Finding a book that you love and want to add to your collection can be overwhelming, especially with so many new books and special editions hitting the shelves every week. But worry no more! As a special edition bookseller, we are lucky enough to read hundreds of books at Goldsboro Books and what better place to start than with your trusted (and favourite) bookshop’s booksellers. Today the recommendations come from Goldsboro Books Manager, Rebecca.
I am a self-confessed magpie when it comes to books of all genres, with a particular soft spot for historical and speculative fiction, books that make me cry, and spine-tingling books that keep me anxiously watching over my shoulder. I may not finish every book that comes my way, as I’m often juggling 2-3 books at a time, but I know within the first chapter whether I will fall in love with it.
Currently reading: The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley, Costanza by Rachel Blakemore, & The Black Hunger by Nicholas Pullen.
The following are just a handful of my favourite 2024 reads so far:
A Sign of Her Own by Sarah Marsh
This debut was one of the first 2024 books I read last year, and it has stuck with me ever since. Sarah Marsh writes brilliantly, creating an unforgettable character with Ellen Lark and shining a light on a previously hidden corner of history. I found this completely captivating for how Sarah writes about the experience of deafness in a hearing world, and the insights she weaves into her writing made me appreciate the strength and resilience of Ellen and the deaf community.
Ellen Lark is a woman caught between two worlds – she is deaf and as an old student of Alexander Graham Bell, she learnt Visible Speech. The story begins with Ellen on the verge of marriage when she and her fiancée are visited by Alexander Graham Bell, who wants Ellen to speak up in support of his claim to the patent of the telephone. But Ellen has a different story to tell: one of betrayal and isolation.
Buy your signed first edition copy here!
Medea by Rosie Hewlett
Now this I vividly recall starting and finishing while sitting on Brighton beach last September, because I could not put it down and was lightly sunburnt because of it.
Rosie is an unmissable new voice in the mythological retelling sphere, and she has expertly taken on the epic tale of mythology’s darkest heroine, Medea. This isn’t a myth I was previously familiar with, so to experience it through Rosie’s masterful writing was spellbinding and shocking. I would highly recommend this for fans of Madeline Miller’s “Circe” as it matches the lyrical writing of Madeline Miller whilst standing completely apart with its firey and vivid imagery. As Medea battles monsters, dethrones kings, and grapples with ultimate betrayal, I promise, if you don’t already know the story of Medea, you soon will, and you’ll never be able to forget it.
We are currently sold out of our exclusive limited edition.
The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenje
As mentioned, I have a soft spot for historical fiction, and similarly if a book is pitched to me with “gothic” somewhere in the description, of course I am going to read it. And Kuchenga Shenje’s debut is a triumph for fans of gothic mysteries as she masterfully explores themes of identity, sexuality, and one woman’s impossible decisions. Plus, with our main character, Florence, a bookbinder, you can feel the overwhelming love for books radiate off the pages.
If you are a fan of “Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters or “Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier, then you will love The Library Thief, and Florence’s quest to uncover the truth after the mysterious library in the forbidding Rose Hall is broken into and a half-burned book is discovered in the fireplace.
Buy your signed first edition copy here!
The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton
Welcome to the sleepy village of Pudding Corner, a quintessentially English haven of golden cornfields, winding cobbled lanes ... and murder.
Admittedly I was pulled in by the name Pudding Corner, but once I cosied down to read The Potting Shed Murder, Paula Sutton had me gripped with her unputdownable whodunnit. The perfect comparison I have seen so far is from bestselling author, SJ Bennett who says that this is “Miss Marple for the 21st Century”. Perfect for fans of Janice Hallett and Richard Osman, Paula Sutton has written a twisty mystery which nods to the classic cosy crimes whilst standing firmly apart in style and story. I was delighted with the twists and turns, and Paula’s witty take on modern small village life.
Buy your exclusive signed, numbered & sprayed edge first edition copy here!
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
To quickly summarise: In the near future, a disaffected civil servant is offered a lucrative job in a mysterious new government ministry gathering 'expats' from across history to test the limits of time-travel.
Intrigued yet?
If yes, read on, and if no, please still read on – because no one should miss out on reading this book.
Already highlighted across multiple platforms as a 2024 standout, The Ministry of Time is a genre-busting gem that I will not stop recommending to everyone I meet. Trust me when I tell you, you will fall in love with these characters, and you will laugh out loud, AND you will start to look everything we find normal in our day to day and think to yourself “how the hell would I describe Tiktok to someone from 1847?” It is moving, whimsical, and entirely original, written so expertly and intelligently that I guarantee it will become a classic.
Buy your signed first edition copy here!
William by Mason Coile
Remember when I said I occasionally enjoy books that leave me anxiously watching over my shoulder? This book is exactly what I meant.
Coming in October 2024, “William” is a short but shocking haunted house thriller taking a modern twist on the ghost story genre, delving into all the possible fears you may have about AI (artificial intelligence). I would say if you binge-watched Black Mirror and still occasionally think about Frankenstein’s monster on a stormy night, then you do not want to miss out on this book.
With a brilliant, but reclusive engineer at its centre, the story is based around the unsettling creation of an artificially intelligent consciousness called William. As Williams’ fixation on Henry’s pregnant wife, Lily, escalates, the house becomes a battleground of psychological horror.
Terrifying and gripping, I recommend reading this one when it is still light outside…
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