as a fan of murder mystery books. With the small town setting and added element of romance, this is sure to cater to lovers of a variety of genres!

The protagonists of The Stolen Queen are Annie and Charlotte. Annie has started working in New York for a renowned fashion personality who is organising the Met Gala. Charlotte is the associate curator of the Met’s Department of Egyptian Art.

However, a valuable Egyptian artefact goes missing. There are also signs of a pharaoh’s curse reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to locate this precious artefact before it’s too late.

Their efforts take them to Egypt. This is exactly where Charlotte swore to never return to following her involvement in a tragic archeological dig. However, in order to locate the artefact and end the possible curse, Charlotte has to face her dark and dangerous past with Annie at her side.

The Stolen Queen is another book with lots to offer. There are promises of adventure and suspense in addition to the gripping mystery and historical features.

I’m very intrigued by what happened at Charlotte’s archeological dig and what she’ll encounter in Egypt with Annie. This will provide a great opportunity for character growth. I can also imagine that the addition of the Met Gala looming will only raise the stakes!

The Note by Alafair Burke follows May Hanover, the daughter of a Chinese single mother. After reuniting with her two best friends she’s not seen in years, she finds herself in the middle of a drunken prank that doesn’t go as planned.

With the police involved, May starts questioning the loyalty of her friends and the extent of her loyalty to them.

I am very interested in the fact that May has a single mother. Learning about how this has shaped May into the person she is would add a lot of depth to her as the protagonist and is something I’d be keen to read about.

The fact that the climax of the narrative revolves around a drunken prank gone wrong suggests there’s lots of guilt and plenty of trauma. This sets us up nicely for what I imagine will be plenty of morally complex decisions and a very gripping journey all the way to the end of the story!

“Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.

Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.”

Author Grady Green leads of a life of misery following the unexplained disappearance of his wife. Desperate to bring some order back into his life, he embarks on a journey to a Scottish island.

There, he makes a shocking discovery. Grady catches sight of a woman who looks like none other than his missing wife.

This sounds like an edge-of-your-seat mystery and I am excited to see if it lives up to my high expectations after reading the blurb!

I already have so much sympathy for Grady given the catastrophic turn of events he’s had to endure. What will the sight of this woman mean for his Scottish break? Will she turn out to be his wife? Perhaps I’m looking at it the wrong way and Grady’s wife escaped an unhappy marriage the only way she could – by disappearing and assuming a new identity on a Scottish island?

My mind races through so many questions about Grady, his wife, and the woman he happens to notice. I’m looking forward to finding out all the answers to these and I’m sure the story will not disappoint!

Hana Ishikawa inherits a pawnshop in Tokyo. Only the chosen few lost souls can see the pawnshop, a place where they can seek help in return for selling their regrets.

On her first day in the shop, Hana finds her father missing and discovers a very valuable item has been stolen. However, her imminent quest to uncover both is not done alone; she also meets a stranger in the shop who unexpectedly offers to help.

Battling against the odds together, Hana finds herself in an all or nothing situation where she must decide whether or not to reveal her very own hidden secret.

The concept behind this book is a very interesting one. The idea that people who have lost their way have an exclusive place that allows them to alleviate their worries is a lovely one at first. However, thinking about what could happen if their regrets are stolen and accessed is a terrifying thought!

I’m fascinated by the mysterious man who helps Hana on her quest to track down her father and the stolen item. His intentions appear to be good but will that prove to be the case?

It seems that Hana also has plenty to hide in what is suggested to be a be all or end all moment towards the end of the narrative. I’m desperate to know what this secret is that she’s been keeping to herself!

The Bourne books are another big series I have high up on my endless reading list. Even though I’ve watched a few of the films and loved them, I’m yet to read a single book from the series!

In The Bourne Vendetta, we find Bourne confronted by Abbey, a woman from his past. Despite leaving Bourne for a life away from danger, she finds herself now with no option but to return. She believes someone is plotting to kill her husband, a top government official, and asks for Bourne’s help.

Bourne strives to uncover the truth behind the assassin but finds himself tangled in conspiracies. With Abbey at risk of danger yet again and his search growing more violent, Bourne begins to wonder whether she actually knows the true identity of her husband.

The intense action and drama I expect from this book will be a very welcome change to the slow-paced mysteries I typically go for. The connection to Bourne that Abbey has makes me think that we’ll see a deeper emotional side to Bourne. This will surely only encourage us to support him even further on his treacherous investigation to solving the assassin’s identity.

This is a series I had not heard of before despite this being the twentieth book. After reading through the summary, it sounds like such a wonderful collection of mysteries and have been quickly added to my reading list!

The Big Empty sees the return of private investigator Elvis Cole and his partner Joe Pike. They are called to investigate the disappearance of the father of popular influencer Traci Beller. However, with it being 10 years since he went missing, Cole and Pike have their work cut out for them.

This case proves to be a particularly cryptic one with plenty of twists and turns. It also thrusts Cole into the uncomfortable position of questioning loyalty – not only of those around him but of himself too – in order to achieve justice.

As someone who has not read any of this series yet, I’m not too sure about how Cole has been presented so far. However, it sounds like there will be plenty of character depth to look forward to in this book!

Cole questioning his loyalty allows for some consideration of morally complex ideas from his point of view. It will be very interesting to see how this may assist or hinder him in his investigation.

“Most family reunions end in tears. This one will end in murder.”

A private Scottish island sets the scene of a grand family reunion for the Agarwal family – Raj and Shalini, their two daughters, and their son and his wife. Each member of the family has secrets to die for.

This is a tale of lies and deception. Who will make it out of the family reunion alive?

The blurb of this book gives so little but so much away all at the same time. It’s certainly served its purpose because I really want to read it and find out what happens!

The concept of one family member getting murdered during a messy reunion is quite unbelievable to me. Assuming no surprise guests lurking on the island, this means that another member of the family is the murderer. What secret could be so big it would drive someone to commit such a thing?

I’m expecting this book to brings me lots of jaw dropping moments and to have me on the edge of my seat all the way through!

The Crash is an aptly named book about Tegan, a woman who is eight months pregnant, who attempts a drive to her brother’s house in the middle of a blizzard. This only results in her being stranded in Maine with a broken ankle and no longer able to start up her car.

Luckily for her, she is rescued by a couple and warmly invited to see the blizzard through from the comfort of their cabin. However, Tegan soon realises that everything is not as it seems.

I find Tegan to be a very likeable character already. She is simply a heavily pregnant woman who wants to visit family. She’s done nothing wrong.

I can’t help but feel a panic for what she’ll be forced to endure and I haven’t even started reading the book yet. Not only is she in danger, but her unborn child is as well.

Will Tegan survive? We’ll have to get reading to find out!

Which January release are you most excited for? Let me know in the comments below!