Edel Coffey shares December releases
December is always a lean month for new books, particularly fiction. The shelves are still groaning under the pre-Christmas glut of celebrity memoirs, gift books and blockbuster novels, and publishers don’t want to risk new novels getting swamped in such festive excess. But there are still a few gems to be found in the mix.
The most compelling offering (and one that would certainly make a great gift) is award-winning journalist Katie Prescott’s THE CURIOUS CASE OF MIKE LYNCH (Macmillan Business, €25). Businessman Mike Lynch’s death in 2024 made global headlines after a freak storm sank his luxury yacht, on which he and his daughter and a group of friends had been celebrating his victory in a landmark fraud case taken against him by Hewlett-Packard. Lynch became one of the richest men in the UK after he sold his software company, Autonomy, to HP for £11bn in 2011. The sale led to one of the biggest fraud cases in the history of Silicon Valley. Lynch’s co-defendant in the US trial, Autonomy accountant Stephen Chamberlain, also died just hours before Lynch, when he was hit by a car in Cambridge. This is a gripping investigation into Lynch’s life and death and the high-stakes world of the corporate tech sector.
In fiction, MY GRANDFATHER THE MASTER DETECTIVE (Macmillan, €15) by Masateru Konishi has sold a staggering 200,000 copies in Japan and has just been translated into English. It’s in the cosy crime style, but set in Tokyo, and will appeal to fans of recent Japanese popular titles like Before The Coffee Gets Cold. It focuses as much on the relationship between schoolteacher Kaede and her grandfather, as it does on solving crimes. Kaede’s grandfather is suffering from dementia, but Kaede brings him new mysteries to solve and together they weave stories to get to the bottom of the problems. Escapist and charming.
THE OTHER CHILD (Headline, €12.99) is a novel from former NHS maternity nurse Amy Carver and starts with a brilliantly nightmarish scenario. Louise has suffered post-natal depression after the birth of her son Alfie and is struggling to bond with him. When she meets Harriet and her son Jacob, Louise feels incredibly drawn to Jacob, who looks strangely like her own husband. When she discovers that both boys were born on the same day in the same hospital, she becomes convinced that Jacob is actually her son.
A new novel from American author Ace Atkins is getting a lot of industry attention. EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD (Corsair, €11.45) is an entertaining spy thriller with a lot of heart. Set in Atlanta in 1985, it tells the story of Peter, a 14-year-old boy who is convinced his mother’s new boyfriend is a Russian spy. When a woman at Peter’s mother’s work dies, Peter and his friends set out to find answers.
German author Sebastian Fitzek’s novel Walk Me Home was an international bestseller, later adapted into an Amazon movie. His latest novel, MIMIK (Aries, €9.99) tells the story of Hannah Herbst, a facial resonance expert who examines suspects’ facial expressions to help police determine whether they are guilty or innocent. When she experiences memory loss after an operation, Hannah is presented with a disturbing case of a woman who has confessed on video to murdering every member of her family, except her young son. But there is just one problem: the woman in the video is Hannah.
Wendy Sacks Jones’ debut novel THE CANDIDATE’S HUSBAND (SRL Publishing, €12.60) tells the story of Kirsty, a head teacher whose local MP resigns after a sex scandal. Hardworking with excellent credentials, Kirsty is the perfect candidate to run in the byelection to replace him. But her husband has ulterior motives for her political campaign. Perfect for fans of Frieda McFadden.
Veteran author John Irving returns to the world of his bestselling classic novel The Cider House Rules, revisiting the orphanage in St Cloud’s, Maine. In QUEEN ESTHER (Scribner, €14.99), Dr Wilbur Larch takes in Esther, a young Viennese Jewish girl whose father has died and whose mother has been murdered. The book tells the story of Esther and her friends and the people she meets, exploring our understanding of family, home and identity.
If you are a fan of seasonal reads, there are plenty to choose from this month. Michael Harding is best known for his columns in The Irish Times alongside his bestselling series of memoirs, including Staring At Lakes. His latest book, MIDWINTER: A JOURNEY THROUGH A SEASON (Hachette Ireland, €19.99), is a meditation on the season of winter and loss. Beginning with darkest November and working its way through to the glimmers of St Brigid’s Day, it offers stories that accept the bleakness winter brings while finding the hope that comes with its end.
Felicity Hayes-McCoy’s ONCE A YEAR (Hachette Ireland, €15.99) tells the story of the Sullivan family, who are gathering for Christmas in their familyrun hotel. Nora is the matriarch, who is doubting her granddaughter Máire’s ability as the new general manager. Sheila is Nora’s daughter and is wondering how to break the news that she has secretly divorced her husband. Meanwhile, granddaughters Henrietta and Barbara have their own reasons for coming to the hotel for Christmas.
We may earn a commission if you buy through affiliate links on our site.
